"Yukta, are you alright?"

I rushed towards Yukta as she lay flat on the floor, clutching her right ankle tightly. She winced as Falguni and I helped her to sit up, while Manoj and Gaurav checked on Omkar and Michael.

"Does your ankle hurt a lot?" Falguni asked Yukta.

Yukta shook her head. "No, I am okay," she snapped her eyes at the wall clock, "TJ will be here soon. We should focus on practice, or he will be disappointed again. There are only a few days left."

I glanced at Omkar and Michael, and they also told us that their hands were okay. Even though their sunken faces and red eyes told me that they were tired, both guys still tried to convince us that they weren't hurt while trying to catch Yukta.

This is what I was afraid of. I knew TJ was at a level very high above us, and he wanted the best out of us, but our current team was not able to keep up the energy till the end. We were practicing non-stop, and even if the girls left early, the boys stayed behind for extra hours.

Slowly, the results of exhaustion were showing up, and I knew no one was going to accept that the choreography was way too hard for us. In the beginning, we took on the challenge, but the reality had started hitting us.

Falguni applied some pain relief ointment on Yukta's ankle.

"I wish this performance will get over soon. I just want to rest," Yukta said. "I wish I could take a break, man."

"Me too," Falguni sighed.

The guys joined us. Falguni winced at the wounds on Michael's hands when he boasted about them. Similarly, Gaurav and Omkar also had swelling on their wrists, while Manoj and I were the only ones who weren't harmed.

I looked at my teammates. "Guys, why don't we talk to TJ? If we tell him about our difficulties, then he will surely listen."

Omkar rolled his eyes. "Our difficulties? Bhoomi, you have got the easiest part. The only ones suffering are us."

Yukta slapped Omkar on the shoulder. "Stop talking nonsense, idiot."

"Do you really think I have the easiest part?" I asked Omkar.

"Sorry, Bhoomi, I didn't want to say that," Omkar apologized.

"No, I also think so, but that's why I am telling you to talk to our team leader if you think your moves are difficult."

Omkar began talking but stopped. I heard footsteps behind me and realised that Tejas had arrived. Like every day, he placed his bag in a corner and told us to give an update on our practice.

He was busy smiling at his phone, his thumbs dancing on the keypad. He snapped his eyes at us when he didn't get any reply from his team.

"Why are all of you on the floor?" TJ asked, his eyes roaming over us, but the moment his gaze was about to land on me, he moved his head in another direction.

"We were just practicing now, TJ," Michael said.

Tejas nodded as he advanced towards us. He narrowed his eyes at Yukta's ankle, which was shining bright red.

"Did you get hurt, Yukta?" TJ asked.

Yukta shook her head, but Tejas bent down and held her right foot in his hands. As expected, Yukta turned red, and Falguni and I exchanged glances. We wanted to laugh at Yukta but controlled ourselves - the girl was about to die from excitement.

"Doesn't look much serious," Tejas said, "I have a warm wrap in my bag. It will help a lot."

Yukta nodded and started fanning her face after Tejas left to get the warm bandages.

"I think I am dying," Yukta squealed in a low voice, her eyes set on our team leader.

"Stop burning holes in him," I said.

"Jealous?" Yukta wiggled her eyebrows.

I threatened that I would press her hurt right foot, and she pulled my cheeks. The guys looked at us disappointingly.

Yukta smiled when Tejas returned and started wrapping the bandages around her foot. He kept asking Yukta if she needed rest, and she kept denying like an idiot.

"TJ, I think you are partial towards girls," Gaurav complained.

Tejas smiled. "How so?"

Gaurav complained like a kid, and Tejas told him that he had extra warm wraps in his bag. Gaurav could take them and TJ would give him the same treatment as Yukta.

Tejas is so kind!

Gaurav smiled as if he had received a huge bag of candies. He thanked Tejas and got the bandages. While TJ was busy attending to our teammates, I thought of telling him about our concerns.

