A Couple of Orchids

The hall was dimly lit with little lights floating around the room, like fireflies. Little chits were being picked up and opened, and stared at. There were two chits of a kind. The two persons who would get the same kind of chit would dance together. It was a dream party for dance lovers. Wine lovers too had their private corners. Now, fate has chosen the dance partners. "Who has a sunflower?", the coordinator asked. Two hands flew up. Two people moved to the centre of the hall. They smiled at each other and announced their names to the audience. The lady was playing with her hair and the gentleman gave a series of shy expressions. It is almost impossible to be comfortable dancing for the very first time with a person chosen entirely by fate. Music started playing, and they decided to do some jazz moves for the audience. The audience clapped, hooted and encouraged them.

Then, the couple with rose chits were called out. They shook a little leg and waved their hands a bit and went. And so came the daffodils, marigolds and tulips.

"Orchids!", the coordinator called out.

A lady stepped forward and a gentleman raised his hand. When the lady saw her dance partner, she turned around, perhaps with the aim of cancelling her turn. But suddenly, she turned around facing her partner and started moving towards the centre. He moved too, with his eyes fixed on her face. This couple was definitely different. They were not strangers. As she walked closer to him, her heart thumped faster inside her heart. All her blood had flowed to her cheeks. They were close now. She looked into his eyes. He smiled and offered his hand for dance. She gently placed her hands over his. 

The light became dimmer. The music began. She forgot all her apprehensions. She was reminded of the time when they had danced together at a cruise. She placed her hands slowly over his shoulders, just like she had done it then. He held her by her waist and pulled her towards himself. The couple swayed from left to right, creating magic. The audience was too mesmerized to hoot, or whistle, or say anything. But they didn't care, because they were no longer in a random couple dance party. They were on a cruise, swinging around each other. The music reached it's climax. And so did the nostalgia. A hairpin fell and a fringe of hair fell over her face. He couldn't help noticing how black and silky her hair were. But the hair that fell over her eyes were distracting her. He moved his hands towards her face to move her hair back. The music stopped. The audience clapped and applauded like crazy. They woke up from their shared dream. She immediately stepped back. Water inside her eyes shone, and a drop hung on to the eyelash. 

"Amazing performance! Superb!....And now, the lilies please..."

While the audience waited for the next couple to step in, she slid into a corner. He followed.

"So", he said ," the cruise wan't the last time after all Mrs. Khanna." He smiled.

She looked him in his eyes and said, "No. It wasn't, Mr. Kumar.But 'this' is!" 

She turned around, walked away, and disappeared.