A scream woke me up. What the hell? I sprang up in bed as soon as I heard it. I thought I was imagining sounds, when I heard voices. I groaned, and got out of my comfortable bed, ready to give a piece of my mind to the two idiots in the room next to mine.

Nathan asked “What are you doing here? And who are you?”

Karan replied “I can ask you the same question, you thief.”

Nathan gasped. “Haw! Me! Thief! How dare you!!”

Both yelled, “Kriya!!!”I was already there. A few seconds ago, I was angered. But seeing the hassled look on their faces, I was amused. I had a feeling of what must have happened. Nathan usually crashed here after his shift at the hospital since the house was closer than his apartment. So, like always, he must have came in and without looking around, went to bed – only to find he wasn’t alone, but sharing it with Karan.  “Stop screaming like girls,” I scolded them.

They spoke at the same time. “You know him?”

I nodded, unable to hold back my laughter any further. They gave dagger looks to each other. “Both of you, calm down. Nathan, meet Karan. Karan, this is Nathan. Sonia’s boyfriend.”

Now they get it. “Oh!” Karan said “Then it’s fine.”

 “Yeah. Now let me go back to sleep.” I just left them to figure out their sleeping arrangement and retreated to my room. Might as well get ready, seeing I was wide-awake now.

______________________

I was in my usual spot at the park, with the player playing a tune. My feet instantly started dancing to the beats. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be alone for more than a few minutes. And minutes later, turns out, I am right.  

Vaibhavi cleared her throat to get my attention. “Ahem.”

I turned around and cut the music off. She smiled and I returned the smile. “Hi.”

I greeted her back. “Hello. Nice to see you again.” We took a seat on the nearby bench.

“Today you seem different.”

I asked, “How?”

“It’s hard to tell…”

Um… okay? There was something about her… I found it hard to just accept that she would be nice to someone she doesn’t even know. In a way, I am a stranger, and given her popularity, I find myself questioning why she has a conversation with me. Anyway…

“Hmm. It’ll be easy for you to tell if I told you I’m auditioning.”

She gasped and then grinned. “You are?” I nodded.

“I had to change my mind. Sonia, my cousin, asked for it and I can’t say no to that.”

“So this decision is forced?”

“No… at first, it was. She was making me. But now, it’s my decision.”

“Nice… well it’s just great. So see you there?” She almost looked… relieved? Strange.

“Yes, you will.”

I parked my car in the parking lot. There was a huge crowd waiting and the line went long. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait in the line even though I had given my application at the last minute. How? That was because the application that I had filled out was given by Vaibhavi. It had a stamp on it and since she was the judge, I got an early pass. Somehow, it indicated that I was already chosen by one of the judges.

Not that I’m complaining. So long as I don’t have to wait in the long line in the freezing weather. I sat down in the waiting area instead and was surprised to find no one else there. Sonia called after a while. I was glad, since I was getting bored by myself, just music to keep me company.

“Where are you?” She asked. I guided her to where I was. We waited together till it was going to be close to her audition number.

Sometime later, we heard commotion outside. Sonia being curious as always, opened the blinds enough for her to take a peep outside. Since I was besides her, I decided I might as well. Outside, two cars screeched to a halt making the crowd go wild and the journalists and news reporter started their talks for their individual channels, with bunch of snaps being taken. Security guards ran up to the car to control the crowd while the driver got out and opened the back door of the car.

My heart raced fast as I heard them chant… It was getting close to ‘the time.’

“Rey! Rey! Rey!”

Sonia held my hand and blinked as if to pass comfort and to calm me. I gave her a smile, trying to convince myself more than her that I was fine, that it wasn’t bothering me, that I wasn’t nervous, that I wasn’t being haunted by the past, and that my heart was not racing because a part of me knew this was real and I would see the person whom I fell in love with and who taught me the meaning of love.

To the crowd, it was mouthing words. I didn’t see his face or him. I didn’t want to either. I turned away from the window and stood up. I mumbled, “I’ll go change.” I started talking to myself while walking out and looking for rest room. “Kriya control yourself. His mere name has this effect on you! You still have to face him. What will happen then, huh?”

I looked up hearing a door click shut in a distance. A second later, a face emerged from around the corner. I panicked. There he was, right in front of me, walking towards me, in his bright red jacket, a light shirt and trademark jeans.

“Oh no. No ways. I’m not going to see him alone. Where is this damn rest room?!” I saw a room and barged in murmuring, “Oh whatever. This will do the work for now.” I was glad he hadn’t been looking straight ahead, else he would have definitely caught him. I walked in and found out that it was a rest room indeed. “Great! Found it.”

