AnuPre SS: Tunes of Love

Chap 3

While Anurag was gone, Prerna took her time to admire the beauty of his apartment. He had converted his living-cum-dining into practice hall. The floor was wooden. The front wall was clad with a huge mirror. There were speakers attached to the ceiling. He had created a nice sitting area right in front of the huge life size window that overlooks the marine drive. 'The guy is rich', she concluded thoughtfully. 'And the money cannot be just from his earnings. He definitely belongs to a rich family. Maybe dancing is his passion.' Upon hearing some rustling noise she turned to see him walking towards his open kitchen. The kitchen was small yet very organized. She was surprised to see him working through the stuffs in the kitchen at ease. She thought Indian guys are not comfortable working in the kitchen. She watched him intently. Whenever he walked his steps are like soft, unlike some men who make noise while walking. He was wearing a black gym pant and a khaki colored sleeveless T-shirt that fitting his body like a second skin. His hands are muscular which means he works out regularly apart from dancing. 'What's the matter with me?' I scolded myself mentally. 'But it looks like I have been loud because just on the cue, he looked towards me.' Anurag casually looked at Prerna while dipping the tea bags in the cups. His muscles flexed each time he did something and Prerna couldn't take her eyes off him. She had seen many guys in her life and dated a few, but something about Anurag intrigued her. And for a moment she thought dancing with him was a very bad idea because that means he will be touching her often. 'Get a grip' she rolled her eyes and ordered her hormones to behave, but it looks like she was once again blabbering loudly because once again he looked at her taking the tray in his hand.
'Damn, he was coming near her.' Prerna shifted uncomfortable and suddenly her top felt tight in her body. She wished she wore something loose instead. Anurag placed the tray on the table that was made of glass and looked at her, raising his eyebrows.
"You will get to stand the whole day, so you might as well sit for sometime Miss Sharma and enjoy your cup of tea till it lasts." Was that a threat she thought? "And if you are looking at me, I have a few things to discuss with you", he said folding his arms.
Prerna was very embarrassed by the fact that she was caught staring. She cleared her throat and took a seat on the black beanbag taking a cup of tea in her hand. From the corner of her eyes, she watched as he circled her before making himself comfortable on the sofa on her right. He also took his cup and sipped his tea looking outside the window. The weather was cloudy and gloomy outside any moment it would. He leaned forward to take his saucer. Prerna was so engrossed watching him that she didn't realize that the tea is too hot. She hissed in pain as the hot liquid burned her upper lip. She kept the cup and smoothed the pain darting out her tongue. Anurag kept his empty cup on the table, making Prerna wonder how on the earth someone can drink a hot beverage so fast.
However, he waited patiently while I took the time to complete my tea. Once I was done, he was about to take the cup and we both bumped our head in the process. "I am sorry", she said sheepishly. "I would rather keep this cup myself on the basin." She said holding the cup.
"You can keep this formality at bay. It is not the first and last time you are going to have tea here. So, it's okay. You can do that some other time." He almost snatches the cup from her hand and was gone.
Why is he so rude to her, she wondered? Maybe he is like those intimidating and brooding types. But his photographs with her sister showed a totally opposite character. He was full of life and smiling in those pictures, but in reality he is kudos.
"Okay, so, do you know dancing?" he asked as he mapped her up and down making her uncomfortable further. 'What does he mean by whether I can dance or not?' she thought.
"It was just a question and do you always blabber this loud?" he tilted his head, eyeing me intently making me instantly cover my mouth. This is going to be a problem if her thoughts are this loud, she thought.
"I have learnt dancing from the best of the best." she stated the fact proudly.
"Oh really?" he said in a mocking tone. His lopsided smile mocked her further. He crossed his arms and asked, "who is your guru then?"
"My sister, " she said in a challenging tone. Dare he make fun of that? To her surprise his expression softened and turned what she didn't know... surprise?
