Common Room, Mount College.
Piya trips on her own feet and falls on the floor. Abhay stops in his tracks and looks back as everyone rushes to Piya's aid. The choreographer , Mac , immediately helps Piya up and makes her sit on a bench. Sambhav and Zeenia tend to her and the music is stopped. Abhay doesn't budge from his spot even though he feels like running and seeing where she is hurt. Misha runs to her.
Sambhav ( looking at her bruised knee and cut elbow)- Where were you looking , chick? Hurts much?
Mac ( touching her wounds )- Get some ice , someone!
A student nods and runs off while Piya looks at her bruised self with a pained expression on her face.
Misha ( worriedly )- You are twinkle toes or what! If you start breaking your bones on the very first day itself , I will have to seriously re-consider keeping you in the dance troupe.
Mac ( touching her knee and elbow )- Okay, that's an ugly cut.
Zeenia pops in the middle to keep Mac away from Piya as she can clearly say that Abhay's eyes are hating the sight of Mac's hands on Piya.
Zeenia ( blinking her eyes at Mac )- Hey handsome! Don't cha worry. Its gonna be okay' ( shows him the first aid box)'. First aid at your service. Can you move your sexy butt a bit so that I can ' ( puts an arm around Piya possessively )'.take care of Piyooo?
Mac moves away and by that time , the student who had gone off to bring ice comes back . Sambhav takes it from him and rubs it on her wounds as Zeenia applies ointment. Abhay is looking at Piya and Piya looks at him . He has a hard look on his face as he wonders why is she looking at him when she should be worried about the itching pain in her body. Piya , her limpid brow pools shining with water just can't take her eyes away from Abhay.
Zeenia ( pouting her luscious lips on Piya wounds as she blows air )- There you go , Piyooo! Now, go to the infirmary and take care of your bubblegum bones!
Sambhav ( helping Piya up by supporting her waist )- Come . I will take you to the infirmary.
Piya puts her arms around his neck and even before they can move a millimeter , Piya feels the firm grip of that familiar masculine hand around her waist , possessively pulling her away from Sambhav , taking them by surprise. Piya looks up and sees that intense pair of ice blue eyes boring down into her as he shakes her arms off Sambhav's neck. Everyone looks at him in shock while Sam , Zeenia and Misha are amused. Mac grabs Abhay's arm.
Mac ( sternly )- What nuisance is this? Leave her.
Abhay looks at Mac's hand on his arm and glaring at him , jerks him off hard , almost making his fingerbones vibrate.
Abhay ( firmly )- Sorry, Mr. Choreographer. But she is '. ( looks pointedly at Misha )' she is MY PARTNER and logically , if she is ill , unwell, and with all her bones churning in a barrel, I guess its my responsibility to take care of her.
Zeenia ( fluttering her eye lashes and putting her cheek on Sam's shoulder )- Awww' such a hero! I need a custom made Abhay for myself .
Sambhav pops a chewing gum in her mouth to shut her up. Piya is too stunned to react as she had never expected Abhay to just come ahead and ward everyone off her. She is just blinking her big baby browns at him and her pink mouth parted in the awe of his presence and proximity.
Mac ( dazed by Abhay's eyes and the slow fire in them )- S-Sure'. You can take her, dude. I didn't know that you were her partner.
Abhay ( harsh smile )- Now, you know'. Mac.
Mac nods and Abhay looks at Piya. Shaking his head , he bends down a little and lifts her in his arms like a bruised flower. Without looking at anyone else , he just walks out of the common room with Piya nestled in his arms.
Mac ( watching them go )- Whoa ! That man is something. I thought he was going to put me and Sam in a mixer grinder. I have never seen eyes like that! '. ( winking at Misha )' is he that curly chick's boyfriend?
Misha ( rolls her eyes )- Stop flirting and get back to coaching and choreographing, Mac . That's Abhay and' ( looking a tad sadly at Sam and Zeenia )'..he is not her boyfriend.
Zizo ( punching Mac )- Lets get back to work , Mac. You will have more opportunities to touch that chick'.(laughs)' come on now.
Sambhav ( threatening chuckle )- Don't push your luck, Mac. Its safe to keep away from Piya. Just a '( taps Mac's shoulder) ' a friendly advice . '.( shouts )' music!
Misha ( whispers to Sam )- Sam, I have a strong feeling that Mac will not be standing on his feet by the time we are done with the festival.
Sambhav ( smiles and whispers back like a schoolkid )- I don't think we will have to wait till the end of the festival.
Just then, the door of the rehearsal hall's door opens and a serious ,agitated and disturbed Kabir walks in , his eyes hunting for someone. Sam's eyes go to him and Kabir looks at him. Both the men exchange looks and they know that they know each-others' secrets . Zeenia looks at Kabir and her beautiful almond eyes fly open like those of a dreaming princess and the bubblegum balloon bursts on her face , sticking to her nose.
Zeenia ( breathlessly )- Who is he'..
Sambhav walks up to Kabir and Kabir gives him a harsh suspicious look.
Kabir ( softly )- Where. Is. Abhay?
Sambhav's grey eyes go a shade darker as he doesn't like the tone of Kabir's voice. As the common room dissolves in music , Sambhav and Kabir man up to each-other .
Infirmary , Mount College.
Piya is sitting on a bed , her hands clenching the sides as a nurse does her dressing. Abhay is standing closeby , looking at her dressing innocently but his arms crossed against his chest like a sulking child , rather haughtily.
Nurse ( sick and tired )- Piya Jaiswal, if you keep on shaking like a caterpillar everytime I try to stitch your skin , you and I will keep on sitting here for our entire lives.
