11

∞Step by step∞

Rudransh Singh Chauhan

She was looking serene, gazing at the setting sun. The dress she wore looked like a combination of Indian and Western styles, and her open hair complemented it beautifully. She was like a goddess who had walked down the stairs of heaven to free me from the world of my despair. It did sting my heart when she called me a stranger to Aahana, and I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt-it was bleeding. I wished I could go and hug her, wrap my arms around her, and ask her to just forgive me for whatever sins I had committed or punish me with anything but her silence and hatred. I cleared my throat to sound confident and not nervous in her presence.

"So you might know that this stranger doesn't know how to dance?"

She turned, and her hair followed her movement as if they knew perfectly how to align and move on her command. "Very well known, that's why we are not keeping anything difficult. Just follow my lead." She walked toward me, and the light sunlight falling on her skin made her glow, causing my heart to skip a beat. My body forgets about everything except her in her presence. My heart throbbed louder as her steps grew louder. She walked to stand in front of me and started speaking something I completely couldn't understand because my eyes were glued to the movement of her lips and her eyes that shone in their perfect shade of grey. She had captivated me like a lifelong prisoner, and trust me, I don't have a way out; I don't want to be out.

"Mr. Chauhan!" She jerked me, holding my arms, and my eyes came into contact with her wide eyes while irritation stretched on her perfect face.

"Yes, Dhaya." She blinked her eyes and walked to switch on the music, starting to scold me for my lack of attention.

"I had kept the performance for just two minutes. Let's get done with it as fast as possible." She played the music, and as the waves of music filled the air, I thought she could not look more serene, but she appeared more divine now. She held my hand, and strings of electricity went through my body. She touched me, Mahadev! My Dhaya touched me.

"Match my steps." I just bobbed my head senselessly and started following her lead, and I had no idea what I was doing at all.

"Not like this, Mr. Chauhan." She scrunched her nose and stepped back, heaving a sigh while I stood there looking at her like a lost puppy.

"See, one step back, one to the side, then make me twirl, and another step to the side turning me again to step back once again." She moved her body flawlessly, teaching me, and I tried to register everything that I could in my head.

"Okay, let's do this: 1-2-3-4-4-3-2-1." She turned to twirl in my arms, and her hair brushed against my face. I inhaled her scent, and it felt like the feeling of getting back home after long days of hustle. I stilled in my position as the feeling was so foreign to me, as if I had never returned home in these last seven years. She stumbled in her step and gave me a glare for freezing in my position.

"What happened, Mr. Chauhan?" What should I tell her? Without her, I was not only miserable but homeless.

"Your hair." I blurted out, and I could see her growing conscious as she stretched her arms to collect those dense waves in her hands to tie them into a bun. "I am sorry; it might have hurt your eyes." She tried to make them into a bun, but before she could, I stepped close and caressed them, making them slip from her hands. "They are beautiful; don't tie them." She looked at me with eyes filled with millions of questions, but all I wanted was her at this moment, nothing else. No sour feelings, no past, no hatred-just us, in the most raw form of love, as possible. I snaked my hands across her waist and pulled her. Her eyes never left mine, and mine had no other place to rest than on her face. I recalled the steps she taught me and followed them while her body flawlessly moved to the rhythm of the music, making the moment tattoo itself in my mind.

"Can I ask you something?" I took a moment between the steps to ask her gently. She just nodded, moving her body along with mine.

"Will it ever be me?" She looked into my eyes, her lips parted gently at my question. She moved back, matching the rhythm of the music, and I pulled her to fall into my arms as we swayed together.

"It has always been you, but it can never be us again." The music seemed to slow as her words traced my ears. I felt like crying, nuzzling my face in the curve of her neck, and telling her how, in every world and in every form, if I ever wanted something to be, it would always be us-with her.

"Your eyes had the best glow and charm, only dreams and fleeting love suits them, my lady. Don't waste these pearls," I whispered, wiping the tear that trailed down her cheek. My arm was still around her waist, and her arms were crossed around my neck as we swayed gently to the music, standing in that one spot.

