Nrityangan Academy, Thaltej

The statue of Lord of Dance emitted radiance under the dim yellow light. There was a dainty figure dancing amidst the darkness. The frame was an insight into Anupama's broken heart. A heart that had lost someone close. She looked at the idol with longing as a tear rolled down her eye. She sucked in a deep breath and bowed down in reverence. She took the ghungroos and with shivering hands tied them. Anupama closed her eyes and stood still for a moment before her body started swaying to the soft instrumental music.

The rhythmic tapping of her feet with the intricate hand movements defined grace. It was elegant. It was Lasya. The female energy that balances the vigorous tandava. Soon the music became dramatic and intense. It had now picked up a beat. Anupama twirled to the melancholic background. Her hands gently caressed the platform for only a moment, as she came back, having rotated a full circle. Back on her feet now as there is a sudden surge of energy through her body. The adrenaline rush that her heart felt involuntarily brought a small smile to her face. The movements became sharp focusing on her raw emotions. The sentiments. Fury. Pain. Anguish. The Lasya was transforming into Tandava.

The air had been electrified with her rage and a hundred thousand fireflies had ignited the atmosphere. She burst into flames with every twirling she recalled the one person whom she had cherished the most yet there was unsettling grief that had never been dealt with. She continued to spin around in fanatic circles. There was a force of rebellion and a different kind of energy that emanated with every flick of her hair and every beat of her feet. She was magic, chaos, and madness that continued till her ghungroos broke away.

The dance had left Vikram, Devika, Anuj, Samar, and Samaira speechless. Even Nandini and Kinjal were left in a daze. Kinjal had traced Anupama's number when the phones went unanswered. The silence for the first time had been enduring for them as they lacked the courage at the moment to even call out to her. The poignant dance had raised questions. It had given them an insight to Anupama, the one that now turned unapologetic and fought her demons of the past. A different shade of her personality that was grey-shaded.

Anupama slowly walked towards the wooden cabinet which was at the right corner of the room and caressed the frame lovingly and a tear drop fell on it. She kept the frame down abruptly as recalled the chain of events that had left her disgusted and abhorrent. It almost caused her an injury as the shard of glass had pierced her hand which was broken due to the impact. It was a scar that would stay forever. She gave a painful smile and furiously brushed off her tears that were threatening to fall. She kept her hand on her heart to calm down her racing heart and gulped down the glass of water that was forwarded to her. It was Vikram who had carefully walked up to her. She turned around and was surprised to see Anuj, Devika, Kinjal, Samar, Nandini, and Samaira. She then looked at Vikram. The enigma had been out in the open in an unexpected manner and thus Anupama looked away. Samar looked at the scattered ghungroos and then at his mother's petite figure. He made his way carefully to his Rockstar and engulfed her in a hug.

, asked Samar chokingly. Anupama nodded her head in approval and said, Samar separated himself and looked at her painfully and questioningly. Anupama looked at him and understood his unsaid emotions. She spoke, Anupama sucked in a deep breath as Samar started collecting the scattered ghungroos followed by Nandini and Kinjal. It was a delirious situation for her as she refused to let the remaining thread of a precious relationship to be tattered by a dark secret. Her eyes were lingering over Samar when Samaira who had seen her hiss at the injury and so she walked over to her with a first aid box.

The stinging and burning sensation of the antiseptic brought Anupama out of her reverie and her eyes fell on Vikram, Devika, and Anuj who looked quite disturbed. The pensive look on their faces scared her. ", said Maira in a gentle voice. She patted Samaira's head lovingly and was about to walk towards her friends when Kinjal spoke up in an unsure manner, Anupama interjected and answered in a firm voice, The statement shocked everyone. , said Kinjal. Anupama pressed her temples and requested Kinjal to call him. The phone was on speaker and Kinjal handed over the call to Anupama as soon as it connected. Anupama closed her eyes with her hands fisted and released a sharp breath. She answered, , unable to speak further. Anupama muffled a sob and said, The call was cut by Anupama. She was disheartened yet she had to do it.

