Those Bonafide Teens

27. Back To Show Mode

I asked Reyansh to train with the orchestra all afternoon and honestly, he was doing a great job. I was totally pleased. The final rehearsal had been scheduled for the end of that day.

After Reyansh's practice, I was waiting outside Lisa's classroom to meet her when Loukya ma'am came that way.

She hadn't spoken to me since she had taken away my badge and I thought I was dreaming when she came up to me and said, "Riya That was good work. Though I can't believe it was Varun. I always thought he was a decent student".

I looked at her in disbelief. Loukya mam had never so much as spoken normally to me. It was drama all the time.

"Me too" I muttered finally.

She then held out her hand. For a moment, I didn't understand. But then I saw she was actually holding out something in her hand - my Fine Arts Secretary badge!

I gleefully took it from her, "Thank you ma'am. Honestly, I can't believe just - - thank you."

Loukya ma'am stared at me for a moment. She almost smiled.

"You're not really a bad girl Riya" she said finally, in a light tone. Her eyes met mine for a moment and then she quickly turned away.

OMG! I couldn't believe she just said that! Loukya Khanna who'd hated me since day one had just told me that I was not a bad girl. And coming from her that was equivalent to "I love you".

But suddenly I started to feel slightly guilty. I really had judged her. I judged everybody. It was in my blood. I'd never obeyed anybody either.

And that justified her loathing.

A bit.

Hey! I couldn't believe I was thinking all of this!

"We'll meet tomorrow Riya. Go and meet Miss Millican now" Loukya ma'am said suddenly. I had almost forgotten she was there. I nodded and excitedly pinned back my badge to my shirt. Just then Lisa came out of her classroom.

"I am sorry, I still have some work to do. The final rehearsal starts at three only. Why don't you take your bag and go to the hall straight away? Zoya has already gone there."

"Okay..fine", I turned to go.

"Who are you going with to the show, by the way?" Lisa asked.

"What? Oh no I'll be going solo. What about you? Oh yeah. Omkara of course".

Lisa looked at me like I was mad. "Why aren't you taking anyone?"

"I'll have too much to do anyway. I won't be able entertain anybody", I said.

"But almost everyone's taking someone! And you're the Fine Arts Secretary. You don't want to look like a fool, surely?" she said

"Well! I am sure the good ones are all already taken, we're a day away from the show! And I surely don't want to go with some troll" I said dully.

Lisa laughed. "You never know, who's taken and who's not. There might be somebody. It's an advice from your senior. I'll see you in the hall next period."

I looked at her blankly. But she laughed again and went back into her class. My mind was racing. Suddenly I started to panic. What if Lisa was right and I ended up looking like a clown?

I mean, I was the Fine Arts Secretary! I couldn't imagine how I hadn't thought of it! I walked back to my class dully. I saw Abeer coming towards me carrying his bag. He waved at me.

"I didn't hear the bell. Where are you going?" I asked confused.

"Oh there's no teacher in the class. So why should we sit there and waste the time. I thought I'd go to the hall", he said.

"Wait a minute, I am coming there too" I said quickly.

"Okay I'll see you there", he said and started walking again.

Then suddenly it struck me.. now was the time for drastic actions!

"Abeer" I called out to him.

He turned around.

"Uh. Can we together to the aftershow dance tomorrow? I mean just as friends. That is, if you're not going with anybody else." I added and then felt extremely stupid.

"Oh yeah. Of course..I'd love to", he said and beamed.

"Right! I'll meet you down then" I said brightly and hurried into my class to get my bag.

"And someone told me they'd be going solo!" Lisa gawked at me, ten minutes later. I'd just told her I was going with Abeer. We were in the school hall for the final rehearsal. Zoya was already backstage waiting for her performance.

"Fineee. You opened my eyes in the last moment. Happy?" I asked Lisa. She smirked.

The rehersal went perfectly. Zoya performed like a pro. Reyansh played the guitar, like he'd been doing it forever. I couldn't believe he picked it up just one day.

Mishti, however hadn't turned up at the rehearsal. We'd already spoken to her, that morning but we hadn't made it up to her properly. Yet.

Meanwhile, I couldn't wait to see the actual show, the next day. The only thing I had to do now was to go to the mall that evening and get a good dress. I had a partner now as well. So everything was going as I had planned. Once we made up to Mishti, the whole thing would be perfect. And how difficult would it be finding a good dress? Right?

Wrong!

A/N : Hey guys! We're edging closer to the end now :) Thank you so much for keeping up!

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