"Why don't you take a break, Tej?" Mom scolded me.

"Just five minutes more," I requested and continued elbow-spinning.

She shot me a warning look and waited until the time limit I had asked for got over. She dragged me towards the bathroom and told me to be at the dining table within exact five minutes, or I would be facing very serious consequences.

"Maa, five minutes are too less," I complained.

"That's your fault. If you will argue more, I will ground you right now," she said and left.

I turned on the shower and stared at myself in the mirror.

"I don't understand what's happening to me," I talked to my reflection.

Don't waste water, Tejas.

I turned off the shower and filled the bath-tub with hot water. Believing that it would help me soothe my nerves, I went in the tub, but the moment I closed my eyes to relax, Bhoomi's- sorry, Boomer's face flashed in front of my eyes.

This is what's happening with me since that day. Since the moment me and my crew met with Unix and came to an understanding, I can't stop thinking about Bhoomi. No matter how much I try to not stress about it, she keeps popping in my mind. And you know what's more concerning? In the backdrop, all of my thoughts are about battling with Boomer. Because of it, in the middle of the night, I start practicing the moves I did in the day-dreams, making me lose my sleep. Also, Bhoomi is in my team. In the day, I have to interact with her, and compared to other teammates, she always manages to learn any choreo change or difficult moves faster. I want my team to win and be the best, and I should have given her Yukta's part, but I didn't. Why?

Because either you don't want her to get hurt, or you are afraid of her outshining you.

Outshine me? We are a team.

She is Boomer too, right? Even as a team member, she is still your rival.

I am not afraid of Boomer. You think Boomer is judging my leadership skills?

What you assume depends on the track you choose. Why don't you first decide how you perceive Bhoomi? Is she just your rival, a fan, or the short guy you are desperately waiting to have a dance battle with?

Bhoomi is not my rival.

Why?

Because she is... She is... so-

"Tej!" Mom's voice pierced through the door.

I freaked out, and in order to quickly get my towel, I got up and began jumping out of the tub, but my foot slipped; my jaw would have broken if I hadn't rotated my body in time. Unfortunately, I crashed straight on my left shoulder, but mom's fear shadowed the pain.

After frantically drying myself up, I opened the door and grinned at my mother, who would have drilled me into the floor if my father hadn't arrived in time to save me.

"Jo-jo (Jyoti), you will have wrinkles if you frown so much," Dad told Mom.

"Wrinkles are normal for our age. Instead of trying to distract me, discipline your son," Mom scolded him.

Dad put on a strict act. "Kiddo, don't trouble your mother next time, okay?"

"Yes, Dad," I replied.

"See, problem solved," Dad boasted to Mom.

Mom rolled her eyes. "Now, you both have exactly thirty seconds. Be at the dining table before me, or else-"

Dad gave me a random t-shirt and jeans from the cupboard and ran off.

"Dad, wait for me!" I shouted.

"Hurry, Kiddo. You shouldn't make your mother wait!" Dad yelled but didn't stop.

I didn't even get to comb my hair or apply sunscreen. Even after trying my best, I failed to complete my mother's challenge, and as a result, I had to attend every official and unofficial event with her for the upcoming month.

"Prakash, don't you have anything to say to Tej?" Mom asked Dad, giving him a knowing look.

By Dad's expression, I understood what Mom had told him to talk to me about.

"Kiddo, we understand your love for dance, but why are you exhausting yourself so much? You are still very young; don't act like you have already lived your life and don't have enough time left," Dad said.

"Sorry for worrying you both, but the street dance environment is very competitive. I have to keep training if I want to be in the top dancers," I stated.

"For us, you already are," Mom said.

I was grateful that she thought so, but I couldn't slack off because my parents considered me the best.

"Is that masked, short guy still bothering you?" Dad asked me.

"Who?" Mom asked in concern. "Is someone troubling you, Tej? Who is it? A stalker? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Jo-jo, calm down. I am talking about the guy whose video Tejas keeps watching every day," Dad clarified.

Mom sighed. "Tej, why are you still hung up on that dance competition? You never acted like this before, so what happened now? It was a draw, right? So what if you didn't win? It isn't like the other team won either."