Anupama turned towards Kinjal and spoke in a whimpering voice, Samar asked, Anupama turn her back towards Samar and said, whilst clenching her fists, Samar was hurt, disappointed, and angry yet he noticed his mother's fragile form. He respected her and so he looked at Vikram, Anuj, and Devika. They assured him through their eyes. Samar walked out of the academy. Nandini and Kinjal looked at Anupama in agony and walked out. Samaira too left on Devika's insistence.

Vikram held Anupama by the shoulders while she refused to look at him. She avoided his questioning gaze. She tried to wriggle herself out of Vikram's hold which was quite firm and strong. Anupama ultimately fell to the floor with a thud pulling Vikram along with her. She broke down into sobs. Devika knelt down beside her followed by Anuj. They let her cry. A few moments later Anupama had calmed down. She spoke in a monotonous and hoarse voice, All of them could see through her facade when she further spoke even before Devika, Vikram or Anuj could speak,, and with that, she gestured to the friends to leave as she had to close the academy. She was surprised to find her friends waiting for her as she walked towards her car. Nevertheless, she gave a faint smile. The drive to her house was a silent one.

Anupama's Ashiyana

Anupama had changed into a cream saree with her hair open. A minimalist that she was her ears held beautiful and dainty studs. She sat down on the sofa with her head held in her hands whilst awaiting Devika who had gone to freshen up when Vikram brought tea for her. The dance and the emotional drain out had caused her a splitting headache. Anuj forwarded her the medicine. She looked at the two of them gratefully and complied with it. Devika entered the hallway, and soon the friends left for the temple.

RadhaKrishna Temple, Sindhu Bhavan Marg

The friends had reached the temple and a wave of nostalgia passed through Anuj and Anupama's eyes. The same temple had seen these two forlorn individuals praying for each other years back. Anupama felt a lump in her throat as she climbed up each stair. She took slow and steady steps towards the idol of the epitome of love. Her hands trembled as she handed over the plate to the priest and prayed earnestly. Vikram, Devika, and Anuj followed the suit. The veneration had been over and all of them were sitting on the steps of the temple. The divine energy gave them solace and peace from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Devika held Anupama's hands who was simply staring at the horizon and asked, A faint smile came over Anu's face as she replied, Anuj queried further, Anupama sighed, The detachment left everyone appalled. Anupama looked at her watch and said, Vikram hugged her and said, Anupama exhaled sharply and answered, Anuj felt a pang in his heart and so he said, Anupama looked at her friends and said, The message was clear for the friends. Vikram, Devika, and Anuj left albeit unwillingly.

New York, USA

The divulgence had left Saveer unsettled. He was worried about Samaira. The love of his life. A part of him wanted to run to her and engulf her in a hug whereas a part of him was satisfied and contented. The smokey grey eyes had seen the yearning for love. He was happy that she was basking under mother's love. There was a peculiar void in their hearts. It felt like a dream which was once far close from reality once upon a time. He opened his phone and glanced through the photographs which Samar and Vikram had sent him. They were a treat to his eyes. He then caught hold of the polaroids. He had been a collector of memoirs and so he picked the marker that was lying on the table. He wrote down the musings from his diary. He arranged the polaroids and kept them in the envelope. The envelope was closed and kept in the leather diary. A gift that he hoped it would soon serve its purpose. He made a mental note to call her after a while.

AK Group of Industries, Prahladnagar

Anuj looked at the skyline from the glass structure whereas Vikram and Devika looked at him. They had just got done with a meeting. Anuj had been twirling the magnets throughout the meeting. His mind was somewhere else and he had been quite perturbed after leaving Anupama at the temple all by herself. It had left him restless. Vikram and Devika looked at each other. Vikram heaved a sigh and spoke, The call went unanswered. Devika got up and kept her hand on his shoulder. The warmth made Anuj turn and he sat down on the sofa. , said Devika in a gentle voice. Anuj spoke up in a feeble voice, He closed his eyes in exasperation. A minute later he said, whilst walking out, Devika and Vikram followed the suit. Vikram looked at his retreating figure and muttered under his breath, , which was heard by Devika who whispered back to him, The drive home was a serene affair.

