I go to the parking lot and see Pari standing near baby doll.

"Kaha thi tu?" she asks.

"Ground" I answer, getting on my scooty.

"Viraj ko dekhne?" she asks getting behind me and I see her grinning sheepishly from the mirror.

"I'll leave you here and go!" I threaten her and she chuckles.

We are halfway through the road when she says, "Aashi?"

"Hmm?"

"Tujhe part lena chahiye.."

After a moment I say, "I'm not that confident about myself. Stage ki aur meri dushmani toh tujhe pata hi hai" I say.

"Fir bhi Aashi.. I've seen you dancing. Aur tu jab naachti hai na, lagta hai jaise.. jaise koi apsaraa ho" she says and I smile at her words.

"Stage pe with all the lights and costume and stuff... It'll be magical. And I desperately wanna see you and cheer for you. And boast how my best friend is the best dancer in the world" she says and I chuckle.

"I love you meri Paro" I say when we reach her house and she gets down.

"I love you too meri jaan" she says. "Just think about it ok?" I nod.

"Ab bhak yaha se" she says laughing.

"Bitch" I reply. "Bye meri Pari Rani" I shout and see her scowling at my back in the mirror.

Heheheh..

It's almost 7 when I reach home and I go and take a bath. When I'm out I put on some music and start cooking while singing.

I love cooking with music.

But I sing like a dieing duck. I mean why is my voice like a fataa hua speaker.

Whatever.

I'm making baingan ka bharta which is my dad's favorite dish and one of his favorite song starts playing.

Ye Shaam mastaani madhosh kiye jaaye, mujhe dor koi kheeche.. Teri ore liye jaaye.

Old songs were really gold. Kishore Kumar ji.. I really really love you for giving us these songs.

"Door rehti hai tu, mere paas aati nahi. Hothon pe tere, kabhi pyaas aati nahi" my dad enters the house, singing those lines and I giggle.

"Aisa lage jaise ke tu, has ke zeher koi piye jaaye" we both sing together and start laughing.

"Papa jaldi change kar lijiye khaana bass tayyar hi hai" I tell him and he grins and goes to his room.

~•~•~•~•~•~•

"Aashu beta you make the best baingan ka bharta" he says after taking the first bite and I smile.

He tells me about his work and how his boss loved today's presentation. I guess dad is hoping for a promotion. I hope he gets it too.

"Aur tumhara din kaisa raha? Kya chal raha hai college me?" he asks.

"Ab toh sab events ki hawa hai. Inter college festivals aate rehte hai. Bass vohi sab. By the way papa, mai library me volunteer bann gayi" I tell him happily.

"Excellent beta" he says. "Pari kaisi hai? Bahot dino se aayi nahi" he asks.

"Pari hai jaisi ki waisi hi. Debate me part lene wali hai. She was telling me to take part in dance" I tell him and he looks up at me with a small smile.

"So will you?" He asks.

"I don't know papa. Mujhe darr lagta hai" I say looking down at my plate.

"Darrne ki koi baat nahi hai Aashu. Mai bhi bahot chahta hu ke tum apna talent duniya ko dikhaao. But I obviously won't force you" he says and gets up giving me a smile.

He starts washing his plate in the sink. "Papa mai kar dungi" I say getting up.

"Hey chup chap baith ke khaao khana! Mai khud ki plate dho sakta hu" he says and I sit down and finish my food.

When I'm cleaning the dishes, my mind starts wandering...

Kya kare kya na kare ye kaisi mushkil haaye!

Should I seriously take part? I mean humare school me 1000 students hai toh I won't even get selected. But what if I get selected. I mean I've seen stage performances and they seem wonderful.

Also.. ek Baar Trupti tai bataa rahe the ke stage pe jaane par all the lights and focus is on you and the audience area is pitch black. Then I can manage right?

Maybe not.

But how about group dance. Omg yes! I can just tell them to place me somewhere behind so I'll be able to take part and also bring out my secret talent.

And if this goes well, then later maybe I'll do the solo thing. Step by step. God, I can't believe I'm actually thinking about it. But I feel that papa bahot khush ho jaayenge. Try karne me kya jaata hai... Kal chale hi jaati hu audition me.

Toh done fir.

