Love, Strategy & Antaragni - The Dance

Previously on Love, Strategy & Antaragni - Prologue

An exotic white designer kurta; jeans; leather boots and tonnes of deodorant, 

still I was missing something. 

I glanced at my shadow in the mirror and it clicked me immediately.

"Bose darwaza khol! Urgent hai." - I started banging my wingey's door.

Hurriedly he opened the door with dopey eyes. "Kya hua Mato?"

"Yaar tere paas hair gel hai."

"Bas gel ke liye darwaza inte jor se peet raha tha! Nahi hai mere paas. Maggu ke paas hoga dekh."

He banged his door shut and resumed his lazy afternoon siesta.

A few doorsteps later.

"Maggu! Maggu! Tere paas gel hai."

Someone shouted from the other side - "Nahi hai."

"Abey darwaza toh khol."

"Abhi nahi kholenge. Busy hai. Assignment kar rahe hai. Mattu ke paas dekh."

I entered Mattu's room. Located Set-Wet. And started applying it on my hair.

"Itna sajh dhaj ke kahan chala Mato?"

"Yaar aaj MUN ka delegate dance hai."

"What's MUN?"

"Well basically it is a simulation of the United Nations where the participants deal with current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda. Each participant represents a nation in a session of a committee of the United Nations, such as the Security Council or the General Assembly. Participants research a country, take on roles as diplomats, investigate international issues, debate, deliberate, consult, and then develop solutions to world problems."

"In short funda pelna hota hai." - I added.

"Hmm.. What's your country?"

"Turkey"

"What's the capital of Turkey?"

"Istanbul"

Sarcastically he started rolling-on-floor-laughing.

"What happened?"

"The delegate of Turkey doesn't even know that Ankara is the capital of his country. Doob maro."

"Abey competition ki kisko padi hai. Baat ko samjho .. Law School ki bandiya .. bandiya patane ki nayi strategy hai."

"Saala Thurkey Turkey!"

"Chal Bye"

I reached LHC Foyer, the location of the delegate dance. 

Participants had already started pouring in.

Hot chicks, cool guys - So this is how the law crowd appears.

A few moments later familiar dilapidated people joined me.

"Hi Mato" -  Shubham, Gujjar and Bagadiya all three of them cried synchronously.

"Hi"

Neeraj plugged in the speakers and suddenly transformed from a coordinator into a DJ.

We danced like hooligans. Waving our hands randomly. Resorting to Punjabi style when we had no moves in our mind. Who cares afterall its Antaragni.

Suddenly my eyes fell on her.

She wore Blue Velvet, 

Bluer than velvet was the night.

Sparkling Brown Eyes,

And a mesmerising smile.

She was standing a few feets away from the dance floor.

"Oye Mato usko dance ke liye invite kar." - Shubham suggested.

"Nahi yaar. Kahin ched-chad ke maamle mein kantaap maar di toh."

"Bhai dekh yeh tera aakhiri Antaragni hai. Agle saal toh tum placement preparation karega. Yehi last chance hai. Dance pe chance maar de."

"Abey tension ho raha hai .. Mere se nahi hoga."

"Toh chullu bhar paani mein doob maro. Tum bond aadmi ho. Tum nahi himmat karoge toh kaun karega. Poore mech department ki dua tumhaare saath hai."

"Thik hai."

I gathered the little courage I had inside me and moved outside the dance floor.

"Hi"

"Hello," she said softly.

I looked back at Shubham, who was beaming right now.

"You are the delegate of .. ," my voice faded out.

"Iraq, General Assembly" 

"Woh toh bagal mein hai!"

"What?"

"I mean I'm the delegate Turkey. We're neighbours." 

She smiled. It looked as if finally I had struck a chord.

"How are the foreign relations between Iraq and Turkey?" -she enquired.

I shrugged my shoulders slightly and then I asserted - 

"We'll have ample time in the next two days to discuss our countries foreign policy."

I paused for a few seconds. 

Meanwhile, Neeraj changed the track to 'Jhoom Barabar Jhoom'.

"Would you like to join me on the dance floor?"

to be continued...