Chapter 32

A cheerful frame of mind, reinforced by relaxation... is the medicine that puts all ghosts of fear on the run.

I really felt great and fresh with a session of steam, spa and sauna. Joshan is an angel sent on earth. My doubts had gone, the restlessness caused due to the nightmare had vanished and I was very cheerful and excited about the dance now.

“Thank you so much Josh. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness and the idea of this spa thing was awesome” I thanked him.

“I am happy that the cat is now purring.” Joshan mocked.

“What kind of sarcastic remark was that?” I snapped at him.

“You were scared like a cat and were so quite since morning. I felt I was with a different Pearly altogether” he laughed.

“Yeah your Pearly has been kidnapped by my aliens and I am their representative here.” I said as I leapt towards him attacking with my long pointed nails as claws.

“I need not worry as my wildcat is back. I heated the alien away and rescued this one standing ready to attack.” He hugged me sideways making me relax on his shoulders.

I hit him with my fist playfully so he smiled and hugged me properly.

“What do you want to do now?” Joshan asked.

“Hmm…. me how much time do we have?” I asked.

He checked his watch” 3 hours before the dress rehearsal when Stacie and Cairo are meeting at Deren’s.”

“Okay then I would like to go to Cathedral. I’ll catch you at Deren’s. We will meet there then.” I planned.

“Why we’ll meet there?” he asked confused.

“Because I said I am going to the church.” I pulled his cheeks.

“So!!” he said

“So” I repeated.

He put his hands on my waist, “Baby I am not leaving you alone to get kidnapped by aliens again. I’ll take you to the church”

I chuckled to his sense of humor and said “let’s go”

We spent nice time together at church. He took me back to his home to feed me as we need energy for the dance and he wanted me to eat nice homemade healthy food before the dance.

On the way back he also helped me pick a nail color for myself to suit the dance. It was red but not wild red. A sexy red with a peck of maroon. He disqualified around 30 shades of red of different varieties finally choosing the chambor red for me. He even accompanied me while I was painting so that the finishing was perfect with the edges being painted twice for a blanch. He’s just too adorable.

' Most of the times I keep staring at him wondering how on earth I happened to befriend such a sweet guy? Just in time when my nail paint dried he was ready with tray of fruit and white sauce pasta with lot of veggies in them.

“Thanks” I said as I ate mouthful together. God I was hungry with the irresistible smell the pasta tasted even better and I relished it completely.

“Awwww! you have lost weight” Cairo said horrified when my dress was micrometers loose and she thought it need to be altered and I disagreed.

“Don’t worry I would loose another couple of micro millimeters after the dress rehearsal, alter it only after.” I replied mockingly.

“No Stacie you are working too hard. See the black under eye circles” Stacie added.

“You should eat well with the amount of work you do.” Cairo suggested.

“You guys Urggghh!!” I shouted.

Joshan came from behind pulling me from my waist, “Don’t trouble my Juliet. She is my girl today.”

“Aaaah so cute!. Had I known I would have agreed to be your partner? Pearly did offer me once.” Stacie cooed pouting her lips.

Joshan playfully slapped her cheeks, “jealous much.”

“So am I. Pearly is looking so pretty in this outfit.” Cairo put in.

“Yeah I had two great designers. One was emotional and creative- Stacie. Other was technical and mechanical- Joshan. Good work.” I gave a thumbs up to both of them.

“Don’t you guys feel that I am left out?” Cairo complained.

Joshan went hugging her, “Babes how I can forego your idea of this easy to wear satin dress of soul. This is amazing.”

“I hope I live up to your hard work” I said worried again.

Stacie and Cairo leapt to me hugging me tight,” You will” giving me some confidence. 

Joshan came to me barging between Stacie and Cairo giving me a tight friendly hug, “We will”.

I was still nervous a bit as I hadn’t spoken about the dream to anyone. But it surely was replaying in my mind again and again as the time was nearing. But I kept a steady smile on my face.

All the folks then appeared one by one. I was specially waiting for Deren because he I knew would ease my nerves with his sense of humor.

There was hoohs and haahs as everybody was laughing and enjoying passing random comments. We all left for the venue just before 6 to get ready and be prepared. We were given a personal changing room there behind the stage and all of us flooded in excitedly. We both got dressed and were sitting in front of the mirror.

“Now kiss the lipstick Pearly. What a damn lucky thing is this stick it gets to kiss so many girls.” Deren commented.

“Why don’t you paint your dick red and sell in the market. It will earn a lot of kisses.” Mike added.

“No need to paint it will already get red with blood.” Steve put in his view.

“Bloody what a##holes why not take a girl to kiss your ass other than cutting your only useful thing. Otherwise you brainless wrecks are worth nothing. I bet.” Essme put in her words leading others to hysterics of laughter.

“Seriously you think such about Deren?” Mike taunted in a very serious sad tone and then laughing that others also bursted into fits of laughter.

“Oh shit!! Guys chill I cannot concentrate” Cairo shouted in distress.

“Guys shoo make your asses comfortable at the cafeteria.” Joshan commanded.

“That’s rude. You break my heart” Deren said swaying his hands like a gay making us laugh.

“Oh baby I’ll make it up to you.” Joshan said with same gesture making us laugh.

Deren too gave him a flying kiss in anticipation playing on with him.

Now it was me, Joshan, Stacie and Cairo in the room working serious business not uttering a word until essential.

“My masterpiece is done.” Cairo said pride clear in her eyes as she moved my chair towards Joshan.

“I want to see myself fi……” I was about to say when I saw Joshan’s mouth wide open expression. I started getting butterflies in my stomach.

