CHAPTER 29
“Competition Ka Pehla Dhamaka”
Radhika subah-subah school aayi to campus already unusual sa lively lag raha tha. Posters, banners, stage ke liye wooden blocks side me rakhe hue… poore school me ek alag hi hustle chal rahi thi. Annual Fest ki preparations officially shuru ho chuki thi aur 12th ke students ke liye ye saal ka sabse bada event tha.
Classroom tak jaate-jaate uske mann me mix emotions chal rahe the—excitement bhi, darr bhi, aur thodi curiosity bhi. Pichhle kuch din se Aarav ke saath uska equation ajeeb se stable ho gaya tha—na zyada baatein, na zyada doori. Bas ek tarah ki silent understanding, jis ka naam rakhna mushkil tha.
Jaisi hi wo classroom me ghusi, Kritika seedhi us par toot padi.
“Madam! Notice dekha? Teams finalize ho gayi hain!” Usne Radhika ka bag pakad kar bench par rakh diya.
Radhika ne saans andar kheench kar bola, “Kyaaa? Kis team me daala hai hume?”
Kritika ne dramatic sa expression banaya, “Bataati hoon… lekin shock mat hona.”
Radhika ne aankhein half close kar li, “Tu drama mat kar, seedhi baat bol.”
Kritika ne notebook khol kar list dikhayi, “Team A: Cultural Performance…
Aur guess karo tumhara partner kaun hai?”
Radhika ne list ki taraf dekha—uska naam cleanly likha tha…
“Radhika Sharma – Aarav Mehta.”
Uska heart literally ek second ke liye ruk gaya.
“Yeh… kaise? Main dance team me kaise aa gayi? Main dance karti hi kab hoon?” Radhika almost panic mode me aa gayi.
Kritika ne uske shoulder ko shake kiya, “Calm down. Tera naam Aarav ke saath pair hua hai because theme ‘Emotions Through Expressions’ hai. Isme acting + dance mix hoga. Aur tu acting me best hai. So relax.”
Relax?
Kaise?
Jiske saath normal baat karna mushkil padta ho, uske saath stage par performance?
Radhika ne seat sambhali, “Mujhe lagta hai teacher ne galti se daal diya hoga.”
Kritika hansi, “Haan, haan… teacher galti se class ke most expressive ladki aur most composed ladke ko pair kar degi? Nice joke.”
Radhika ne face palm kiya.
Tabhi door se familiar footsteps sunai diye—Aarav classroom me aaya, usual calm expression, lekin aankhon me woh focused wala look. Usne notice board ki taraf dekha, list padhi, aur ek second ke liye uska eyebrow utha… bas itna hi.
Na shock, na protest.
Bas ek silent sa “hmm”.
Aarav directly Radhika ki desk ke paas aaya.
“Team practice today after classes. 3 PM. Auditorium.”
Bas itna kaha aur apni seat par baith gaya.
Kritika ne Radhika ke kaan me fuskara, “Dekha? Boy is already serious about it.”
Radhika ne thoda irritated hoke bola, “Uska serious hona hi problem hai. Mujhe lag raha hai main stage se gir jaungi.”
💥 3 PM – Auditorium
Jab Radhika auditorium me enter hui, stage ki halke golden lights already on thi. Do-teen teachers ek corner me scripts check kar rahe the. Center stage par Aarav khada tha—hands folded, poora attention ek clipboard par.
Uske paas jaate hi Aarav ne clipboard Radhika ko diya, “Theme dekho. Performance emotional journey jaisi hogi. Starting me anger, phir confusion, aur end me acceptance. Acting + slow-movement dance mix.”
Radhika ne pages palte, “Yeh kaafi tough lag raha hai…”
Aarav ne soft voice me kaha, “Tough is good. Tum kar logi.”
Radhika thodi startled ho gayi. Aarav se expect hi nahi tha itna direct compliment.
“Main… try karungi,” usne slowly jawab diya.
Aarav ne ground par marker se ek large circle draw kiya, “Ye tumhara movement area hai. Tum emotions show karogi, main background character rahunga jo emotions ko guide karega. Ek tarah ka symbolic performance.”
Radhika ne eyebrow utha li, “Matlab tum invisible type character ho?”
Aarav thoda sa hansa, “Invisible nahi… controlled emotion.”
