Rajeev’s room

As he thought about the talk that happened the other day in the office, he considered if his intuition was wrong or right.

The mall incident, then the car parking accident and recently the hotel one.

It all had the presence of ….

“…Nah!!!...I am thinking too much…. I need to sleep…” as he went to wash himself, his phone pinged with Ramya’s good night message. He smiled at her sweet gestures to not give up on him.

The next day

The community hall was buzzing with the chitter and chatter of the women, children alike for the grand opening of the new large hall being funded by the Menon family.

Sonia was doing the chores with half mind after the news about Nimya falling sick again.

Vinay pacified her saying that he had helped Namith with the best paediatrician in the city for Nimya.

As Ramya climbed the stage in her long mermaid dress to MC, the Menon family eyed the woman who didn’t care to come in more traditional attire for a cultural appropriate function.

But nevertheless, she was family and they always supported family and their decisions.

Vineeth was on a video call with Rajeev and his bestie, Rani who snickered at the way Vineeth was joking about the way Raj had a major heart attack on his recent date.

Rani replied in her usual boyish tone “…I know…this kid will never learn!...I told him a hundred times to dump that bimbo!!...but nah!...Loverboy here wants to be the saint!”

As they reached the community hall, Rajeev parked his car and moved in with Rani who was advising him on leaving the foreign return. But Rajeev just laughed it off sensing it as her strong dislike towards Ramya.

The dressing room,

Deepika was getting her daughter ready for her performance which was always a joyful moment for the mother.

Rajeev stood at the corner of the hall with Rani who was eyeing the participants as they climbed up and down the stage after their performance.

“…uncle…nice choice of car…really cool…” Rani praised Vinay for his new obsession with cars as his son, who was not amused by his father to impress him. Rajeev knew the hidden agenda behind Vinay to lure him in his trickster to join the mafia clan. But he was adamant at not doing so, he was a mama’s boy – the calm, quiet and good boy; just the way his mother wanted him to be.

“…and now I call upon Mrunal for her kathak recital…” Ramya then moved out of the stage space with a twist of her face. Yes, she hated Mrunal and her dynamics with her Rajeev.

Being the possessive one, it was the only thing that Ramya disliked in her fiancé. His praises for Mrunal – his babygirl.

For Rajeev, babygirl was the term for a childlike behaviour that the girl used to do making it look utterly cute.

But Ramya thought it to as the naïve girl’s attempt to steal her man.

Rajeev diverted his attention to his ‘Buji’ who would always bring a smile on his face with her dance.

Mrunal would be the happiest when dancing and had the natural flow with the music making her audience move with her.

Her family and friends watched the way the girl performed with her whole heart without the care in the world.

Ramya was scoffing the way the family was praising the petite girl and thought ‘wait till they see my performance. How they will forget this stupid girl and her trials…’

As Mrunal thanked the cheering crowd, her mother could only find the mistakes that her naïve daughter would do in the flow.

Deepika would always advise her to get her limbs remember the dance and her mind should work on being graceful like a swan, spreading her wings at the most pivotal musical notes.

But as usual the little girl would only think of enjoying herself.

As the performance ended, Arjun cheered the loudest for his daughter who immediately rushed to hug her Appa.

Rajeev wanted to move out of the hall as soon as her favourite finished her dance. But

“…my boy! where are you going?!! Aren’t you going to watch my Ramya perform, huh?!!...come on…lets occupy the first seats…for better viewing….” Saying Prateek took the repudiating Rajeev to the front as his daughter got readied for her performance.

After the kids performed on the nursery rhymes being taught by Veena, Xavier took the kids off the stage to let them have the best seat in the house.

Soumya was helping with the refreshments for the participants as and when they would get off the stage.

After Sonia announced the next performance by the future daughter-in-law of the house, Prateek signalled Rajeev towards the stage.

Rani alongwith Gaurav was teasing the Loverboy on his trying efforts to escape out of his papa-in-law. But alas.

The only thing that resonated the entire hall was the booming sound of the song that was performed by the Ramya.

Prateek cheered his daughter the loudest, making Rajeev cringe at the dance. It was a good performance, don’t get him wrong. But the place, the event and the people would prefer a more subtle dance performance.

I mean he had no offence on the song and the dance. It was actually one of his favourite among the few artists that he ardently listened.

