Chapter 4: The Ugly Duckling
So...has anyone asked you to the prom yet?' Maan had popped the question, earning himself a glare in return.
No.' had come the reply
And would you like to go to the prom with me?' he asked Geet, who was now irritated.
No!' came the reply.
Come on Geet, I promise you'll have a good time with me. Your parents won't worry about the safety or the curfew as you'll be with me'.
Again! No.' Geet said closing the book she was reading, adjusting her glasses and faced Maan.
But why? It's the best night in the year and it'll be a break from all the studies you've been doing'.
If anything, I shouldn't be getting a break from studying as the board exams are right around the corner' she said. not everyone is as genius as you are, some of us have to work extra hard on Maths' she thought to herself and Physics' her brain had reminded her...'And Physics' she added to her minds list resentfully.
You're wasting your time here Maan' saying so she had reopened the book and started going through it and motioned her eyes towards the door as if asking him to leave. Maan stood there skeptically,
Look, I'm not going to mess it up alright? If anyone asks me to go with you, I'll say what I just said, so could you leave now?' she had told him what she should've told as soon as he had come into the room.
You promise? I don't want any mistakes today, okay? I've already told Sam that I'd take her' Maan said.
Ahhaannn!' her mind had exclaimed Samvedhana Khanna! She was what the guys liked to call as bombshell. She was lean and stylish which anyone could be if they wanted to Geet thought rolling her eyes at the image of Sam which had formed in her mind as she was thinking 'and if the rumours were to be believed, Maan and Samvedhana or "Sam as she liked people to call her were a thing now'.
Sure enough, in the evening Mrs. Khurana had popped up the exact question her son had popped a few hours ago...
Why don't you go with Maan?' and then proceeded to bombard her with questions for another 10 minutes. Half convinced she had left the room and Geet let out a breath of relief and true to her words to Mrs. Khurana, she tied her fizzy curls into a pony and had plopped unto her bed to start studying.
You might've enjoyed it you know...' her heart whispered,
Maybe' her brain had agreed. Around 7 in the evening there was a slight knock on her door, when she opened it she found a chocolate with a Thank You!' note upon it, she carelessly placed the note on her table devoting all her attention to the chocolate in her hand.
The prom had indeed turned out to be The Most Memorable Night that year at her school, it was over a week since the night and still every topic anyone could talk about had something to do with the prom night.
If there were rumours floating around in the school before, it was nothing compared to the rumours flying about now...
1. Maan proposed Sam and she said Yes!
2. Maan had broken up with Sam
3. Maan had gotten into a fight with some boys
4. Sam's hair weren't as sleek and shiny as they seem to be
5. An octopus was thrown at the Principal
6. There was a blackout leading to panic
7. Lots of broken hips were involved
8. There were no prom king/queen that year
9. Almost the whole school was suspended for a week
10. Maan and Sam were seen leaving the party together
11. ...well, you got the idea.
ACTUAL happenings at the Prom Night Everyone was at the prom and why not, it was a big day for the Class 12 students who would be having their one last chance to enjoy the night without any restrictions by the school board, they were allowed to get a partner from Class 10-12. No one wanted to miss it...
Class 12 as it was their last party at the school,
Class 11 as they wanted to give the best farewell to their seniors and
Class 10 they were the future of the school so this was a glimpse of what senior year would be to them.
Young men and women had come in their best attires, the boys... some with their gang of friends stood making jokes, some stood with their partners while other lucky ones managed enough courage to lead their partner to the dance floor earning lots of hoots and whistles from their friends. Girls were seen giggling/gossiping and few girls had had enough and they had asked the boys out for a dance surprising them. With snacks and drinks being served at all the sides of the auditorium, there was no person who stood at the same place for more than a few minutes, everyone was busy clicking photos, exchanging phone numbers and were trying to make the best memory they could.
The lights were dimmed and the party had begun, Maan and Sam had all the heads turned at their entry and why not, it was the Captain of the Sports Club and the Head Cheerleader, Maan had always been the boy for whom girls would go crazy and Sam was a transfer student who had joined an year ago, and he was no exception in falling for her, after many failed attempts to woo her, Sam had chosen Maan considered he was exceptionally handsome and held an air of dignity where ever he went and what can be more cliched than a Sports Captain dating the Head Cheerleader! Though today she was extremely nervous and wasn't letting anyone near her, when Maan had enquired about it, he had learned that Sam had given herself a haircut which turned out to be "not that good so in-order to avoid the embarrassment which would be caused if she went out like that, she had worn a wig but was constantly concerned about it.
So much for being so beauty conscious' he had thought but none the less she had still managed to look gorgeous Power of make-up' he thought agian.
