Chapter 22

21. Two Left Feet

Mithila was tiny, pretty with soft, light eyes and a lovely, unruly mass of curls on her head. Her eyes shone every time she craned her neck to look at her boyfriend. Nishit was withdrawn around others, but Kirti saw how indulging and uninhibited he was with Mithila. Looking down at Mithila, one hand in one pocket, the other ruffling her hair that reached past her shoulders.

Afternoon sunlight lay scattered on the couple as she watched them with hooded eyes, her pen moving with a practiced ease.

At some point his eyes found hers, and guilt clenching her stomach, Kirti's eyes jumped to the sunflowers kissing the sun. A little while later when she looked at him again, his attention was fixed on his girlfriend.

‘Wow. What have you drawn there?’ Manisha asked, pulling her out of her reverie.

Looking away from the lawn that unrolled outside the French doors, Kirti followed Manisha’s gaze which was stuck to the paper napkin.

‘This? It's... Taiga and Ruiji. The Toradora couple.’ 

‘What’s that?’

‘It’s an anime series. Taiga and Ruiji have a height difference that's huge but...endearing.'

‘Oh. You watch anime now?'

'Not me. I have a friend who's into it.' 

'Are they any good?'

'Depends on taste. If you are into animated characters.'

'I loved Frozen and Lion King!'

‘Japanese animes have a different feel altogether. They are a different genre from Frozen or Lion King. If you want you can try one to see how you like it.'

'Any recommendations?'

‘There's only one I remember now. Spirited Away.’ She looked back at the lawn. The Toradora couple was gone.

‘Are they available on Netflix?’

'I don't watch anything these days so I am not up to date. My friend, Shruti, I see her watching a lot and she has a Netflix subscription so it must be there.'

'Are you going to dance?'

'Got two left feet so obviously no.'

'You think Sana is going to let you free? On top of that you're the best man which I don't really get. It isn't as if they are having a Christian wedding. Nyway, you'd have to perform a number.'

'She cannot force me, can she?'

'Honestly, knowing her, she definitely will. Sana is...Sana!'

Both of their eyes found Sana who stood in the center of the room having an animated discussion with the dance choreographer who was also her distant relative. Sensing their gaze, she looked at them smiling, and asked, 'Kirti, darling, have you decided on the songs?'

Kirti waved the napkin in the air. 'On it'

'Thanks.'

'Your welcome,' Kirti said disinterestedly.

'You know I don't listen to Bolly music. Choose the best ones.'

When Sana had arrived, Kirti, on the verge of combusting from utter humiliation and embarrassment, had decided to leave.

'Are you leaving, babe?' She had stopped her.

'No you cannot. You absolutely cannot. I need you. We are going to discuss the wedding. Tejas, she's leaving! Why??'

'No, she's not. Kirti come here,' He had heaved impatiently, pulling her into an empty hallway.

'What is your problem?' 

'You don't know? You didn't see the way Prasanna was looking at me? How hurt she was? How disappointed...' He was.

'So? You are here for me. Me! You are my friend! They don't matter. Or have you become friends again? Forgot how he betrayed you? Us?!'

'No...but that doesn't mean I'll become heartless like him. Prasanna was deeply hurt.'

'She'll get over it.'

'I still don't want to stay here. After all it is their house.’

'It's my place as much as it is theirs! You are here for me.'

'You talked about complications and getting into an argument with Sana. You acted as if it's a matter of life and death. It's only discussing the wedding.'

'Only?' He stared her down and she fidgeted under it.

'I mean it could be done without me. I had to be at the parlour and then Dadi...'

'Fine, go.'

'Huh?'

'Go! Go, go, goo...' He nudged her shoulders towards the exit.

'Tejas? You're being rude'

'Rude? No, I am just giving you what you want. Leave. After all, it's just my wedding. It doesn't matter. Your job, your Dadi, Prasanna, Shruti, Mayank or even Nishit! All of them are important to you. Me and my wedding whereas...'

'Tejas...I didn't mean...'

'No, really leave! I will manage on my own. I was wrong to think that you'd be as excited about it as me. I was wrong in wanting you to be a part of every small or inconspicuous part of decision making. I wanted you to be as invested in the whole thing. Be a part of the wedding like nobody ever! After all, who do I have other than Kirti, I thought. Sorry for not taking into consideration your wishes.' 

Guilt stabbing her chest, she said 'I am sorry. I was being selfish,' She said. He was not looking at her. 

‘Tejas, please don’t be like this now. I’m sorry.’

‘Sometimes, Kirti you make me feel you don’t care anymore. You care for me, right?’

‘I am here, ain’t I?’

‘And love, you love me right?’

 XxxxX

She wasn’t the only one invited. Manisha, Navyam, Mithila, Sagarika and Piyush, all of them had filled the room. 

‘Guys, you know we’ll be having a Sangeet ceremony. So I have invited you all to introduce you to Niharika. She’ll teach you some moves. She’s going to take a look and see where you all stand. It’d be nice if you can tell her your free dates…’ Kirti had zoned out texting Mayuri to drop in at her home and check in on her granny.

