Dil Se Dance

Lame Excuses and Sleepless Night

7:00 pm... St. Louis Campus.

Rey hopped his way out of the window towards the parking lot. He still was pretty unsure of his feet and the possibility of whether he could still drive in this situation. Maybe Kria could drive. But he has never given his car keys to a female. Not to his mother or even to Sharon! So this was going to be a first, rather Kria was going to be his first! Well that came out wrong!

But was Rey a virgin? Well, unlike most popular boys at colleges, this was India! The probability stays too low in the case of getting laid here. Even 'making out' was a different thing compared to the normalcy. It is never done publicly in open spaces, classrooms, halls, cafeteria or in the parking lot. Bottom line, it never happens! Indian tradition, orthodox parents, a bunch of unwritten rules and screwed up life without any fun!

These were the thoughts that passed through Rey's complicated mind while he made up his mind to ask her drive his car.

"I don't think I can drive! Kya tumhe driving aati hein?" Rey asked politely.

"Meri drivers license hein!" Kria took out her license from the bag and showed it to him.

"Doesn't matter! Kya tumhe driving aati hein?" Rey asked again making her roll her eyes. He was much concerned about his car right then. Boys and cars!

"Chaabi do!" It was like a demand.

Rey handed her the key and got in the passenger side. Kria settled her bag in the backseat and strapped the seatbelt once behind the steering-wheel.

Rai Prakash House...

"Teen ghanton ke andar ithna attitude bhar gaya usmein. Meri ek thappad ka effect uski stupid smile ko gaayab kar diya! Wait a minute! Mein uske hi baarein mein kyun soch rahi hun?" Sharon thought to herself as she made her way to her room.

"Can I help?"

"Do you need my help?" 

How quickly he had changed his sentence from wanting to help into giving out a choice!

"You don't have to say anything!" 

His words kept playing in her head. 

"Sharon bitiya!" She heard the servant kaaka knock on her door after an hour.

"Andar aayiye kaaka!" Sharon called out and he came in.

"Beta, neeche do khaayal log aapse milna chaahthe hein. Keh rahe hein ki bahut zaroori hein aapse baath karna."

"Khaayal log? Kaun hein kaaka? Kya aap jaanthe hein unhe?"

"Nahi beta!"

"Toh kaun ho sakthe hein?!" Sharon asked to herself as she followed kaaka downstairs until finally recognised the two.

The two shabby looking Bengali workers who had tried to take the advantage of her were covered with bruises and bandages and were barely able to stand with the support of crutches, in front of her. She was totally taken aback by the turn of events and remained silent as the two tried their best to bring their respective palms together. Her watchman was right beside them to throw them out the moment Sharon wanted.

"H-humein m-maaf kar do b-beti!" The first guy pleaded to her.

"Humse... humse b-bahut badi galthi h-ho gayi thi!" The second guy cried.

"Dobaara aise k-kabhi kisi ke saath bhi n-nahi k-karenge! Aise karne ki s-sochenge bhi nahi beta! H-humein maaf k-kar do!" The first guy explained. Sharon stood dumbstruck to reply.

"Koi accident huyi kya tum dono ki? Kya hua? Aise kaise ho gaya?!" Kaaka asked while Sharon didn't say anything. 

"Humein maaf kardo b-beti! Hum chale jaayenge! Waapas kabhi nahi aayenge!" The second guy pleaded, almost crying.

Meanwhile Kria drove them both to Rey's house while he gave out the directions. As they got out, Kria was still two minded at this choice of hers.

"Kria, andar araam se baithke sochthe hein!" Rey said while he walked carefully putting less pressure on his right leg. She didn't stay there long and followed him inside.

Kria was much impressed by the interiors and about the fact that his house was obviously bigger than her apartment. She made herself comfortable on the sofa after giving her wet clothes to his servant kaaka to get it dried.

"Do you like what you see?" Kria turned to him but her eyes widened and mouth hang open. Rey stood there shirtless, half naked smirking at her. She couldn't control her eyes from checking out his well built chest, biceps and then his abs.

"W-w-what are y-you talking about?" Kria tried her best not to let him know she was affected by this.

"Mein apni ghar ki baath kar raha hoon. Did you like my house?" Rey smirked.

"Haan! Haan! Achchi hein! Bahut achchi hein!" Kria sighed.

"Wait, tum kya soch rahi thi?" Rey asked as he dressed up putting a new shirt back on and then made his way to the sofa.

Sharon was finding it hard to complete her assignment. She definitely needed an assistant for the cultural activity. But the need arose just today, right now! Maybe she shouldn't have dieted this night! No it wasn't because of having the dinner, it was because of him! Swayam! 

"God, aaj tak mind ne ithni confused signals nahi bheji! Mein us 'nobody' ke baarein mein hi kyun soch rahi hun?! Maana ki galthi meri thi, par, par... wow! Galthi? Aur Sharon Rai Prakash ki side par? Never! Lekin woh dono ki haalath kisne ki hogi? Swayam ne? ...No, no, no! Sharon cpntrol yourself! Control!! Tum aisi nahi soch sakthi!" Sharon was trying to convince herself to not think about him anymore. 

"I am definitely not apologising to him nor am I conveying any gratitude! Because he is a bloody weakling! But he is a good dancer! ...what?! I must be going crazy! Okay that's it! I'm going to sleep! RDX sir ko kal bol denge ki ek assistant ki zaroorat hein! He'll understand and definitely help out!"

She switched her lights of but couldn't shut her eyes. His face, his dance, her slap and then his attitude was all replaying in her memory.

"Tumhaare liye guest bedroom tayyaar ki hein, tum wahi so jaana! Make yourself at home! Okay?"

"Thanks Rey! Aap yeh sab..."

"No Kria! Thanks bolke meri yeh help ko choti mat banaao!"

"Okay! Goodnight Rey!" Kria giggled.

"Goodnight Kria!" Rey smiled rubbing the back of his neck.

But it wasn't going to be so! They both knew that this night, was sleep deprived!