OS: Just Ordinary

Maan sat at the mandap, as patient as possible, while the fire burned bright in front of him and the pundit chanted sacred hymns next to him. It was his wedding. He was getting married to the most beautiful, loving and amazing girl.

The venue was decorated with blood red roses – her favorite – and creamy white lilies – his favorite. Golden pillars held up the large dome of the mandap with white and peach colored roses spiraling down to the floor. The red velvet on which he sat was soft and luscious.

He sat, dressed in a cream and golden colored sherwani, waiting for her to come down the flower laden stairs so that they could be joined at one in front of their friends, family and in front of God.

"Relax Bro," his younger brother called. "You seem impatient."

Maan narrowed his eyes as his brother and best friend laughed at his plight. He was about to make a smart retort when a sudden lull fell over the crowd and a slight movement caught his eyes. Turning his head, he felt his breath catch in his chest as he saw her in her bridal attire.

She was dressed in a red ghagra-choli with golden embellishments. Her wrists adorned with the traditional red and white chuda set, with golden kalires hanging from them. She wore his mothers wedding jewelry, that alone filled him with respect and love for her. The dupatta which was on her head flowed in the air as she approached him. Someone standing next to her whispered something to her causing her to blush and look down.

It was an ordinary reaction that he'd seen from her a million times before. This time however, that ordinary reaction was enough to make him smile.

He watched, spell bounded, as she gingerly walked towards him. The smile on his face softened as he was reminded about the ordinary day that he'd made her a part of his life.

*~*~*~*~* Flash Back *~*~*~*~*

He sat quietly in the library focusing on the AP Calculus book that was opened in front of him. He had a major midterm coming up and he had to pass with at least a B+ to maintain the A he had in that class. Not that he was worried he wouldn't pass because he knew he would, but he just wanted to go over his notes once again before heading off to practice.

Maan Singh Khurana was the star soccer player of his high school. They had a big game coming up and he knew scouts would be there to watch him play, but that didn't matter to him. What mattered to him was getting the grades that would get him the scholarship to the university of his choice. Being the star athlete of the school was something that had happened by chance, but being the top of his class had been something he had worked hard for.

Since his first day as a freshman, Maan had put all his energy into making sure that his single mother wouldn't have to pay a single cent out of pocket for his education. That is why from that first day he'd maintained a 4.5 grade point average (GPA). He had joined the soccer team because of his mothers insistence. They didn't live in the best neighborhood so she didn't want her boys alone at home – her solution was after school activities. While his younger brother, who was in middle school, stayed behind for tutoring, he had joined the soccer team to simply pass the time. The fact that he was good and could have a future in the sport didn't faze him in the lease.

He had just finished working on a problem and was about the check the answer when he saw her walk in from the corner of his eye. Geet Handa. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and white t-shirt, with silver sandals on her feet. She wore small silver colored jhumkas on her ears and a red string around her wrist as a testament to her Indian heritage.

He watched as she took a seat at the table all the way in the corner, her back to him. She then proceeded to take out her folder, books, notebook and pencil holder. Opening her binder she pulled out a few pieces of paper that had writing on them, and then began to take out her highlighters and pens before opening the notebook to the right section. He'd watched her do this since the first week of school that year. Everyday, the same routine.

As she opened her book he saw that today's subject was Biology.

Once she was settled in, she put on her glasses, pushed her braid out of the way and got to work.

He knew she was a freshman and he knew her name was Geet Handa. That was as far as his knowledge went of the girl who sat in front of him. That, and the fact that he hadn't seen anyone so beautiful in his life. She was simple and classic and beautiful.

Maan didn't know how long he'd been starting at her when his phone vibrated. It was a text from his team mate Adi.

Practice in ten.

Looking at his watch Maan saw that he was running late. He still had to get across campus to the locker room, change and join the rest of the team on the field for practice. Pushing all thoughts of the girl out of his mind he quickly packed up his things and headed out slinging his backpack and gym bag over his shoulders. He was stepping away from his table when he saw the snobby cheerleaders of his school enter the library.

