Chapter 30 

New semester, new classes, freshers and loads of fun!!!!!

This is how our new semester began at the university.

 Essme and Deren had broken up for good as they felt that things were not working well for them as couples. Essme initiated the whole break up thing as she felt that her priorities were different.

 I was standing on the corridor with the bus route and the map instructions trying to study and figure out the most suitable route for me. My aunt had borrowed my hammer because she needed to visit hospital daily for her injectibles. Hers had broken down and needed mending so I helped her with mine.

"Buuummmmpppp" and I shouted in disbelief as a hand came from above snatching the route from me.

"JOSHAN, you a##hole, f###king moron give it back." I yelled at him irritated by his behaviour.

"What is this?" he asked as he turned the route sheet atleast 4 times.

"Heavens sake Josh. this is not a picture. Read it's a bus route." I shouted at him.

"Oh ho" he admitted as he now read it straight'" Why are you reading it with such utter concentration as if it is your wedding invitation."

"Moron I am reading it because I need to find a route." I tried to put some brains in him.

"Which one?" he asked as he now was studying it well to find out how he could help me with his extreme intelligence which he knew never existed when he was in mood of behaving like a jerk, exactly as he was now.

"Listen Josh and be serious. I'll spend time with you only after I am done with it.” I warned him

"Okay explain me then." Joshan said handing me the paper back.

'"See we are at college here and I need to travel to Baker's street Here" I pointed it in the map "I have to take bus mmm....."

"Why bus? Where is your hammer? And why do you want to go to Baker's street?"  Joshan asked impatiently.

"My stupid protective bff I am going by bus because my aunt has borrowed my car for a while." I hit him with the route map.

"My helping generous bestie if you can lend your car for a while to someone can't I give you a lift for a DAY to the Baker's street?" he said pulling me to sit besides him.

"Josh that's indeed sweet and I appreciate but it is not for a day. I'll be traveling for a fortnight. This renowned troupe from Hollywood is organizing a salsa workshop there and I want to participate. It is at Baker's street so you see" and I was back into the sheet looking for the directions when Joshan snatched it from me tearing it into pieces.

"What the heck Joshan?" I yelled at him, my eyes full of fury. I had only one copy.

"Whaaat the heck Pearly?" he said as he hugged me, his only and most successful way to control my temper.

 "Pearly I'll pick and drop you. You need not surf through all this stuff", Joshan said

 "It is at a distance from here. I don't want you to waste your days because of me." I denied.

 "I'll arrange a chauffer for you." He offered.

 "Josh you are going way too much." I stared at him with wide eyes as a clue for him to stop whatever protective business he was upto.

 "Pearly you are traveling way too much." he pouted.

 "Josh"

 "Pearly"

 "BFF"

 "Joshan please I have to go. I have been waiting for his opportunity to learn salsa and Sussie is the best troupe from Hollywood. You are making it difficult for me." I explained giving my best puppy dog face that never fails to work on him.

"See its final I'll drop and pick you for the while." He made a clear, irresistible statement.

"Josh out of all things it is the least that I would like to trouble you with such a silly pick up service."

'No Poochie..."

"Pooochuie?!!!!!"

"My girlfriend I just proposed her yesterday lives in Baker's street. I'll drop you there and then meet her or go for a date with her there and then finish my date and pick you back." He said putting his hands on my shoulders pressurizing his point.

"Josh you know what. You are silly." I wagged my tongue at him.

"yes" he grinned

"And stubborn too" I pursed my lips

"Pearly you know what."

"What" I yelled in exasperation.

"I am silly and stubby but I am your bestfriend." He smirked again grinning from ear to ear.

"That's why you are tooooo sweet." I said as I pulled his cheeks. I am the only person in the universe who is allowed to screech his cheeks, not even his girlfriend can dare to do it.

"Well then it starts next Wednesday. We can leave after the college." I instructed.

"Yes maam" he saluted his military style and said, "I'll be there"

He looked equally thrilled and excited I guess because now he can spend some extra time with his New one.

