(FF) Samne Hi Tha...Epilogue Pg. 53 - Page 6

Amazing Start...I just loved reading all your other FF's, but this one has a unique and fascinating concept. And I love both of their characters, will be really interesting to see how these two unromantics fall in love.😳

This next part is in Vidya's point of view!

"Do you have this in orange?" The mother of a girl in one of the dressing rooms held out a long, black skirt for my inspection.

"Uh....no." Thank goodness, I added silently. I assumed the girl wanted to look like a queen—not a pumpkin.

I turned back to the stack of receipts next to the cash register. I had made over a dozen sales that afternoon, and each one had required me to make at least a dozen laps around the store, searching for sizes, colors, and matching shoes. I was beat.

And I still had another hour to go. This was already my fourth shift this week at the store, and I was getting behind on my homework. But if I wanted to pay Anita back for that gorgeous lavender dress, which she had let me buy on credit, I had no choice but to work double time.

"Do you know where I could find this skirt in orange?" the woman called. "Maybe another store?"

I shook my head. "No, ma'am," I answered sweetly, sounding more like a friendly salesgirl than I felt. "But I think the pink one would look amazing on your daughter."

"Pink?" She brightened. "You know....you might be right."

I knew I should walk over to the rack and pull out the appropriate garment, but I couldn't seem to make myself abandon my post on the stool in front of the register. If she can't find the pink skirt herself, I'll offer to help, I promised myself.

This situation was ridiculous. I was working like crazy to pay for a dress that I was never going to have the chance to wear. As of now, I was no closer to having a date than I had been when I announced to Reshmi and Sanya that Mr. Gorgeous was my official date.

I looked up from the receipts when I heard tinkling from the small silver bell over the door of the store. Aditi and Mansi breezed into the shop and headed toward the cash register. Finally!

"Did you find him?" I demanded, practically pouncing on my two best friends. "Please, tell me you found him." I had sent them deep into the mall with one mission: Find Mr. Beautiful. Once I had him right in front of me, I'd simply ask him to go to our dance with me. If I didn't lose my nerve.

I had been searching for him myself—with zero luck. During every one of my breaks, I roamed the food court, keeping my eyes peeled for a gorgeous guy splitting a basket of fries with his little sister. I had spotted plenty of cute guys—and a plethora of little sisters—but my mystery man simply hadn't been on the scene since the day I'd first laid eyes on him.

Sending Aditi and Mansi out to look for him had been my latest attempt to dig myself out of the potentially humiliating situation I faced on the night of the big dance. I was hoping that two pairs of fresh eyes would bring me luck.

Aditi shook her head. "Sorry Vidu."

"We searched the place from top to bottom," Mansi informed me. We even went aisle to aisle in the, like, fifteen sporting-goods stores. He's not there."

"To tell you the truth, I don't even really know what the guy looks like." Aditi told me. "I only saw part of one side of his face and the back of his head when we were all in here the other day."

"Well, I saw him!" Mansi announced. "And I can unequivocally say that I haven't seen him since that day."

I sighed. Things were looking pretty grim. If I didn't show up in my pretty lavender dress at the dance with THAT guy, Reshmi and Sanya were going to have proof that I lied. And I had no doubt that the girls would divulge that fact to anyone and everyone within a mile radius.

I have to find him, I thought for the thousandth time. It's the only answer.

By 10 that night I was more convinced than ever that the final weeks of my high school career were about to go up in flames. I had trekked around the mall two more times with no more luck than I'd had before.

Apparently my mystery man didn't have a habit of cruising this mall. I had to accept that possibility—no, the probability—that I would never see him again. Much less convince him to take me, a total stranger, to my big dance.

I stared at the history book sitting in my lap. I had read the same paragraph about three times. There was soft knock on my bedroom door, and I gladly looked up from the book. "Yes?"

The door opened. My 20 year old sister Gayatri stuck her head thorough the doorway. "How are you doing, Vidu?" she asked. "You barely said a word during dinner."

Gayu as I fondly call her is at a college a hundred miles away, but she comes home every now and then to eat what she calls "real" food and do about a dozen loads of laundry. Usually I loved having my sister back home, but tonight I had been too distracted.

"I'm having a crisis," I blurted out. "My life is over."

Gayatri laughed. "Wow! In that case, it's a good thing I'm here." She walked in my room and shut the door behind her.

I wasn't crazy about the idea of revealing the stupid move I made with Reshmi and Sanya. Nonetheless I had a feeling that trying to hide the truth from Gayu was going to be impossible. She had a way of making me tell her everything—even when I didn't want to.

She climbed onto my bed and stuffed a couple of pillows between her back and the wall. She stretched her legs out in front of her and raised her eyebrows at me. "So? What's the story?"

"I don't even know where to being..."