Though he knew that they all were looking at him, he paid them no attention. He had just walked past their group when he heard them speak.

"He's one hot senior," someone said.

"I know! Just look at his muscles! I could die!" another one squealed.

Maan simply rolled his eyes.

"What are you looking at princess nerd?" he heard someone say.

Turning back his head slightly, he saw that Geet had been looking at him along with the other girls. When his eyes met with hers she quickly looked way, but Maan didn't miss the slight blush that colored her cheeks.

"Yeah…why are you even looking? Not like you have a shot with him," one of the blond girls said.

"I'm mean look at you…you're so…so…ordinary," a curly haired girl said with a tone of disgust.

Maan was just about to open his mouth and say something when he felt someone tugging on his arm. Facing forward he saw Adi.

"Dude we're late and coach is gonna kill us," he said dramatically as he dragged Maan off.

Maan frowned as he heard the cheerleaders hyena like laughter as he left the library.

The rest of that day, he hadn't been able to get the girl out his mind. More so, he couldn't get the look of sadness on her face when the girls had called her ordinary. He bombed practice, couldn't focus on homework and barely managed to get through dinner with his family.

The next day he figured he's see her and maybe he'd have to courage to talk to her, but that day didn't go as planned because he'd forgotten that it was the Friday of an away-game. They were up against another team from a school in a different part of their district. So after homeroom, all the soccer players and cheerleaders piled onto a yellow school bus and headed to the game.

That following Monday Maan had a plan. He had finally managed to talk himself into at least saying 'hi' to the girl in the library, just starting with small talk. So after school was over he went to the library and waited for her. He knew that she'd never come and sit with him so he was going to go sit with her. It would be less awkward if they sat at the same table as opposed to him looking like a complete bafoon talking to a girl that he was just passing by.

She walked into the library at fifteen past three o' clock. She was dressed in a floral printed skirt that reached her chins and a simple black top. When she walked, he heard chimes and looked to her feet to find anklets. He waited for a few minutes while she got situated with all of her things before walking over to her table.

"Anyone sitting here?" he asked as he came to a stop at the chair in front of her.

She looked up at him, startled, her eyes big with shock and confusion.

"Anyone sitting here?" he repeated.

"N…no," she stuttered.

"Mind if I sit?" Maan asked.

"Uh…I guess not," she said with a confused frown.

"Thanks," he said.

He sat down and was lost staring at her. It wasn't until she raised a hand to push back some hair that fell on her face, that he realized he'd been staring. Quickly he regained composure and took out his own study materials. For the next hour he went back and forth between saying something and keeping quiet. Every time he'd muster up enough courage to open his mouth, something would happen and he'd shut back up again. And during that entire hour she hadn't looked up at him. She was completely engrossed in a Biology lab report that she was working on.

He was startled by the sudden vibrating of her phone against the table. He watched as she read a text message and then suddenly began to put her things away.

She was leaving.

It was now or never, he chided himself.

She was putting her book away when he finally spoke.

"I think ordinary is beautiful," he said softly.

She stopped what she was doing. "Excuse?" she asked.

He cleared his throat before speaking again. "I said…I think ordinary is beautiful."

He saw her frown at him. "O…kya…" she said rather confused.

He blew it, he knew he blew it. She had no idea what he was talking about or why he had said what he just said. As he wallowed in self pity she answered a call and spoke quietly into the phone. Then, before he could rectify the blunder he'd made, she was gone.

"Great…just great," he said to himself.

He didn't see her the rest of the week because the coach had demanded an extra hour of practice because the district semi-finals were coming up. When he finally had time to get to the library, he didn't have a single second to spare because he needed every available moment to study and focus on school work.

But then one day he walked into the library to see the entire soccer team sprawled over the tables in the section where he and Geet sat. There were only two people per table but their backpacks and gym bags were all over the place. Maan knew better than to think they were actually studying. He gazed the crowd and soon his eyes fell on Adi who smirked at him. Maan grabbed Adi and dragged him behind one of the large bookshelves.