Buta had appeared sometime with drinks and snacks. She had refused but had asked him a favour.

‘Can you tell Prasanna that I wish to meet her alone?’

‘I am not allowed in Prasanna Didi’s quarters. She has a maid of her own. If Shyamli is busy or running another errand only then she reaches out to me.’

‘Can’t you ask Shyamli to relay my message, please. It’s urgent.’ She pleaded.

‘I’ll do what I can’

XxxxxX

'Your friend is a natural actor.'

'Thank you!' She beamed.

'So you both are just friends or...'

'Sorry?' She arched her brows trying to pull off the nastiest bitch face.

'Never mind.' He had an accent which she had not noticed earlier. Soft, curly waves of hair falling over his forehead, he looked at her with hazel green, curious eyes. He had lost weight over the years, and had the body only a regular gym goer could boast of. Navyam had aged well. His self assured air, and confident manners should have been attractive but anytime she was in his vicinity, the hair at the back of her neck prickled.

'Will you be dancing?' Navyam asked.

'I won't' she replied. 

Manisha had gone to talk to the choreographer and he had come to occupy the chair next to her.

'Why? Don't like dancing?'

'I can't dance.' Her hands impatiently spun the pen around her fingers.

'That's what the choreographer is for.'

'I'm really bad at learning also.'

'I'll teach you. We can perform together.' 

Manisha was now spinning in the center of the room, the teal streaks in her hair, standing out.

'I'm sure there would be many others willing to learn from you.'  She said.

'None like you though'

'Seriously??? I can't believe you are doing this.' 

Without breaking eye contact, he grinned. 'Gotta try my luck'

'Show me the list of songs you've made,' he leaned  into her and in the flurry of moving away from him, the pen slipped from her hand.

Uncomfortable in bending before him, she slipped  her foot out from the sandal and nudged the pen towards her.

'You have sexy feet!' 

'4th heaven footcare products. Earlier I would often get cracks, but once I started using avocado deep nourish, saw a huge improvement. No harmful chemicals. If you are interested you can order one from the salon I work at. You can gift it to your girlfriend? She'd be really touched.'

'I don't have one. Do you?'

'What 'do you'? Do I have a girlfriend? I don't bat for the other team.'

Navyam threw his head back and laughed. 

‘It wasn't even that funny’

'You are funny, Kirti. Do you want me to give you one ? This avocado thing?'

She stood up from the chair ready to ditch him but he pulled her arms forcing her back on the chair.

'Sorry, sorry. Don't leave ya!' His hands were still on her arms.

'Unhand me!' She hissed.

Kirti's eyes scanned for Tejas. He stood on the other side of the room with his fiancee, lost to the world.

'Don't create a scene, yaar!' His eyes darted across the room.

'Then behave yourself.'

'I am not misbehaving. You know what I am hinting at. What I want’

'You might have read then through my gestures that I’m not interested. Yet you continue to make me uncomfortable.' 

'Why though? Tejas isn't looking back anymore. And I clearly remember you having a thing for me in the school. You'd pack extra paratha for me. Then that farewell card in 10th standard.'

'This isn't real! Tell me you didn't say this.'

'I am not even talking about a serious relationship. I am too busy for it. Just a casual no strings attached fling.'

Rubbing her hands over her face, she said, 'Shut up Navyam! Shut up before I slap you. I'm holding back because of the people around. These people are really happy. Don't spoil the mood.'

'You can drop the act. I won't judge you.You're secretly thrilled aren't you? The scion of Prakash and Co making you an offer. Honestly, I would have never gone after a girl like you but there's something about you...'

'Yours must be a very sad state of affairs then that you had to proposition a girl like me.’ She cut him and enforced a laughter out of her mouth. She should have hit him but his words had numbed her. It was an emotion rawer than tears.

Casual fling, Secretly thrilled, a girl like you...What kind of a girl was she? Her face dropping in her hands, she slowly breathed. In. Out. In. Out.

Her hair was tied up on the top of her head in a messy bun, a wooden fork shoved through it. The nape of her neck was bare to the eyes. An intricate design in black rose out from beneath the crimson neck of her top and branched to her nape. The contrast of dark ink to the creamy skin made Navyam greedy.

His fingers reaching out, he was going to trace the tattoo when a solid binder came slamming down hard against his head.The noise was loud enough to make people turn. It also yanked Kirti out of her daze. She looked up to see Nishit glaring at Navyam, his mouth pressed into a hard line, his eyes moving between the two of them. She sat straight wondering if she’d done anything wrong. Did he think she was trapping this precious scion here?

‘What the f@&^ Aggarwal?!’

‘What are you up to?’

‘What?’ Navyam asked annoyed.

‘You tell me’

A look passed between the two which escaped Kirti.

‘What bro? What am I up to? Don’t talk in riddles.’

When Nishit continued to watch him with disgust, he squirmed in the seat.

‘Just stay out of my business, okay?’