"Aru." We both snapped back to reality, which was far less favourable than the moments of serenity we had just shared. She immediately stepped away from me, moving towards her brother's voice. He stood near the entrance of the garden with his hands resting in his pockets.

"Bhai." Aridhaan walked toward us, his face wearing an expression difficult to read.

"Yug told me you are pairing up with Rudransh for the sangeet. You could have asked me." Of course, this overprotective brother of hers. No wonder he doesn't have a love life of his own; he has been a thorn in mine for as long as I can remember.

Dhaya glanced at me, her eyes still shimmering with unspoken words, then turned to face her brother fully. "It's fine, Bhai. We will have our separate performance. Mr. Chauhan didn't have a companion." Seriously? How many performances does this lady of mine plan to have? She can have as many as she wants, but she can keep just one partner-me. It would make things easier for her. We have the chemistry.

Aridhaan's gaze shifted between us, suspicion evident in his eyes. Overprotective would have been a small word to describe his protectiveness for his sister. If he gets to know that his sister is upset with me, I won't be shocked if he has my head for breakfast tomorrow. I gulped the bulge in my throat and saw the siblings talking about something.

"Yes, we are done. Mr. Chauhan is a fast learner. He pretty much learned everything. I will go and meet Sharvan Bhai." She walked away with her brother. I mean, we should practise a little more. I am still a beginner in dancing, no matter how great of a fast learner I am. I won't stretch my luck anymore; a few moments with her are heaven for me.

As I watched them walk away, I felt the familiar pang of longing. Dhaya's words echoed in my mind, each one a reminder of the distance that now lay between us. Her brother's protective nature was a barrier I'd have to navigate carefully if I wanted any chance of bridging that gap.

I sighed and looked around the garden, the setting sun casting a warm glow over everything.

With a final glance at Dhaya's retreating figure, I turned and walked away, my heart heavy but determined. If I had to win her back, I'd do it step by step. For now, I would savor the moments we had and hope for more in the future.

Later that evening, I found myself wandering through the garden again, the music from the sangeet practice still echoing in my ears. I replayed our dance in my mind: her touch, her scent, the way her hair brushed against my face. I closed my eyes, letting the memories wash over me.

"He is a lost case."

"He has been since forever."

I heard the whispers coming from around me. I pushed my steps and paused the music on my ear pods, opened my eyes to see Abhir and Rishi standing near the pillar and whispering in hushed voices, although their whispers were very well audible and evident to me.

"You both need to stop sneaking on me." I held my waist and arched a brow at them. They chuckled and walked up to me.

"Of course!" Rishi shrugged, and Abhir put an arm around my shoulder.

"You know, Aradhaya justifies why you rejected all those proposals over the last years. She is really gorgeous." I smiled at his words but glared at his last remark.

"Oh, don't be like that. Anyway, her best friend is enough to glare at me all day." He cribbed about Aahana, heaving a sigh. They both are altogether different yet the same.

"Who knows you both brothers have an eye on the two best friends. I feel sad for Rohan. Rajvanshs doesn't have anyone for him." Rishi chuckled, rubbing his chin thinking about Rohan, to which Abhir jumped into the conversation.

"Rohan Bhai is busy with Miss Malhotra."

"What?"

"That curly-haired woman," Rishi spoke at the same time as mine, surprise evident in his voice. That means I am not the only one unaware of this.

"Yeah, he told me that Mr. Malhotra's daughter proposed to him, and I can bet it's the opposite, but never mind, I will let my brother stay in delusion for as long as he can. I am not lying. If you don't believe me, you can go and check-he is still talking to her. There's a reason why he always misses our gatherings." He explained himself, giving worthy evidence and justifications.

"If he is happy, then what would we want otherwise." I shrugged to let go of the topic, but Rishi had other plans.

"Now I understand why he was so keen to take up the project with the Malhotras himself. Kids these days." Abhir broke out into laughter hearing him, while I just snickered.

"Of course, old man Rishi Bhai, getting married next month, most probably will have kids by the coming year." Abhir teased him while I just enjoyed myself in their talks.