"Your mother is right, Kiddo. You have gotten used to winning, so this draw might have been a kind of shock to you, but you just have to accept it and move ahead. Or is it something else bothering you?"

"It is nothing," I said.

Dad smiled. "Oh, really? If it is actually nothing, then why are you disturbing our sleep all night?"

"Yes, I also want an answer," Mom demanded. "As it is, your dad doesn't get much time to spend at home, and when he does, he keeps worrying about you."

"If you really can't forget about that dance competition, then why don't you just ask for a re-match? Didn't Hriaan mention that you and that other crew are on good terms now? If you want, you can have a friendly match. What was the name of that guy though?" Dad questioned.

"Boomer," I answered.

Mom laughed. "Boomer? Is that really his name? Come on, Tej, that's our generations' term. Even we wouldn't have used that stage name. Now I am really intrigued to meet this Boomer."

My parents laughed and went down the memory lane, while I kept repeating Dad's words in my mind. I could have actually asked for a friendly match with Unix, but I wondered how Bhoomi would have felt about it.

You mean Boomer?

Oh, this is really tiring me out.

Bhoomi and Boomer are the same person, and yet, I can't decide how to act.

What's so difficult in that? You met Bhoomi as Boomer first, and after that, it was all lies. She even said she is your fan, but do you actually believe that? What's your priority right now?

Training.

Of course, it is, but I am asking regarding Bhoomi aka Boomer. The earlier you make your decision, the easier it will be for you.

I looked at my parents. They loved me a lot, and even the smallest of incidents involving me worried them. Ever since I had met Bhoomi, my mind was not working properly.

Earlier, I was just thinking of finding Boomer, but after meeting Bhoomi as her own self and finding out the truth, all of my thoughts were jumbled. And more than that, my own behaviour that day was pricking me like a needle. I had told Bhoomi to not use my nickname and call me by my full name. As to why I did that, I myself couldn't get a clue.

Why do I want her to call me 'Tejas'? Exactly why? I am always well aware of my emotions, but why can't I find a solution to something that I myself said? I need to clear my mind asap.

The training for evaluations was going alright, and The Emperors was also doing well in my absence. The only problem was Hriaan poking me every second for spending more time at our dance studio.

"Shouldn't you be at Sarthak's studio right now?" Hriaan asked and threw a ball of oily crumpled paper at me.

"I will go," I said with disinterest. "Don't throw your trash at me. I am working right now."

"Sorry, I confused you for the trash bin."

I got up, punched him hard before I returned to my desk and stared at the notepad on which I was trying to sort out my thoughts.

"Are you afraid of Boomer?" Hriaan threw another paper ball at me.

I closed my eyes for a second before I scoffed.

"Stop day-dreaming," I retorted.

"You are," Hriaan said.

"I am not."

"Yes, you are."

"Why would I be?" I looked at him in challenge.

"Ask yourself. If you are not, then why are you hiding yourself here?"

"What?! I am not hiding myself. Stop talking nonsense."

"Prove yourself instead of wasting paper every day. Don't you know how expensive stationery is nowadays?"

I glanced at the empty paper bags of food parcels spread across him and more being delivered every half an hour.

"So.... When are you leaving?" Hriaan asked.

"Why are you trying to kick me out?" I asked in suspicion.

Hriaan chomped on the franky, his eyes glimmering in delight.

"I just want you to be brave and face your fears," he replied, his lips curling up into a smirk.

"For the last time, I am not scared of Boomer," I stressed my words.

He nodded. "Fine. Let's talk about Shorty then."

"Why are you so interested in her?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

He shrugged. "Why shouldn't I be? Is there any problem?"

Relax, relax, relax. Hriaan is my best friend. He is just annoying me on purpose, like he always does.

"I don't understand why you keep testing me regarding Bhoomi and Boomer," I said non-chalantly as I packed my stuff.

"Because I need answers, what else?" Hriaan asked as matter-of-fact.

I quirked an eyebrow. "What answers?"

"Answers to why the person, who is known for his speed, becomes so slow whenever a certain person is mentioned."

"Instead of me, focus on our team and the juniors."

"And who will you focus on?" Hriaan asked, his voice devoid of any humor.

