Chapter 5-
Swayam turned his back to Sharon started talking. "Hm. My dad huh? My dad. What is he like? He never liked me, ever. I didn't want him ruling my life. He wanted me to be more like my older brother who is 4 years older than me.
My older brother is like Rey, the popular guy in school. Abhineet Sekhawat. My brother's name. Everyone knew him." Swayam's tone changed into hatred. "My dad was completely fond of Abhi. Everything was about Abhi. Why can't you do this like Abhi? Why can't you do that like Abhi? My dad just loved him. I never existed for my dad.
Abhineet means perfect and just like his name, my dad thought he was perfect. What was I good for?" Swayam finally turned around and looked into Sharon's watery eyes. He knew she would start to cry. He didn't want to continue but Sharon signaled him to go on. He obeyed. "I was good for nothing, Sharon, nothing." His eyes finally held Sharon's gaze. "My childhood was horrible. Sharon why do you think I chose dance? I had moved out. My dad hated dance as much as he hated me. Of course his dream son was like Abhi-bhai. Tall, handsome, muscular, popular, sports lover, athletic, he had all the qualities that my dad wanted in a son.
I was tired. Tired of all of this happening around me. I had to leave that house, where no one cared about me. So I moved out, out there in Mumbai, in St. Louis." Swayam started to walk around. He didn't know what to say next.
"Me and my dad have nothing in common, except the fact that we both are the kinds of people that do what we think is right. I do what I think is right,which is always wrong for him. My dad hates me for many reasons. One because I dance. He used to call me a dancer, referring to all the people that 'dance' at bars and stuff. You know, Sharon, that that is not real dance. Real dance has emotion, chemistry, and feeling. The second reason he hated me was because I don't have a girlfriend. And three because I am not popular and athletic like Abhineet was. Why do something I don't want to?"
Swayam didn't know what to do and tears appeared in his eyes. He turned his head to look directly at Sharon who was slowly approaching him. Sharon wiped the one tear on Swayam's cheek and shook her head as if saying 'don't cry.'
She surprised Swayam by falling onto him and giving him a tight hug. He was shocked and couldn't do anything but stare at her head. He finally returned the hug, realizing that it was a way of comfort. Sharon eventually realized that she shouldn't have done that. She looked at him and quickly broke away from the hug. She had a million thoughts running through her mind. Her eyes dropped to the floor and Swayam realized that he should back away.
Not knowing what to do, Swayam turned and headed towards the door. Again, Sharon didn't want him to leave. "Swayam," she called out to him. "Why Mumbai? Why St. Louis? Why not anywhere else?" Swayam turned around and looked at her as if it were self explanatory.
"What do you think Sharon?" he stopped to let Sharon process her thoughts in her mind. "
"You, Sharon. You!" Swayam changed his expression to one so warming that Sharon had to think about it. "The Sharon Rai Prakash was there! Who wouldn't want to be there? Sharon, I was your fan, from the beginning of my dance life. I knew you a long time before, back in third grade. I bet you don't remember me." she looked confused. "Ever since I started dancing, I was one of your followers. Although, sadly, you didn't ever notice me. And then came high school and I had no idea where you were until our college days had started. I found out that you were in St. Louis because of the footloose win that the dazzlers had. I was, am, and always will be your fan!" Swayam turned again and left Sharon on this note. He walked out the door, knowing that he shouldn't stay much long.
Sharon stared at the now closed door. A smile appeared on her face. She had even giggled a bit. But then it all left. She remembered the words Mr. Rai Prakash had said. 'Swayam was like his father.' In what way? From what Swayam told her, they were different. Was there another side of Swayam's story?' She sat as the thoughts ran through her head.
Edited by shivheena123 - 12 years ago
193