Tanmay--
The weather felt warm and soothing.Soft sunlight streamed through tall windows, pouring into the room and bathing everything in a warm, golden glow. The white marble floor reflected the light, the walls are smooth, colored rich beige cream, making it shimmer faintly. A large mirror stretched across one side of the room like a silent witness. I had never seen this place before, yet it didn't feel unfamiliar.
Drawn by curiosity, I walked toward the window.Outside, lush green mountains there touching the sky. Far away, some peaks were capped with snow, glowing softly under the sun. Below them lay a quiet lake, its surface still as glass, where two white swans gliding side by side. The air looked clean,alive which makes you breathe deep. View is spectacular . Trees nearby swayed gently with air, leaves falling on a ground slowly, as if the entire landscape was breathing in harmony. It was peaceful. Beautiful. Almost unreal.
I turned back and finally took a look into the room properly.
The ceiling was a masterpiece, delicate carvings of flowers, birds, and winding vines, inspired by old European architecture. Tall white pillars stood proudly, their edges traced with soft golden designs. Sheer white curtains floated near the windows, moving with the breeze, in between them hung long rope-like drapes, the kind used in contemporary dance spaces. The room felt sacred, like large dance practice hall.
Before I could think any further, slow music began to play.
It wasn't loud. Just enough to fill the space, gentle melody that sweet to hear. Romantic. Calming like the beginning of love story.
Strangely, I didn't feel fear, but I am enjoying it. I sat down on a nearby bench, my fingers resting loosely against the edge, listening.
Then they appeared.A few girls entered the room, dressed in flowing gowns that brushed their ankles. Their dresses shimmered softly as they moved. Without a word, they took their positions and began to dance. Their movements were light, synchronized, perfectly aligned with the rhythm of the music. Graceful.Their hair, their dress, their steps, everything flowed together as if they weren't bound by gravity at all.
For a moment, it felt like I was watching fairies, not human dancers, like ethereal beings practicing a ritual dance older than time.My eyes were drawn instantly to the dancer in the center.I couldn't see her face. All of them faced the mirror, their backs toward me. Still, something about her presence held me captive. With every turn, every stretch, she moved as if she belonged to the music itself. My mind struggled to understand what I was witnessing, but my heart felt inexplicably calm,happy.
The music stopped.
They bowed gently, clapping softly for themselves. I clapped too, standing up without realizing it. As I took a step forward, the other dancers slowly drifted away, one by one, like mist dissolving into air, until only she remained.
Another piano melody began.
She danced again. Her soft pink dress flowed around her, catching the light with every movement. She wasn't dancing for anyone, she was dancing within her own world. It felt cinematic, unreal like I am watching the heroine of a romantic film, unaware she was being watched.
I stepped closer. Unable to resist, I reached out and gently touched her wrist. Before I could look into the mirror, she turned toward me.
It was Shreya.My heart skipped a beat, and my heart beat increased fast.She smiled at me, warmly, familiar, impossibly gentle and lightly pulled her hand back.
"Are you planning to hold my wrist this tight?" she teased softly.
"I'll bruise."
Then, with a small laugh and a look that melted me completely, she added,
"It's okay. Hold it… and dance with me."I nodded, smiling without thinking.
She slipped one arm around my neck. Our fingers intertwined naturally, and a quiet shiver ran through me with that touch, it's electric, new. I placed my hand at her waist. Our heights aligned perfectly, she was just slightly shorter than me, close enough that neither of us had to look down or look up. We met each other's gaze easily.
We began to dance.
When I twirled her, the world narrowed to just us.We were so close I could feel her breath against my skin. My heart felt light, overflowing with happiness I couldn't explain. I leaned in slightly, catching her familiar scent of fresh like water, jasmine and lotus flower notes, and touched with a hint of citrus. She smelled like nature.
She looked at me and smiled, that smile I had never seen before. Her eyes sparkled with something pure, unguarded.
"Tanmay," she whispered, "
"Isn't this place beautiful?" she asked,
I nodded. " Yes, it's breathtaking."
The music faded, but we didn't move apart.She lifted her hand and gently brushed a strand of hair away from my face, her fingertips lingering just a second longer on my face.
"Come," she said softly. "Let me show you."
We walked toward the window, hand in hand. Everything felt new.
The autumn air felt different there lighter, cleaner. As we stood side by side, warm sunlight fell directly on Shreya's face. Her skin glowed softly, almost translucent. Her eyes normally seems black, but due to sunlight it convert to dark brown color revealing golden flecks I had never noticed before. For a moment, she looked unreal, like part of the whole this world.
She turned toward me.
Her eyes searched mine , full of something tender, something dangerously close to love. She touched my face with her fingertips. I held her waist, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Are you happy here?" I asked, my voice barely sounding like my own.
She placed her hand over my chest, feeling my heartbeat.
"Yes," she said softly. "I'm very happy."
Our foreheads touched.
The closeness, the warmth, her breath, I had never felt this alive and full at heart.
"Am I looking beautiful?" she asked quietly.
I smiled and kissed her forehead.
"Is that even a question?"
She laughed softly, then looked at me again.
"Are you happy here… with me?"
"Of course," I whispered.
She kissed my forehead in return.
Time dissolved.
I cupped her face, leaned in and we kissed.
It wasn't hurried. It wasn't shy. It was deep, consuming, the kind of kiss that makes the world disappear. I forgot where I was, forgot who I had been before that moment. It was just her warmth, her touch, the way she kissed me back with equal intensity.
For those moments, I felt full.
Complete.
When we finally parted, our foreheads still rested together. Our breathing was uneven. Our hearts raced. We smiled, that new feelings.
She pulled me into a hug.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Thank you for bringing me here," I replied.
And then....
I woke up.
My heart was pounding. The feeling lingered .... sweet, overwhelming. The warmth. The closeness. The kiss felt far too real to be just a dream.
It was Shreya.
I sat up, rubbing my face.
Daydream or nightmare? I couldn't tell.
I felt irritated, at myself, at my mind.
Aakash might be right, I thought. Am I really this easy to fall again? Or is this just desire?
I placed my hand on my chest and spoke to myself.
"Calm down. This isn't real. You can't keep falling like this. Breathe. Stay in reality.You fool"
The dream was too vivid. Too emotional. Too impossible.
I shook it off and continued with my day.That evening, Shreya called.I let it ring.Just for a day or two , I needed my mind to forget the dream and stay away from Shreya.
Because this kind of dream…
It had never happened before.
And even it felt good. But it's scary and unrealistic.