Star-Struck
It is fifteen minutes before the final auditions commence. Prithvi, Aman and I have been talking all of this time, about stuff. Dance. Our families. School. Normal stuff. But what we do—to other people it doesn’t seem normal. I guess. I just think that’s how the world works: you don’t know what’s next.
We are thinking of taking a peek at the choreographers. Aman swears on his best dancing shoes that he knows how we can do it. We wait for one of the adults to leave the door unattended, then spring upon our chance and dash to the stage door. Amidst the bright lights, I can see the thirteen Super Gurus. It was sad that Varangi Ma’am wasn’t there. I don't mind about being placed with another guru, but it still hurts. I say this to Aman and Prithvi. But they look at me incredulously.
"What? Is it bad enough to wish?" I ask.
"No. But the fact that you didn't even check properly is!" Aman says, gesturing to the right of the choreographers' seats.
I have to turn my head at a crazy angle, but it is worth it if I have to prove him—and myself—wrong. But I can't. Because sitting at the left corner in the sofa on the third to the right, is Varangi Jha! I don’t think she was watching her phone or talking to the other gurus, because she sits there, quietly watching, a faint smile on her face. And then suddenly, Prithvi tries to step somewhere in and out of our huddle, and it was not invisible. He moves to the right edge of the door and sticks his head out. I mean out, where the gurus can definitely see him. And the first person to notice is Varangi Ma’am.
We hold our breath. Are we going to get in trouble? I am glad no one else noticed, but there is no clear chance that we are getting out of a whooping. But Varangi Ma’am just kindly eyes us, thinking that we were kids who want to get a glance at the stage, which is half-true, of course. Her gaze first settles on Prithvi, then Aman. They are next to me, with Prithivi on Aman’s right, who is on my right. When Ma’am looks at me, my heart stops beating. Did she actually see me? Does she know what we are doing?
I am now too scared and excited all at once, and I jostle out of our huddle and run back in the waiting area. Prithvi and Aman follow me.
“Whew! That was close,” Aman reflects.
“Close? We almost got caught!” Prithvi widens his eyes.
I don’t even think about that. I think about Varangi Ma’am, the way she looked at me. If Papa and Mama hear this, they are going to be livid!
Aman and Prithvi notice my shock. Aman clamps a hand on my shoulder. “Dude, you went into a daze!”
“At least he got to see his crush,” Prithvi teases.
I shove at him. “It’s not like that. More like ‘my most super-duper favourite dancer in the whole world’.”
“No kidding.” Aman shakes his head and grins.
But seeing her there told me one and only one thing: I wasn’t just going to dance my best for the spot, but to impress Varangi Jha as well.
Signed,
Melody Vega
We are thinking of taking a peek at the choreographers. Aman swears on his best dancing shoes that he knows how we can do it. We wait for one of the adults to leave the door unattended, then spring upon our chance and dash to the stage door. Amidst the bright lights, I can see the thirteen Super Gurus. It was sad that Varangi Ma’am wasn’t there. I don't mind about being placed with another guru, but it still hurts. I say this to Aman and Prithvi. But they look at me incredulously.
"What? Is it bad enough to wish?" I ask.
"No. But the fact that you didn't even check properly is!" Aman says, gesturing to the right of the choreographers' seats.
I have to turn my head at a crazy angle, but it is worth it if I have to prove him—and myself—wrong. But I can't. Because sitting at the left corner in the sofa on the third to the right, is Varangi Jha! I don’t think she was watching her phone or talking to the other gurus, because she sits there, quietly watching, a faint smile on her face. And then suddenly, Prithvi tries to step somewhere in and out of our huddle, and it was not invisible. He moves to the right edge of the door and sticks his head out. I mean out, where the gurus can definitely see him. And the first person to notice is Varangi Ma’am.
We hold our breath. Are we going to get in trouble? I am glad no one else noticed, but there is no clear chance that we are getting out of a whooping. But Varangi Ma’am just kindly eyes us, thinking that we were kids who want to get a glance at the stage, which is half-true, of course. Her gaze first settles on Prithvi, then Aman. They are next to me, with Prithivi on Aman’s right, who is on my right. When Ma’am looks at me, my heart stops beating. Did she actually see me? Does she know what we are doing?
I am now too scared and excited all at once, and I jostle out of our huddle and run back in the waiting area. Prithvi and Aman follow me.
“Whew! That was close,” Aman reflects.
“Close? We almost got caught!” Prithvi widens his eyes.
I don’t even think about that. I think about Varangi Ma’am, the way she looked at me. If Papa and Mama hear this, they are going to be livid!
Aman and Prithvi notice my shock. Aman clamps a hand on my shoulder. “Dude, you went into a daze!”
“At least he got to see his crush,” Prithvi teases.
I shove at him. “It’s not like that. More like ‘my most super-duper favourite dancer in the whole world’.”
“No kidding.” Aman shakes his head and grins.
But seeing her there told me one and only one thing: I wasn’t just going to dance my best for the spot, but to impress Varangi Jha as well.
Signed,
Melody Vega
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