Hope you enjoy! Sorry it's a little long!
The prom is LIVE! I am glad for my form-fitting fairytale blue dress and flats because the stairs to the ballroom are atrocious! The hotel has giant chandeliers that cast clear light patterns on the embroidered wall paper, and as we enter the ballroom, the dance floor is already occupied by teens socializing and dancing. We pose for pics in the seaweed en-wrapped archway to complete the "under the sea" theme of our senior prom.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BnfXoFon2
"So what do you think?" my sister Nandita interlocks our elbows. Because her bf Roman is a senior, she will enjoy senior activities for 2 years.
"I think it is wonderful!"
"Well, thank you and thank you!" Paige, the class president and head prom coordinator, spins in her pink and purple ball gown.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQ6U0JYOJW
"Yeah, I agree, you did a really good job." Erica saunters up to us with her hand on her hip----her figure is perfectly etched into her red dress that has a slit down her all-too perfect brown leg that she exposes ever so slightly.
"Hey, Erica, looking good as always." Saunders bounces up, her green eyes bright and sparkly as usual.
"Thanks, Saun, you're as bubbly as ever. How about you and I hit the dance floor?"
Our friend Danica joins us. Her ice blue dress with its black ruffles not only matches her blue eyes and raven black hair but also puts me in the mind of some stylishly ragged vintage dress the Corpse bride cartoon would wear---perfectly fitting for her rather unique personality. Once we hit the dance floor, Danica comes to life with her typical ballet-hiphop combo, and her date Richard Prichard keeps right along with her. Nandita and I leave her to the dancing and find ourselves some punch as the chaperones stand by.
"Hey, Maddie!" Rizzo calls from behind his camera. Even though he is dateless, he is totally content.
"What's with the autistic kid? Calling you out like that? Embarrassing much?" Jayanand grunts.
"He's just really friendly is all, plus a heck of a photographer, Jay,"
"You're right. He's probably even better than the guy that's taking the photo booth pictures."
"Yeah, his dad is Gui Balistreri, the famous Italian photographer," Nandita informs. "He's a legacy."
I laugh. "Andi, it's not like that. He just enjoys doing what he loves." I watch Rizzo snapping pictures of the dance circle before Paige's pink heels clack onto the stage.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIUGx0y83B
"Okay, okay, everyone, the moment you have been waiting for---time to announce the Prom King and Queen!!!" Saunders delivers the envelope while two other students on the student body e-board stand aside with the crowns. "Ladies and gentlemen, your royal court of 2018 'Class searching for the dream' is Mr. Hearthrob himself---captain of the debate team, valedictorian----Jayanand or better known as Jay!!!"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhb3GYzC0h
"See you up there." He kisses my cheek before jogging to the stage.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnhIJjRonH
Nandita places both hands on my shoulders with a squeal.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16N9aoSAii
"And your QUEEN----Ms. Fashion Professional, voted best smile, head of the school newspaper, full-ride already to the renowned Stanford University----Erica Boyd!!!!"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgriBP8QCJ
Cheers go up, even though everyone awkwardly stares back at me as I clap.
"Now, the king and queen will lead in the first slow dance of the night." She adjusts her mike. "Chaperones will be posted, so please behave."
"Madhuri..." Nandita begins.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQbbX5Cn6Q
I shoo her to the dance floor as she kisses my cheek. "You deserved that a hundred times more than she."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrmGWgyMWP
I laugh. "Thanks, sissy."
Finally, Jayanand and Erica break apart, and he offers me his hand.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGi612PPs4k
"My love..."
We enjoy the next dance together in that quiet, sweet romantic way. After the dance is over, Jayanand bows and kisses my knuckles. "I will be back."
"That was AWESOME!!!" Nandita sings as upbeat music plays again.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5h53gHFQ4
"Sorry you didn't win, Maddie." Saunders is solemn for probably one of the first seconds in her life.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEezVm5j4m
"Yeah, I tried to rig it for you," Paige whispers. "But it was just too much of a stretch."
I laugh.
"So I'm bored. Does anyone want to go check out the dining hall? I hear they have great food." Saunders bounces next to the date she has all but forgotten---the quarterback of the football team, Collin.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVx3w4Jslkf
"Sure," Collin's deep, quiet voice booms. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ylHajIYjS
"We're down." Roman interlaces his fingers with Nandita's.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCBsEqXGa0
"Yeah, sounds good." I look around for Jayanand. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDIj9QDQH5
"I'm gonna invite Rizzo."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcWQzBwC7I
"Good idea. We will wait for you outside, Saun."
As I catch up to the others at the dining hall, their faces are shocked. And then I understand why----Jayanand and Erica are in a booth, holding hands and kissing.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡib1XooI6gM
"They've been glued since they arrived," one of the waiters snickers.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPEalLXLiu
Paige storms into the dining hall. "Hey, you hoe!"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcV6wj9AVDV
"Not cool, man, not cool!" Roman exclaims.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQMfzWZ3NJ
Everyone else is speechless. As I stare at Jayanand, he jumps up from the table and knocks over a glass. Erica shrieks.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqbqelOtO3
"Baby!" He races over to me.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaYAfSMmiZ
"How COULD you?!"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBbQ7AvH3l
"I----I----"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PUfacXvy1
"We are betrothed!"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9X1utwrjD7
"I KNOW!" He sighs. "We've been betrothed practically since we were born, Madhuri, because our fathers were best friends since college in India. I have been committed to you as my girlfriend before I even knew what a girlfriend was, but haven't you ever wondered what it would be like to date someone else?" He swallows hard. "I never knew---I just fell in love with someone else----" Erica slips her hand into his, despite the drink staining her dress purple.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhN70NmQMb3
"How could you--" my sister echoes.
