On the night of the prom, Jayanand picks me up in his sports' car. His blue shirt and tux match my dress, and we pose for pictures that Emaye takes through dreamy tears. We spent all day getting ready to go with Ms. Brenda, Emaye, Julie, and Vanessa for our hair. Finally, Nandita and Roman pose for their pictures with their gold shimmering in the light, then Roman escorts her to their limo.
The prom is LIVE! I am glad for my form-fitting fairy-tale 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.
"So what do you think?"Nandita interlocks our elbows.
"I think it is wonderful!"
"Well, thank you and thank you!" Paige spins in her pink and purple ball gown.
"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?"
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 give them the dance floor and fix ourselves punch as the chaperones stand by.
"Hey, Maddie!" Rizzo calls from behind his camera. Even though he is dateless, he is totally content. "Jay!"
"Hey, Rizzo, enjoying yourself?"
He nods ecstatically from behind his camera, snapping pictures of the dance circle before Paige's pink heels clack onto the stage.
"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 from 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!!!"
"See you up there." He kisses my cheek before jogging to the stage.
Nandita places both hands on my shoulders with a squeal.
"And your QUEEN----Ms. Fashion Professional, voted best smile, head of the school newspaper, full-ride already to the renowned Stanford University----Erica Boyd!!!!"
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.
I shoo her to the dance floor as she kisses my cheek. "You deserved that a hundred times more than she."
I laugh. "Thanks, sissy."
Finally, Jayanand and Erica break apart, and he offers me his hand.
"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.
"Sorry you didn't win, Maddie." Saunders is solemn for probably one of the first seconds in her life.
"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.
"Sure," Collin's deep, quiet voice booms.
"We're down." Roman interlaces his fingers with Nandita's.
"Yeah, sounds good." I look around for Jayanand.
"I'm gonna invite Rizzo."
"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.
"They've been glued since they arrived," one of the waiters snickers.
Paige storms into the dining hall. "Hey, you hoe!"
"Not cool, man, not cool!" Roman exclaims.
Everyone else is speechless. As I stare at Jayanand, he jumps up from the table, knocking over a glass. Erica shrieks.
"Baby!" He races over to me.
"How COULD you?!"
"I----I----"
"We are betrothed!"
"I KNOW!" He sighs. "We've been betrothed practically since we were born, Madhuri, because our fathers were best friends since college. 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.
"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.
"My dear, you can have our special party room all to yourself if you want. It has a TV and beautiful couches, a lovely view of the city, and all the ice cream you want. It is usually used for meet-and-greets during the day." It is the waiter from earlier. He signals to a maid. "Give her room service for the night, if she wishes."
She nods. "You deserve it."
"Maddie!"
"I want to be alone, Andi. I will be home soon. Just enjoy yourself, okay?"
I swallow the rest of the tears as the maid leads me to the small party room next door. 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.
"Everything to your liking, Ma'am?"
"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."
"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.
"Loves her more, I guess."
He runs his fingers through his slicked back chocolate brown curls. "But didn't he love you too?"
"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."
He nods tentatively, trying to make sense of it all.
"Do you like ice cream?"
"Gelato?"
"Does that mean ice cream?"
"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 couches 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.
"What is it?!" Rizzo's blue eyes are filled with alarmed confusion.
"Rizzo, this is the BEST!"
"A love song right now?"
"Yes, well...still..."
He listens to the song a few seconds, then frowns. "Maddie, what is the difference between 'love' and 'in love'."
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."
His processes for a minute. "Madhuri, I'm in love with you."
"What?"
"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.
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.
"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--"
"I'm not worried about it," he murmurs, sweeping me into his arms. "You never got a proper dance."
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---"
"I'm here now, Maddie." He cocks his head to the side, a genuine smile alighting his face. "What about you?"
All my worrying thoughts whizz around and then dissipate as I stare into the cerulean depths of his eyes. "I'm here too."
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.
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