Anuj Kapadia's Araansh

Lunch had been long done and now Anuj sat in a tuck position with his back leaning against the corner of the bed. He had painstakingly stepped into his parents' room after ages. An intricately designed box containing Pichhwai motifs was there in his hands. He lovingly caressed it and kept it on the bed. The box was a special memoir for him. It had every essence of Gayatri Kapadia's taste and elegance. He could see through the dance which Vikram and Devika failed to look at. The dance weaved in beautiful emotions that were gutsy, riveting, and heartwrenching apart from the radiance it emanated. There was one emotion that he strongly felt and that was affliction and torment. After ages, he had gotten a glimpse of his mother. He was taken back to his childhood days when he would watch his mother dance her heart out. His mind was still stuck on the moment when his and Anupama's eyes met. That scene had been captured in his heart. It was haunting. Anuj had been closely associated with the dance form since his childhood. It was a way of expression. A meditation and devotion of a different kind. He felt a raging conflict within him for a part of him wanted to gift this box to Anupama whereas a part of him was scared to lose out on the precious friendship that just begin to blossom. It was his gut instinct that said that this box would be cherished and treasured forever. Anuj looked at the horizon and allowed a moment of peace. The heart ruled over the mind again.

Anupama's Ashiyana

Anupama had returned home after feeding the stray animals and the poor outside the temple premises. She sat there on the steps of the temple for an hour watching the sky change its hues. She changed into a simple plain red full-sleeve round-neck top paired with black wide-legged jeans. The lunch being long done she sat down on leaning against the corner of the bed. The album was spread out. She relived her bitter-sweet memories with MotiBaa. An hour later she made herself some tea and sat in the balcony soaking in the evening sun. A moment of bliss and peace. The moment of solitude was broken by a melodious ringtone. She answered it. and after a pause of a few seconds, she felt at ease. , replied Anupama in a soft and gentle voice. The call was hung when the bell rang indicating the arrival of Vikram, Anuj, and Devika.

Devika engulfed her in a bone-crushing hug. replied Anupama separating herself. The friends settled down when Vikram popped in a question, Anupama smiled and answered, Anuj interjected, Anupama gave a faint smile and answered, She showed them the photos that she had removed after ages. Samar was truly an exceptional kid. They spent an hour going through the albums and with Anupama narrating the quirky episodes.

Vikram queried uncertainty,, and he trailed off. Anupama heaved a sigh and said, whilst making her way to the kitchen, Anuj followed her to the kitchen and asked, Anupama replied, Anuj was gaping at her. Despite everything she had managed to shower her attention on work. Anupama chuckled at his reaction when Anuj spoke, Anupama answered, , and with that, she walked out with the tray followed by Anuj in tow.

Anupama took a sip of her tea and answered, The divulgence left everyone aghast. Vikram and Anuj were blank whereas Devika was seething in anger which vanished away when Anupama held her hand. , she asked. The discomfort on Anupama's face gave her the answer. Devika didn't push further. Anuj and Vikram were lost in their thoughts. Sensing the silence, Devika said, , and with that, the friends walked out.

Vikram's Nirvana

The night was long for all four friends. Vikram and Devika earnestly wished that there could be moments of peace and that these two star-crossed lovers find their way back to each other. Vikram had been clearly avoiding the Shah Couple following the encounter but this was something that left him tattered. This was the new low. The disclosure had left him disturbed. More than anything else he felt numbness. He had a strong urge to beat the living daylights out of that narcissistic and egoistic man. His heart went to his best friend. He had protected Anupama like his sister. She had always been the woman after his mother and Ruhaanika to whom he could look up. It was her fierce yet gentle and kind nature, along with simplicity that had won his heart. What had that man done to her bubbling heart? His eyes held a fire that was ready to destroy Vanraj Shah yet all he could do is to wait for the right opportunity. He will strike in an unimaginable way that was for sure. He thought of Anuj. It must be heartbreaking and heartwrenching for him to hear such things for he had devoted himself to Anupama as a lover. He was worried for Anuj yet a part of him knew the immense power of control and calmness that Anuj possessed as a person. Once a rash and impulsive lover had turned into a shrewd and sauve businessman who knew the play of time. He muttered a "Dhyaan Rakhjo, Kanhaji" and snuggled closer to Samaira. Soon he drifted off to a deep sleep.

Devika's Nilaya