Michael was grinning as it was his turn to receive Tejas's attention. I tapped Tejas's shoulder, and he froze up. His smile vanished in a second as his eyebrows knitted together.

"What is it?" Tejas asked without looking at me.

Why does he sound angry?

"TJ, I wanted to talk to you," I said.

Tejas didn't reply and moved on to tend to Manoj even though he wasn't hurt - it felt like we were playing Doctor-Doctor.

I think TJ didn't hear me. Why is my voice so low?

I moved closer to my team leader and raised my voice a bit. "TJ, are you free for a few minutes? I need to-"

"TJ, you are the best, man. Did you work in a hospital before?" Michael commented.

Everyone started laughing as Michael hugged Tejas, and instead of getting annoyed, Tejas patted Michael's back. Seeing that, others also demanded a hug, and Tejas laughed at them as they formed a line.

Why am I wasting this opportunity?

I also joined the queue and shook my head at Yukta as she looked at us with squinted eyes. If her foot wasn't hurting, she would have been the first in line.

Falguni and I teased her, and after everyone getting a hug, it was now my turn.

Hold it together, Bhoomi. Don't faint, okay?

I slowly inched towards Tejas, his aura getting brighter and brighter. I calmed down my heart and was only a few steps away from Tejas when he turned his back towards me and clapped loudly.

"Okay, guys, enough with the fun. Let's get back to the practice, shall we?" Tejas announced.

Wait, what?!

"TJ, I also-"

Before I could even complete my sentence, Tejas moved like Flash. He told us not to waste any more time and begin the pratice sessions.

Everyone gathered around instantly, even Yukta who was complaining about her leg just a minute ago. On seeing my teammates completely unaffected by their injuries, I also joined them.

As expected, the pratice went well in Tejas's presence, but the concealed painful expressions of my teammates didn't go unnoticed by me.

Even if TJ asked them if they needed some rest, they kept shaking their heads and tried acting tough.

Why are they acting as if they are okay? Don't they know Tejas's personality? Do they think he will chop their heads off if they tell him the truth? Are they afraid of him?

No, Bhoomi, they are not afraid. Look properly.

I roamed my eyes over my team members and realised that instead of being afraid, they didn't want to disappoint Tejas. They wanted to show him that they could keep up with his level.

All of them are idiots. We need rest, and Tejas has no problem with it.

Seeing that no one was going to listen, I took a small break and drank lots of water. I remembered what Arushi had said about my weak health, so I ate some energy bars she had given me in the morning.

I noticed TJ leaving the room while talking on his phone. I wanted to talk with him but seemed to be not getting the right timing.

"How dare you, Bhoomi?" Omkar complained.

On seeing me eat alone, others attacked me like starved hyenas. They even finished off all the water.

"All of you really like to show-off in front of TJ, don't you?" I teased.

"Talk about yourself, Bhoomi." Omkar smirked.

I kicked him on the shin. He pushed me forward, and before I could attack him again, he gave me his water bottle.

"Please get this filled up," he said.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Am I your maid? Do your work yourself."

I was about to throw his bottel at him but stopped when I heard Michael comment that he saw Tejas near the water tank while returning from washroom.

"I will gladly complete your request," I told Omkar.

I even took few more bottles and noticed Yukta grabbing Omkar's collar as I dashed out of the room.

I reached the water tank and saw Tejas filling up his glass. He was alone, so I walked towards him and waited for him to finish his drink.

"Hi, TJ," I said.

He didn't reply. He filled up another glass and drank, his back towards me.

I tried again. "TJ, I know you are busy, but I want to talk about our teammates."

I knew my team would have stopped me if I had mentioned anything about them facing difficulties to Tejas in front of them. So, I deemed it best to do it while Tejas and I were alone.

Tejas filled another glass. I should try again. Maybe he didn't hear me.

