CH 3 : Behind That Smile
It was footloose finale, they were on their way to the competition venue. Taani was seated on the second back seat in the bus, reading her novel where as others were busy with each other. She couldn't help but kept stealing glances at him, who was busy with her brother. A heart that will always love, she couldn't help with her feelings for him. Her feelings are too intense, now she couldn't stop feeling for him, all she could do is, hide her feelings from him. This is best she could do, and she was sure she is doing a pretty good job in hiding her feelings.
She brushed her thoughts aside and got down from the bus, when they went inside the venue and as an assistant general secretary, she filled all the formalities along with shivam and led the teams to their respective dressing rooms. Shivam went with weaklings where as she was with dazzlers, even though she didn't wanted to be there.
"Taani, how much time is there for our performance?" Sharon asked her, breaking her trance.
"Dazzlers's performance is second last, so there is still time." Taani answered her politely.
"And what about weaklings?" Sharon asked her since she was looking forward to see swayum's performance.
"Their performance is last performance of the competition."
"Can we see other teams performances?" Simmi asked her.
"Yes, you guys can. Switched on the tv, you can see all the performances live from here itself." She answered her, pointing at the LCD hanging on the wall infront of them.
"Wow! Thats awesome, taani." Nil smiled at her, he grabbed the remote and switched on the tv.
"But before that, please get ready and wear your costumes" Taani told them, they all agreed with her and started getting ready.
"Damn! Isse bhi abhi tutna tha-" Rey cursed under his breath, staring the broken button of his shirt in his hands.
"Sharon, do you know how to fix this?" Rey asked sharon, showing her the broken button of his shirt. Sharon nodded her head negatively.
"But taani knows. Go to her, she will fix it." Sharon told him, pointing at taani who was helping Rinni with her costume. Rey look at sharon then at taani, he don't know how to approach taani. After that incident, he had ignored her. With her confession, she had reopened all the old wounds. The way she dressed up like her, behaved like her, to impress him, made him remember all the moments, he had spent with her and at last, the betrayal given by her. He couldn't controlled his anger that day, when taani proposed him and he rejected her, way too harshly.
But he was hurt, he was fighting with his own demons. The betrayal he had recieved from the girl he loved, broke him to an extent that he finds difficult to trust anyone, again. The girl he thought to be perfect for him, was using him for fame. And taani had reopened all the wounds with dressing up like her, trying to take her place in his life. He couldn't tolerate that, how could he? He was still heart broken from the betrayal, still gathering all the broken piece of his heart, trying to move on in his life. The scars of the past where still afresh, They were imprinted on his soul, no matter how hard he try, he can't forget everything that had happened.
After that day, he had ignored her, he doesn't want to think about his past nor about taani and her proposal, it was meaningless to him. He didn't harbor any kind of feelings for her.
"Taani, can you help Rey? His shirt's button is broken-" Sharon asked her when she saw her approaching them. Taani look at her then at Rey, who was looking at her. She hesitated, but agreed, knowing she doesn't have any other option, Rejecting to help him might look rude.
"Sure." She mumbled under her breath and went to her bag, to take out a needle and thread from the small sewing kit she keep in her bag, on case of any emergency.
Taking the needle along with thread, taani walked toward him and stand infront him. Rey look at her, into those beautiful eyes which hide lots of pain. He could see the pain behind her smile, she tried hard to look happy, but he know, there is pain behind that fake smile.
Surprised at how easily he could read her, Rey shook his head to get her out of his thoughts.
"Button-" She whispered in barely audible tone, she held her hand out infront of him while avoid looking into his eyes. She was hesitated and nervous around him, and no matter how hard she try, she couldn't hide her nervousness around him.
Rey placed the button in her palm. He was observing her movements, she was visibly nervous around him. Taani took a deep breath, calming her nerves before she starts sewing the button to his shirt. She could feel his gaze on her, which made her conscious, knowing he doesn't feel for her anything yet being close to him, has started to hurt her.
They were standing close to each other, taani could feel her heart beating loudly against her ribcage. She felt her knees would give away, his woodsy, manly smell engulf her, blocking her mind to think about anything else than him. His close proximity has this affect on her.
She had built a small world of her own, thinking he feels same for her, but that small world of hers, was shattered when he showed her the brutal reality. She mistook his kindness toward her as his love, it was her immatureness, but she was sure, she won't do this mistake ever again.
"Its done." She whispered softly and took a step away from him, maintaining a safe distance from him. She doesn't want him misunderstand her intentions, like last time.
"Thank you." He thanked her, Rey turned around and walked away from her, but there was emptiness within him when he did so.
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Arjun
Cricket
Indian Mythology
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