Rohit listened the heavy bass beat of "Staying Alive" as he walked into the Short Hills Mall. He knew without his cousin having said a word, that the two of them would would be dancing, flash mob dancing, for the rest of the afternoon. He further suspected that his mother had known this was Jairaj's plan hours before she suggested they leave for the afternoon.
Rohit shuffled through an excited crowd of girls wearing Irish step-dancing shoes -- all pointy toes and ribbons -- towards Mrs. Field's cookies. He bought two cookies and stacked them like an empty sandwich. Glaring at his cousin, he ate into both of them, hoping that Jairaj saw him NOT offer a cookie. Revenge is best served cold, and anger in small bites: Rohit began to cough loudly after inhaling a chocolate chip.
His eyes streaming with tears as he tried to clear his throat, Rohit sat on the edge of a fountain and stared glumly into the water streaming out of a clear globe. He looked at France, England, Thailand and wondered if there were flashmobs and difficult cousins in those places.
Yes, of course, he thought.
He stood and shuffled towards the crowd of dancers, nearly colliding with a girl whose long curly hair made her look like a Renaissance Madonna. The contrast with her Daisy Duke-style cutoffs, and two layered tank tops made her seem only prettier. And then she looked at him.
"Rohit," she exclaimed, clutching his arm. "I didn't know you could dance." She turned to another girl who looked much like her. "This is Rohit, from my school. Well, from middle school, I mean. Now he goes to Livingston Academy."
"Sophia," he said, grinning at her in spite of himself. "Not much longer at Livingston Academy. I'm coming back to CHS in the fall."
She smiled, and Rohit felt as if the sun was shining on him, and on only him.
"That's really good news," said Sophia. "So, do you dance? I didn't ever expect to you see at a dance mob."
"Sure, I dance," said Rohit. "And I'm not so bad at it." He looked around at the assembled dancers and then back at her.
She smiled and looked skeptical.
"No, really," said Rohit, moving slightly as two women in black started forming the group into lines. "I was raised on Bollywood and Indian weddings. Watch."
And Sophia watched as Rohit expertly spun on his heel and took the first steps of a practiced dance. She and her sister clapped as Jairaj, catching sight of his cousin, darted to Rohit's side and imitated him. Soon the two cousins were moving in unison, dancing to music only they could hear.
Rohit shuffled through an excited crowd of girls wearing Irish step-dancing shoes -- all pointy toes and ribbons -- towards Mrs. Field's cookies. He bought two cookies and stacked them like an empty sandwich. Glaring at his cousin, he ate into both of them, hoping that Jairaj saw him NOT offer a cookie. Revenge is best served cold, and anger in small bites: Rohit began to cough loudly after inhaling a chocolate chip.
His eyes streaming with tears as he tried to clear his throat, Rohit sat on the edge of a fountain and stared glumly into the water streaming out of a clear globe. He looked at France, England, Thailand and wondered if there were flashmobs and difficult cousins in those places.
Yes, of course, he thought.
He stood and shuffled towards the crowd of dancers, nearly colliding with a girl whose long curly hair made her look like a Renaissance Madonna. The contrast with her Daisy Duke-style cutoffs, and two layered tank tops made her seem only prettier. And then she looked at him.
"Rohit," she exclaimed, clutching his arm. "I didn't know you could dance." She turned to another girl who looked much like her. "This is Rohit, from my school. Well, from middle school, I mean. Now he goes to Livingston Academy."
"Sophia," he said, grinning at her in spite of himself. "Not much longer at Livingston Academy. I'm coming back to CHS in the fall."
She smiled, and Rohit felt as if the sun was shining on him, and on only him.
"That's really good news," said Sophia. "So, do you dance? I didn't ever expect to you see at a dance mob."
"Sure, I dance," said Rohit. "And I'm not so bad at it." He looked around at the assembled dancers and then back at her.
She smiled and looked skeptical.
"No, really," said Rohit, moving slightly as two women in black started forming the group into lines. "I was raised on Bollywood and Indian weddings. Watch."
And Sophia watched as Rohit expertly spun on his heel and took the first steps of a practiced dance. She and her sister clapped as Jairaj, catching sight of his cousin, darted to Rohit's side and imitated him. Soon the two cousins were moving in unison, dancing to music only they could hear.
