Chapter 3

Sagar’s POV

“I don’t know what you are talking about… But just stay away… You are already flirting with so many girls… Most of the time they get confused and start flirting with me...” I glared at Sahil and he laughed.

“So… you don’t know if you like her… Fine… Then I’ll go ahead and talk to her.” Sahil was smirking at me… I wanted to break his jaw.

“No… you will not do any such thing, just concentrate on your studies...”

“And you concentrate on her bhai… Someone with snatching her away very soon. I promise I will not try if you like her.”

“Ok… Fine, I liked her… Now keep your mouth shut.” I said and Sahil patted on my back.

“That’s like my brother.” He said and went away… To irritate Swati… Our younger sister… Idiot.

***

I went to school earlier than I usually go. There were only 2-3 students in our class. She entered the room. Today she was wearing a baby pink top and a black long skirt. She was looking very pretty. I was mesmerized by her.

She kept her bag on the first bench but the girl who used to sit on the first bench said that due to her poor eyesight she cannot read from the back. So she got up and came to the second seat.

But as she was very tall, girls kept saying that they can’t see as she was so tall. Ultimately she picked up her bag and went to sit on the last bench near the window. I was very happy about it as now her seat was right in front of me. Anshu came and joined her.

Today Vikram was sitting with me and Gautam was sitting with Sahil.

The teachers came and went but I was totally oblivious to that. All I could see was her.

Her long hair was flowing in the air with the wind coming through the window.

“Hey, she is really beautiful...” Vikram said but I didn’t like it.

“Hmmm.”

Just then our music and drama teacher came to our class and said, “Hello students. We are having an inter-school competition in two months. So we want some students who are good at music and dramatics. Whoever is interested, please give your name.

I saw her raising her hand and was so happy that I forgot to raise my hand. She gave her name and I kept looking at her. A few guys gave their names once they saw that she was going.

Sahil raised his hand, I was surprised and looked at him but he just winked.

“Of course Sagar you are very good at it… I had already written your name.”

The teacher said looking at Sahil. He just smiled and signed at me with his eyes to go.

“All of you please come with me I need to take an audition,” he said again.

“She got up from her seat and followed him and I followed her. My friends were smiling at me.”

I went to the school auditorium. She was already there and sir had started taking an audition. She was sitting right in front of me and I could not look anywhere else. My eyes got glued to her face.

She must have realized that I was looking at her as she looked at me and glared but I found that gesture so cute that I gave her my best smile. She kept glaring as if she wanted to intimidate me but I kept smiling and looking at her. She just rolled her eyes and took a deep breath.

She was so cute… I was getting sure with each passing minute that I was hooked up by this beauty.

Sir called her name. She walked up to him gracefully and gave her introduction. Then the teacher asked her to sing a song. She thought for a few seconds and started singing a very beautiful song from the movie Roja…

Dil hai chhota sa, chhoti si aasha

Masti bhare man ki bholi si aasha 

Chand taro ko chhune ki aasha 

Aasmaano me udne ki aasha

Dil hai chhota sa…

Mehak jaau mai aaj toh aise

Phool bagiya me mehke hai jaise 

Baadalo ki mai odhoon chunariya 

Jhoom jaau mai banke baavariya 

Apni choti me bandh lu duniya

Dil hai chhota sa chhoti si…

Swarg si dharti khil rahi jaise

Mera man bhi toh khil raha vaise 

Koyal ki tarah gaane kaa armaan

Bijli ki tarah machloon yeh armaan 

Javani hai laayi rangin sapna

Dil hai chhota sa chhoti…

Her voice was melodious I was awestruck by the sweetness it had. I knew by then that I was falling for her.

Teacher was impressed too. He then asked her to say some lines to show her acting talent. She was speaking them very well and the emotions were apt.

The teacher pointed at me and asked, “Is she audible there?” Well she was very much audible but I wanted to keep looking at her and listening to her voice so I shook my head.

“Listen Damini, you have a beautiful voice and your acting skills are also very good but you need to be a bit louder because while you are doing a play or musical play, you need to speak louder. please try your lines again, but a bit louder than the last time, please. It should be audible to the students sitting there.” sir said to her.

She said her lines a bit louder this time… It was more than audible but I wanted to hear her speak again so when sir asked me if I could hear clearly, I shook my head again.

“Sir, I think he has some hearing problem he must get his ear checked. Please suggest him some good ENT specialist.” She said to sir in a low voice. But I heard them.

“No, my ears are working at their best I don’t need any appointment with any ENT specialist.”

“Wow! Sir, did you see that? I said that in my normal voice and he could hear but couldn’t hear when I was speaking much louder.” She retorted and Sir glared at me. He selected her and then it was my turn to give an audition.

Though I have participated many times but sir asked me to sing a song and say some lines.

I sang the song looking at her continuously. She was not looking at me now. The song was from the movie…

Jabse tumko dekha hai sanam,

kya kahe kitne hai bechain

Jabse tumko dekha hai sanam,

kya kahe kitne hai bechain

Jabse tumko chaaha hai sanam,

kya kahe kitne hai bechain

Pahli nazar me kiya aisa jaadu

Na hosh hai na hai dil pe mere kaabu

Ye sochke ghabaraoon,

aashik na ban jaoon.

Jab se tum ko manga hai sanam

Neend hai na mujhe kahin chain…

Jab se tumko…

Everyone clapped and then I said my lines with proper diction, accent, pronunciation and voice modulation.

As I performed well, sir selected me too. He sent away all the candidates which were not selected. After that, he gave us the roles which we were supposed to play.

The luck was in my favor that she was selected to act opposite me. We were the leading pair of the play.

“So students we have selected the actors and the roles which you would be playing. I will provide you with the script and you can memorize it in your own sweet time. But for now, concentrate on your upcoming exams. We will start the rehearsals from next months after the half-yearly exams. Please learn your dialogues by then. You may go back to your classes now. But make sure you learn the script by heart when you come after the exam.” We all noted and left for our class.

She told our class teacher that she got her school uniform ready but she wanted the school tie, belt and badge. So mam told her to pay 200 rupees and ask Gautam to get them for her from the store because she didn’t know where the store was.

Gautam nodded and went to get those things for her.