"What is going on?" Maan demanded.

"We're here to help you," Adi said.

"With what?" Maan asked.

"Oh come on, when the star player of the schools soccer team, not the mention the most eligible jock in school, starts to pay attention to a girl…people notice," Adi replied.

"What…what girl?" Maan asked, pretending like he had no idea what Adi was talking about.

"Oh, so there's no girl?" Adi asked.

"Nope," Maan replied as coolly as possible.

"My bad. I thought you had a thing for the nerd," Adi said purposely as he jutted his chin out in Geet's direction.

"She's not a nerd!" Maan yelled louder than he had expected to.

"No girl…right," Adi teased.

Adi and the guy sitting closest to them all chuckled making Geet look up, but after a second she was engrossed in her books again.

"Great to have the world notice," Maan said, "But I wish she noticed too."

"Well if she'd look up from her books she would," Adi said as he looked at Geet as well. "Anyway…you haven't been able to get the courage to talk to her but today you have to because we won't leave until you do."

Maan gave Adi a nervous smile before heading off towards Geet's table.

"Mind if I sit here?" he asked after clearing his voice.

"Sure," Geet said without looking up.

Maan sat down and could feel the eyes of each of his team mates burning at him. He looked helplessly at Adi who signaled for him to talk.

"So…the library is pretty full today," Maan said.

This time she did look up at him and then she scanned the room taking in for the first time that every table was full.

"It sure is," she said as she studied the crowd.

"I'm Maan by the way," he said as he held out his hand.

"I'm…" she began as she reached out to meet him.

"Geet…" he said for her, "I know."

"You know who I am?" she asked surprised.

Maan frowned at her reaction.

"Why are you surprised?" Maan asked.

However, before she could say anything his coach barged into the library demanding to know what every player of his team was doing there and why they were late for practice. Without saying anything the team filed out of the library, including Maan. Though it was some consolation that at least they'd spoken and introduced themselves to each other.

---------- 3 Years Later ----------

*still in flashback*

(Maan = junior in college : Geet = senior in high school)

He was running in place warming up as the countdown to the semi-finals for the soccer tournament had begun. All around him were people. Out on the field next to him was his fellow teammates and opposing teammates warming up while coaches and assistant coaches strategized one last time. The bleachers were packed full of fans and students from his school and the opposing school. Yet even in the middle of such a massive crowd, his eyes searched for that one person who hadn't arrived yet. He had scanned the bleachers a hundred times, he'd scanned the entrances a hundred times, and he'd even asked Adi if he'd seen her a hundred times.

"Game starts in five!" the referee announced.

"Alright boys huddle up!" their head coach yelled.

Maan, like the rest of the players huddled up but his mind wasn't in what was being said. Instead of focusing on what was at hand, he looked up one last time to see if she was there. A smile spread across his face as he saw her enter the stadium and wave to him while she tried to catch her breath. He broke free from the team huddle and went over to her ignoring the protests of his coach.

"Sorry I'm late," she said as soon as he was within ear shot. "Our study group for the AP Physics exam lasted longer than expected. I lost track of time."

"It's ok," he said as he took her backpack and extra book bag from her placing it next to his under the team benches. "You're here now and that's all that matters."

"Maan lets go!" Adi yelled from behind.

"Good luck," Geet said as she smiled at him.

A glint of mischievousness played in his eyes as he leaned in and quickly pecked her lips. "I have all the luck I need."

He took a step away but stopped when he felt her hand warp around his arm. He knew what was coming next so he simply waited patiently. In a few seconds, she stood on her toes as she pulled him down towards her. Then, ever so lightly she placed a kiss on his cheek and whispered "I love you," into his ears.

"Love you too," he called back as he raced towards his teammates and slightly peeved coach.

