MALLIKA

"Keep your eyes on my every moves. Just focus how I am using my hands and body to sway with the flow of music. Then try to follow the steps slowly. If you can't do it, I am here . Don't need to stress about it. We will learn the steps within 2 days."

I explained to my students and started to move with the flow of the song. I truely liked those types of relaxing and calming music which helped to keep mind fresh. And specially, there was something different ,a calming sensation in these types of songs which made me more more energetic and enthusiastic to dance with the rhythm of the song. I started to sway my body matching the footsteps with the music of the song and along with that, I continued to say them how the steps were being done.

I completed the first few steps catching for breath. Suddenly I heard someone shouting my name as if I was deaf. And obviously it was my dearest best friend Avneet. She was also my partner of this academy.  We girls were trained in classical dance forms. I had learned dance from a very early age. I was probably 3-4 years old at that time when I got admission in a dance school. I was trained in Bharatnatyam and Kathak and Avneet had learnt Odissi from five years old. She was also very graceful dancer. She was also expert in hip-hop dance which she had learnt from you tube. She was also trained martial artist. She was a full package of talent with her extraordinary skills and I was proud to have her as my friend.

We both had opened this dance academy after completing our graduation. My uncle and her father had helped us with financial providence. The academy was located in a building nearby the main street. It had 25 floors and our academy was located in 22nd floor.

I turned around and found her breathing heavily on the doorstep of the room to which I easily caught that she had come running here. I was also taking breath and my forehead had become watery because sweat drops that had formed on my forehead due to dancing. This problem would be solved soon because my uncle had promised us to arrange for air conditioner.I gently rubbed my forehead with the the hanky of mine.

"What happened, Avneet? Why are you shouting so much? You are very well known about the fact that I am usually busy in teaching dance now." I said as I took a bottle to drink some water.

"Re it's urgent.Firstly, come with me now.Someone has come to meet with you"She said and it was completely visible on her face how much stressed she was actually. But suddenly what had happened that she seemed this much frightened and anxious.She was behaving so weirdly.

"But Avu ,I am busy. You have to handle" I replied.

"No yrr, you have to come.I can't handle." She pouted.

"What are you saying? I have always told you to handle about the new admission if I am busy in any work and for now, I am teaching a new dance form to them. How can I leave it in middle?" I asked her indicating the students who were standing in rows in front me. Avneet shook her head negatively and exclaimed little loudly,

"A boy around our age has come to meet with you and he is constantly asking for you.So just come with me now."

She completed making me puzzled to think why all of a sudden a boy wanted to meet with me. I was now also curious to know it. I nodded my head at her and turned to my students.

"OK my dear students, you all can take your leave now.We will continue it from tomorrow." I suggested them and they left after biding me bye. As soon as they left, Anveet dragged me with her in downstairs. There my eyes fell on a man standing beside the counter with goggles and black mask.

After seeing me,he removed his goggles and mask and greeted me.I politely greeted him back with a smile. I indicated him to take a seat on the couch and he did as per my say. I too took a seat infront of him. When I was going to turn towards Avneet, I found that she had already left. This sudden action of her made me little astonished as she always went with me after the class ended. I decided to go it away. Probably she has some important work to do.Focusing my attention on him, I asked him,

"What's your name ?"

"It's Sumed.....no I mean Sumit here." He replied with a cute smile while I observed him very finally. I must admit that he was the one of the most handsome men I had ever met. He was wearing a white shirt with a pair of black jeans. He had a stubble beard and captivating hazel orbs which I found hypnotizing. He had his manly physique and his muscles were perfectly defined through his shirt. In one word, he was a meaning of perfection with his 6 feet height. His perfect photo-shaped jaw and his luscious lips were also part of his handsome facial features.

I was so much drowned in observing his looks that I didn't notice when he had come so close to me. I gasped in shock when I found him standing just infront of me with a smirk. I quickly stood up forcing a tight-lipped smile knowing that I had already managed to embaress myself infront of a stranger. He started leaning close to me where I became frozen on my spot as if I wasn't in my sense.

He then clicked his fingers infront of my face making me to come back in the reality. It was so much embarrassing to think about what had just happened a minute ago. I bowed my head down because of the embarrassment but I could feel his intense gaze upon me. There was a pin drop silence in the room. Not to increase the awkwardness more, I looked up forwarding my hands toward him.

"Sorry for it.By the way ,I am Mallika "

He completed the handshake by shaking his hands with me and smiled politely. A chilling sensation ran through my spine under his warm touch and I felt the urge to close my eyes which I controlled by taking deep breath. I didn't t want to behave like insane again.So I continued professionally,

"Oh,my friend informed me that you wanted to meet me.So anything you want ?"

