"Radhe Radhe!"

"Radhe Radhe!" I yelled.

With a great cheer, I bowed in front of the RadhaKrishna idol and started my work. Among the soft tunes of flutes and bhakti songs, I took care of the guests in the satsang.

Unlike other events where my ears are always on the verge of bleeding, I was enjoying the calm atmosphere; I wished to work with Mom in such events in the future.

While the guests were intently listening to the Guruji's teachings about living humble lives, I roamed around with a tray full of water cups, trying to earn some good karma.

Karma... It reminds of me of what Arushi had said.

As if Guruji had read my mind, he began the topic of good karma and its importance. While working, my ears were busy absorbing the lectures intended for the guests. By the looks of it, the event seemed high-profile.

I made my way towards the front row, nodding to myself as I agreed with Guruji's words. Before coming to work, I was really angry at my mother. I didn't understand why she worked so hard when our family could survive on whatever we were earning at the moment.

Yes, money was really important and the first priority, but my mother also needed to learn the importance of taking a break in-between. I hoped Mom would also listen to satsang because she never listened to me.

"Thank you, beta," an uncle said as he took a cup of water from the tray.

"You are welcome, Uncle. Radhe Radhe." I smiled.

"Radhe Radhe." Uncle greeted.

Like this, the sweet chants of 'Radhe Radhe' filled my surroundings, and I moved towards the area where women were sitting on the velvet mat. I moved my tray in front of them.

"Aunties, do you want water?" I asked.

Some women were chatting among themselves, so I waited for them to notice me. After a few seconds, they did and picked up a few cups. I moved forward and noticed a hand stretching out to grab a cup of water.

"Radhe Radhe, aunty," I said and looked at the woman.

The moment I locked my eyes with that woman, the time seemed to slow down. She was none other than Jaiswal Aunty, whom I had helped just a few hours back. While my lips tried to maintain their upward curvature, Jaiswal aunty's hand stopped mid-air.

Slowly, she retracted her arm, and I saw her face contorting as her eyes roamed over me quickly. She closed her mouth, the greeting ending before it left her lips.

"I am not thirsty," Jaiswal Aunty said.

"Come on, Jyoti, this is satsang's water. We will be blessed if we take it," another woman said.

I looked at that woman - she was Viraaje madam, Hriaan's mother. I snapped my eyes back at Jaiswal Aunty and observed their exchange with curiosity.

Jaiswal Aunty seemed to be in thought for a minute before she plastered a huge smile on her face and shook her head. "I am good. I will drink if I am thirsty."

Viraaje madam shrugged and took a cup from the tray. She thanked me, and I smiled back at her. Even though my curious mind was telling me to stay there, I moved my feet and completed my work of distributing water.

After that, I was indulged in other chores, but my gaze kept shifting back to where Hriaan's mother and her friend, Jyoti Jaiswal, were sitting. I kept repeating their names like a broken tape-recorder.

Viraaje, Jaiswal... Viraaje, Jaiswal... Hmmm... both women are friends... Viraaje aunty is Hriaan's mother... So then Jaiswal Aunty could be...

"Bhoomi!" Mom yelled.

"Yes, Maa!"

"Do your work!"

"Why do you sound like Eknath Uncle right now?" I complained.

Mom ignored my comment and handed me another tray of refreshments. "Go and distribute these asap."

"Yes, ma'am!"

I took the refreshments and trudged towards the peaceful looking guests. I wondered if Jaiswal Aunty was going to refuse me again. Unfortunately, I couldn't complete my experiment as she was missing from her spot.

After serving the guests, I was on my way back to the kitchen when I heard a man's panicked voice. Out of curiosity, I followed the eerily familiar voice and peeked my head from behind the wall. Near the entrance of the venue, Tambe uncle, Jaiswal Aunty's driver stood in front of her with folded hands and bowed head.

"I am really sorry, madam. I promise I won't make the same mistake again," Tambe uncle pleaded.

What did he do again?

Jaiswal Aunty shot her driver a murderous glare. "Stop babbling the same words again and again. You small people first make mistakes and then beg for mercy."

Small people?

Tambe uncle shook in fear and bowed his head more. "Please, madam, reconsider."

I felt really bad for Tambe uncle. While he was busy apologizing over and over again, Jaiswal Aunty had no sign of sympathy for the old man.

I had heard a famous quote from Arushi that 'Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder', and even though Jaiswal Aunty was literally glowing in the afternoon sun, I didn't find her beautiful at all at the moment.

Her elegant appearance was in stark contrast with her personality. I wondered why people acted like that towards others.

"Please, madam, don't fire me. I really need this job," Tambe uncle said.

After a lot of time, Jaiswal Aunty huffed. "Fine. Don't chew my head now."

She strode past him, and Tambe uncle wiped his tears. He kept staring at his employee with folded hands and a small smile.

After Jaiswal Aunty left, I approached Tambe uncle and asked him if he was okay. He recognised me and smiled. I gave him some refreshments and told him to relax. I wanted to ask him about the incident but felt it might have seemed intruding.

I left after chatting with him for a bit and continued with my leftover work. I was busy packing prasad when something else caught my complete attention.

Guruji's words travelled to me like magic.

"What is true love?" he asked. "Can anyone present here tell me?"

True love? Is he really talking about love? I want to know what he has to say. I really need it at the moment.

Guruji smiled at the answers of his audience and pointed his finger at his heart. "Close your eyes for a minute and ask yourself again."

The audience did as suggested; I also put the prasad packets to the side and closed my eyes.

"What is true love?" I asked to myself.

