My Perfect Prom Night

It was 2005. We had been together for about 8 Months. Prom Night was coming up and dad absolutely refused to let me go. So i would gloomily follow my friends around as they tried on new clothes after clothes, listened sulkily when they discussed where they would meet up.

And then the night before, dad suddenly unbent. I could attend prom, but I had to come back at 8. This was such a huge concession for him. Of course, I had no new clothes to wear, but what the heck, I was going out at night!!

There was some function during the day. I skipped that and we met up at a friend's place. Listened to music, laughed at corny jokes, chatted up a storm. We were pretty broke, both being students then, but we managed to cough up enough to eat out at a fancy place. We laughed as we scanned the menu for something that wouldn't strain our budget too much.

Prom was supposed to start at 6.30 pm. We went there around 7, but nothing had been set up. I started to feel pretty tense as there was no way I would violate dad's curfew. I really wanted to attend this prom because it was my final year in college, and also because it was an open air activity with live music- my ultimate dream date.

They finally finished setting up everything by 7. 30-ish. But it was now time for me to leave. I wanted to cry. The music had started up. There were my friends, looking so good in their new clothes and without any worries about curfews. It had started to drizzle too, and i felt like a limp rag.

He knew i was sad, knew how much I wanted to be there. And he started telling me corny jokes to cheer me up. He also suggested we walk home via our special route. So we walked slowly home. It had started to rain heavily, and much as I love the rain, that night it seemed as if even Mother Nature was against me.

Then we reached the hill where we always sat. From there I could hear the sounds of music coming from our college. I wanted to cry. I felt as if my youth was gone. I hated my dad and his over protective attitude. Yes, I was a drama queen. But this was a manifestation of my dream date. An open air concert with someone special by my side, and us dancing in the rain. And here I was, having to walk away from all that.

I thought we would just go straight home. But he stopped me, and looked carefully at my face. Then he gave me that warm hug, and softly crooned a song for me. He is a man of few words. And for someone like me weaned on poetry and ballads, this often caused problems between us. But that night he proved that gestures are more effective than words.

I have always tried to portray myself as a happy-go-lucky, don't-need-no- man, commitment phobic lass. But that night my defenses were swept away.

There we were, a young boy and girl, holding each other in the rain, listening to music that was meant only for us. And he pretended not to notice as I pretended not to cry. And that night I truly fell in love for the first time.

Sometimes, we have this idea in our heads of what perfection looks like. But life plays its mischievous tricks on us and shows us that perfection exists when we find ourselves at the end of our tethers, and someone extends a hand to us and sings us a song.