I took slow steps towards the stage, unfortunately bearing their constant, intense gaze. I lowered my eyes, consoling my heart. I can do it! It isn't something big! Repeating constantly in my heart, building my courage up.

"We don't have the entire day." Grumbled Ehaan, expressing his annoyance. I stopped myself from glaring at him. I stood next to him. He was the lead and frustratingly, I was going to be his partner. I looked at him with questioning eyes. His dark brown orbs lightened a little, a hint of amusement underlying in it. What he found amusing in it? It was so annoying! I attempted very well, but I was pretty sure my face was giving off my frustration.

He took a step forward, erasing the small gap I had kept around us. That got me conscious, and I halted my urge to back from him. He was so intimating; him moving closer could make anyone anxious. A wide smirk playing on his lip, orbs dancing in amusement. If anyone glanced at him, they would claim he was enjoying it. But the statement he uttered a few minutes back made me have some different thoughts. Surely something was plotting in his devil mind.

His large arms wrapped around my waist pulling me closer to him. My eyes widen at his sudden move, as my face was inches away from touching his chest. Such proximity was only turning my heartbeat to raise high; he was scaring the hell out of me. His other hand slowly directed my hand and placed it on his shoulder. My soft palm against his hard leather jacket, my eyes moved from my hand on his jacket to those dark orbs staring straight at me. Not for a second, he had moved his gaze, what was he doing? Why was he staring so hard?

"Ehaan! That was decided to be the last step." I heard an opposing voice from someone behind us. I lowered my gaze only to realise I was staring at him as well. I looked at the source, he was Rudr. His furious gaze fixed on Ehaan as if he could attack him at any minute

"Hmm... we have to train her if she is participating." Though he was answering Rudr but hadn't left his eyes from me. Those orbs shooting deep as if curious about what was in my mind? "Are you ready for the training?" He arched his brow, ending with a wink. And within a swift second, I was bent so low that I could assure, my hairs were touching the floor. And without giving me an opportunity to register happened a minute back, he positioned me back as before. Swirling me and it was at such high speed, I was feeling dizzy. And as I was preparing myself for some unknown steps, he moved his foot forward and as a result of connecting my foot with his, I landed on the floor with a bang.

A huge round of laughter was surrounded after it. I sat on the floor feeling humiliated. "I knew it!" I heard Mia laughing in between. "She couldn't do even a simple step." Continuing with her laughter again.

"So, Ms Ruhi couldn't take the training? How will she take the real task?" A mocking voice came from Aarav. I was so much in mess, people determined to insult me to the edge. I couldn't take it any longer! What had I done? What was my fault? Why they were so determined to break me apart? Couldn't they think of some stronger target? It was so easy to crack me!

"Hey, stop! The cry baby would burst in tears." As if my eyes needed only that demon permission. The minute Ehaan mentioned those words, fresh tears started rolling down my cheek.

"You guys have lost it! Hadn't accepted this from you, Mia." Rudr was fuming in anger. "Have you lost your senses, for freaking ego you are on verge of putting school reputation at stake? You know what the competition means for Mrs Veronica." I slowly raised my eyes to glimpse him glaring at people around. "Rather than wasting time on humiliating others concentrate on the upcoming competition." With those words, he slowly made his way towards me. Standing in front, extending a hand for me. "Come..." he gestured to take his hand for help. I stared at him for a second before, standing up with his help.

"I was kidding in the cafeteria; wasn't aware you took it so seriously." Again, came a mocking voice from behind as we were descending down the stage. "Mia, your brother had surely lost it! Or his choice isn't that good." Suddenly on that comment, I felt Rudr muscles tighten around my wrist. He was getting triggered by his words, they both enjoyed provoking one another.

"What to do? Both brother and sister have a completely bad choice." He bounced back, making Mia who was facing us to glare at his brother but I couldn't help but smile at his response. Indirectly he was defending me and humiliating Ehaan. I could hear small suppressed chuckles coming from the members present but was frightened to express it loud due to the horror of Ehaan.

He made me sit on one of the vacant seats on the front rows. A few distances away from Mia, he looked at others present. "There is no need of training as Ehaan you had confirmed to Mrs Veronica that she is a promising dancer and as much as we know she trusts your words and you won't have lied to her, I guess." Ehaan had narrowed his eyes at Rudr

"I agree with Rudr, unfortunately." I heard a person who was few seats away from mine. He was Ehaan's friend, Anuj the one who only seemed decent from his gang. Why would he support Ehaan's rival? Weren't they enemies? "She might be least aware of all those complicated steps." He spoke making it certain, he wasn't having direct contact with any of his friends. Anyone could sense his uneasiness.

