It Began with Dance

Rohan would be going to college very soon. His school term had not been something extraordinary. But he had not been a too bad a student also. His parents wanted him to excel in studies, but that didn't happen. Although none from his family had been to college and Rohan would be the first. But still the parents' aspirations never die and due to their ambition the next generation is put to undue pressure. For Rohan this was no exception. But Rohan never let pressure bog him down and took life at his stride. So he was always happy, contended and relaxed. The more relaxed he was the more tensed his father would become. His father knew the situation in the job market and knew only extraordinarily merited or lucky people could land a decent paying job. Or people with high connections could have their kids well settled.

Without a good paying job, none of the life's desires are fulfilled and practical people like Rohan's father knew that. His mother constantly kept hearing this from Rohan's father but she didn't irritate her son with this bantering. Because she was more practical and with wisdom and knew her son would do something worthwhile when his time came.

When in college Rohan became friendly with a girl called Sneha. Initially they came together through a group of common friends. But later on they began liking each other and became fast friends. Sneha was a spoilt daughter of a rich industrialist man known as Prakash. Sneha's father had started small and had received financial and technical help from Sneha's mother's family. With lot of hard work and little bit of luck, Prakash had made a mini empire of sorts. Sneha was his only daughter and he didn't shy away from splurging on her. Sneha's mother Poonam always ensured her daughter was under check.

Rohan had become more friendly with Sneha at the gym where both used to visit. Later on they came to know they were from the same class in the college. During the annual fest at the Gym there was a dance competition of couples. Rohan and Sneha formed one couple and with lots of practice and little bit of luck won the Dance competition together. Now, Sneha was in real awe of Rohan and started loving him. Rohan just thought of her as his friend because he knew his family and their conservative thinking. Also Sneha was from a very rich family and Rohan's family would hardly approve such a union. Sneha was very excited about her relationship with Rohan and she flaunted it amongst her friends and would tell them that Rohan would marry her and stay at her house rather than the reverse as is the practice. Because her father would make Rohan a 'ghar jamai'.

Rohan would hear this from his friends and would feel embarrassed knowing very well that his family would never approve of such a union. So Rohan just kept quiet and let destiny decide his fate. He never felt too excited about the relationship although he loved Sneha very much.

Due to their togetherness at the gym because of the workouts and due to the dance recitals the close proximity of their bodily touch and feel he had developed a warmth for Sneha which he could not ignore.

At the just concluded dance recital the trainer had instructed them both to hold each other in a tight embrace and show the audience of their love and regard for each other. This outward show would help them seal the championship. Sneha in fact was not shy of her demonstrativeness and would zealously follow all such ' tight embrace' instructions from the trainer. Because she felt warm and basked in the coziness with Rohan. Although Rohan felt awkward in the beginning but later succumbed to the instructions as he began liking the coziness of being together with Sneha. This was the first time in his life that Rohan felt the warmth and coziness of a girl and however stoic he may be he had to surrender to the work of cupid.

But deep within he felt fear of losing Sneha because of the rigidness of his family. His mother had already learnt of his intimacy with Sneha and let his father know of it.

Rohan's father then had openly declared that their family would not solemnise this relationship. Because they wanted financial parity between the two families which was not there.

Sneha, though her father's darling had thought that her father would approve of her relationship with Rohan. But he had thought of another groom for his darling daughter. This groom was from an even richer family and due to the marriage between the two families the combined net worth would be tripled. Business was the base for the relationship for Prakash, Sneha's father. Love mattered little to Prakash.

Days passed and things became more difficult for both Sneha and Rohan. Both their families were adamant against their relationship. They were now undecided on the future of their togetherness. But they were determined to spend the rest of their lives together. They couldn't think of a way out of this fix.

Sneha was more desperate than Rohan where it demanded action. Rohan thought of the pros and cons before committing himself to anything. Whereas Sneha acted what her heart told her to do.