"TJ, are you free? I really need to-"

Tejas placed the glass on its shelf and started walking away. His pace was really fast.

What just happened? Did Tejas not see me, or am I invisible to him? Why is he ignoring me? Didn't I already get over the awkwardness between us? Is my voice too low? He didn't even look at me once since he arrived. Did I do something? What could be the reason for him to-

"Bhoomi? Are you okay?"

I was shaken out of my thoughts by Kshitij. Slowly, I also noticed Akshay standing beside him, giving me worried looks.

"You didn't have breakfast today also?" Akshay complained.

"I did," I replied slowly.

"Then why do you look so pale?"

"You shouldn't be skipping breakfast, Bhoomi. You are already very thin. Do you want to become a stick?" KD scolded.

"Scold her more, KD. She doesn't listen to me at all. I feel like beating her to a pulp," Akki said. "Look at her now also. She is busy ignoring me."

I patted Akshay's arm. "Chill, Akki, I am not ignoring you. I was just thinking about something."

"First get a brain for that."

I hit my best friend, and he punched me on the back. KD laughed at us as we continued fighting. That helped me to stop building doubts about Tejas in my mind.

Unfortunately, I received the same treatment after returning to my practice room. I couldn't understand why Tejas was behaving like that.

Should I ask him about it? Maybe I unknowingly did something that he didn't like?

Like what, Bhoomi? Getting late, or munching on snacks like you were starved for years, or tripping on your own feet, or trying to improve moves by yourself, or spending too much time in the washroom because you keep replaying any moment with Tejas on loop in your mind, or-

Stop it! I better ask him myself.

I approached my team leader, and he was guiding Gaurav and Yukta about their parts. I waited for him, and once he was free, I called him.

"TJ, are you free?" I asked.

Tejas moved away and told Falguni to improve her posture. I called him again, but he again ignored me. I glanced at Yukta and noticed her already looking between me and Tejas. She motioned for me to try again, and I nodded.

I went in front of Tejas. "TJ, I wanted to ask you if-"

Tejas didn't reply. Like earlier, he kept busy with other teammates.

Why is he acting like this? Why won't he just scold me if I did something? He is neither praising me nor scolding me. He isn't even listening to me.

Why would he, Bhoomi?

Huh, why wouldn't he?

You forgot what he had said on the day Boomer's secret was out?

I tried hard to remember as Tejas had only spoken a few words to me. Suddenly, his words rang loudly in my ears.

"And Bhoomi, it is Tejas for you."

Instantly, I blinked my eyes rapidly. I didn't want to believe that my doubt was actually going to be true. I decided to test it out. I crossed my fingers behind my back and appeared in my team leader's field of vision.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something and also discuss a few stuff.... Tejas..." I said his name slowly.

TJ gave no reaction for a few seconds, and I wanted to convince myself that my doubt was wrong, but he finally turned his head towards me and looked at me without blinking.

"What is it, Bhoomi?" Tejas asked.

His stare suddenly felt very intense, and this time, I averted my gaze before he did. He waited for me to reply, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to say anything. As a result, he ignored me and announced for another practice round.

I felt Yukta come beside me.

"What's going on between you two?" she asked.

"I don't know." I pouted. "How's your leg?"

"Worry about yourself, girl."

I slumped down my shoulders, and Yukta patted my back.

"Don't overthink, Bhoomi. It is better to ignore some things," she said.

Surely, I would have done that if it was anyone insignificant, but I couldn't ignore it when it involved Tejas.

He doesn't want me to call him TJ. Others do and he has no problem, then why am I any different? Does he not like me? Could that be really the case?

Oh no, I never imagined that Tejas could actually dislike me. I only kept dreaming about being around him and dancing with him.

Bhoomi, you are thinking too much. Maybe it isn't much of a big deal as you are making it to be. Tejas is also a human being; it is understandable if he has his own preferences.

But I loved calling him TJ. Guess I no longer have that privilege now.