Since he had joined college Geet had almost never missed a game, even if it was out of town. She came to every one of his games and wished him luck the same way, a soft kiss on his cheek. It had become his good luck charm and no one argued because the one game she had missed, had been the only game the team lost in the three years he was on the team.

As the game started Maan was completely focused on winning this game so that his team could move on to the finals. Every now and then he'd look over his shoulder to the first row of the bleachers where Geet sat cheering him on. Everything he looked back she smiled and it rejuvenated him to play even harder than he was. Just after half time he looked over to the stands only to find Geet's seat empty. He frowned but then he saw her coming back to her seat. Even from the distance that he was at he could see that something changed. When she smiled at him, her smile didn't reach her eyes like they usually did.

Maan continued to play but he was distracted seeing Geet upset. The coach called a time out and the team headed off the field.

"Khurana what the hell is going on? Where is your head?" the coach barked.

"Coach…Geet," Maan said simply as he eyed her sitting quietly with her head bowed down.

The coach let out an exasperated sigh as he said, "Go…but you only have 30 seconds."

Maan didn't need to be told again. He quickly ran towards where Geet sat.

"Geet," he called.

He knew he startled her because she jumped at the sound of his voice. When she looked up at him, he could see that her eyes were red rimmed as if she had been crying.

"Geet what happened?" he asked concerned as he kneeled in front of her, "Were you crying?"

"No, no," Geet said. "Not at all…you go play…don't worry about me."

"Geet…what happened?" he asked again, knowing that she'd been lying.

"Nothing, really," she said with a half heartedly. "Go…go win this game."

"Are you sure you're ok?" he asked.

"Yes," Geet said as she placed a hand on his cheek, "I'm fine."

"Khurana lets go!" his assistant coach yelled from the field.

"Go," she said again.

As he got up to leave Geet held his hand and drew him close, kissed his cheek and whispered, "Good luck Maan."

His team won that game with his last minute goal. The celebration started on the field and didn't stop even in the locker room. Though Maan was in no mood to celebrate he put up with it for a while for his teammates who'd worked just as hard as he had to get into the finals. After a quick shower and change, Maan headed out to the field where he knew Geet was waiting for him. As he stepped out onto the field, he grew worried when he didn't see Geet in her usual waiting spot. After he scanned the bleachers he found her sitting all the way at the top level of the bleachers with her head resting on one of the posts.

"What's going on Geet?" Maan asked as he came and sat next to her.

"Nothing," she replied not looking at him.

Using his finger he placed it under her chin and drew her face up so that she was looking at him.

"You know you can't lie to me," he said.

She turned her face away from him as she sighed.

"Why did you choose me?" Geet asked.

"Choose you? Choose you for what?" Maan asked, confused.

"For everything…why did you choose me to be with you?" Geet asked.

"Where is this coming from?" Maan asked with a frown.

Geet went on to explain to him how the people sitting behind her in the bleachers during the game began commenting on him, like lots of people usually do. They talked about how good looking he was, how talented he was, how perfect he was. Then one of them had pointed out that Geet, the ordinarily mundane girl, was his girlfriend of three years.

Maan's blood boiled at the thought that people had been disrespectful to his Geet and he hadn't been able to do anything about it.

"You're a star athlete, a brilliant student, the perfect man," Geet said.

"Geet…" Maan began but was cut off.

"I'm so………ordinary," Geet said as she looked down at herself.

Maan's eyebrows drew together once again as he studied the girl that sat in front of him.

"You don't see it do you?" Maan asked.

"See what?" she asked.

"You don't see you the way I see you," Maan said.

"What do you mean?" Geet asked.

"To you…they may be ordinary eyes, but to me…to me they are a pathway to your soul," Maan said, "A pathway that only I have access to because I see the real you. Only I see into your heart because you love me. Only I see into your soul because you let me. Your ordinary eyes have a sparkle that makes even the brightest stars look dim in comparison."

She bowed her head down slightly as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ears. Maan pulled off the rubber band that held her braid in place loosening her silky tendrils with his hands.