"Jay, why didn't you just tell me? I would have understood, but----" I turn as the tears begin to flow.
"Madhuri, don't be---"
Before I know it, I SLAP him. Applause fills the room. But not even Jayanand's red, speechless face makes me feel better. I shove through the crowd and back to the lobby.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDkFLjdYk3
"My dear, you can have a room if you want." It is the waiter from earlier. He signals to a maid. "Give her the room with the most beautiful view of the city."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRn6Kk30hoQ
She nods. "You deserve it."
"Maddie!" 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvX06rFmLD
"I want to be alone, Andi. I will be home tomorrow. Just enjoy yourself, okay?"
I swallow the rest of the tears as the maid leads me upstairs. The room is breathtaking---beige wallpaper embroidered with gold print, a giant bed, classical paintings, and a giant TV. I open the curtains to take in the city below with all its brilliant lights, though not bright enough to dim the stars in the night sky.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxeINmQQzI
"Everything to your liking, Ma'am?" 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFYVTc3wSp
"Yes."
"Your accommodations include room service and anything your heart desires. As shattered as it must be after that little stunt, it is my honor to help mend it in any way."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqNJ4zPhxu
"Thank you, Ms. Ada." I read her name tag.
She smiles politely and exits.
Hours pass by, and I turn on the TV to catch "I love Lucy" reruns. At about eleven o'clock, there's a knock at the door.
"Ma'am, you have a visitor. Mr. Gianrico?"
"Tell her it's Rizzo. She is my friend."
"He is very insistent."
I laugh as she allows him in. "Hey, Rizzo."
"I'm sorry about what happened, Maddie. I got such good shots of you two. Do you want me to delete them?" He fumbles with his camera.
"No, Rizzo, it's okay."
"Are you okay?"
I hiccup on a sniffle and take in the marvelous city scene again. "I will be."
"Why did he do that to you?" Rizzo sits gently on the bed beside me, as if he is scared of causing me more pain.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCeNDiTrrH0
"Loves her more, I guess."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinoGOhFrFh
He runs his fingers through his slicked back chocolate brown curls. "But didn't he love you too?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioBjHjJTor
"Maybe. Maybe in a different way. I don't think we were IN love. I think it was just a matter of duty, and we happened to love one another because we have been best friends for a long time."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVUVY29eRb
He nods tentatively, trying to make sense of it all. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6msfF6RBWs
"Do you like ice cream?"
"Gelato?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqYd7XCbKA
"Does that mean ice cream?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQT2sQCURYx
"Si!"
So Rizzo and I enjoy room service and "I love Lucy" and a few card games. After a while, the embarrassment is replaced with laughter. We dance and jump on the bed and sing to the songs on TV until the early morning sky is grey. Ed Sheeran's song "Thinking Out Loud" lights up the screen, and I scream.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kakln1J3u
"What is it?!" Rizzo's blue eyes are filled with alarmed confusion.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpaDWU5yVCc
"Rizzo, this is the BEST!"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPJBEuVECN
"A love song right now?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmnhrGm4zE
"Yes, well...still..."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhyxwrYSHY
He listens to the song a few seconds, then frowns. "Maddie, what is the difference between 'love' and 'in love'."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLw5jcuuQ3L
I stop my air guitar, plopping down on the bed beside him. "One is what you feel for that special someone just for you. The other is what you feel for family and friends. That's how I define it."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDGRDsfy80
His processes for a minute. "Madhuri, I'm in love with you."
"What?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvm2li4D4Rn
"I'm in love with you." He runs fingers through his messy curls. "Do you think you could be in love with me too?" He emphasizes the words like some foreign concept he cannot completely understand or comprehend just yet. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7eYArBjh0p
I think of everything that I have been denying about Rizzo and me for the last few months because of my betrothal. Suddenly, Jay's words resonate with me in a brand new way---he was right. Still hurtful and harsh, but right.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCuLfsNEkb
"Yes, Rizzo, yes I could." He puts his hand on top of mine, swallows, then the warmth of his lips brush my cheek just barely. "But what will happen when--"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOadz4zzPs
"I'm not worried about it," he murmurs, sweeping me into his arms. "You never got a proper dance."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRhvD3m94D
I shake my head. "We are moving too fast. I don't want to rebound. I don't want to hurt you---what about the future---"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pRgBGq6CG
"I'm here now, Maddie." He cocks his head to the side, a genuine smile alighting his face. "What about you?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ANXNwCXth
All my worrying thoughts whizz around and then dissipate as I stare into the cerulean depths of his eyes. "I'm here too."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKClsC4eye
And in that moment, in the scariest and most embarrassing moment of my life---his lips pressed warmly against mine----I fell in love with the very bold but gracious Gianrico Balistreri. And I would forever remain so.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxFUf4FWWN
Hi, this is one of the chapters from my story here on penana: Rajakumari!
This book is dedicated to Autism Awareness Month and some very AMAZING individuals that have taught me so much ;)
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