Radhika ko ajeeb sa feel hua—jaise uski life me bhi kabhi-kabhi Aarav exactly aise hi hota tha. Kabhi visible, kabhi far away.
Practice shuru hui.
Part 1 – Anger
Radhika ko gussa express karna tha.
Surprisingly, wo isme natural thi. Hands shaking, face tense, steps fast… teacher ne taali bajayi, “Good! Radhika, expression strong hai.”
Aarav uske behind slow moves karta, jaise wo un emotions ko control kar raha ho. Radhika ko feel ho raha tha performance ke time unke distance me ek strange sa pull create ho raha hai.
Har step ke baad Aarav quietly correct karta—
“Yahan aankhon me zyada intensity chahiye.”
“Movement thoda left shift.”
“Pause aur deep inhale.”
Aur Radhika follow karti ja rahi thi.
Part 2 – Confusion
Ye segment toughest tha.
Lights dim hui. Soft instrumental track bajne laga. Radhika ko stage ke center par rukna tha, dekhna tha jaise uske aas-paas sab kuch blur ho raha hai. Aarav uske circular area ke bahar slow walk kar raha tha, jaise wo uski thoughts ka shadow ho.
Ek moment par Radhika step miss kar deti, “Oh, sorry! Mera balance…”
Aarav ne quickly aage badh kar uska haath catch kar liya.
Bas ek second ke liye hi…
Par Radhika ki heartbeat wild ho gayi.
Aarav ne uski aankhon me dekha, “Scared ho?”
Radhika thoda awkward hoke peeche hati, “N-no… bas slip ho gaya.”
Aarav ne calmly bola, “Theek hai. Repeat karte hain. Tum better kar rahi ho.”
Strangely, uska tone bohot patience wala tha. Aisa jo classroom me kabhi nahi dikhta.
Part 3 – Acceptance
Iss part me Radhika ko slow close-in steps lene the, jaise wo finally apne emotions ko samajh rahi ho. Aarav front me khada, koi dialogue nahi, sirf presence.
Jab dono stage ke center me mile, lights warm white ho gayi.
Teacher ne applause kiya,
“Awkwardness kam karo, dono ka chemistry natural lagega. Otherwise good progress!”
Chemistry.
Ye word hi Radhika ko halki si blush de gaya.
Practice khatam hone tak 5:30 baj gaye.
Aarav clipboard pack kar raha tha jab Radhika ne finally courage juta kar bola,
“Tum… bohot patiently sikhate ho. Maine expect nahi kiya tha.”
Aarav ruk gaya.
Usne side glance diya.
“Tum seekh rahi ho. Bas uss hisaab se guide kar raha hoon.”
Phir ek second ki silence.
Aarav ne halka sa smirk kiya, “Waise tumhara angry expression bohot real tha.”
Radhika ne shocked face banaya, “Arey! Matlab tum keh rahe ho main gusse wali lagti ho?”
Aarav ne bina soche jawab diya, “Nahi… bas expressive ho. It’s a good thing.”
Radhika ka heart ek second me melt.
Aarav apna bag shoulder par daal kar bola,
“Kal sharp 3 PM. Don’t be late.”
Radhika ne nod kiya, “Okay.”
Jab wo auditorium se bahar nikli, Kritika wahin gate par khadi thi—arms crossed, expression full-on teasing mode.
“Radhikaaa… mere bina hi romantic dance practice?”
Usne exaggerated brow raise ki.
Radhika ne turant uske shoulder ko thoda push kiya, “Chup ho ja! Kuch bhi romantic nahi tha.”
Kritika ne aur maska lagaya, “Haan haan, main samajh rahi hoon. Tum girne wali thi aur Aarav ne haath pakda… kuch romantic nahi. Bilkul nahi.”
Radhika ne face turn kar liya, “Bas rehne de!”
Kritika hans padhi, “Okay baba. But seriously… you two looked good together on stage.”
Good together?
Radhika ne mann hi mann wahin line repeat ki.
Par uska practical brain turant bol उठा—
“Bas competition ki wajah se. Isse zyada kuch nahi.”
Lekin deep down…
Usko pata tha ki ab annual fest sirf ek event nahi—
ek journey banne wali hai.
Jisme emotions stage par bhi honge… aur stage ke bahar bhi.”
—CHAPTER 29 END—