"You see an ordinary braid, but I know that when that braid is released your soft, silky hair escapes its confines," Maan said. "Much like you do when you're with me. You go from being a quiet and shy girl to being a funny and confident woman when you're with me."

"Maan…" she began.

"When I say something to you or do something that makes you blush…that ordinary blush…" Maan said as he caressed her cheeks, "It makes me so happy to the point of arrogance knowing that I'm the only man that will ever bring such a blush on your ordinary cheeks."

"Please…" Geet protested.

"Did you know that an ordinary smile from you can make me forget everything no matter how hard a day it had been? Did you know that your ordinary laughter is like music to my ears and I could listen to it nonstop until I died? Did you know that an ordinary touch from you on my cheek lets me feel that you care for me in a way that no one ever will? Did you know that an ordinary kiss from you makes my deepest darkest pain disappear? Did you know that when you say those ordinary three words that I feel like I could take on the world and win? Did you know that a single ordinary tear from your eyes pierces my heart like a rusted dagger?" he asked as he wiped a tear that escaped from her eyes. "Did you know?"

He waited for her to say something but she didn't. Instead she sat with her hands in her lap and her head bowed down with a confused look on her face.

"Can I ask you something?" Maan asked.

"Sure…" she said with sadness in her voice.

"Do you remember our first date?" he asked.

"Of course how could I not," she said looking at and smiling.

"We had a typical first date…dinner and a movie…an ordinary date," Maan said. "Right?"

"No, it wasn't ordinary because it was my first date," Geet said as she turned to face him better. "It was nerve wrecking. It was exciting. It was fun. It was amazing."

"Our first kiss, at my Prom, it was an ordinary kiss between an ordinary guy and an ordinary girl at an ordinary high school Prom," Maan said. "Right?"

"No, not at all…" Geet began. "It was the perfect first kiss. The soft music, the lights twinkling like stars, they way you held me and the first time your lips touched mine…it was…magical," she said as her smile finally reached her eyes and she blushed slightly.

"We are an ordinary couple that does ordinary things every ordinary day of the week. We lead ordinary and mundane lives," Maan said. "Right?"

"No, they are not ordinary for me because I do them with you. When I'm with you nothing is ordinary. When I'm with you everything is perfect and far from ordinary," she said as she put a hand on his cheek.

"Exactly!" Maan yelled in happiness. "Who are we to say what is ordinary and what is mundane? Everyone has their own experiences, their own values, their own scales as to what is boring and ordinary for them. What someone might think as ordinary on their scale could be something special on someone else's. What someone might think of as mundane could be exciting for someone else."

"Ok…" Geet said with a frown, not understanding fully what Maan mean.

"Don't you see?" Maan asked, "That's what I've been trying to tell you since the day I met you."

"What?" Geet asked perplexed.

"That there is nothing wrong with ordinary," Maan said. "Ordinary is magical…ordinary is perfect…ordinary is beautiful…"

He took her hands into his and pulled her slightly closer before he continued.

"Just like you…" he said softly.

He then leaned in himself before sealing her lips with his as they enjoyed a beautiful moment under the ordinary night sky and an ordinary sheet of stars.

*~*~*~*~*~* Present *~*~*~*~*~*

He was jarred back from his transient thoughts when he heard the chiming of her bangles as she sat next to him in front of the holy fire.

"You look beautiful," he whispered softly so that no one heard.

He was rewarded by a smile, a stolen glance and a blush on her cheeks.

The wedding was a small affair – an ordinary wedding. Their closest family and friends were present to witness them exchange the sacred vows and pledge their lives to each other. They were there to witness the joining of an ordinary man and an ordinary girl who had ordinary love in their hearts for each other.

It had been years in the making but finally he was going to marry the girl that he loved with his whole heart and soul. He was going to marry the girl that made him the best version of himself that he could be. He was going to marry the girl who he admired and respected. He was going to marry the girl that made his life worth living.

He was going to marry the ordinary girl that made his life extra-ordinary.

The End