Instantly, I heard the sound of ghungroos in my mind, and slowly, the darkness started getting lighter. I felt goosebumps as I felt myself getting attracted towards an invisible voice. It sounded familiar, but a lot of sounds started getting mixed with each other.

Those sounds started fading away, and I saw a hand stretched out towards me. That hand reminded me of someone - someone I admired a lot. The light started getting stronger, and I was about to hold the hand when a huge smack landed behind my head.

The darkness engulfed me again, and I begrudgingly opened my eyes.

"What the hell are you doing, Bhoomi?" Mom scolded.

I sighed. "Maa, do you love Dad?"

"Do I have any other choice?"

I blinked rapidly at her quick response. She handed me the prasad packets and gave me a warning look. We kept staring at each other in silence and burst out laughing.

"Complete your work so we can leave on time," Mom advised.

I nodded and shook my head to myself. Guruji was telling the beautiful tale of Radha and Krishna's love, and I tried to shut my mind from continuously springing up the image of my dance idol.

Even after my work was done, and I reached my home, that question from earlier was stuck to me like shadow.

True love... True love... How am I supposed to know that? I can't even do my assignments without my friends, then how can I find the answer to such a difficult question by myself?

Bhoomi, that's your answer!

As if a divine light was shone on me, I grinned to myself.

I messaged Arushi the question and received her reply within seconds. "Books, duh," Arushi had replied.

Like that, I asked Jiya, my crew, my mentor Ritvik Bhaiyya, and each one of them had a different answer.

"Music," Jiya had replied.

"My bike," Vibhan had replied.

"Have you fallen in love, Bhoomi?" Ritvik Bhaiyya had scolded. "Focus on your training."

"Momos", "Myself", "Family?" and "Don't remind me of that heartbreak again", were the responses I had received from Rehman, Yasir, Pratik, and Shlok respectively.

After talking to almost everyone I knew, I was still not satisfied. I was afraid of asking my best friend because I knew he would have blown his fuse on the mention of love itself. The curiosity was taking the best of me, so I slapped myself to sleep.

The next day, on reaching the dance studio, I searched for my prey. Akshay was busy practicing with KD, so I gave him a call. He excused himself, and when he picked up the call, I told him to meet me urgently. I was going to take the risk.

I waved at Akshay from outside his practice room, and he told me to come inside. I slowly entered and went to my best friend. I pulled him aside.

"What happened, Boom Boom Boomer?" Akshay asked.

"What true love means for you?" I asked.

"Excuse me?" Akshay moved away from me.

I pulled him back. "Answer me."

Akshay placed his palm on my forehead. "Are you sick, Bhoomi?"

"Tell me, Akki."

Akshay rolled his eyes. "I am not interested in stuff like love. You already know that!"

I punched Akki on the shoulder. I definitely made a mistake by asking him. I was about to leave but KD grabbed me.

"Now you have started ignoring me, Bhoomi?" Kshitij asked with a fake-glare.

I smiled at him. Soon, Suhana also joined us and looked at me and my best friend curiously. Kshitij asked me what Akshay and I were discussing so seriously, and before I could answer, Akki threw the question at KD.

"What's true love for you, KD?" Akshay asked and glanced at me.

KD grinned. "Books, of course."

"Books?" I asked in shock.

Haven't I heard the similar answer before?

I thought KD would have said something like branded clothes because he loved wearing new clothes every day. Following suit, the same question was directed towards Suhana, and she twisted her lips.

"Let me think..." She tapped her index finger on her cheek, her eyes darting at my best friend continuously. "I think I love practicing with my teammates."

"That's your true love?" KD retorted.

Suhana ignored Kshitij's unimpressed look and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, KD, I think you need to practice more instead of reading your romance novels," Suhana teased.

KD pulled her hair, and Akki and I felt like we were watching ourselves when we saw Suhana and Kshitij fight like cat and dog.

I excused myself and reached my practice room. I had already gotten quite late.

Fortunately, I wasn't scolded. I was worried since Tejas was really strict about discipline and arriving on time, and I had even missed his practice session yesterday. Thankfully, I had watched the dance video Yukta had sent me.

I utilised the small amount of time to practice before the first round of rehearsals began. I knew TJ hadn't commented on my earlier performances, so I was prepared this time. I fumbled in some parts but kept up with my team.

When the rehearsal ended, I noticed Falguni clutching her stomach while Yukta and Gaurav were scrunching their faces in agony. Other guys were rolling on the floor, and I was also exhausted, but since I wasn't part of the major stunts, I wasn't much affected.

TJ also looked okay, and he was busy observing us. When his eyes landed on me, I - like I always did - smiled at him. I knew he was going to look away within a second, so I didn't make myself feel bad again.

"Bhoomi, where were you yesterday?" TJ asked.

I blinked rapidly. Is Tejas talking to me right now?

I glanced at Yukta, and she managed to nod in assurance that I wasn't dreaming.

"I am talking to you, Bhoomi," Tejas said.

Before he got angry, I nodded at him. "Yes,TJ. Sorry, I was absent yesterday as I had some urgent work to do."

"Yukta had already informed me, but next time, make sure to attend every session, okay?"

"Yes, I will make sure of that."

As if the conversation wasn't enough to make my mind go dizzy, the slow appearance of a smile on Tejas's face made my heart stop, and I was frozen in my spot.

"Okay then, please take a break, and then we will start again," TJ announced to us.

He left to review our rehearsal on his laptop, but I was still replaying the earlier moment in front of my eyes.

TJ talked to me... And not just that, but he smiled at me! Am I dreaming? For the first time, Tejas actually smiled at me. I don't know about true love, but what I am feeling right now is awesome.