Strangers..

The entire team of 30 was present at Toit. This was a success party from him. He was just back from the 5-week International Dance tour arranged by his Dance Academy. Being an all-rounder, he was one of the greatest assets for his Academy, and one of the Leads. Hardly had he imagined that he would be a key player in this initiative, and that it would be a huge success!

The crowd cheered as he opened the bottle of Champagne they had gifted for this grand success.

Someone from the lot shouted, “ Koi speech de de, yaar..yeh sab kaise hua..how do you feel”

(..yeh sab kaise hua..he shrugged at the thought of it. The crowd would not believe,  if he were to reveal the true ‘yeh sab kaise hua’…)

He blinked, took a deep breath, and replied..

“God’s grace” – he remarked without a thought.

“Well, I may sound too philosophical now, but then I have to say this!” – his voice went deeper – “There’s one streak in each one of us, that’s irrespective of the outside world – what the world talks about us, how the world treats us, or how it looks at us! You name it anything – Talent, Passion, the Love of your Life, God gift – whatever! And when it knocks you, there’s just nothing else to it”

Silence in the crowd!

 “yaaron! Pehle main bhi in baaton ko bakwaas hi manta tha”’ – he winked as he heard a couple of whistles from the crowd, continuing – “But I owe a very big Thanks to Someone, who is not present here”

 “kaun hai woh, haan ?”.. Who, eh?” - some more whistles

Looking at the floor and then quickly back to the audience

“A random Stranger” – he smirked.

Couple of howls, and then the team slowly started getting immersed with the drinks and food, that came in by then.

Taking this chance, Mayur slipped out of the crowd to have some time of his own (the last three words of his own speech had somehow got him disturbed). His thoughts wandered at the past, and came to a halt at that one instance..when the both had met last..

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11 months ago:

They were Strangers...

...They had turned into strangers!

( ‘Saale yeh third person beech me aake sab kuch gotala kar dete hain. Very dangerous!’ - Ragini had agreed once, when one of her close friends had said this –‘ even worse when there are more that one ‘third person’ – she had told him)

---

Mayur spotted her taking a stroll at the office cafeteria. She doubted if she would step into this  campus ever again. This was Ragini's last day as an Employee. She would be pursuing her Masters in Mass Communication abroad and work with her cousin as a partner in his Consultancy firm.

“So..finally you have decided” – he said, as he walked and stood up in front of her  “(to leave Me)” – he said to himself.

“yep..just the right time” – she replied, with half-a-smile. “(its just too late to ask)” – to herself.

 “dreams coming true and all, eh – real fighter” – he said  (i wish I was in that list) – to himself.

“yep..kind of” – another half smile, concealing “(not all become true)” – to herself

There was a vacuum – of silence. Only two pairs of eyes looking at each other, with nothing in mind.

Breaking the silence..she continued “There’s that one streak in each one of us, Mayur  – a passion – that overcomes all the h…” –a sigh, and she left her statement trailing..

“at least for once, please attempt to make it work. i don’t even know if I can interfere any more, but you can do it! Not for that Big name..but atleast for Yourself…to meet the same old person you have had been”

He blankly looked at the floor tight-lipped and refused. He was lost! Making this promise looked tough! (why should I, at all ...? i can't live without you. i hate you - he thought in his mind)... he frowned.

She stretched out her palm at him..as she uttered “I still have..” .

Alert, he again turned and took a step closer to her- “you still have..?” – with a heavy breathe, looking deep into her eyes now.

'"h..hopes..you can , i know" - gulping the actual words she had in mind.

she stressed her hand that had reached out to him and nodded - "promise me, you will take your dance to an International level..it's not for ME!"

He had no clue how, but he knew that was the right thing to do. He nodded back and grasped her hand – only for a moment. (just for you) - he said to himself

There were these vibes in the air, that only the two could understand.It was time for Ragini to leave.

She controlled her urge to look back, as she walked towards the Exit gate. Her tears would shatter him to pieces..She knew that.

 Neither did Mayur wait. He gazed at his hand that had just given a promise, a promise he had now decided to fulfill - just for her. And then, he walked inside..

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dude, where were you lost? we were looking out for u!” he startled, as he heard Angelo, a common well wisher, calling him inside. Lost in thoughts - he had not noticed the missed calls he'd received in the last 20 minutes.

“No where, come on, let's go inside”, as he patted Angelo.

“Are you guys in touch”, asked Angelo, sensing what possibly could have been in Mayur's mind.

“Nope”, he replied, as he unlocked his phone and opened the photo Album of his latest success. 

As he scanned through the pictures, he knocked into one, which swept him off his feet. It was that of his audience at the Mega Dance event. 

Right in the middle of the ecstatic crowd, there was this strikingly familiar face, brimming with pride, filled with tears in her eyes...a face he had not seen since the last eleven months..

Author's note: Love aint always a mushy story…!:)