 Both the families were now tightening the leash around them and were slowly curbing their freedom and seeing each other. Rohan and Sneha were feeling the tightening of the noose around their neck.

Sneha then with deep concern in her voice told Rohan when they met next time to do some rapid thinking and take cognitive action otherwise they were doomed. Rohan was still his undecided self. Sneha decided that she had to act herself now otherwise nothing would come from Rohan.

Sneha was now constantly harping on the idea to Rohan to run away from their comfort zone and marry and live a life of husband and wife. When she would be pregnant with Rohan's child then they would return to her family, who would definitely not refuse them entry.

Rohan was not supportive of this daredevil idea of Sneha but he also couldn't avoid the temptation of being the father to Sneha's child.

Sneha knew that Rohan was a very fearful guy and he had to be constantly nagged to take result oriented action.

Their families were in the dark of the couple's plans and still not put any embargo on seeing each other. Sneha kept her constant bullying over of Rohan by seducing him with her feminine generosity and lust. Finally, Rohan couldn't keep himself unaffected and fell for the magic of Sneha's tenderness and stern attitude.

The plans for the getaway was made by Sneha herself. Her family was completely in the dark. She had considerable savings in her own bank account collected over years of birthday gifts and other festive donations.

Through a common friend she booked on rent an apartment in a small town some two hundred kilometres away. She had planned to stay there with Rohan and live off the earnings made by Rohan by some odd jobs and return to her parents on seeing their mental weakness of missing her. In the meantime she would hopefully be on the way to motherhood and their parents would not then reject them.

Rohan and Sneha finally started their new life as husband and wife with the complete ignorance of both their families. Both families had registered missing person diaries with the local police station. Sneha's father had used his political clout to trace his daughter but she didn't accept his terms of truce and didn't return. As for Rohan's family, they tried their best to convince their son but failed. 

So Sneha and Rohan married in a local temple and started living the life of wife and husband . At their personal level they were very happy as they were full of love for each other. Rohan had got a job in a school as a dance teacher and a gym trainer. Sneha who could sing fairly well started her own singing class. The money they pooled together was not much but was sufficient for the couple and any deficit was made over by love. 

Soon Sneha gave the good news of her pregnancy to Rohan who was overjoyed. 

Then after few months into her pregnancy when she was safe for travel both Sneha and Rohan visited Sneha's parents. 

To the outside world Prakash and his wife showered their daughter and son in law with love. But behind the scene Prakash had planned the abduction and disappearance of Rohan. Thinking with the disappearance of Rohan, Sneha may over time forget him. 

Rohan had been abducted and tried to be murdered by goons and henchmen of Prakash. Rohan made himself disappear from the scene and never showed himself for a couple of years. 

Sneha was very upset and sad over Rohan's disappearance. This affected her health so much that she could not overcome her grief. Her health deteriorated very much and was very sick when her child was to be born. Her father had tried vehemently to have her child abortion but the doctors advised against it due to the advanced pregnancy. Then Prakash tried that the child should be born still and tried all type of tricks.

In due time Sneha gave birth to a bright and healthy son. Though she was happy to see the face of her son but internally she was shattered to the core with the missing Rohan. Prakash then had remorse and was apologetic for his behaviour towards Rohan. But the deed had been done and Rohan was nowhere to be seen. Sneha had lost lot of weight due to depression. Further loss would be life threatening the doctors had said. 

Then in a few days there was an announcement that a dance troupe which had successfully returned from an overseas trip was to show case their credits in a theatre locally. The dance show was a houseful one. People were cheering loudly with the performance. Then they recognised the leader of the troupe. It was Rohan. When they recognised him the audience burst out in even louder cheers. 

At the end of the show Sneha went to the back stage with her little son in her arms to show him his father. Rohan first was hesitant but on seeing the smile on his son's face he could not control his emotions and took him in his arms and filled him with kisses. The story which had began with Dance was also the unifier.