“Beautiful!!!!!” he murmured awestruck.

“Good job Cairo” Stacie said as she patted Cairo on her back.

“You guys are killing me with suspense.” I said as I turned to the mirror.

I saw a fair girl in black. Her graygreen eyes pouted with golden shadows, black liner and a shimmery mascara. Her cheek bones were highlighted with a blusher that looked so natural as if it was only a natural blush pink. Her hair was folded into a half bun and that ball of hair was covered with locks of hair forming a pony disguising the bun. A light puff was added that completed the look. I lifted my hand towards her as her hand also moved.

Oh my gosh! It was me.

 It was really a piece of art by Cairo.

“I can’t believe it’s me. Thanks Cairo.” I said still staring at my image in the mirror.

“Juliet can I have a dance with my lady.” Joshan said on bended knees offering a hand which I instantly took.

He took me with my waist, my hands on his shoulders. My heels were so long pointed that I reached his face and we moved as Stacie sang, “My heart will” from Titanic.

 “Thanks my lady” Joshan said as we finished as Stacie and Cairo applauded in appreciation.

 Joshan also clapped and made me clap announcing, “Three cheers to two creative people behind this Stacie and Cairo Hip! Hip! Hurray!!!”

“Thank you” we told each other and did a group hug.

“Careful Pearly. You’ll spoil my masterpiece” Cairo cautioned.

“Come on guys. The show is about to begin.” One of the volunteers knocked in the room with a sheet of paper on the clip board guiding me and Joshan. “You are the 5th to perform.” He took our details. Joshan had already handed over the DVD of our dance number to the official. He even carried an extra one in case of emergency.

Stacie and Cairo left as we had all the front row seats for our group of friends and our parents.

 My parents unfortunately couldn’t make it but they did call me to wish me luck.

Now it was left with me and Joshan and he was scanning with last minute details right time, our entry, spot lights and other minute things he was particular about.

This was making me nervous all over again.

“The first dance was okay, yours much better sweety” Essme came in to give a quick peep of the performances and wish me luck.

I just smiled as I got further nervous. Our dance was good. What if I did a mistake? Or forgot?

“Oh shit the 3rd performers were good but the girl got her feet tangled in her own skirt and tripped” someone spoke as he walked past.

My dream came refreshed live in front of me scaring me to the core.

“What happened?” Joshan asked looking horrified.

“I am scared. The performers who tripped in the last performance. I dre..mmt about it last night” and I hugged him tight for my dear life.

“Sssshhhh Pearly” he rubbed my back in circles.

He cupped my face delicately as I if I was a cotton candy that would perish if he’s a bit harsh. Since I was on high heels, our eyes met. “I love you and you love me”

My heart skipped a beat and my eyes froze into his deep browns, shocked with lost of words.

He closed his brown eyes from which I couldn’t take my gaze off as I was accessing the truth of his words and with him closing I lost the link.

“I know it’s difficult with me but just simply feel that you actually are Juliet and I am your Romeo whom you love deeply and intensely. Let the dance flow then.

Feel the love; let it pour when you perform.”

I now breathed. Okay it was only meant to assume. It is not true. But I need to cooperate with him. This is OUR show. I have to do it.

“Please try and feel that we love each other” he said again looking deeply in my eyes convincingly.

I simply nodded in acceptance and he kissed my cheeks before letting me go.

A swarm of confidence passed through my veins as I now started entering into Juliet’s character that is deeply in love with Romeo.

Then there was a call from the microphone for the next performers “Pearly and Joshan”

I stood erect with my back straight and chin high as my Romeo held a hand for me to join him.

We reached the stage and it was pitch dark. My Romeo got the signal to start and he winked at the officials.

He took my hand to start with the pose. I smiled with my heart because he was my love and posed most seductively for the kiss. The music began and we started our salsa with our hips swaying and eyes talking and moving perfectly to the beat and rhythm. The crowd enjoyed our moves as they cheered but I was lost in the deep browns. I had fallen for him as I could see nothing but love. I was in love with the most handsome and thoughtful guy.

The dance was going flawless as I was very comfortable with the lifts and turns and even the part when we die was a little violent dance as I never left the gaze of his eyes and felt the same nervousness of separation and then we were back as souls to dance and finish with the same kissing pose then we froze. This was our concluding step.

The hall was full of claps and cheers. We could make it that the crowd thoroughly enjoyed as they were shouting “Once More” again and again.

Later when the spot lights were gone I was still staring into Joshan’s eyes awestruck or Love? I don’t know.

Joshan bent down a bit as I was a little low for the pose and I stopped breathing for, for a spur I felt he was about to kiss my lips but he simply rubbed my nose with his, “you were awesome”

“Thanks” I murmured moving away from his grasp because his touch was burning my skin with desire. I was whipped. I had fallen.

We were sitting in the front row with our friends to watch the rest of the performances but I do not think I saw any of them as everytime I tried to focus, I saw those brown eyes looking back to mine like he did while dancing.

 I think I have fallen for him, so badly fallen that there is no way out.

PEARLY MATHEWS has FALLEN in LOVE!!!!!!!!!

Later when there was prize announcement ceremony running I got same nerves of fear bubbled up again. I was feeling stupid so I decided to stay alone and I went backstage so that nobody comes to know that I am such a scary nerd.

I went behind the hall. It was a big place with lovely greens around. The weather was chilly and I could feel cold wrap up me. I could still hear the announcements as they had put up excellent audio system and as the jockey was speaking about results being due in no time. I felt goosebumps on my skin. Nervous and cold I started pacing to and fro and fiddling with my fingers.

“Praying so that the results are in your favor” I heard a voice and I jumped with it.