‘It’d do your business good if you realize that dick isn’t the only organ you’ve been endued with. Or do I give up on that minuscule hope I have for a miracle? That you’d grow a brain however hard pressed that eventuality might be’

‘You’d better remember I’m the boss.’

‘Then act like one. All you had to do was sign the papers!’

‘I did!’

‘How high were you then to have signed at the client’s place! We’ll have to redraw the papers. Ivy League?! And you make such a rookie mistake!’

‘Why are you getting hyper over such a small thing, Nishit?’ Tejas called out.

‘Stay out of it,’ replied Nishit. 

The tension in the air was thick and palpable. Sana must have felt it too, ‘Okay, leave them be, Tejas. So Niharika, what were you saying?’

‘If not for my father, I wouldn’t have put up with your overbearing self a minute extra,’ Navyam was saying.

‘Save the breath and tell me how you plan to redress the goof up. I was supposed to pass it to the legal counselor today evening.’ 

The dressing down shook Kirti out of her dark, lonely place. She realised scion or not, he was not above her. If Nishit, who worked under him could, then she who owed Navyam nothing could too.

‘Navyam, I've had many setbacks and disappointments in life. But today you made me realize that they all pale in comparison to the one your parents must have had twenty eight years ago. My condolences to them that they have to live witnessing it grow bigger with each passing day.’

To Nishit, she said, ‘Get off the ship as soon as you can. If he’s the captain, he’s drowning it. Five long minutes I tried to imagine him with a personality, and I am tired already. Brains he does not have, it’s evident and correct me if I am wrong, penis doesn’t make a business prosper.’ Then she remembered the look he had given her as if she was trapping Navyam, ‘Or maybe you both are the same, that is how you are able to work together. Birds of a feather flock together, is it?’

‘F@3ing bitch!’ She heard Navyam curse. She didn’t care, she was leaving this place never to return. She was not meeting these people ever again. The Sangeet be damned. Tejas’ wedding be damned. 

Throwing her bag over her shoulder, she was on her way out when Buta jammed her way.

‘What?’ She growled.

‘Woh Prasanna Didi lawn mein hai.’

XxxxX

Dusk had fallen and it was dark outside in the lawn except for a few wall mounted lanterns. The bronze lamps adorning alongside the main walkways had not been lit up and so she couldn’t see what she was walking on, grass, gravel path or some pest.

Her heart feeling hollow, she had no energy left for confrontation. 

Prasanna was waiting for her.

‘Hi. Thank you for meeting me.’

‘You wanted to talk to me?’ Her tone was clipped.

‘I am really ashamed of what I did. I am sorry. But believe me I had no intention of rubbing it on your face, as you called it. I am equally ashamed to be here when I stood you up last week.’

‘Why did you do it, then?’

‘My life, Prasanna is very different from yours. Even if I want I cannot be a good friend to you.’

‘You can be only Tejas’ friend, then?’

‘I don’t know how long that’s gonna last too. I can’t come to your house but I can be available if you need someone to talk to. Late evenings, though.’

‘I feel like you’re handing me freebies. Poor girl, let’s not disappoint her.’

‘You’re no poor girl. Getting to know you intimately as a friend would have been totally my honour. But my life is just...complicated at the moment.’

‘Why aren’t you good friends with Nishit Bhai? Like you’re with Tejas Bhai. You don’t like him?’

‘I had tried to like him. But he doesn’t like me. You know it’s exhausting to like someone one sidedly. After a while it was no fun at all.’

The silence between them was too prolonged to be comfortable.

‘My cab must be arriving in sometime. I should wait outside.’

‘Bye, Kirti. Let’s hope we can one day sit together and enjoy a movie without any life complications interrupting us.’

‘I hope the same, Prasanna. Be happy and healthy till then.’

She felt a sense of finality like an end of a story however incomplete it was. 

But like they say that closure is delusive, she turned away from Prasanna, taking the grassy field instead of the main walkway, choosing a shortcut. Her leg collided with something, she felt a cutting sting in her toe, her legs living to their ‘two left feet’ fame, she awkwardly stumbled and fell flat, a sharp pain shooting through her ankle.

‘Prasanna…,’she cried out.

‘Oh my God, Kirti. Nishit Bhai...Tejas Bhai..Buta..’

Before she had time to process things, Buta’s Bhaiya was at her side with his, ‘Uffho’ 

Well, if she was an inconvenience, why come to her help at all. In a few seconds she was up in the air. 

‘Why the hell do you not switch on all the lights?’ His heart reverberated under her ear.

‘Madam ne lights badalne kahe the, isliye…’ Somebody answered.

‘Then whose responsibility is it? When were you planning to do it?’

‘Nishit,’ she poked his chest.

He looked down at her with gentle eyes. She must be hallucinating, understandably so in her grave state.

‘I am going to die’

‘What? Nobody dies of a fall, at least from this un-mighty fall, Kirti’

‘But one can die of a snake bite’

‘What?’

‘I think a snake bit my toe. Take care of Dadi and Biplab for me.’

 [NOCOPY]

[MEMBERSONLY]