Chapter 3: A Dance Of Words

The following days were a blur of preparations, rehearsals, and non-stop chaos. The school festival was only a few weeks away, and Vidushi found herself unexpectedly at the center of it all. As the one “in charge” of organizing the dance event, she was meeting with the choreographers, the lighting crew, and the performers—most of whom seemed to fall into one of two categories: overly enthusiastic or completely clueless.

And all the while, Kunal seemed to be everywhere. Despite his effortless charm and the way he made everything seem so simple, Vidushi could feel a subtle shift. She was no longer just the fiery, sarcastic girl he loved to challenge. She was becoming something more—a force he needed to reckon with.

“Vidushi, you’ve got this under control, right?” Kunal’s voice cut through her thoughts as she stood in front of the dancers, clipboard in hand.

“Why do you keep asking me that?” Vidushi snapped, not looking at him. She was irritated, but she couldn’t deny that she appreciated how well everything was running so far. For once, she wasn’t struggling to make people listen. But damn it, why did it have to be him who noticed?

“I’m just checking. You’ve got the whole thing running smoothly,” Kunal said, his tone more genuine than she expected. “I wouldn’t want anyone screwing it up.”

Vidushi resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “You don’t trust anyone to do anything, do you?”

He smirked, leaning against the table where she was working. “Not when it comes to something important. And this is important. Besides, you’re the only one I’ve seen who knows how to take charge and actually get things done without drama.”

“Drama?” Vidushi scoffed, trying to keep her face neutral. “Who said anything about drama?”

“Come on, Vidushi. You thrive on it,” Kunal teased, his voice laced with mockery. “It’s practically your brand.”

She shot him a sharp glance, fighting the heat creeping up her neck. “You really know how to get under my skin.”

“I do what I can,” he replied, unbothered. He seemed almost too amused by her reaction. “So, when do I get to see your big plan for the dance?”

Vidushi narrowed her eyes. “It’s going to be spectacular,” she said, though she wasn’t sure if she meant it or if she was just saying that to shut him up.

“Well, that’s good to hear. You’ve got the moves, I’ve seen that. But this—” he gestured to the room, “—needs more than just enthusiasm. It needs precision, timing. We don’t want to embarrass ourselves.”

The word "we" caught her attention. She glanced up at him, only to find that he was still watching her with that casual yet intense focus that made her feel slightly uneasy. It wasn’t the first time he had made her feel like she was the center of his attention.

“I know how to make things work,” she said firmly, trying to take control of the moment. “And this won’t be like the disasters you usually see. People will remember this festival for the right reasons.”

“Good,” Kunal said with a nod. “I’d hate for you to disappoint me.”

Vidushi blinked. “Why would you care?”

Kunal’s grin widened, his eyes twinkling mischievously. “Maybe I just like watching you squirm.”

It was the way he said it—so effortlessly, so confidently—that made her feel her irritation mix with something else, something far less comfortable.

The rehearsal went on, the day slipping into a blur of music, movement, and whispered instructions. But in the back of her mind, Vidushi couldn't stop thinking about Kunal’s words.

The Dance Rehearsal

A few days later, after a particularly exhausting round of dance rehearsals, Vidushi found herself in the school’s gymnasium, packing away her things. The dancers were breaking into small groups to go over their routines, and Vidushi was ready to head home. She just wanted to get away from the noise, from the drama of managing people who either didn’t care or couldn’t get the steps right.

But then she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Hey,” Kunal’s voice was low, almost too casual. She turned to find him standing just behind her, looking as effortlessly cool as ever.

“Let me guess,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “You’re here to check up on me again?”

“Actually,” Kunal started, his gaze intense, “I wanted to apologize.”

Vidushi blinked, caught off guard. “Apologize for what? Making my life hell?”

“For that too,” he replied with a smirk, “but also... for earlier. You know, when I said you thrived on drama.”

Vidushi narrowed her eyes, trying to gauge if he was being serious or just playing around. “You’re apologizing for calling me dramatic?”

“I mean, you are,” he said with a shrug, “but I’ve been thinking... maybe I pushed you too hard. You know, with the whole ‘chaos’ thing.”

Vidushi raised an eyebrow, suddenly curious. This was a side of Kunal she hadn’t seen. “Oh? What’s this? Are you finally admitting you don’t know everything?”

Kunal laughed. “I’ll never admit that. But I will say this—you’re better at this than I thought. Running this dance event, I mean. I didn’t think anyone could get these guys to actually listen.”

She stared at him for a long moment. “Thanks, I guess,” she said, trying not to sound too surprised. “It’s not exactly rocket science.”

“I know,” Kunal said, still watching her with an intensity that made her feel oddly exposed. “But it takes someone special to get people to follow them. And you’ve got that.”

Vidushi could feel her pulse quicken, the usual mix of irritation and curiosity rising in her. “Don’t go getting all serious on me now, Kunal. It’s just a dance.”

“Is it?” he asked, his voice quieter now. “Or is it something more?”

Vidushi stared at him for a second, unsure of what he meant or what he was getting at. The chemistry between them was undeniable, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to navigate whatever this was becoming.

“Let’s just focus on the festival,” she said, turning away before she could say anything else. Her heart was racing, and she hated how much she wanted to figure him out.

She heard Kunal’s footsteps behind her, but when he spoke again, his voice was almost playful.

“I’ll hold you to that,” he said.

Vidushi’s heart skipped a beat, but she refused to acknowledge it. She had bigger things to focus on than figuring out what this mess of a relationship with Kunal was supposed to be.

But deep down, something told her it wasn’t just going to be another ordinary festival.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***