After that, he stopped interrogating me. She doesn't know what made him stop questioning her. But she was sure it was due to the mention of her sister's name.
"You must be aware that we have to go through several trials before we are selected for wildcard entry? Since nationals are over we have to present ourselves as a wild card entrant for the trials. Thanks to your father and his sources, jury has agreed to what our performance. There is not much time left for that I hope you understand that, Miss Sharma"
"I have a name, Anurag."
"We aren't that close that we call each other on first name basis. I am more comfortable keeping it strictly professional."
Genuinely upset with his tone she said, "So, I guess you called my sister Miss. Sharma as well?"
"Don't you dare compare yourself with your sister." He hissed loudly making Prerna flinch. Probably he understood his mistake immediately. He closed his eyes and composed himself. "She was my partner for past 2 years. We had grown together in this field. We were there with each other in thick and thin. We have seen more downfalls than winning. We have dreamt this together. It was all with her Miss. Sharma and not with you. So, no matter how much you and your father tries, you cannot take her position. You are just an option, a replacement."
Why did his words sting so much? She couldn't control her tears. Her eyes burned slowly blurring his image. All she did was to ask a simple question she never thought she would face such rude remarks from him. She would never compare herself with her sister because her sister was her star, her inspiration, her strength, her everything. She is empty without her. He didn't understand how tough it was for her to decide whether she should wear her sister's shoes and take this up and that man didn't help much. She gulped down her pain and turned her back towards him. She didn't want to show him her pain. He is rude and doesn't know how to behave. He is unnecessarily behaving badly with her without her fault. As if he wants to through her out on the very first day. Too bad Mr. Basu, she thought. She won't let that happen. She was doing it for her sister and she will win. She gulped down all her pain and composed herself. The moment she looked up, she was stunned to see the wallpaper. It was not really wallpaper. It was a flex. She walked towards it and touched her sister's pictures. It was all the winning moments. Slowly she took in everything. A new emotion rolled in her belly and suddenly she wanted to throw up unable to take it anymore. She covered her mouth and gestured him to show her the washroom. Looking at her condition he rushed her to his bedroom and to his bathroom. Prerna locked the door behind him and puked her gut out inside the pot. That was too real. The pain that she hid under her chirpy demure had cut open raw. "This is the worst decision of my life." She sobbed between her cries. Anurag will remind her of her sister every day. That place, that hall, that the dance floor will remind of her twin. She wrongly thought that being away from her home, from her room would keep her away from the demons, but now she is afraid to be here. Every day this place, his apartment will remind her of Pranati. And she will remind him of his partner.
A light knock on the door broke her trance. "You okay?" he asked softly.
"I am fine." She half chocked and replied. Quickly she got up and flushed the water closet. Then washed her wash. Grabbing the tissue she cleaned her face and nose. Once she composed herself, she unlatched the doorknob and exited.
He fiddled with his hands and he handed over a bottle of water. She took it without any question. "Umm! I am sorry", his tone was soft and apologetic. She didn't want to make things any more awkward between them than it already was. She looked at him and smiled, putting the cap on the bottle. "Don't be. Your outburst is normal Mr. Basu. I understand how you must be feeling right now. It is not easy for any partner. And I, being her identical twin am making your situation worse. But, Mr. Basu, let me assure you one thing, I am going nowhere. I want that cup for my sister. So no matter how much you try I am going to fight back. I might not be my sister, but I am no less. I have trained under the best and giving up is not my style. For a moment I got emotional because she was..." Prerna looked down and chocked.. "My lifeline. And losing her was hard. I still suffer from PTSD, but I am better now. Anyway, I am not here to tell you my sorry. I am here to fulfill my sister's wish, which I will. Take it or leave it." She walked past him, only to stop at the door. "Are you coming Mr Basu? I think you said we don't have much time left so you better hurry up." With that, she flicked her hair and walked out of the door leaving a dumb folded Anurag behind.