"Oh yeah,actually I want to join in your academy for a few days.I was once a dancer at a time and used to learn break dance by watching you tube.But the thing is that I haven't been involved with dancing for so long.So now I am wishing to be back in dance." He mentioned with little hesitation which was visible on his features.

"It's good to know that you want to come back in dancing. I am sorry but I only teach dance to the children and you are an adult ?" I said arching my eyebrow. I was feeling really sorry for not being able to accept his offer.

"No I just want to remind the steps and work on them.I will come after the children will leave.Is it OK ?" He said and somewhere I too wanted him to join in the academy. But he was elder than all the students of here.How could he learn the steps of the children?Though he was telling to come after the children,I was not getting what to do actually. So I decided to test him.

"But can you manage ? "

"Yeah,just tell me the schedule.I will manage to come according to it but plz let me come here. I have heard that you are an amazing dancer. It will be great if I could learn some steps from you. You can say that it'sfor my practice session" He praised me with a cute expression to which I found myself blushing a little.

"OK come tomorrow.Hmm,you can join with us as partner and then we will teach dance together.I will also help you with some steps. But I am more of a classical dancer. I know break dance but I am not sure if it will be good enough.Is that fine with you ?" I asked maintaining my same professional tone.

SUMEDH

It was my plan to trap her. When I came to know about her family background, all I knew that I had to take my revenge. She had to pay for what her family had done with me. She might be innocent but still her family was not innocent. I would do everything to make them suffer for their deeds. But first I needed to confirm if she was really the one who belonged to the family. I had been looking for them since 3 years. And now the opportunity had walked by itself. She had herself invited her to this game of pity. She was going to be my medium through which I would make sure to take my revenge.

"Oh it's absolutely fine .Then I am coming from tomorrow." I replied with a smile. Honestly, I hated that I had to be pretentious in this way. It was making me sick in stomach after smiling so much. Never in my life, I had smiled so much.

She nodded her head grinning at me.I then noticed the expression of her which was telling that she wanted to say something. I got curious to know what she wanted to tell me now. So I kept my eyes trained on her.

"If you don't mind,can you show me your dance ?I mean that actually you said that you had been a dancer at a time.So I just need to make sure you know." She said timidly with some awkward smile.

"Sure. Why not?" I said forcing a smile trying not to show my irritation.Though I literally had no problem to show a dance as I used to be a very good dancer once in my college days. I seriously learnt dance from you tube.

Then she switched on a pop song and I also took my position in the room away from her and the couch. As the song began, I started swaying my body along with the music. While dancing, I could clearly notice how much impressed she had been right now. Her facial expression of amazement clearly said it.It was obvious.After all, I was so handsome,hot and dashing hunk that any girl would drool over me. When the music stopped, I finished my dance. I heard the clapping sounds and I turned to her. She had a big smile on her face and she looked bewildered and impressed.

"Wow,impressive,I must say that you dance really well though you have not been in the touch with it.It will be great to work together" She said, her lips tugged with a broad smile.

"Thank u so much" I replied while blushing unknowingly hearing her compliment.

***

After everything, we both prepared for leaving. It was then when all the lights of the academy went off.I cursed under my breathe seeing the place totally dark. I went to get out of the place. As I attempted to open the door, I found the door locked from outside. I cursed again and again feeling pity on my situation.

"Hey Mallika where are you?" I asked getting disturbed for the sudden consequences.I needed to find her to get out of here. I started taking small steps carefully in the darkness. Suddenly, I felt two soft arms covering me tightly making me jump at my place. It was her who had hugged me tightly buring her face on my chest. This action of her made me gulp my saliva.

I could feel the hot breath of her which was falling on my chest. She was breathing so heavily clutching my shirt tightly made me frozen in a zone. For breathing too much ,her chest which was rising up and down was colliding with mine.And it certainly was giving me an intimate feeling and goosebumps in my body. This aroma was something different which I had never experienced. I was a mafia and I had come to her for an intention also. I should not forget that.But why was my heart wanting to share everything with her? Why was my heart wanting to stay in this close proximity with her ? I could not help but hug her back to provide her the protection.

She stiffened and mumbled while snuggling more into my chest, "Plz don't leave me. I can't stay in dark place.I have a fear of darkness.Plz don't leave me Sumit."

She almost started crying on my chest.I rubbed her back to calm her down.Now I felt awkward. I was absolutely bad at comforting someone.Now she was weeping very hard that it had been impossible for me to manage the situation. But I couldn't leave her in this condition.
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I know that it's too late. So a big sorry for it. And I know that I am making all of you very confused about the story. If you are being confused then I must have to say that my motive has been fulfilled.
What do you think ,what can be the intention of Sumedh?
What does he want from Mallika?
Is Sumedh really bad?
What will Sumedh do now as he along with Mallika have got trapped?

Stay tuned to know about everything. Tell me in the comment section about your views of this story.