Page 102 of Mrs. Rathore

Since she had helped me with my education, supporting me when I couldn't afford to understand my books or late college submissions I had promised to teach her Kathak in return. And now here she was, standing in front of me every evening, determined to learn.

“My body doesn’t bend like yours,” she added, half laughing at herself. “It’s like… I have wires instead of muscles.”

I let out a soft chuckle, the sound breaking the heavy silence. “Then we’ll make those wires dance,” I said, giving her a playful wink.

I moved to her side and gently adjusted her arms. Her posture was unsure, but there was eagerness in her stance. I touched her shoulders lightly, guiding them down.

“Shoulders relaxed. Spine straight. Eyes forward.” I stepped back to my place and clapped my hands gently to mark the rhythm.

“Ta thei tat, ta thei tat. Again.”

Rhea copied me, her feet tapping against the porch tiles. Her rhythm was off, the steps were a bit late, but she was trying. Her hands moved but they lacked the smooth flow, the story, the emotion that made Kathak what it was.

“Not bad,” I said, encouraging her. “But don’t look at your feet so much. Look at me.”

She looked up, her eyes meeting mine. There was curiosity in them now.

“You’re telling a story when you dance,” I said softly, my voice lower and slower now. “Not just with your hands and feet. With your face, your breath, your eyes. You’re not just doing Kathak. You become it.”

For a moment, Rhea just stared at me, and something unsaid passed between us.

“How do you make it look like poetry?” she whispered, as if she didn't mean for me to hear it.

I smiled, feeling something warm and bittersweet bloom inside me. “Because for me, it is poetry. Kathak taught me to feel, to fight, to rise. Especially when I couldn’t walk.”

A quiet moment passed between us. The only sound was the faint rustle of leaves and the echo of our last step. The windstirred again, lifting a lock of my hair from my forehead and brushing it against my cheek like a ghostly hand.

Rhea reached out and gently took my hand. “You still haven’t told me how you managed to…” She stopped, the rest of the sentence dying on her lips.

I didn't need her to finish it. I understood.

I squeezed her hand with quiet strength. “Because dance was the only part of me that didn’t break.”

I stepped back into position, my hands lifting, my body aligning with the rhythm once more.

“Come,” I said. “Again. This time, don’t think. Just feel.”

Together, we began again. Two women, two hearts, one rhythm.

The beat of our feet echoed on the porch like a prayer whispered into the evening air.

And under the fading sun, surrounded by trees, red petals, and silence, the porch became a stage.

_______

Chapter 40

AVNI

My exams were only a month away, and I knew I had to get serious about studying. I hadn't even looked at the syllabus yet! If I didn't get my act together, Mrs. Rathore would be furious. She'd never let me forget it if I failed. She had already found ways to make me feel like a burden; failing an exam would give her the perfect chance.

I'd only been to university twice in the past few months, and I was fine with that. The best part was not having to sit through long, boring lectures or attend classes all the time. Most of my work could be done online, which was a huge help. Rhea was amazing; she helped me with assignments and projects when I had no idea what I was doing. And my laptop became my new best friend, especially for downloading notes and pretending to study when I wasn't.

Somewhere between skipping classes and scrolling social media, something unexpected happened: I started making good money. Becoming a social media influencer wasn't planned; it just happened. I never intended to be one. When I first made my Instagram, I just wanted to share small moments from my life, especially my dancing. It was Kavya who first suggested I make my page public. She had a decent following and thought it might keep me motivated.

But I never expected such a huge response. I gained 50,000 more followers in just a few months! Once my legs healed and I started posting dance videos again, people really loved my work.Some even messaged me privately, encouraging me to open my own dance school. That was a quiet dream of mine, but I promised myself I wouldn't do it until I paid off Mr. Rathore's debts. I didn't know exactly how much Aryan had spent on me and my family in the last six months, but I planned to pay back every rupee. It was a matter of dignity, even if he never asked for it back.

Thanks to brand deals and paid promotions, I had saved about 300,000 rupees in my account. It felt unreal to have that much money. And with Rhea's nineteenth birthday coming up, I was planning something big for her. She had done so much for me, more than words could ever repay. I hadn't decided what to get her yet, but it had to be something meaningful. Something that said, "Thank you for always being there for me."