"No, that's too soon. Leave me out of this. Look, your cousin kept it hidden from both of us about his love interest." He dodged the topic and gave me a wiggling eyebrow look.

"He must have needed time, and it's not like that. Rohan would have told me himself." I tried to explain, but Abhir cut me off, as usual.

"No Bhai! Rohan Bhai paaraye ho gaye hai ab, thode din mein aap bhi ho jaoge, Rishi Bhai toh ho hi chuke hai." I squinted my eyes at his words. There is something really wrong with my brother.

"What?" After a moment of silence that I and Rishi gave Abhir, he went on explaining his point.

"After a man gets his woman, he forgets the little relationships like siblings, cousins, or friends. Sometimes I feel you both learned nothing in life while I just mastered all the concepts." I scrunched my nose at his words while Rishi went into his thoughts.

"He is right though. I don't even remember the last time I talked to my cousins. It was always my fiancée. You are right, Abhir. I shall go and call her to tell this." At this moment, I really need to reconsider my choice of friends, and Mahadev needs to reconsider the kind of sibling he blessed me with.

"See, Rudra Bhai! I told you na." Abhir rubbed my shoulder as we saw Rishi dialing his fiancée's number and walking away.

"Just go away from here." I needed to hush this man away from me; he had gone literally mad. Mom should have watched fewer daily soaps during his time, because all he has now is drama.

"Haan haan, yeh ishq tum na karnaaaa..." He went away singing who knows what lyrics. I didn't even know how to react to this situation. I brushed off my thoughts and tried to memorize all my dance steps. My love should not be disappointed.

"Here!" Aahana walked into my room with an attendant following. I moved aside, opening the door wider to give them space to enter. It was already the evening of the sangeet, and I was about to get ready when I heard the knock. All day, I hadn't had another chance to dance with Dhaya, as she was busy helping everyone with their performances.

"I already have an outfit," I tried to reason, watching the attendant take out a three-piece suit from the cover and lay it on the bed.

"I know, but I had them reorganized according to the dance performances and the partners. Sadly, you are my best friend's partner. I had to get you a complementary one with her," Aahana spoke with a straight face, walking around me, probably taking mental measurements.

"This suit will fit him; he's tall and muscular, so it won't be a problem," she discussed with her attendant while he replied in their language of fabric and fashion.

"Why is it sad?" I asked, grabbing her attention.

"What?"

"That I am your best friend's partner, because the last time I remember, you were the happiest for us." She arched a brow at me and chuckled sarcastically.

"Yes, I was, until the time you hurt her. I warned you before, Rudransh, and I am warning you now, one final time. Stay away from her. You don't deserve her, so you are no one to hurt her again." She declared, then walked out of the room. I understood her point-maybe I didn't deserve Dhaya, but she was my only chance at living. How could I let go of my breaths?

I got ready in the outfit Aahana had chosen for me. It was a well-stitched three-piece suit in a pastel shade. After dressing, I headed to the open garden where the sangeet was scheduled, to check on the catering arrangements. "Is everything ready?" I asked the organizer. As he explained the preparations, I noticed his eyes drifting away from me to something behind me, and his words trailed off.

I turned to see what had caught his attention. To my sanity, the thing that captivated everyone around was Dhaya, walking in all her grace with her brothers. She wore a dress that complemented mine, and to call her a goddess would be an understatement. She looked like the shooting star I always made wishes upon, and now she had become my wish. Her long hair fell perfectly down her waist, and the dress hugged her curves in the most flattering way. She had white roses in her hair, and my fingers couldn't be any less jealous of those flowers that got to adorn her.

I gasped for air but instantly turned my gaze away as I saw Aridhaan's line of sight intersecting with mine. My jaw tightened as I noticed the staff of the organizer also gazing at someone who was mine.

"It won't take me a minute to fire you and blacklist you from the industry. Keep your eyes and interest on your work." The man shivered on the spot, immediately snapping his eyes away and stammering continuous apologies.

I left from there and walked towards her. With every step, my nervousness flared as my heart thumped louder and louder.

⋆✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ⋆🌿✦🌺✦🌿⋆*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧⋆

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