I was very thrilled with my traveling issues resolved completely with Josh giving me a ride to and fro and so I finished all my registration stuff

Wednesday came more quickly than expected and I was fiddling with the bag I was carrying and waiting for Joshan who was missing. He was not picking his mobile, ignoring my text and we were 10 minutes late for our schedule time. I was loosing my patience and now I was thinking of other options to travel.

It was right then his car landed besides me and I sat in the passenger seat and was muted because I was raging because of the delay and since it was an obligation by him to drop me I should rather be acquainted with peace and gratefulness towards him. So I closed my eyes plugged my earphones and went into my world of soft numbers. No talk, no fight and tranquil.

Joshan started shuffling in his seat and put a sudden brake cornering the car. I was worrying being restless because of the delay and he was completely making me insane. I opened my eyes and then my mouth to speak then he turned back lifting two brown paper bags and passed  one to me

"This is for you" he offered.

"Oh my god chicken wrap. You are too sweet Josh" I hugged him blabbering," I am so hungry. God knows how much disappointed I was for your delay and you… you are just an angel. Sorry."

"No you are using a wrong term. You should actually say THANK YOU" he teased knowing that my anger was now puff in the air.

"No baby I need to apologize I was very angry. You were not taking my calls, not replying my messages I was very very angry at you. I am so sorry." I admitted sheepishly.

"Pearly chill." he cupped my face, deepening his gaze into my eyes, "If you feel anger express at me. You don't need to keep quite and suppress it. We are far ahead in our relationship.”

"Yeah" I nodded savoring the taste of the wrap.

Then we were ourselves, talking, laughing and listening to the music.

 '''''''

It was excellent at the workshop with lovely music, swift moves and expert guidance. Today being the first day we were only practicing the basic steps followed by the warm ups. We repeated the basics over and over again so that we were swift with the moves. Sussie gave her performance with Mitchelle on a full song "Love is all around". It was so mesmerizing and it encouraged me to try over and over again to go for perfection. The troupes were moving around. It was a big hall with abut 60 learners and 8 trainers who were guiding and making corrections in case of mistakes. Though I didn't need any I was picking very easily amicably because of my love and passion for dance. I did receive words of appreciation by couple of trainers. Mitchelle personally came up to me to lift my chin and back a little more straight to boost my perfect curves. He said they would add grace to my dance and I immediately tried to implicate it.

I was so lost in the thing that I did not realize when the time was over. I happily went to the agreed spot where Josh was coming to pick me and before that I picked juices and bacons so we could share.

This dance was draining and I was now feeling very hungry, so would he. I was ready to listen to his detailed pre plays that he had done with his New.

As usual he was late but I was very happy to see him. I did not feel angry now. I was internally satisfied because of the fun I had received in the dance and it is quite obvious that his girlfriend would have requested him to stay.

"Please sit in the car I'll be back", he said handing me the keys and disappeared to god knows where.

The ride back home was unusual as Joshan was very silent. He did not utter a word about his date which is a rare thing. I on the other hand was continuously chatting and squealing about my experience.

'Josh you know what I feel you should also give it a try but I know you hate to follow but tell me why are you so silent? You did not get blow jobs from your New"

"Pearly it was a simple coffee date.' I said coldly.

"Ooops sorry I forgot this" I removed the packet from my bag and handed his bacon and juice to him. He was not hungry but he still drank the juice and saved the bacon for later.

Next day in the college, Joshan was no where to be seen. Something was seriously wrong with him. I had to figure it out so I called him with no response. He did reply with a text, "Busy will pick you after college"

He did pick me and that too in time with couple of apples for both of us. "Strange. You and apple."

"Truth is stranger than fiction" he replied flatly

 “Josh are you alright. First you were busy the whole day then you come on time that too with apples. Don't tell me this Poochie was your true love and she'd break up with you and you are heartbroken and this pain has led to maturity in your thinking." I asked more mockingly and less worried.