I acted like he was joking; I diverted the attention by telling him to give me an update by the end of the day and left, keeping my pace faster.

Stupid RiRi (Hriaan). Why does he need to poke me like this? Is it my fault? Am I acting weird? Well, let's face the so-called 'fears' he was talking about.

I reached Sarthak's studio, and everything was normal, until I noticed Bhoomi playing around with Omkar and Gaurav.

Why aren't they training?

Is that what you are really concerned about, Tejas?

Don't act like Hriaan.

I took out my phone, walked back a few steps before I started my act.

What? I did it because I was testing myself. I had to prove Hriaan wrong.

I acted like I was enjoying something on my phone and asked for an update from the team without looking at any of them because if I had done so, my eyes would have betrayed me.

By now, I had learned at least one thing for sure. Whenever I saw Bhoomi, my mind seemed to be getting slower, and that's what I had to avoid. I had to remember that she was Boomer too. That's why, when I glanced at my teammates, I didn't allow my gaze to stop on her.

Isn't Omkar sitting too close to her?

Focus, Tejas.

I inhaled a deep breath as I moved closer to my team and suddenly noticed Yukta's ankle. It didn't look in good shape.

While I treated Yukta, the boys teased me for being partial towards the girls. That helped me to not get distracted by Bhoomi, who was tracking my every movement.

What is she thinking? I noticed the glances she exchanged with Falguni while I was attending to Yukta. Were they talking about me before I arrived? Is she still thinking about what I had said that day? Is she going to talk to me about Boomer and why she didn't tell me the truth after claiming to be my fan?

No, Tejas, she isn't thinking about you at all. Look at her. Her attention is only on others. If she was really your fan, wouldn't she have already brought up the topic? She has already forgotten about Boomer. It is only you, who is still stuck and keeps spinning in circles.

Bhoomi is really not bothered about how I feel about her lying to me?

Why would she? Even if she told you she is your fan, then she is just a fan. Whether a fake one or a real one, why does it matter? It isn't like you are the only dancer she must like. What are you exactly concerned about? If it is about her lying, then forget it. Why are you giving it so much importance? Is she the first person who has lied to you?

I avoided Bhoomi when she tried to talk to me. She kept calling me by my nickname, and I could have just ignored that, but somehow I felt like my words didn't mean anything to her. It wasn't just once or twice, but multiple times when she kept calling me 'TJ'.

Why do I want her to call me by my real name? I don't know, but if she did without me reminding her, maybe then I would get my answer? Yes, I am depending on her to solve the problem I created myself.

I was checking Michael's knee rotations when goosebumps covered my spine after a very light touch registered on my shoulder. I was wearing a t-shirt, and yet, I felt that touch seep into my bones.

What is wrong with me? Even after so many self-talks, why do I keep losing my senses whenever Bhoomi is around? She is Boomer: I keep repeating it, but what's the point if my mind can't follow the instructions in front of that particular person?

After I responded to her, I realised that my voice came out too cold, and I didn't like it, but a sharp voice rang in the back of my mind.

Tejas, don't act like an idiot. Control your emotions. Why are you getting worried for her? She is the person who kept lying to your face. Is that what a real fan is? Who knows how many more lies she may he hiding? What if she is an anti-fan? Have you forgotten the incident from two years ago involving one of your die-hard fans who actually tried to hurt you? Be careful. You promised Mom and Dad that you would be more vigilant. Don't trust anyone's words. See how they act.

I moved to check what Manoj was troubled with, when Michael suddenly hugged me.

I didn't know what had gotten into everyone, especially the guys as they were acting as if I had really discriminated against them a lot. They hugged me one after another, and I didn't mind when Falguni joined them too since they were goofing around, but when Bhoomi also joined, I knew I would have messed up pretty good if I had hugged her.

The more she moved closer, the more my surroundings blurred, so I moved away when her turn arrived, telling myself to not lose my composure. I couldn't think anything clearly, so I just announced to start the rehearsals. Getting physically exhausted helped a lot, and during the break, I received a call from mom's PA regarding an event we were going to attend in the evening.

To attend the call, I went outside the practice room, and after winning the argument with the Mom's assistant, I walked back towards the practice room when I noticed Bhoomi and Omkar playing around.

