Chapter 57. Like poles
Why did Tanmay Sir do this?
Even if I didn't want to pair up with Tejas, other girls easily followed our mentor's instructions and exchanged partners. Akshay and Jolina were okay with each other, and Suhana and KD looked very disgusted when they stood side by side, but they behaved professionally.
Seeing them being obedient, I forcefully dragged my feet near Tejas and stood at a two-hands distance from him.
"Do you know how magnets work, Bhoomi?" Tanmay Sir asked.
"Magnets?" I asked in confusion.
"Are you in a physics practical where you have to demonstrate how magnet's like poles work? Stand closer to TJ."
Tejas grinned when I stepped closer to him. Tanmay Sir didn't waste any time and told us to take our positions.
I glanced at other couples, and they got ready in a snap. I looked at Tejas, and he was also prepared.
"How do you want me to hold you?" he asked.
"Eh? Why are you asking that?" I pointed at our teammates. "Just do what you were doing with Jolina."
His eyes moved towards my right shoulder. "You sure about that?"
I took a deep breath and looked at him confidently. "I am two hundred percent sure."
He shrugged. "Fine then."
He motioned me to step closer so I could hold his left hand. I had no problem placing my left arm on his right arm, but as I moved my right hand up, I felt a very strong jolt of pain pass through my both shoulders.
I bit my lips; it was the second time it had happened since the practice started. I knew Kshitij would have lifted the whole sky on his head and blamed himself as he had dropped me earlier, so I bore the ache - it wasn't his fault anyways. But as much as I tried to bear it, the ache seemed to double up with each passing hour.
I will go to a doctor if it becomes unbearable. Let's focus on the practice for now. If I think it doesn't hurt, then it won't hurt.
"You have a fever," Tejas said seriously.
"No," I replied.
"Then why is your body so heated up?"
"Can you please stop talking? I can't hear the music."
He rolled his eyes. "The music hasn't even started yet."
"Whatever."
I tried to hold his left hand again, but my arm was refusing to move up beyond my waist.
"Don't raise it," Tejas scolded.
I opened my mouth to argue with him but nervously gulped when I saw his angered expression.
"Wrap your hand around your stomach," he told me. "I will handle the rest."
"Are you sure?" I asked in doubt.
He narrowed his eyes. "Focus on yourself."
I shut up as Tejas looked very pissed off. I followed his advice even if I couldn't imagine how we were going to do the choreography with my condition.
Tanmay Sir scanned the whole team, and when he saw me and Tejas, he raised his eyebrows.
"What are you guys doing?" he asked. "TJ, are you trying to change the choreography now?"
"Just trying some new stuff," Tejas replied.
"Sure, sure," our mentor nodded. "Keep giving me a headache by coming up with variations as you please."
Tejas teased Tanmay Sir, and Sir cued the music. I pursed my lips when Tejas wrapped his left arm around my waist - his touch felt warm even if it was very light.
The beat dropped, and Tejas swiftly moved me without any issue. I kept glancing at him to see if he was having any problem while dancing with me, but he was so professional that I didn't have to do any hard work.
He kept giving me clues before the next segment arrived, and my body automatically followed. I even wished that it would have been better if Tejas was my permanent partner for these evaluations.
How is he able to come up with a solution every time?
"What's with the surprised expression?" Tejas asked as he twirled me around.
"Thank you for helping me," I told him.
He pulled me closer, and as a part of the choreography, he had to push me back as the next step, but he didn't. Instead, he increased his hold on me and told me to loosen my body.
Like earlier, I didn't question him, and he easily picked me up by my waist. My head started spinning, so I closed my eyes, and I thought I was going to faint, but Tejas placed me back on the floor carefully, and with that, the demo ended.
I tried to move away from him since the practice round had ended, but he didn't leave me. I wasn't going to complain either - I would have face-planted in the floor if he had let go of me. Moreover, my body was trying to drift off to sleep the more it absorbed Tejas's warmth.
How come he feels so hot when his words are as cold as ice?
"TJ, what was that in the end?" Tanmay Sir asked.
"He keeps adding new stuff," Suhana complained.
Kshitij agreed. "All of the couples are equally important, so why are you taking all the footage? Stop messing up the choreography as you like, TJ."
Tanmay Sir intervened. "Guys, we are still in the learning phases. No need to fight. And as for what TJ did, I am happy with the innovation. Why don't you all just check the recording and see if you like it or not?"
While Akshay and Jolina had no problem, Suhana and Kshitij punched Tejas and started reviewing the recorded practice video.
"Tejas, you can leave me now," I told him.
He slowly removed his hand from my waist, and I inhaled deeply; my lungs were on fire. I felt my own hot breaths fanning my face, and I didn't like how my vision was getting darker near the corners of my eyes.
I shook my head and joined my teammates. I watched the video, and I was also amazed to see my dance partner moving me as if I weighed nothing.
Like our mentor, everyone else liked TJ's change in the choreography, and to test it again, Tanmay Sir swapped the partners once more.