To my bad luck though, I missed seeing the sign above that must have read ‘Men’s Restroom.’ For when I walked in, I figured out that it was Men’s bathroom. I felt utterly embarrassed. Nevertheless, I locked myself in one of the stalls. I heard the door open after few seconds and I prayed with all my heart that the person outside wasn’t Rey. But… I had a feeling luck wasn’t in my favor today. He had been the only one other than me in the corridor. It had to be him.

I didn’t hear anything after that for a few passing seconds, except for footsteps, which stopped too eventually. I held in my breath and kept it low so as to not make any sort of noise.

I heard his impatient voice, “Work damn it!” I heard him slapping something, which I assume is his cell phone? What else wouldn’t be working? “Finally!” And just like that, my heart picked up beating super-fast once again. I could feel it thudding up to my neck. I kept my hand over my chest, hoping it would just calm down! This was too much. I was a second away from barging out the stall and running away, not wanting to face him or audition.

The times when he used to pull me into the girls locker room’s came back to me. I heard the door shut, and I knew he had left. The coast was clear. Stopping my tears, I opened my eyes and the door and attentively walked out.

_________________________________

[Rey’s POV]

An hour had passed by. Vaibhavi and I were tired of the dances they were seeing. Some had no idea of dance but they were doing it to meet ‘Rey – the dancing star.’ They weren’t realizing that they were making a fool out of themselves. 157 people were dismissed and only a few made it till the waiting room. They waited there being tensed.

I called out, “Next.”

Announcer said, “Number 159. Kriya Ghai.”

As soon as the words reached my ear, I froze with shock and sat up straight in the chair. I repeated in a low voice, “Kriya…” How can that be? Am I dreaming? Maybe… there can be more than just one Kriya Ghai right? Hell, it had to be her. Right? Her name wasn’t that common… especially not her last name. If it is her… she wouldn’t come here. Not after how our relationship ended. If I knew her, she would do anything but meet me. She had to know I was judging this competition, didn’t she?

The next words from Vaibhavi confirmed it all. “Oh Rey, you have to see her dance. God, she’s just magnificent. And oh, the grace she possesses! It’s just a god gifted talent I tell you. She’s a natural. I mean…”

I asked, not realizing I might be being rude by cutting her off. “Huh…yeah, how do you know her?”

“Me? I just met her at the park the other day. You…seem a bit shocked?”

“Me? No. I’m fine. Why would I be shocked?” I scoffed. My heart was happy but my mind reflected it. Two different poles arguing again on what emotion I should show on his face. Happy? Thrilled? Sad? Hurt? Neutral? Pretend to be unaffected? Which one is it?

She walked up to the stage with lowered eyes. She dared to raise her face but didn’t look in my direction. She first looked at Vaibhavi and let go of the easiness to give a forced smile.

She’s the same. Same grace in walking, the beauty, complexion. Still the smile, the inner glow is missing. Because of me… if only there were second chances…

It took all of my strength to not jump up from the chair, march over to her, squeeze the life out of her by hugging her, and then demand why she didn’t just telling me the fucking truth instead of leaving that day and never coming back, or answering any of our calls. But… I knew better than to do that.

Vaibhavi broke the silence. “So Kriya, why are you here.” She looked confused. Vaibhavi elaborated, “I mean I know you’re here to audition and I know you’re good. If not for the rules, you already have a green wave from my side. Just for the sake, why do you think you’ll get in?”

She answered, “I’m just here to audition because I promised someone I would. I would be lying if I said it didn’t matter if I get in or not, because it matters to the person because of whom I’m here right now. Even though I have a wave from you, both judges need to be impressed and give a wave.” She stole a glance at me for the first time then.

My heart skipped a beat as our eyes met. Finally, she acknowledges my presence. There was something in her eyes… sadness. Hurt. Pain. All the negative emotions that slapped me across the face, reminding me that I was responsible for her state. I whispered, “You’ve already impressed me a lot, baatcutter.”

 “Baatcutter, huh?” Vaibhavi looked at me amused, and I mentally slapped myself. How could I forget she was right next to me, and ofcourse she would hear it?!

I spoke after clearing my throat, “So Ms. Kriya. What style will it be?” I hated not being able to call her Kriya, or baatcutter, or Ms. Dehradun. All the names I used to call her with just to tease her… irritate her. It hurt to not refer to her as them, but I somewhere knew I had lost the right to call her that. I’d be lucky if she even talks to me.

