AAHANA smiled too, with the strong confidence within her, a smile that told him to be wary of a brave woman. She turned and began walking away, but his next words stopped her.
“Do you still dance?”

She turned around slowly, stunned by his audacity.
“How can you ask me such a question?”

“Because we were once a couple and now that I’m back, I thought at some time we can dance again.”
“No,” she voiced, incensed that he was ignoring the fact how deeply he had hurt her and she said to him in a low, controlled tone, “I stopped dancing a long time ago.”
A knot formed in her stomach with how upset she was that he could be so casual to pick up the pieces from that period in their lives.

“Was it not as real for him as it was for me?”
Dancing had brought out the beauty in their relationship, the chemistry, the smiles and laughter.
She took a deep breath to unknot the feeling in her stomach and said firmly, “I left the past behind to find a new life, to be a new person and I cannot let him take me back there.”
On Saturday night, she went out with her friends for drinks, and Kayla said to her, “Remember the guy I wanted you to meet?”
“Yeah?”

“Well, he’s coming back soon. He’s a mechanical engineer from Mauritius.”
“Oh, interesting,” Aahana smiled, taking a long drink from her cocktail, “I really think I need someone in my life.”
“Cheers to that,” her friends raised their classes in cheerful agreement.

On Sunday, one of the old friends she used to dance with called to ask if she wanted to be a part of the Diwali cultural programme. She gently declined with a little pang in her heart, for Diwali always brought back wonderful memories for her at home. The splendid motorcade, the spectacular lights and the awesome cultural programme.
“I guess I will go home this year for Diwali. I haven’t been home in a long while.”

That thought gave her a new feeling of enthusiasm, so when her CEO informed her that the next week, she would be working three days per week on the Berbice project, it did not deflate her. She stayed positive, assuring herself, “It’s just another job.”
The team she had to join knew her and her expertise, so she had no new challenges to face except from Naren.
He welcomed her on the site with a triumphant smile, “You didn’t want to work with me, but here we are.”
“Yep,” she said casually, “and that’s only because I’m under a contract with this company.”

“I love this fighting spirit of yours, and I hope we can have a good relationship.”
“Work-related,” she pointed out.
He smiled again, as though he thought otherwise, and left for the office. Aahana sighed and began her work that went into the night. It was a tiring but progressive first day, and Naren said to her, “I recognised your expertise when you made your presentation that day.”
“Thank you.”

“You do know, though, that’s not the only reason I wanted you to work here.”
“Oh no!” Aahana bemoaned silently and she said to him, “It really doesn’t interest me. Good night.”
The next day, during the lunch break, she went to visit her family at her old home.
“It’s so good to have you back,” her mother expressed, overjoyed.

“Yeah, it’s so good to be home again, mom.”
The settlement was sprucing up for Diwali, and at the mandir, everyone was busy with preparations for the upcoming motorcade.
“It used to be such an exciting time for me,” she said a bit emotionally, “I lost it all because of…” she felt overwhelmed and couldn’t finish the sentence.
Those memories made her leave, and she knew if she wanted to visit home regularly, she would have to stay strong in her mind.
For the next two days, Naren found different reasons to be close by her as she worked, so much so that her team was starting to notice his extra interest in her. It was beginning to unnerve Aahana, and she was happy when her three days for that week came to an end.

“I will miss you,” he told her, “We worked great together.”
She smiled and said, “That’s good for business.”
That Saturday night, she went out with her friends again, just needing to clear her head a little.
Things got no better the next week when Naren’s father, back from a business conference in Dubai, visited the site. He called a meeting that night in the hotel’s conference room to discuss some changes on the original designs of the mall.

Naren did not think the changes were necessary and that created a bit of tension between the two investors, father and son. When Aahan pointed on the designs where the proposed changes might create a conflict, his father responded with a harsh statement, “So, now we have a woman doing a man’s job.”
That, for Aahana was a sexist and insulting remark but those challenges she had already conquered, so she let it go. But what she expected to happen did not, for Naren did not say a word to defend her knowledge and competence.

“And to believe he wanted me to forget the past. So, what would the present and future be like with him?”
The next day, he tried to apologise for that, but she wanted to hear nothing.
“It’s okay, I’m fine.”
His family had a big Diwali celebration and light up, but she didn’t attend, instead celebrating quietly at home with her family.
The next Saturday night, she was at the Pegasus poolside alone, sipping a cocktail, in deep thoughts about what the future held for her.
“I may have to resign from the company.”

That did not give her a good feeling, and she asked silently, “What does the universe have planned for me?”
A few moments later, she received a message from Kayla, who was running late, that she had sent the guy from Mauritius to meet her.
“What? I don’t even know what he looks like.”
A photo came through right after, and Aahana drew in her breath at his classic good looks.
“Wow.”

A short while later, a strong, smooth voice spoke her name and turning around, she smiled and greeted the stranger.
His name was Dravid.
And as they conversed casually, Aahana felt a nice, new feeling within her.
The live band came on, which changed the atmosphere, and he asked her, “Do you dance?”
She smiled and answered, “Yes.”

When the Indian segment started, he got up and held out his hand for hers, “Dance with me.”
And so that night, she began dancing again, for she had found the chemistry with someone new.