Chapter 81: Chapter 81

" Michael, shall we go to the auditorium and see the ball for sometime ?", I asked tilting my head to Michael. We were lying on the bed beside each other after dancing to about 20 songs. The time had past 10 : 15 PM.

" Can we ?", he tilted his head to me. " I really want to s..see Gavin and Grace dancing. ",

" Yeah..we can go and watch. C'mon.", I said and already crawled out of the bed. Michael followed behind me.

Soon we were running down the plethora of steps, hand in hand. It was almost completely dark but we could see the lights from the far away auditoriums.

We headed in direction of the main auditorium of our school as Gavin had earlier texted me, they are there. Within five minutes we reached there and Michael withdrew his hands from me.

We walked inside and our eyes were greeted with the fascinating sight of boys and girls dancing, dressed in matching attractive clothes. There were almost 30 couples currently dancing. The rest of the couples were sitting on the chairs put on the sides of the auditorium. There were more than 50 pairs sitting. Behind them were standing a few girls and boys who just came to watch the ball. We also went and stood along with them.

" Where's Gavin and Grace ?", I asked looking around.

" There.", Michael pointed to the opposite side were a few couples were sitting. I followed the direction of his fingers and found them. Instantly my mouth dropped open.

Grace was dressed in a blue Cinderella frock with a lot of layers and nets and beautiful lace at the bottom. She literally looked like the Cinderella from Disney. Her hair was also done just like that. She looked stunning. I never thought Grace can look this beautiful.

Gavin was sitting beside her wearing a white Tuxedo with small blue flowers on the end of the sleeves. His tie was also blue, matching with Grace's frock. He looked dashing in that dress with his hair jelled backward.

" They look breath-taking ! Just woah..! ", I uttered.

" They look lovely together.", Michael smiled.

" Yeah..", I nodded tilting my head to him.

" Oh ! ", he gasped suddenly.

" What happened?", I followed his gaze and found he was looking at a couple that was dancing. Soon I realized it was none else than Andrea and Noah. " Oh..! ", I also gasped. " Why is he dancing with her ? Where's his girlfriend?"

" Did they b..break up ? Is he dating Andrea now ? ", Michael asked.

" Don't know.", I shook my head looking at them. They were dancing so happily, smiling at each other.

Good if they are dating. Cause I don't want anyone behind my baby.

" Ethan, there...Milan and his g..girlfriend.", Michael tapped on my shoulder and pointed at Milan and Dulce who were sitting a little away from Gavin and Grace. Dulce looked kinda uncomfortable in the atmosphere. Milan was talking something to her.

Suddenly the music stopped and the couples stopped dancing. Soon a girl's voice was heard through the speakers. " Hello beautiful couples.."

We turned our attention towards the stage and again I was surprised. Cause the girl who was doing the anchoring was none else than Rose, Noah's girlfriend or more aptly ex-girlfriend. It's now sure he broke up with her. He is dancing with Andrea right in front of her eyes.

" We are entering into the last dance section of our ball. Thanks to the senior group two who presented awesome dance moves the last half an hour. Now you guys please take your seats. The third group may again take the dance floor.", Rose announced through her mike, cheerfully. I and Michael looked at each other in awe. