Unleash

15

WE PULLED INTO A PACKED PARKING LOT OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE A COLLEGE . Riaan cursed as he looked at the clock in the car.

"It starts in two minutes," he grumbled, getting out of the car and taking the flowers.

I opened the door and tumbled to the ground. Luckily, I caught myself before I scraped my knees on the basement.

I had to run, which wasn't easy in heels, to catch up with Riaan's long stride.

"It's in the auditorium, of the college," he said, more to himself than me. "They expected a high attendance and the Kathak school she goes to is small. They only have room for attendance of fifty people.

Riaan pushed open the doors to the corridor and we followed the signs to the auditorium.

People turned to glare at us, for coming in late. A dance was already beginning.

Somewhere in the middle, someone stood and motioned for us.

Riaan reached for me, but then let his hand drop.

We squeezed past the people already sitting and I flinched anytime my bare skin touched someone. Riaan noticed, and sent me a sympathetic glance.

Two empty seats were waiting for us and Riaan made sure I took the seat next to Mrs Leela, while he took the one next to the stranger. I leaned over and saw Mr Sanjay and Kabir there, as well.

I giggled to myself when I saw that Kabir held purple tulips.

"I'm so glad you could come, sweetie," Mrs Leela whispered in my ear.

"I'm happy to be here," I told her. I leaned across to Riaan and he shivered from my proximity. "Thanks for taking that seat."

"It's not a problem," he said, wiggling in the seat, trying to get enough room for his long legs. "You smell good," he blurted.

"What?" I gasped.

Even in the darkened room, I could see the color flooding his cheeks. "You smell good, like strawberries and flowers."

"Um... thanks," I said awkwardly, sitting back in the chair.

All different age categories were performing, from youngest to oldest, so it took a while before Kavya came on stage.

Riaan leaned towards me when she came out. "That's Kavya," he pointed at a striking girl with dyed streaks of red hair pulled into a tight bun, "and that's her dance partner, Aakash."

I watched the couple dance gracefully across the stage. They were breathtaking, every move so precise, the emotions playing across their faces were believable.

I found my jaw dropping open.

Kavya and Aakash danced like pros, like people twice their age.

When they finished, everyone in the auditorium stood to clap.

"They were incredible," I told Riaan. "Amazing!"

"I know," he grinned, clapping like a proud dad.

Kabir whistled from beside us, and on stage, Kavya caught his eye, blushing.

There was only one other dance number after Kavya's and Riaan sat impatiently waiting to congratulate his sister.

When the lights came on, he jumped up from his seat.

We weren't allowed to go back stage so we all waited in the college corridor for the dancers to come out.

Kavya emerged, wearing a pair of jeans and a lightweight tol. Her hair was hanging loosely down her back. A smile lit her face and she ran into Riaan's arms.