Fresher Night Ka Wrong Beat

Noida ke us college auditorium me lights itni bright thi ki Kabir ko laga tha, agar woh ek step bhi galat chala, to poora fresher batch uski beizzati ka live streaming kar dega. Stage ke upar neon tubes blink kar rahi thi, speakers se bass aisa nikal raha tha jaise kisi ne seedha chest ke andar subwoofer fit kar diya ho, aur neeche juniors ka swarm—shirt collars, nervous smiles, perfume, gel, aur fake confidence ka full Delhi-NCR cocktail.

Kabir Malhotra corner ki ek chair par baitha tha, dono haath knees ke beech jode hue. Uske new white sneakers bilkul clean the, kyunki usne unhe pehen ke bas do baar hi ghar ke andar chakkar lagaya tha. Dance usse bilkul nahi aata tha. Actually, “bilkul nahi” bhi kam padta tha—school annual function me jab class teacher ne usse “thoda sa move kar lo” bola tha, to usne aise side-step kiya tha jaise lift kharab ho aur banda stairs dekh ke panic kar raha ho.

Woh fresher party ka naam sunte hi khush toh hua tha, but andar se uska dimaag already warning mode me tha. Naya college, nayi jagah, nayi logon ki eyes, aur upar se ye loud music. Kabir ka body language waise bhi “please don’t notice me” type tha, lekin uske andar ek aur voice thi jo kabhi-kabhi bahut zor se bolti thi: notice me. Please. Bas ek baar kisi ko lage ki main boring nahi hoon.

“Arre Kabir, tu itna tense kyun hai?” side se Meera Joshi ki soft voice aayi.

Kabir ne thoda sa head turn kiya. Meera uski batchmate thi—quiet, observant, aur class me hamesha last row ke paas baithti thi. Woh zyada bolti nahi thi, but jab bolti thi, seedha point par. Usne apne dupatte ka corner thumb ke around twist kiya aur Kabir ko dekha.

“Main tense nahi hoon,” Kabir ne jhooth bola.

Meera ne ek second uske face ko dekha, phir bas “haan, bilkul” keh ke apni smile chhupa li. Kabir ko samajh aa gaya ki woh pakda gaya hai, but usne aur kuch nahi bola. Usko achha lagta tha jab koi bina drama ke uski awkwardness samajh leta tha.

Stage ke right side par fest committee ka chaos chal raha tha. Mic test, light test, sound test—sab kuch ek saath. Aur un sab ke beech me Rohit, yaani college ka self-declared legend DJ RDX, black hoodie aur headphone pehen ke aise ghoom raha tha jaise kisi international music festival ka headliner ho.

“Bass dekhna, aaj auditorium hil jayega,” Rohit ne ek assistant ko bolte hue kaha aur apne laptop par haath maare. “Main playlist set kar chuka hoon. Full energy.”

Assistant ne doubtful nazar daali. “Bhai, last time tune slow song pe bhi drop miss kar diya tha.”

Rohit ne baal jhatke. “Technical glitch tha. Artist ko blame mat kar.”

Neeche audience me Ananya Sethi microphone leke stage ke edge par aa chuki thi. Senior thi, fest committee member thi, aur uski confidence itni natural lagti thi jaise usne paida hote hi mic pakad liya ho. Usne crowd ko ek hi saans me hype kar diya.

“Okayyy fresher people, ready ho? Aaj ka first game simple hai—‘Spotlight Shuffle’! Hum randomly kuch freshers ko bulayenge, aur unko bas music pe move karna hai. No pressure, just fun. Aur haan, jo sabse zyada awkward hoga, usko extra points!”

Crowd se loud cheer aaya. Kabir ka soul uske body se thoda sa bahar nikal ke wapas baith gaya.

“Please no, please no,” usne under-breath repeat kiya.

Meera ne uski taraf dekha. “Tujhe bulaya toh?”

Kabir ne head shake kiya, but uska face already guilty lag raha tha.

Ananya ne names ki slip uthayi, ek-ek karke stage pe bulaana start kiya. Do-teen log aaye, ek ne thoda dance kiya, ek ne bas shoulder bounce kiya, crowd ne taali bajayi. Kabir ne socha shayad bach jayega. Phir Ananya ne paper pe nazar daali aur smile ke saath bola:

“Next up… Kabir Malhotra!”

Kabir ka dimaag ek second ke liye blank ho gaya. Usne aise apne aap ko chair se uthaya jaise koi invisible force uske shoulders ko upar kheench rahi ho.

“Chal, chal,” Meera ne dheere se kaha.

Kabir stage ki stairs pe chadha. Har step ke saath uske kaan me bass aur tez hota gaya. Jaise hi woh spotlight ke circle me aaya, usko laga poora auditorium uski saans tak count kar raha hai. Ananya ne mic uski taraf ghuma diya.

“So Kabir,” usne fast-talking host mode me kaha, “ready to show us some moves?”

Kabir ne mic ko dekha, phir crowd ko, phir floor ko. “Main… actually…”

“Arre chill,” Ananya muskurayi. “Bas feel the music.”

Kabir ne ek weak smile di. Feel the music? Bhai, music usse feel hi kar raha tha. Aur achha feel nahi.

Rohit ne stage ke back se thumbs up de diya aur laptop pe kuch click kiya. Kabir ko laga ab song start hoga, but jo beat aayi woh pehle wale se bilkul alag thi. Ek second silence, phir ek random high-energy track ka intro. Kabir ne confuse hoke ek step aage liya, phir beat change ho gayi.

“Arre, kya kar raha hai yaar?” Rohit ka panic-filled whisper stage ke peeche se aaya.

Kabir ne ek aur step liya. Uska left foot thoda slide hua. Usne balance recover karne ke liye right haath hawa me maara. Crowd me pehle ek chhota sa laugh nikla, phir kisi ne phone utha liya. Phir aur phones.

Kabir ne socha, ab bas khatam. But music ke saath uska body sync hone ke bajay aur bigadta gaya. Woh aisa lag raha tha jaise koi banda ice pe slip hoke dance karne ki koshish kar raha ho. Ek shoulder upar, ek neeche. Ek knee bend, dusra dead straight. Phir usne ghabrahat me dono haath aise ghumaye jaise traffic police kisi auto ko rok raha ho.

Audience pehle hansi, phir aur zyada hansi. Kuch log cheer karne lage. “Ayyyeee Kabir!” “Bro, energy!” “Wah bhai, new style!”