Page 64 of The Love Position

‘With a Y…’ Swami Vishnu raised his eyebrows as he gazed across the faces of his rapt audience. ‘Maybe you should visit our Indian ashram, Tyger. There are places where you can meet tigers without Y’s if you’re unlucky.’

Another round of fawning laughter rippled around the hall, and Tyger blushed.

‘Come closer, child. Kneel for me.’

The hairs on the back of Sophia’s neck rose and Jessica stiffened next to her.

Tyger dropped to her knees and Swami Vishnu put a hand on her shoulder.

‘Good. Now we know that our physical heart is to the left of the chest, however the heart centre, known as Anahata chakra, is located here.’

He placed the palm of his other hand between Tyger’s breasts.

‘The element of Anahata is air, and the colour is a pale green. The bija mantra is “yam”, and when the heart chakra is out of balance, we may deal with feelings of anger, anxiety, fear or jealousy. Put your left hand on Anahata chakra now and close your eyes… Repeat yam, yam, yam, over and over as you meditate on feelings of love and compassion…’

Sophia shifted, so she had a clear sight line to Isaac. Surely he could see how dodgy this looked?

But his eyes were closed, his face serene.

Jessica nudged Sophia’s leg, then pointed at her notepad where she’d written the letters WTAF?

Sophia nodded. Thank god she wasn’t the only one who thought this wasn’t right.

‘Thank you, Tyger with a Y, you may sit back down,’ Swami Vishnu said. ‘Now, why don’t we have someone from the back… Sophia! Please come here.’

Sophia’s gaze flicked to Isaac. He was smiling encouragingly and hadn’t seemed to notice that half the room had clocked the fact Swami Vishnu already knew her name.

Brilliant. Another reason for them to jump to all kinds of wrong conclusions.

Getting to her feet, she picked her way forward and stood in front of the older man, towering over him.

‘Now kneel and face everyone, child.’

Again, she looked at Isaac.

Big mistake. The women in front of Sophia followed her sight line, then frowned.

‘Come along, Sophia. We’ve only got another hour of this class left,’ Swami Vishnu said, prompting sniggers.

Sophia moved to the right of the chair closest to Isaac and knelt so she could still see him out of the corner of her eye. Her heart was racing, adrenaline turning her stomach and making her muscles twitch in anticipation of running.

She couldn’t see Swami Vishnu, but she could feel him, and her mouth watered as if she was about to vomit.

I’m safe. I’m in public. Isaac and Jessica would never allow anything to happen to me.

Swami Vishnu’s hands touched her shoulders, and she flinched.

‘Vishuddha chakra is found at the base of the throat,’ he began, ‘and the colour is a lapis lazuli blue…’

His hands encircled her neck, and she swallowed, trying to regulate her breathing.

He chuckled. ‘You can relax, Sophia. I’m not going to strangle you.’

People laughed.

‘The element associated with Vishuddha chakra is ether and the bija mantra is “ham”…’

Sweat was forming under his hands and running down Sophia’s neck. Even though she was kneeling, she was so dizzy she was about to keel over. In panicked desperation, she turned her head to find Isaac.

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