Bhoomi's voice was louder, her expressions animated and bright. The way her lips puckered and then instantly twisted while bickering with others reminded me of her smile she always flashed in front of me.

It is always fake. Is everything about her fake whenever she interacts with me?

My throat felt really dry all a sudden, and my water bottle had water too, but I still went to the water tank.

Bhoomi... Boomer... Bhoomi... Boomer... I need to pick one asap. Her cosplay identity already got on my nerves, but what is this weird feeling whenever I see her laugh around others? I know I doubted if I had developed a crush on her, but is it that serious? Am I jealous?

"Hi, TJ."

I almost spit out the water when I heard Bhoomi's voice. It was softer than silk and lower in volume than her usual tone; exactly what I didn't want to hear. She was again modulating her voice while talking to me.

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

'TJ'? She is still calling me that. I shouldn't mind it that much, but why is my own nickname stinging my ears? Why don't I like hearing it from her mouth? Did I hit my head this morning?

Again, my mind had started slipping into another world, and the air had strangely gotten very hot, so I escaped- I mean just left from there.

After the break, we had a few more rehearsals, and Bhoomi kept calling me "TJ", and by each time, I started disliking hearing it more and more. I wanted to know what Bhoomi wanted to talk about, but my ears were acting like they were getting pierced with needles.

Suddenly, she called me by real name: Tejas.

As if I had gotten a fresh blood transfusion, all of my nerves pulsed and my name in Bhoomi's voice kept echoing in my mind, blasting on full volume like loudspeakers.

Wow... Is it the first time I am hearing my name? No, of course, it isn't. Then why does it feel so strange and good at the same time? Tejas... It is just a five-syllable word, and I have been hearing it all my life, so what's so different this time? I want to know.

I turned my head towards Bhoomi, searching her face for the answers to what I was experiencing at the moment.

"What is it, Bhoomi?" I asked.

She averted her gaze after looking at me for a few seconds. I wondered why she wasn't saying anything, and if she was sharing the same thoughts as me.

Should I just ask her why she lied to me? Why she told me she was a huge fan of mine and yet kept me in the dark? Does she hate me and all this friendly attitude is fake just like her Boomer alias? Does she also think of me the same way I think of her? How does she perceive me? An idol, or a rival, or someone whom she almost defeated in that dance battle and doesn't want to bother with anymore? What was she feeling when she had cosplayed as Boomer? That time, she was also my fan, right? Then why didn't she let me know until the truth came out? Who is she exactly? How should I interact with her?

Tejas, this is not the time for all this. The final day of evaluations is right around the corner. Your personal life isn't something you should be focusing on right now. Worry about your team. As a leader, you can't get distracted like this. Get a grip.

We started the practice again, and I noticed how Bhoomi was performing. She was doing her part well, but her energy felt off; as if her body was here but mind was somewhere else.

Is she exhausted? Is she regretting being on the same team as me? The choreography is hard, I know, but she is doing better than others. Why does she look like she is not interested in being here? Is it because of me?

Yes, it is, Tejas, but that should be none of your business.

My thoughts were troubling me a lot, and being around Bhoomi was only making me more confused, so after the practice sessions were over, I rushed to my dance studio.

"RiRi!" I called my best-friend and signalled him to join me in my cabin.

I paced around, and once Hriaan arrived, I asked him to keep the conversation between us only.

"Yeah, I was waiting for this moment too. Start talking," Hriaan said and relaxed on the sofa.

"What should I do?" I asked him. "I don't know how to behave in front of Bhoomi. When I see her, Boomer's image keeps dancing in front of my eyes, and I can't stop thinking about that draw at the underground dance battle. But it doesn't stop at just that. I want to ask her why she continued lying to me because she herself claimed to be my fan, but I always mess it up. She and Boomer are the same, and now everything is sorted between Unix and us too! Yet, whenever I see her, it feels like she betrayed me. And because of that, I keep acting like a jerk towards her. Why? She and I aren't even friends. Explain it."

Hriaan got up, opened the desk's drawer and took out a big chips packet before returning to his spot.

"RiRi, I am being really serious right now!" I scolded him.

He put the chips very slowly in his mouth as his eyes scanned me.