The topic shut there with some girls whom I consider friends of Rudr, were explaining some steps. Others were listening to the songs and discussing few more steps for the upcoming parts. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Ehaan standing while Mia had grabbed his hand, he was talking with Aarav. It seemed as if things around them had gone back to normal, I diverted my gaze at Rudr. He was busy with his friend, often frequently glancing at his sister. He too might have realised it was impossible to separate them. Maybe they really loved each other truly. Or why would any girl walk back to the guy who insulted her among the whole school?

A smile crossed my lip, maybe love was way bigger than self-respect. . That seemed so beautiful, though they were present yet lost in their own world. Maybe love did that to people, maybe no longer what world defined respect, pride, insult bothered after someone was that madly into someone. That sounded too good to be true. As I knew, I had certain values. Maybe even if I fall for someone, my respect would always be the uttermost important to me. I could never act selfless, I never was selfless.

The noise of clearing a throat brought me out of my thoughts and also made me realise, I was staring at their interwinding hands. It was so embarrassing! I moved my eyes from it only to find Ehaan's curious eyes on me. Oh shit! Not again! What would that human think of me? He had caught me often enough staring at him. He would think, I am checking him out. Oh my! That thought was so embarrassing!

"There you go again," I heard a voice. And I turned to look at the person but still, I could feel Ehaan's gaze on me. Beside me was standing Anuj, with his orbs shining in mischief. A teasing smile playing on his lips, his actions were only turning the situation worse.

"I... hmm... actually..." I had no words to provide for my justification. I wasn't aware of what was happening in his mischievous mind. After all, he was a friend of the devil himself!

"I get you. Like me, you have a shipping heart and unknowingly you were shipping for that couple." He pointed back at Ehaan and Mia and unintentionally my eyes went on their intertwined fingers. A smile crossed my lip, maybe I was having it as I was staring at them. I loved seeing two people in love, waiting that one day I would experience it too.

Suddenly Ehaan grabbed his hand away from Mia, I arched my brow at his action. His face was stern but his eyes trained on me. Oops! I was interjecting their privacy! My eyes landed on the confused girl staring at him, maybe disappointed by his action. Soon shooting daggers at me maybe blaming me for his action as his were trained on me.

"But maybe I don't ship them." Anuj's words grabbed my attention back to him also escaping me from two angry love birds.

"Why?" I simply asked, maybe curious why my newly interested ship wasn't like by him. Also, he was his friend wasn't friends supposed to ship their friend with their respective partner? Whom was I kidding? When did I ever ship Samaira and Varun? Wait! I hadn't got a glimpse of Varun. He wasn't present does that meant I could bring Samaira with me for tomorrow? I was so excited at the mere thought. At least I won't be staring at random people due to my loneliness.

"Maybe I don't think they are a match. They don't seem perfect with each other." I had a completely different view but I wasn't going to argue on the matter nor asking him why he had such a view? It would be spying too much in a strangers life!

"Neither do I ship you and Rudr." My eyes budge out of its socket. I widen my eyes in horror, was he serious? "Fine! I know it's too much on our first meet but..." he stroked his hair while having a sheepish smile. Why would he even ship us? I had not even talked to him properly, Rudr and I wasn't a match for sure! "I couldn't help myself, maybe I love shipping. It has a sudden kind of happiness seeing two people ending up together." A smile along with content sealed to his lip. I could tell he genuinely cared about the people around him. And maybe he was someone I could talk to, he seemed better than the rest present. And so unlike me to blurt so much on our first meet.

"AJ, have you lost it!" We heard a voice behind and we turned to see the same girl with whom I had found him early moving towards us. "First you supported Rudr and now talking with Ehaan's new target, do you want to be killed by him?" She shook her head in displeasure. Eyeing me for a second and looking away as if it was least interested in me. She wasn't having her face covered with makeup, but she had hairs rolled up in a bun and a cap covering it from others. She wasn't wearing an extra short skirt but instead a black leather jacket like the rest of the guys in our school. It was annoying that black jacket!

"Correction! I hadn't supported Rudr but stopped Ehaan from committing foolishness. He was acting insane troubling a girl without any reason." Anuj was taking my side and it was surprising, and maybe it wasn't only me stunned but the girl before me as well.

"What's wrong with you people? First Rudr now you," her eyes again diverting to me. Keenly observing me as if suddenly got interested in me. "She is a normal human being." Concluding to herself as well as to Anuj, shook her head.

"That's the reason! She isn't like us and we should keep her away from our mess." Anuj was trying to make the girl understand. "Zara, you know it isn't her fault that Rudr and Ehaan are enemies, it isn't her fault that Rudr is using her to piss him off. For God sake! She has no idea about Ehaan's past...." Anuj was going to speak further but was interrupted by someone.

"And it's better if she stays away from it." A deep, cold voice could be heard from just behind me. I could sense his warm breath against my hair, as he was too tall against me. I could reach just to his chest, and I could sense him fuming in anger. It wasn't going to end in a good manner. I dared not to turn and face him, his past was surely his weak point or maybe someone or something related to it.