I now had to dance with my best friend, while Suhana went with Tejas, and KD with Jolina.
"Okay, let's see how it looks now," Tanmay Sir said.
As soon as we began moving into our beginning poses, Akshay frowned when he stood closer to me.
"You are burning up," he said.
I told him to ignore me, but he touched my forehead. "You have a fucking fever."
"Akki, it is because of our dance practice. Stop worrying unnecessarily," I said.
He glanced at Tejas, and Tejas nodded in return. Akshay raised his hand to punch me but stopped. He dragged me towards our mentor, and before I could prove him a liar, he told Tanmay Sir about my fever.
As expected, our mentor scolded me after expressing his concern, and Akshay pulled me towards the resting rooms.
"The nurse's office is closed today, so take a rest here," Akshay said after we entered one of the resting rooms.
"Okay," I replied and waited for him to leave, but he stood near the bed.
"Remove your t-shirt," Akki said.
I widened my eyes at him. "Are you mad? Why will I do that?"
"You are having trouble with your shoulder, so I need to check it."
I moved away from him. "There's nothing to check. Just go, and let me rest now."
Akshay grabbed my t-shirt. "Are you removing it or not? It isn't the first time I will be seeing you without it, so what's the problem now?"
I pushed him back. "You have a girlfriend now, idiot. Use your head."
He fisted his hands. "Boom Boom Boomer, are you being serious? We are best friends. What does me having a girlfriend has to do with all of this? If you keep acting up, I will knock you out."
"Akki, just go!"
"I won't!"
He threatened me again, and I was getting frustrated. He wasn't leaving, and I was going to end up cursing him, but Suhana knocked on the door. She entered and glanced between Akki and me.
"Akshay, I will help Bhoomi," Suhana said.
"And what's the problem with me?" Akki argued.
"Suhana, you tell him. This idiot is not understanding the situation at all," I complained.
My best friend gave me a warning glare, and before we could fight again, Suhana stood between us.
"Bhoomi is right, Akshay. She already has a fever, so why are you troubling her? I will check what has happened," Suhana told him.
"Go ahead, but I am not leaving," he said.
"Close your eyes or turn around then," I ordered.
Akshay looked at me as if I had asked for his kidney. He only listened when Suhana convinced him, and he kept scolding me even after he turned his back towards us.
Suhana helped me to remove my t-shirt, and I signalled her to not say anything even if she saw something serious.
She clasped her mouth after her fingers lightly brushed my shoulder. She quickly took the pain relieving ointment and carefully applied on my scapula.
"It will be better if you sleep on your stomach," she adviced me.
"Thank you, Suhana," I said.
I wasn't going to wear my t-shirt again as the ointment would have gotten absorbed in the cloth. I wrapped my shirt around my front when Suhana told Akshay that she was done.
Akshay turned around, and I thought he would curse me, but he stormed out of the room. I was sure his girlfriend would go after him, but she didn't.
"I will talk to him later," Suhana said. "How did you get hurt, Bhoomi? It looks very serious."
I gave her a small smile. "I bumped into my cupboard while playing with my niece. Don't worry. My body has been like this since I was born. Even if it is a small wound, it looks very severe. This will also get better soon."
Suhana sighed. "I know you are lying, but I won't keep you busy anymore. You need rest, so I will take my leave."
"Thanks."
She lightly patted my shoulder and closed the door after she exited the room. As soon as she was gone, I laid down, and within seconds, I was transported into my dreamland.
I was woken up by Jolina who had come to check up on me. Through her, I learned that I had ended up sleeping for two hours, and only one more hour was left before everyone left.
Jolina tried to push me back on the bed, but I didn't listen. I had planned to take just a short nap but ended up wasting two whole hours. I wore my t-shirt and left the room.
When I reached my practice room, I told Kshitij that we could start practicing again, but he refused. Like him, Akshay, Suhana, and Jolina did not allow me and told me to take a sick leave.
"Guys, I am okay. I just needed some rest, and that I got. So, let's not waste anymore time. The eliminations are right around the corner, and I don't want to affect everyone's performance," I tried to convince.
"Don't try to fool us, Bhoomi," KD scolded. "I kept asking you if you were okay, and you again lied to me."
"KD, it is not like that."
His eyes pooled up with tears. "What if you had died?"
Suhana smacked him behind the head. "Think before you speak, stupid."
"Bhoomi, let's go," Akki said. "We will directly go to Sarthak Sir and ask him to grant you a leave on urgent basis."
"No need for that," Tejas said as he arrived. "Here's Bhoomi's leave certificate."
Before I could take it, Jolina grabbed it and put it in my bag.
"I will call my driver to come and tell him to drop her home then," Suhana suggested.
"No, I will do that," KD said.
Tejas waved his hand in dismissal. "Don't bother, both of you. I have already called my driver, and he is waiting outside."
I listened to everyone and was really thankful to them, but I refused to use either of their cars.
"Guys, I can go by train," I said.