I smile at the thought feeling a little nervous but excited.

~•~•~•~•~•~•

"WHAT??" Pari shrieks in my ear.

"Shh.. idiot! Yes I'm going to give it a try. Bass dekh ke aane me kya buraai hai right? It's not like I'll get selected. Don't tell anyone yet. Pata chala tumne dhindora peet diya aur mai select hi nahi hui" I say as we reach our class and I go and sit beside the cricket star with blue eyes who I hate very very much.

Our sociology professor, galaa-faadu, enters the class and guess what he does? Right, galaa faadna shuru.

"CLASS!! EVERYBODY PAY ATTENTION" he shouts.

"What the hell" I murmur wincing.

"I'll be deaf by the end of the year"

"Same here" I say and that's when I realise that the deaf line was said by Viraj. I look at him and he looks at me and we look at each other and.. stop!!

His eyes are beautiful.

Okay please stop!

The next 3 hours I don't look towards him and dekhte hi dekhte it's lunch break.

Finally! Mere pet me chuuhe daud rahe hai. I wonder who made this kahaawat. It sounds gross!

I go to my regular lunch table with Pari and Shabnam and start eating my cheese grilled sandwich. Joel joins us right after and Rudra and Viraj come after a few minutes.

Again I and Viraj act as if the other one doesn't exist. Regular routine.

After lunch, I go to the library. I need to inform Mrs. Rathod that I'll be a little late today as I'm going for the auditions. Pehle din hi mere nakhre shuru!

"Hi madam"

"Oh Aslesha right? What's the matter?"

"Ma'am, I was actually thinking about participating in the dance competition for which I have to audition today. Is it okay if I come a little bit late today. I mean it's ok if thats not ok.. I mean.. It's the first day and.. I mean if you need me here then I won't go.. I.."

"Arree.. slow down girly. This is not your job. You are just volunteering here" she chuckles. "There is one more volunteer and she'll be here. So as long as one of you is here, there's no problem. You see there is nobody here. College hours me koi nahi aata toh baad me kon aayega?" she says looking around the library with a sad smile which is empty.

"Ok thank you. But I'll come as soon as possible." I say and turn to leave when I see a girl sitting in the corner and eating. Is she having her lunch here?

"She's the other volunteer. She practically spends the whole day here" Mrs. Rathod says looking at my questioning look.

Okayyyy...

I go and sit in front of her. "Hey. I'm the other volunteer here" I say and she is startled looking at me.

"My name is Aslesha. And I'm studying arts" I say and give her my hand.

She looks at my hand and then at me like she can't quite believe that I'm here.

"Um sorry. I'm Saumya. Science student" she answers shaking my hand and I smile.

"Do you always have your lunch in the library. I mean that's a whole new level of loving books."

"Um no. I just don't have any friends" she says absentmindedly and I frown.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I.." she says when she looks at me frowning.

"Hey no. And I'm your friend now. You can join me for lunch" I tell her.

"No no it's okay. I like having my lunch here" she says.

"No please. I insist" I persuade her.

"No Aslesha. When I get bored by the books, I'll come".

"You never get bored by books. Itna toh mujhe pata hai. I don't wanna hear anything. Just meet me in the cafeteria tomorrow okay?" I say and she nods shyly.

The bell rings. "Okay then see you tomorrow." I say and rush out towards my class after giving a wave to Mrs. Rathod.

The next part of the day is uneventful and as the day starts coming to an end, I become more and more restless.

Auditions. Auditions. Auditions. Auditions..

I hope I don't get selected.

I hope I get selected.

Arghhh!!!

Viraj suddenly snatches the pen from my hand.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I whisper shout at him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?? Tak tak tak tak.. dimaag kharab ho gaya tumhare pen ke tak tak se. Stop it now!" He snaps at me and then the bell rings.

Oh shit oh shit oh shit.

I snatch my pen away and keep it in my bag. Pari squeezes my shoulder from behind and I give her a smile as everyone starts to go to their respective classrooms for the events.

Hey Bhagwan meri raksha karna, is the thought I have when I walk towards the dance studio.

~•~•~•~•~•~•

Ooohhh.... Ab kya? By the way, the next chapter is gonna be a turning point... So keep reading.. ily :)