Piya ( making a babyface )- Is it necessary to stitch it? Bandaging won't do?
Nurse ( flustered )- If I don't stitch this sticking out white tissue back into your flesh , it will be a forever ugly scar.
Abhay ( putting a gentle hand on Piya's shoulder )- Stop being a crybaby, Piya. Its just a stitch. Just imagine , it's a hunk like Mac or Sam giving you stitches' ( grins meanly )'. Easier?
Piya ( hurt and irritated )- Abhay Raichand , why do you always concentrate on maximizing my agony rather than reducing it? How mean can you get? Saying something so cheap?
Abhay( rolls his eyes )- And that creepy choreographer running his hands all over your bare legs and arms ?
Nurse ( interrupting )- Aargh! Have your couple capers later, will you? Abhay, just hold her leg steady so that I can do my work.
Abhay ( taken aback )- Why should I, miss?
Nurse ' Because you are her boyfriend.
Abhay ' I am not her boyfriend.
Nurse ( getting a headache now )- Humph! Then, imagine you are her boyfriend and do the job. Come on.
Piya goes all red in the cheeks and doesn't meet Abhay's eyes . Ack! Abhay couldn't touch her when she was just in a pair of hotpants ! Abhay looks at Piya in slight discomfiture but then, deciding internally , he sits next to her. Piya closes her eyes , rolling her hands into fists , just holds her breath. As Abhay places his hands right above her knees , she shudders by the sheer intensity and het of his touch ' just like old times. Old times when she and Abhay were together and he would just block out her senses by getting so beautifully physical with her. Abhay had never crossed the line with her but his seduction had always been numbing. And all those feelings of adrenaline rush in her blood came running with Abhay going so intimate with her once again.
As the nurse begins to stitch the wound , Abhay feels a strange warmth running like an electric current in his cold body. No, it was not the arousal a man would feel upon touching a woman like that ' it was the arousal of something in his dead heart which seemed mostly heavy and coffin like nowdays. Abhay's eye brows narrowed and his mouth curled in a warm manner. He turns and looks at Piya , his eyes stormy and questioning . I am not supposed to feel like this! This is not me, Piya. Just not me. Piya lifts her eyes to Abhay's face and for a few seconds , he looks like her Abhay. The Abhay that she has lost. She feels tears well up in her eyes. Tears of hope. That Abhay will find his way back to her. Wasn't he on the path already? Abhay was jealous of his own self in that letter. The sight of another man even within inches of Piya disturbed him. Abhay could break Mac's jaw any second for caressing Piya. Abhay knew he had 'something' with Piya and she wanted to believe that.
Abhay , touching Piya's face with his eyes , finds his forehead meeting with hers and he is filled with a sudden peace and Piya , smiles an emotional smile.
Nurse ( interrupting the eyelock )- Phew! Done. Thank you, Abhay. You really are magic. Piya didn't even realize when I finished stitching. '( getting up)' now , wait here. I will get the entry book and you sign it for the record, Piya.
Piya ( coming back to reality )- Oh' Umm, sure, miss.
The nurse gets up and leaves. Abhay removes his hands from her knees and immediately gets up from the bed , darting his eyes all over to handle the disturbance inside him.
Piya ( clears his throat )- Thank you.
Abhay ( frustrated )- DAMN your thank you! '( turns back and grabs Piya's head shocking her )'.i need to get this out of me ! What are you doing to me, Piya?
Piya ( her face looking like a doll's encased in Abhay's hands )- Me? Wh-What have I done, Abhay? Why are you behaving like this? '..you are hurting me. My head.
Abhay ( looking down at her as he grips her face harder )- Hurting you? Maybe ! But I don't care, Piya! I don't. I care about MY HURT! I care about this strange sensation of something bleeding and aching everytime I look at you!...You'you are making me want to cheat on Maithli and it is DISGUSTING! Its not me! Its just not me!
Piya ( feels hurt that Abhay could use the word disgusting )- ITS YOUR FAULT! Its you who is always coming after me . Its you who is always prying into my private life and ' and'. ( not knowing how to express what she feels)'and you just need reasons to get close to me! If you think you are being unfaithful to Maithli , frankly, I don't give a damn about it!
Abhay is so struck and angry at Piya's words that he raises his hand to slap her.
Abhay ( pushing her away and raising his hand to slap her )- Piya!
Piya doesn't move an inch and her flaming angry face and tearful eyes are glaring at him. Abhay's hand stops where it is and he closes his fist , tears springing into his eyes. He backs off from her , shocked at himself.
Abhay ( near crying )- I 'I am turning into a monster. I could do ANYTHING to you, Piya. Anything.
Piya's heart lurches at the sight of a frustrated , pained and unhinged Abhay and her face crumbles'.
Piya ( going to him )- Abhay'.
Abhay ( flinching from her )- NO! Stay away from me, Piya. And don't look at me like that'.with those eyes. You shouldn't look at me like that. I shouldn't look at you like that!
Abhay , wiping is tears , turns away from Piya and runs out of the infirmary. Piya walks over to where Abhay was standing and she falls on the floor , unstitching her wound , ripping it open and the blood gushing out. She touches the floor with trembling hands , the spot where Abhay was standing and bursts into tears , sobbing as though never to stop. The nurse comes back and is stung by the sight .
Nurse ( running to her aid )- Piya! Piya , why are you crying? ' ( looks at the ripped knee)'.oh no! How did that happen, child? Does it hurt?
If only the nurse knew that her bleeding knee was something Piya didn't even sense''.
TO BE CONTINUED'''..
Edited by Pocahontas - 14 years ago
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