"I have never seen you this much worked up before. And by 'never', I mean never in my whole nineteen years of life," he said.

I tapped my foot impatiently. "And...?"

"Why are you making this such a big deal? It isn't the world championships or anything."

"RiRi, elaborate, okay? You aren't helping in any way," I complained.

"You like Shorty?" he fired the question out of the blue.

"Wh-what?" I asked.

"Then you like Boomer too. Anyways, whatever your answer is, my question is: What is of major importance to you right now? Do you trust Bhoomi?"

I remembered every incident with Bhoomi up until that moment.

"I don't have any reason... not to," I replied.

Hriaan shook his head. "You hesitated. You still don't completely trust her, and that's okay. Don't beat yourself up for that."

"It isn't like that..."

"TJ, forget about everything else, and tell me what you wanna do when you see Shorty?"

What do I want to do? I want to-

"Don't go in the wrong direction," Hriaan interrupted me. "Tell me what you really want to do when you see Shorty. And when thinking about what I asked, remember that she is also Boomer and BoomBoom. I am sure it won't take you that long to reach a conclusion, right?"

While Hriaan finished all of my snacks, I stared blankly at the wall ahead, his words surrounding me like a tornado.

Bhoomi... Boomer... BoomBoom...

The girl who keeps defusing my senses...

The short guy who gave me a tough battle...

And the fan who showered me and my crew with lots of support...

What would I do if all of these were actually seperate people and I met them individually? And which one would I give preference to and why?

If I met BoomBoom, I would thank her for always cheering for The Emperors and would let everyone know about her and her efforts.

If I met Bhoomi, I would want to... I would want to see her real bright smile and hear her call my name until I go deaf. She is so small; I would want to keep her in my pocket. Also, I would ask her if she was mad at me. If she was also thinking about me the way I was doing? Can I ask her? Should I ask her? Wouldn't she be freaked out? That would be really random and strange, right? What if she shrinks and becomes so tiny that I can't see her? No, I won't-

Tejas, don't go off-track.

Yes, I need to think about Boomer too. Hm, Boomer. I remember the look in Bhoomi's eyes during that dance battle. It was challenging, and I would love to see it again. Maybe through another dance battle, I would be able to know what she really feels? Also, I want a re-match really badly. Just thinking of it is making me excited. But will Bhoomi accept my challenge? Is she not thinking of the same? Does she even see me worthy of battling against after that draw? Wait, is this what it is? Bhoomi is not affected at all? Maybe for her, that draw was a win? Is this why she only mentions about being my fan?

Okay, she may be satisfied with that dance battle, but I am not. She appeared before me as Boomer and continues to act like a fan. Fine. She acts normally in front of others but not me. So if I also acted in front of her, that wouldn't be wrong, right? Sorry, Bhoomi, but I got to sort out my thoughts and feelings. Boomer still bothers me, and you being the same person as that shorty is not helping at all.

So what are you going to do, Tejas?

Focus on Boomer currently. Until I finish my business with Boomer, I won't be able to untangle the mess in my head. As for Bhoomi, I hope she acts normally with me because if she doesn't, how will I know whether she is being real with me or not?

"TJ, you okay?" Hriaan's voice travelled to me faintly.

"I am fine," I replied.

"You sure you can manage yourself? Do you need my help? I can pick up that Shorty with just one hand, you know. How can she trouble my best friend like this?"

"Don't do anything."

"Don't worry, Bro. I can handle her. You can count on me."

He stretched himself before sauntering out of the cabin, whistling and joking with other guys.

I took out my phone from the pocket and played the video of the underground dance finale between The Emperors and Unix.

Re-watching mine and Boomer's battle, adrenaline rushed through me.

This is who Bhoomi is. Even if I can't fully see her face, her eyes are enough to tell the whole picture. Here, she isn't my fan or a girl who is in the same training program as me. Here, she is in her raw form. Just how I like it.

What if Bhoomi refused to battle you, Tejas?

Be positive. Tomorrow, the test begins. She may end up ripping my head off, but at least, I will get to battle her. Acting as a fan and idol isn't working in my favour. She may be small, but I have seen her power myself. Forgive me, Bhoomi. My desire to face you on the stage is really strong. I hope you also feel the same.