“Contemporary.” There was no compassion in her voice. A monotone. Clenching my fists, I nodded as if to signal to begin. You’re best at every style. But I do know that you pick the toughest, contemporary, when it comes to auditions. After all, you give the best at that.

She turned around, when a spot person came and took the mike away, clearing the stage. A slow, heart-touching music filled the atmosphere. It was soothing. On top, the complex moves she did fit them perfectly. Someone with knowledge of dance would know the hard work that’s required. Even though they were complex, she did them with such ease that they seemed to be the easiest steps. And they probably were for her. She could do the most difficult steps with ease. I should know that the best.

God. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was planning on killing me all over again through her dance. It was just as heart-touching and eye-catching as before. I didn’t miss seeing a touch that I hadn’t seen before. Less passion and more pain. It made me remember what her mother once told me.

“When you bring pain in your eyes, not just express it on your face, that’s when you are truly worthy of being called a dancer. Anyone can bring in passion, but dancing with passion and dancing with pain are two different things, and the later… extremely difficult to master.”

I should be glad… glad that she had brought that pain in her eyes. But no, I wasn’t, but I knew I was the cause of it. Even though her mother would be happy today that she mastered something she wanted Kriya to understand for years, I couldn’t bring myself to say I was proud and it didn’t hurt.

If I could, there were many things I would take back… things I wish I had never assumed, said, and misunderstood in the first place. But… it was a bit too later for that. Stop hurting yourself Kriya. Hate me but don’t hurt yourself. I can’t see that...

I was snapped out of my thoughts as Vaibhavi praised, “Brilliant! Just fabulous performance. Right Rey?”

“Yea. Fabulous.”

Kriya smiled first at Vaibhavi’s compliment which turned into a forced one as I backed it with mine. Vaibhavi continued, “SO we have nothing more to say to your breath-taking performance. Go ahead to the waiting room and wait for the results.” She nodded and left the stage.

The audition went on for another two hours minutes more. I kept thinking about Kriya often. I forced himself to focus on the audition in front of me, since it wasn’t fair to the others auditioning, but my thoughts refused to agree with me. I couldn’t help it. I was commenting and watching absent-mindedly, and in the back of my head, I knew it was wrong. As the last contestant left the stage, I gave a sigh of relief. We got up and went to the waiting room where fifteen people were waiting, including Kriya, with a girl next to her that I faintly remembered seeing a picture of once. I jogged my memory and remembered she was her cousin.

She was giving me a glare, and I couldn’t blame her. If Kriya returned and lived with her, she must know. Kriya must have told her. If only they knew my side and what happened after Kriya left…I pushed my thoughts aside, because I wasn’t just Rey anymore. I had to be professional. I couldn’t behave anyway I wanted to. One thing I didn’t particularly like in the moment.

I announced, “So everyone. You all have made it this far. For now go and enjoy the snacks outside. Meanwhile, we will take a look at your performances again and have the final result ready within an hour.” The audience, a mixture of females and males, nodded and both of us left. But not before I stole a glance at Kriya who was looking at her cousin as her grip tightened on her hand.

I didn’t know if I would see her again, but I was going to make sure I got a chance to talk to her. I had found her, okay… more like she brought herself in front of me. The point being, she was finally here after so many years, and I wasn’t going to stand back and allow her to walk away without talking. I didn’t know what her life was now, just how much things had changed, but some things needed to be cleared.

I don’t think I am ready to know whether or not there is someone else in her life… and I truly pray there isn’t. I won’t be able to accept that the girl I loved back in college, and still do, for I could never stop loving her, is in love with someone else and has moved on. Sure… she had every right to, after how I treated her. It would just be best if she didn’t though.

I was being selfish, I knew that. But she was mine. I loved her like crazy. I will talk to her. If she tries to run again, I will find her. This time, I will. The city was big, but how hard would it be to find a person? I won’t let the chance go. I didn’t know how or when I will talk to her, get her alone, but I would make it happen before the end of the day for sure. Until results were announced, I knew she couldn’t leave. I had till then to figure out a way.

_________

 A/N: I apologize if the update is shorter than previous one's. I wanted it to end here... Let me know what you think of the changes? I added Rey's POV... which was missing before.

Dedicated to Asmaju (Asma). The amount of love she has given to this book is immense & I have to words to express my gratitude. Di, in my low moments, you are my inspiration to continue writing, with everything you say and your unconditional support, not just in writing but all aspects of my life. Lots & lots of love!

Anyone would want to make me a cover for this book..? Do feel free to make one, have a friend make it... anything :D I don't have the time or photoshop anymore to make it myself :/ 

Love,

~Araina.