Raghav had decided, if Pallavi didn't want his sorry, he didn't need her forgiveness. Who was she anyway? She didn't even consider them married. But then again, why was she able to stop him from talking to her? No one makes Raghav Rao hang his head in shame, no one can stop Raghav from saying whatever he wants. Raghav makes others speechless, he's never speechless. As he walked into the house, he heard music...
मोहे रंग दो लाल
मोहे रंग दो लाल
नंद के लाल लाल
छेड़ो नहीं बस रंग दो लाल
मोहे रंग दो लाल
मरोड़ी कलाई मोरी
मरोड़ी कलाई मोरी
हाँ कलाई मोरी
हाँ कलाई मरोड़ी
कलाई मोरी
चूड़ी चटकाई इतराई
तो चोरी गरवा लगाई
Where was it coming from? He walked toward his the bar, and then caught a glimpse of red and white. White curtains, and behind them, Pallavi. In a gorgeous red suit, but the kameez was long and flowing, like the dress she wore at Mansi's Sangeet. It was simple, nothing fancy, it looked years old, but still beautiful. She wasn't wearing any jewelry, no makeup, but the way she was floating around the floor, it was like watching an angel land on earth. Raghav, despite the fact that no one, not even Farhad was allowed in his studio, wasn't able to stop Pallavi, he couldn't say anything. He was, quite literally, speechless. As she danced, Raghav imagined what it would be like to be her Nand Gopal, and then like glass breaking, the song ended and Raghav tried to get the thought out of his head. Pallavi stood up, and then she caught Raghav's eye. Immediately the happiness she felt, turned to dread. Raghav noticed the changed look, his face confused, and before he could walk in to compliment her dance, Pallavi ran out. She ran upstairs, and into Raghav's room, she couldn't even lock the door, so she hid in the bathroom. The joy she felt for those few minutes, gone. Now, she'd have to go downstairs and expect some long lengthy list of insults about how she couldn't disgrace his house with her dancing, or something else stupid.
She creeped out of the bathroom, checking to make sure Raghav hadn't come upstairs. He wasn't there. She had to change into a sari, not red. She can't believe she wore red to dance, she used to hate that color. No. She still hated that color. She chose a dark green sari, with one of her favorite turquoise blouses. Reddy had already made dinner, so there was no worry in getting it dirty. As she pinned her pleats, she started working on her pallu. She fondly remembered getting Mansi ready for the Loom puja a couple months back. If only she really could have packed Mansi with her to Raghav's house. She needed a safety pin for her pallu and for the life of her she couldn't find one on the vanity, nor in her cabinet, she turned around to look on the side table, and there was Raghav. Her surprise quickly turned to anger.
"What are you doing here? I'm chang-"
"I just came to get my laptop, do you need a safety pin?" He turned to the side drawer, opened it and took out a pin.
"Thank you, now you can leave."
As he gave it to her, their fingers touched, and she dropped the pin.
Raghav smiled, "kya saree ke dukaan, you run a sari shop and you can't handle a pin? Here let me help you."
"No I'm fin-"
But before she could finish her sentence, Raghav was behind her, he took the deep green pallu, pulled at the blouse at her shoulder, and fastened the pin. His breath heavy in her ear.
"Done."
She turned around, surprised and confused. Who was this man?
"I think Amma and Keerthi are back, I'll go get Reddy and get dinner on the table." And she made her way out of the room, still confused.
Raghav said after her, "Your dance, it was—I mean I wanted to say so at that sangeet—"
Pallavi looked down and said, "Don't worry, I won't use your room anymore, it was my mistake—"
"No, I meant, I mean I like to dance too, I..." Raghav tried to find some words, any words.
Pallavi thought of his bharathanatyam...and then her mind went to Mansi's engagement night, she smiled and said, "I still think Telugu music is too loud, not enough melody."
She left, leaving Raghav grinning stupidly behind her.