Just before the DJ-ing started there were awards which were going to be presented, awards of all kinds... popular and unpopular category, best and worst dressed category, best bunker, best and worst student etc etc.,
Many awards, laughs and speeches later it was The Plain-Jane Award, as the nominations were being presented Maan was surprised to see Geet's picture as one of the nominees. She was in her hoodie wearing her old bi-focal glasses giving a toothy grin exposing her braces, he wondered when she had agreed to give a photo for the awards and he was surprised as he realized that the picture was clicked by Sam when she had visited his home.
This isn't a plain Jane, it's worth an Ugly Duckling award' someone from behind had passed on a comment and there was a blast of laughter.
Maan had held Sam's hand and asked her if it was her who had nominated Geet for the awards,
Yes!' a still wig-concerned Sam had replied which came out a little shrilly, there was a collective gasp around them. People had misinterpreted the "Yes they had heard as an acceptance to the "PROPOSAL Maan had done holding Sam's hand.
Realizing the situation Maan had cleared it up by saying We aren't a couple' which earned even more gasps to his horror.
I bet Geetika wasn't asked to prom by anyone'
Bet she knew she'd get this award without any compitition'
How much will you pay if at this moment she's at her home crying thinking about this?'...
Maan had had enough, yeah, she wasn't asked to the prom but it wasn't as if she was sad because of it, when he felt that the taunts were getting out of hand he had turned back and punched the daylights out of one of those guys. Luckily no one saw what exactly had happened as the lights went out at the exact moment causing some girls to panic and run. Someone had knocked down the table with juice on it so the floor there had become slippery, not knowing who had hit them the boys threw punches in air missing Maan and hitting someone else causing even more stir and groans.
The pool of juice was now a mixture of water, cake and other stuff which were now being hurled as it became something more like a food fight and Sam had slipped and fell over it, ruining her dress and causing her wig to fall off. Someone had picked it up and tossed it across the hall landing it over the principals head, owing to the chaos caused the prom night was ceased there with no Prom King or Queen and the students had gotten a week of suspension over the mayhem caused and Maan had taken the responsibility of dropping a distraught Sam to her home.
PRESENT It was the 10th year anniversary of this disastrous yet memorable event and the class of 2008 had planned a reunion for the same. Geet was oblivious to the actual happenings at the prom but was still reluctant of going to the reunion as she thought she'd be alone there as her only friend during her school days, Pinky was not in contact with her anymore.
Why do you think you're going to be alone there? Maan is going to be there too' Dadi said,
How can you ignore this mass of 100 kgs standing beside you' Naina had quipped in.
I'm a healthy 80 kgs if you would mind correcting it' Maan replied which was ignored by them.
Later in the evening Maan went to Geet's room,
Hey Geet, I think you shouldn't miss the reunion, it'll be fun...' he had told and before Geet could reply he had continued ...besides I think I owe you a prom... in this case a prom reunion, for helping me get my date to the prom a few years ago' to this Geet had only smiled and agreed.
The silence was awkward, it had been 30 minutes since they had left their home and none had spoken a word since then, Geet had decided to wear a Black and Peach coloured woven fit dress which was knee length, Naina had forced her into wearing a silver bracelet and a chain to keep it "Classy". With just lipstick and mascara she looked like she was going to make one hell of an entrance!
You won't be alone, I promise you!' he had said,
Geet had looked deep into those dark chocolate brown eyes and replied
Really? But what about Sam? Won't she feel bad if you're with me the whole evening?'.
Who said anything about me spending the evening with you? I meant to say that your friend Pinky will be at the party so you won't be alone'.
Oh!' Way to embarrass yourself Geet!' her mind mocked her. Oh yeah? There's nothing embarrassing about it... if anything he's keeping tabs on the girls from school' she said to herself, except she hadn't said it to herself, she had said the last part out loud.
I haven't kept tabs on anyone, I only know that she'd be attending the party because she was hired by Dev bhai last week as his Personal Assistant' Maan had replied.
God save me!' Geet had pleaded, now this was embarrassing, she wished she could undo the last 5 minutes.
At the party everyone was awestruck by Geet's transformation, while she stood at the corner with Pinky talking animatedly, many guys were trying their best to come up with an excuse to go and talk to her.
Who is she?' Sam had asked as soon as she noticed that she wasn't the center of attention in spite of being with Maan and was shocked to know that it was the same girl who was once nominated as Plain Jane.
She wasn't an ugly duckling anymore, she is a graceful Swan now' Maan thought with a smile.
The Ugly Duckling: Geetika Handa
P.S : I know this chapter will raise issues with Geet and Maan's age, but I think it is safe to assume that Geet was in Class 10 and Maan in Class 12 when it happened and they can still have an age difference of 3 years. Sorry for the late update though!😆
Previous: Chapter 3
Next: Chapter 5
Edited by ExpectoPatronum - 7 years ago
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