"No one is asking for your opinion," Akki said.
He grabbed my wrist and thanked Tejas for helping us. Tejas nodded, and my whole team came to see me off as if I was getting married.
I tried to bail out once more, but Akshay pushed me inside Tejas's car.
Tejas talked to his driver, and after giving him clear instructions, he came towards me.
"Don't try to jump out of the car," he warned.
As if I am going to.
After making sure that I wasn't going to leave, Tejas told his driver to drop me at my home.
As the car moved away from the studio, I looked back at my team. Everyone went back to the practice room one by one, but Tejas stayed on his spot. I saw him typing on his phone.
"Ma'am, Tejas Sir has asked you to not keep looking back," Driver uncle told me.
I noticed the car's monitor flashing with Tejas's message, and it was the same as what the driver had said.
"Okay. Thank you," I replied.
"He has also told you to not keep thanking and just rest," the driver said.
"Okay."
Tejas again helped me... What am I supposed to do? How will I repay him?
"Uncle, how much fuel will the car consume till my home?" I asked.
"Tejas Sir has told me not to answer any questions related to expenses."
"And what else has he told you not to do?"
"He has told me not to answer that particular question specifically."
I give up!
Tejas was always ahead of me in these 'word games', so I didn't open my mouth again and relaxed back in the seat.
Slowly, my eyes drooped, and I ended up sleeping in the back seat till I reached my chawl. The driver uncle woke me up and informed that I had to go to a doctor as instructed by my mentor.
I thanked him and walked towards my home. Mom was already waiting for me at the door, and I knew Akshay must have told her about my fever.
Before my mother cried, I told her that I was okay and slept near my sister. Dhara Di caressed my cheek, and my body felt really heavy when I woke up in the morning.
Thanks to the sick leave, I was able to go for a checkup and took full rest. Unfortunately, like Tanmay Sir had recited about his own experience, I ended up losing some important job opportunities along with dance lessons.
When my leave ended, I felt better, but there was a little weakness. As I feared blacking out while traveling, I went to Akshay's place to ask him to accompany me if he hadn't already left for college.
When I reached his home, I thought of going back when I saw Suhana having breakfast with the whole family.
"Bhoomi Didi!" Meera yelled in joy. "Why are you leaving like that?"
"I am getting late for college," I replied and waved at her.
I started leaving, but Akshay grabbed my backpack. I was worried about his girlfriend misunderstanding again, but Suhana stood beside Akki and smiled at me.
"You don't need to go alone when we are here," she said. "We all will go to college together."
I furrowed my eyebrows. "Are you serious?"
She nodded and told Akshay to grab both of their backpacks. Her boyfriend happily followed her words, while I kept staring at Suhana in confusion.
"I am sorry for misbehaving with you, Bhoomi. I was stupid to get jealous of you." Suhana apologized.
"I agree," I replied. "But I can understand your situation too."
She shook her head. "No, my situation is nothing worth understanding. I was just acting stupid and being overly possessive of Akshay. That day, I realised that both of you have known each other since you were born, while I have just arrived. He has tried to make me understand so many times, but I didn't listen at all. I am sorry for hurting you earlier."
I smiled at her. "Don't worry about it."
She smiled back, and Akshay returned with the backpacks. I thanked Suhana for giving me a lift to college, and during the ride, I copied our friends' numbers from Akki's phone into my phone.
Yes, I had finally bought myself a phone. It wasn't a smartphone and fortunately costed only ₹3000, but it was enough for me to operate WhatsApp, Gmail, and YouTube.
During the sick leave, I had asked Dad to buy me a phone as his salary was credited. He was annoyed that I wanted to buy a simple phone, but I convinced him in the end. As it is, I didn't want any distractions.
I fanned my face with my hands as I felt my cheeks heating up. Suhana asked me if I still had a fever because she had her car's AC on.
"You really okay?" Akki asked me.
"Yup," I replied.
"Your whole face has turned red, Boom Boom Boomer."
"It happens sometimes, Akki. No need to worry about every little thing."
I didn't answer any of his questions and acted like I was very busy in my phone. He started conversing with Suhana when he wasn't able to get any response from me.
Earlier, due to my fever, my mind was completely busy repairing my body, but now that I had gotten better, its thought-building was in full swing.
At that time, my heart was also busy keeping me alive, but now, it was trying to turn every single movement with Tejas into a romantic movie.
You had a duet with your dance idol, Bhoomi! It's time for celebration.
Shut up for goodness' sake. I don't have time to think about such things. Remember, we can't get distracted. We have a huge problem to deal with, so stop ruining my focus.
But why can't you let yourself enjoy those moments?
Because I will be just wasting my time, energy, and braincells. I have to think of ways to earn instead of fuelling your hopeless imagination.
I muted everything my heart was spewing and started searching for part-time jobs. By the time I reached college, I had shortlisted a few job postings.
Okay, now I have to make a good resume and start applying. Ganapati Bappa, please help me to secure these jobs.
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