'Pearly you should meet Steven Spielberg for his next venture. You can be an awesome script writer with your imagination." He plaited

"Ha!! Ha!! Sarcastic' I mocked, still excited for the second day of dance.

I changed into pink tights and my black dri-fit top, tight fit and reached the hall for the practice. I was very thrilled. Dance was bubbling up in my blood. We had a small warm up session and then Sussie came on the microphone.

 "Heeeeeey!!!!! My rocking dancers" she greeted.

"Hiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!" we all shouted trilled to hear her voice, half the crowd were her die hard fans.

"So today we are starting our original salsa steps as I can see you guys are just awesome with the basics. Cheers to you all"

 The hall was filled with ooohs and aaaaaahs and a series of applaud.

 So buckle up with your partners and be ready to rock.

I give you ten minutes to choose your partner, still if you aren't hooked with any I will match up for you.

The was lots of hush and chattering and I stood in a corner not ready to take any random guy as a partner so I was left in my thoughts about what to do.

After some time I could see people standing in pairs. Most of them had sorted and were ready to start. It was the first time I was looking at the folks around here. Other wise I had been too busy dancing. There were people as small as 15 to even gray haired couples. From the way they were staring at each other lovingly and still maintaining a decent distance, I could make out they were happily married. Now when most of the dancers were already paired up I now started feeling a little scared because no one had asked me so far. Is it that I am that bad? What if I did not get the partner at all? How humiliating would it be? Would I still be able to dance?

I was thinking way too much. Two feet then traveled close to mine as I was staring at my feet wondering.

His black dance shoes and as I shifted my eyes a little further, his black pants and a tight Nike white tee on a perfectly toned body as his sculpted abs were clearly visible beneath the tee. He had his deep brown eyes twinkling with his smirk and the locks added to his killer looks. He extended his hand for me to hold,

"Can I have the pleasure to be your partner?"

yt>@ appened Martha?” Joshan asked my mom without greeting her as she was trying to sooth me.

“nightmare.” My mom replied shrugging her shoulders.

Joshan took hold on me, hugging me sideways, “Tell me what did you dream.’

“I hmm.. dre..amt that hm.. I and you wer..e dancing..g and I was wearing a long gown… then my heels got tangled in my feet and I tripped. All over…. Finished” I said sobbing in between and now crying. “I know you are working so hard. I am scared. You better take someone else as a partner. I’ll ruin everything.” I cried into his chest now leaving a wet patch on his Louis Vuitton shirt.

“Stop Pearly” he cooed and shouted sternly then,” Will you just stop crying”. I was so scared that I started staring at him speechless.

“Go to your room and change and come.” He commanded.

“But we are already late for the college?” I hesitated to go with my sore eyes.

“Just do as said” and he directed me towards my room.

I changed and came down to see him waiting in his audi. I hugged my mom and rushed to the car not getting further late as he was already pissed up.

“Where are we going? This is not the route to college” but he was so pissed he did not answer.

I was shocked when he parked the car in the same orphanage for which I wanted to win.

He extended his hand for me to hold as he led me to the children’s ward.

He had brought cookies for all of them. He distributed them to all of them and asked them to pose for a picture. They had the best of their smiling faces when they stood for the photograph. He clicked their pictures and left the place.

Once we left the place he said, “Can I have your mobile?”

I handed him non questioningly.

He transferred the picture of kids in my mobile through blue tooth

“Hey look here” he showed me the picture and said,” whenever you feel a little scared about the dance thing watch these smiling faces. They’ll inspire you.”

I was stunned speechless fighting back a tear in my eyes as I hugged him whispering,”How thoughtful.”

He is nothing but a miracle

Is this ever possible

Will I wake up one day

To see he’s an angel

Sent to me by heaven’s

What good have I done

That sun has shone

Brightly so bright

And I have all the right

To claim him mine

He’s so very surreal

He makes joy real

How much I want to be with him

My inners need him

Only if it was possible

But he is a shining star

So close to me

Yet very very far!!!!!