The Yogic Confusion

They had been friend as far as they could remember. People even believed that were friends even in their mothers’ womb. Totally inseparable, they went to the same nursery, attended the same school and even chose to go to the same college. They did everything together, the played on the college football team. They knew each other’s likes and dislikes.  In short, they were very similar to each other and it was that formed the basis of their friendship. The only thing that distinguished them from each other was that one was straight while the other gay. 

They both were aware of this and accepted each other the way they were, supportive of each other. Very often they acted as each other’s wingman when trying to score a date. Their preferences didn’t bother them or even affected their friendship, they were the most comfortable in each other’s company. In fact, very often they were mistaken for a couple. They didn’t take offence about this, they just laughed it off. 

“Guess what!” He said with a big grin, as he approached his friend who was waiting for him in the parking lot. “What did you do now,” his friend said sounding annoyed with the guessing game, which he hated. “Well I’ve signed us for free yoga session,” he said gleefully. “Yoga! When did you start liking yoga?” His friend said sounding surprised by his response. “Well when it is taught a beautiful instructor, yoga can perk anyone’s attention,” he said, “and I thought yoga was something you gay men love doing”. “How stereotypical of you to assume what gay men like,” his friend replied hottily, “ I find that pretty offensive and insensitive.” “Ok, ok I apologise, you know I didn’t mean it that way!” He said in a sincere, apologetic tone, “ But please could you play along, you know I could use your expertise.” “That’s alright, I was just pulling your leg” his friend chuckled, “so that was what you were up to while I waited for here in the parking lot, flirting with the lady near counter.” He just smiled sheepishly and wrestled his friend, before they got into the car.

She stood at the window eagerly waiting for the guy who had signed up for her free yoga session. “Has this short supposed to be so loose and short,” he said joining her at the window, “I feel so exposed”, he complained. “Yes dear they are supposed to be that way, it’s yoga after all,” she said  giving him a quick peck on his cheek. “Please could you do this for me, just once,” she said batting her eyelids, giving the longing look when she wanted to get her way. “Well just this once,” he sighed, “How could anyone say no to that face,” he said planting a quick kiss.” “I knew you would come around,” she said teasingly, “there they are, don’t they make a cute couple, just like us,” she said snuggling next to him, “let’s go down and welcome  them.”

“That’s the address that she gave me,” he said looking at the pamphlet that he had in his hand. “There she is,” he exclaimed, pointing in her direction, “she looks even more hotter and beautiful than she did yesterday.” “Who’s the guy with her?” His friend asked him, “he’s cute.” “I am not sure,” he shrugged, “maybe another student or her assistant. See there’s something for you too.” “Well yoga suddenly got all the more interesting,” his friend said with a broad smile on his face.

“Namaste! I am so happy to see the two of you,” she said welcoming them into their home. They made their up a flight of stairs that lead to the living room which was converted into a yoga studio.

“You can keep you bags and footwear there and take those mats,” she said pointing to the rack that was kept in the corner, and to the mats that were kept next to it. They each took a mat and placed it in front of them.

“Let’s start with some basic position, “ she said, “before we move on to some little advance poses that would help you loosen up your muscles. But don’t worry they won’t be too complex,” she said with a smile, trying to reassure them. “I will do the poses first and then will guide you to do it, till you are able to do it with me,” she instructed them. 

“Let’s start with a simple mountain pose,” she told them, demonstrating the pose to them, followed by guiding them to do the pose. “Next we will do the tree pose,” she said, once again demonstrating the pose and then guiding them to perform the pose. “That’s a perfect tree,” she said with a big smile.

“Now let’s try the downward dog,” she said demonstrating the pose. “Raise your hips, the feet need to be firmly planted on the floor. Here let me help you,” she said as she helped him raise his hips, much to his delight. “Here let me help you,” his friend said, offering to help her partner, and for that moment there was meeting of rear with the front, making it a bit awkward. But as they performed few more  poses that required partnering they lost their awkwardness and grew more comfortable with each other. “Let’s hold the pose for 5-4-3-2-1, and relax,” she said, “let’s take a quick break before we continue for the rest of the season.”

“She surely digs me,” he said to his friend, “see how she praises me and takes every moment to support me.” “Oh really,” his friend said feigning fake surprise, “yeah right, tell me something new. You feel that way about every girl who shows you some attention.” “No, no, this is different,” he said trying to defend himself, “This is different. I can tell she likes me. I am going to ask her out at the end of this session.” “Like you always do,” his friend said laughing. “What are you laughing at,” he said sounding irritated, “you seem to making most of the season you didn’t want to come for.” “That’s true,” his friend said while smiling shyly, “I have been giving him so many signals that I like him, I really do hope he reads it. Who knew something good could actually come from accompanying you on one of your silly shenanigans.”

“So how do you like the session,” she asked as he came towards her sipping his water. “I must say I am rather enjoying the session,” he said with a smile, as he put his hand around her waist and pulled her closer to him, knowing the other two were busy chatting without paying any attention to them. “See I told you you would enjoy it,” she said putting her arms around his neck and giving him a quick kiss. “Well it was a bit awkward at first,” he confessed,”But tell me something, is it normal for someone to be, say, aroused, while say, doing yoga,” he said hesitatingly. “Why do you ask that?” She inquired. “Nothing, just something that I felt,” he said uncertainly. “Well then don’t loose that feeling cause there will something special for you after the session,” she said teasingly as she went back to the room.

“Well hope you are refreshed and ready go,” she said enthusiastically, “we are going to do some bit complex poses, so hope you are ready for it.” And with that she began once again. For next thirty minutes they performed various poses, till their limbs felt loose as rubber bands. They were able to bend in ways that they never knew possible.

“.. take a deep breath and relax. That’s it for the day,” she said in a cheerful sing-sing tone. “There’s some yoga bar and water on the table, so please do help yourself,” she said with a big smile. “I hope you enjoyed session,” she said to him while trying to rid her shoulders of the soreness it felt. “Here let me help you with that,” he volunteered and gently began to massage her shoulder. “That feels good, thank you,” she said feeling grateful to rid herself of the soreness. “Just something I have learned playing football,” he said with a big grin on his face while his friend gave him the eye roll.

“Hey thanks for the help,” he partner said as he joined his friend, “you sure do know your stuff,” he said giving him a big smile. “Well I have done a bit before, and that kind of helped,” his friend said, trying to feign modesty. “I must admit, I was bit hesitant at first, and it felt a bit awakened, but I really had a good workout of sorts,” he admitted. “Me too,” his friend said, realising that he had found his window to ask him out. “The things that we do to keep our better halves happy,” he said as he wiped the sweat off his face.

It took him a while but it finally struck him what those last few words meant. He finally noticed the ring on the finger that seemed to have magically appeared, or he had been too distracted to even notice it. He quickly excused himself and rushed to his friend, before he did anything foolish.

He disrupted his conversation, flirting would have been the more appropriate term here, with her, and pulled him to a side, much to his annoyance. He whispered his discovery in his friend’s ears. They quickly thanked her for the wonderful session, promising that they would be back for classes. They said their farewell and quickly made their way out of the place.

An hour later, when they were back to their room again, sipping a nice cold beer, they burst in to the laughter thinking of the predicament they would have been if thy had not discovered in time. They had  dodged a bullet knowing that they would have made a joke of themselves with this confusion.