Geet pulled her sweater more snugly around her as she pushed open the double doors at her old school. This is it, she thought. Time to face the music. She heard the whispers and murmurs the minute she'd stepped inside. Felt the stares and the awkward glances. But it didn't matter. Nothing mattered after what'd she'd been through in the last nine months.
Out of the corner of his eye, Maan observed Geet Handa as she walked down the hall, past him. She looked straight ahead, but watched nothing in particular. He'd never paid her much attention. She was a year his junior, and had belonged to the clique who's collective IQ was probably lower than Maan's. She wasn't an idiot, though. She was on the debate team with him, as well as part of the Science Olympiad. Other than that, Geet had never really interested Maan, until now.
He'd heard the rumors. Her conspicuous absence from school last year was enough to send tongues wagging. Maan wasn't one to heed to hearsay, but he knew something had gone terribly wrong for Geet to leave school midterm and go incognito for almost a year.
No one talked to Geet throughout the day. She wasn't expecting any of the students to, but even the teachers were giving her wary looks. Sighing, she looked at the clock. Well, at least she'd made it to lunch. That had to count for something. She sat at an empty table by herself, eating her lunch, but not really tasting it. Just as she was about to get up to throw away her garbage, one of the upperclassmen girls walked over to her.
"So Geet, how does it feel being back from, uhm, your break?" the girl asked viciously. Everyone around her table was stunned into silence. The temperature in the room seemed liked it had gone down a few notches. Naintara smirked to herself, and Dev's lips were drawn into a tight scowl. Geet took a deep breath before standing up. She looked square into the girl's eyes and smiled.
"How does it feel? Well, to be honest, Maya, it sucks. But I was expecting that. This school was not exactly known for affability or tact, so I cannot really blame you for asking me this question."
Maya seemed momentarily stunned, but composed herself. Before she could reply, however, Geet continued.
"But now that you have, and now that we're on the subject why don't you ask what you actually wanted to ask. Or rather what the entire school wants to ask."
Saying this she glanced at the bewildered faces in the cafeteria, particularly NT's and Dev's.
"You want to know what happed nearly 10 months ago, don't you. No, you already know what happened; you just want to hear it from me. Very well.
Walking over to where Dev was seated, she stood and stared right at him. He, of course, was unable to make eyecontact.
"You see, Maya, nearly a year ago I fell in love. I fell in love with the charming Dev Rathod'.And do you blame me? He's attractive, smart, says all the right things at the opportune times. How could I not? He told me I was beautiful, when I felt ugly. He told me I was intelligent, when I felt like a dumb git. He made me feel special like no one in all of my 16 years had. I was like a moth to a flame."
Geet's voiced softened as she recalled the times she'd spent with Dev.
"But you see, in my mind-numbing infatuation, I forgot who I was and what values I'd been brought up with. I convinced myself that everything was fair in love and war. That I was truly, madly, deeply in love with this man. That there was nothing wrong in giving myself to him, completely. I was an idiot. In a moment of passion, of weakness'against my better judgement, I let him make love to me. Without understanding the ramifications. Without thinking about the consequences. Because I thought this was, perhaps, the new natural order of things. Because I was stupid enough to believe that he would stand by me, come what may"
"But we all know what happens when you don't protect yourself, don't we?" Geet continued bitterly. "I sure as hell do"
"When I saw the blue line on the test, I actually felt my world crumble around me. The disappointed faces of my parents, my peers, everyone flashed before me. What the hell had I done? I was confused, and scared. So I called up the only person I thought had my back."
Now speaking directly to Dev, she continued. "You remember that phone call, don't you Dev? It was when you told me what a huge mistake we'd made. When you told me to get rid of it. You'd even offered to pay for the abortion. How noble of you!"
"But I couldn't do it, Dev, I couldn't kill the life that was growing inside of me. So I had to 'go away' for a while. I was sent to a special school, where girls like me spent their time."
"It's funny, you know? All the time I was there, I spent it wondering if this is where girls like me go, where do they send guys like you? Because I sure as hell did not fall over myself to get pregnant."
Turning her attention back to the mute spectators, now, Geet continued, despite the tremble in her voice.
"I stayed there until my little girl was born. Her birthday is June 16th, by the way. I'had a week with her, before her adoptive parents took her away." Get paused now, dangerously close to spilling tears. "At least they let me name her. I named her 'Sehar'. She stayed with me, through the longest, darkest night of my life, and the first time she smiled at me, I'can't even describe it. I finally felt that everything was going to be alright. That I was going to be alright." Two salty streaks made their way down her face. "So there you have it, the abstract of my life as an unwed, pregnant teenager. Any more questions?"
Everyone, including NT, had the decency to look down shamefaced.
As Geet walked out of the cafeteria, her head held high and dignity intact, Maan looked at her with equal parts pride and relief. Geet was correct. She would indeed be alright.
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Comments and critiques welcome. I left it pretty open ended so if people are interested in me turning this into a SS or FF, I'd be open to that. Let me know! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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