As Gayu waited for me to spit out whatever it was that I was planning to say, I noticed her eyes drifting toward the open door of my walk-in closet. Her gaze fastened on the floor-length lavender dress that was hanging from a hook on the closet door.

"Hey, is that what I think it is?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yep. A dress." My voice was flat.

Gayu grinned. "Who's the lucky guy?"

I could see visions of corsages and boutonnieres dancing in her eyes as she studied the graceful cut of the dress. Gayu, unlike me, spent every free minute during high school going on dates.

"There ISN'T a lucky guy." I moaned, grabbing a pillow and burying my head in it.

Gayu frowned. "Uh-oh....does the dress have something to do with whatever it is that's bothering you?"

I took the pillow away and tossed it across the room. "I'm a complete idiot!" I announced to my sister.

She laughed. "I've known you since you were born, Vidya. You might be a little annoying at times, but you're definitely not an idiot."

"You'll change your mind once you hear what I did." I said, sighing deeply.

Gayu leaned forward, preparing to listen intently to my saga. "Well....don't keep me in suspense!" she begged. "Tell me what's going on!"

"I told two of the nastiest girls at school that I had a date to the dance, but it was a lie."

"Hmmm...." Gayu was silent for a moment, gazing at the dress. "So—ask somebody. Anybody."

"I can't just ask ANYBODY," I responded, realizing for the millionth time that I had been suffering from temporary insanity when I had told Reshmi and Sanya that Mr. Wonderful was my date.

"Okay....I'm missing something." Gayu leaned back against her stack of pillows and looked at me.

Yeah. You're missing the fact that your sister has the IQ of a termite, I thought.

"I told Reshmi and Sanya that I was going to the dance with a certain guy. I have to show up with HIM, or I'll be humiliated in front of the entire school." I cringed just thinking about the imminent ugly scene with the so-called popular girls.

"You're a beautiful girl," Gayu said in her big-sister voice. "I'm sure if you explain the situation to the guy, he would be happy to take you."

Of course Gayu thought I was beautiful—she's my sister! But my mystery man was another story. "Well, there's a huge catch—I don't even know the guy's name. He happened to be in the store when Reshmi and Sanya started in on me about not going to the dance....and well, I accidently pointed to him and announced that he was my date."

"How do you ACCIDENTLY announce that someone is your date?" Gayu asked.

I shrugged. "I wasn't thinking....It just sort of popped out of my mouth before I could comprehend it."

"And so now you have no idea how to find this guy," Gayu finished, getting the picture.

"Do you think Mom and dad will let me stay home from school for the rest of the semester?"I asked hopefully. "I could help around the house, or do some work for Dad at his office, or—"

"Not a chance," Gayu interrupted. "I suggested the same thing when I had a series of the grossest zits you've ever seen during the first semester of grade 10."

"Maybe I could alter my appearance, like one of those people in the witness-protection program." I suggested. "You know, wear a wig and sunglasses and a big scarf around my face."

Gayu reached out and squeezed my hand—a sure sign she was about to give me a well intended but ultimately useless big-sister lecture. I braced myself.

"I know this seems like a really big deal right now," she began, warming up to her role as the older wiser one. "But trust me, not having the right date to the dance isn't something that will scar you for life."

"I'm not worried about having scarred for life!" I retorted. "I'm worried about giving Reshmi and Sanya a reason to think they're better than I am!"

Part of me knew that I was being ridiculous. I should have been confident enough not to care what a bunch of jerky girls said about me at school. After high school I would never see them again.

But still....I DID care. I didn't want to get a copy of yearbook and be described as the biggest loser. Sure, I was being shallow. But I had been responsible, and deep, and studious for the last three years. Just once I wanted to be a totally frivolous teenager. I wanted to wear a beautiful dress to the dance—and have an equally beautiful guy on my arm.

And I want to prove to Reshmi and Sanya that I'm not some geek. I'm as attractive and likable—if not more—than any of the girls they hang with. somehow the dance had become important to me. I simply HAD to go.

"Vidu, I really don't believe that your white little lie is going to turn into a life-altering tragedy." Gayu grinned. "But if this is really that important to you, then let's go about it the right way."

"The right way?" I squeaked. What was the "right way"? I had already searched for Mr. Adorable numerous times.

Gayu nodded. "You need a plan. A good plan."

I wasn't about to argue with that point. "Go on."

"Here's what you've got to do...." Gayu started.

I grabbed a notebook and pen off my desk, prepared to take notes. I was going to absorb every word Gayu said, and then I was going to follow her advice.

Thank goodness for big sisters, I thought. Gayu might be full of lectures. But she was always there when I needed her. And I definitely need her now!

That was a bit happier than the last one! I just hope you all like it!

Luv ya all loads,

Meera