“…poor footwork…and you know that stomp at the end?…should have been more powerful…*exhales deeply* it’s not as much crisp as I expected it to be…But…it will pass…” Sonia chuckled amusingly at the once contemporary dance king who still had the moves in his age. Vinay was judging the dance performance one by one making his listener join him jokingly.

Finally, as Rajeev fled from the clutches of his father-in-law, he found refuge in the dressing room.

He huffed a breather putting his head back resting on the closed door.

As he scanned the room, he saw the way all the accessories were kept in a haphazard manner.

As he picked the anklets admiring the intricate bells on the red cloth…

“…what are you doing here?!...”

He looked back at the owner of the voice who was shocked to see a man in the dressing room for the woman and children.

murmuring from outside

Rajeev immediately rushed to close her mouth to not let his cover out to Prateek who was searching for him.

“…Shhh!!...please don’t make noise…” Rajeev requested her being too close for her comfort.

Mrunal had only imagined how her man would be up close with his godly feature screaming at her, every time.

But having that moment comes so fast was a complete shocker to her.

She just caught hold of his loose shirt from the sides, tightening it with her fist not able to take his musky scent invading her nostrils.

His hands covered her shivering lips and her eyes could see the beautiful textures on his manly face which tingled her innards so badly.

She could only wish for the time to stop and let her remember him for her lifetime.

As this would be the only time, he would be so close to her. She just shut her eyes to take in his presence and his intimacy taking a whiff of his amazing scent.

Musky with a tint of coffee.

Wheatish brown skin adorned beautifully with his rugged beard.

His probable six packs abs waiting to pop out of his loose white shirt.

Flowing wavy soft hairs, wanting her sweet caress.

Mesmerising drooping brown eyes.

Cupid moist lips.

Masculine brows.

After a minute or two, Rajeev realised the man to move out of their space and he looked back at Mrunal.

But what he saw was not the little girl but the lady who had lost in her dreamland again. As she opened her lovely eyes to admire her idol, Rajeev slowly backed to let the girl breath.

In his rush, he had literally pinned her to the door not realising that she was trapped badly between his buff self and the door.

Rajeev saw a drop of tear from her left eyes but a pleased smile on her lips. It scared him thinking that he might have hurt her, but she just smiled wider. As he opened his mouth to enquire if she was alright…

She looked down with a chuckle and moved out of the dressing room, confusing him.

Mrunal rushed to the lone corridor not able to contain herself at the magnificent moment that seemed to have passed away too soon. She was breathing heavily not able to forget the vision and memory of it that would always be in her mind and heart as another piece of happiness that he gave her, unknowingly.

‘…maybe…this was the only intimacy that I would ever get from him…’

She breathed in and out to get back to her perky self to not let her family suspect her mad love for Rajeev Nair.

In the dressing room, Rajeev had a wide smile feeling his heart beat race at the proximity of his ‘Buji’.

Was she always this innocent?

Her eyes had the power to melt him in an instance?

Why? Why did he not confess to her when he felt the first love beat in his heart for his Buji?

The stress was endearing and enduring at the same time for the lovestruck Rajeev.

“…yeah!...talk Loverboy!...” the sleepy voice grunted at the chuckle of her bestie.

“…Rani…are you asleep so soon?!!...” Rajeev was amazed at his bestie who had the power to sleep anywhere, anytime. Rani hummed in her sleepy state. But Rajeev’s next statement made all her senses breath with a known thought for the Loverboy.

“…*exhales deeply*…I am in love…again…with her…*tsk*…please help me…” Rajeev sounded like a child to his bestie who laughed at his desperation to scratch her memories off again.

“…now what did she do?...No, wait!...let me ask a more appropriate question…what did she NOT do?!...” Rani sat on her bed with the plushie in her lap, trying to decode the personality ‘Rajeev’ for the nth time.

Rajeev whined from across the phone and sat on the chair with his dreamy eyes for his Buji. He narrated the entire dressing room incident to Rani who could only face palm herself at his problem.

So, she did what a good bestie would say.

“…tell her…please tell her…she need to know…you need to know…in fact your head needs to know…Dude!...don’t you think its high time that you spelled out the fact – clean and clear, huh?” Rani schooled him who was just exasperating at knowing for once that it was impossible to ever make his head understand what his heart wanted.

“…hm…*sigh*…I will keep the phone…good night…” Rajeev ended the call, still in a deep daze. Rani looked back at the phone, shaking her head murmuring ‘…you can only help yourself, dude…no one else can…’ and went back to sleep.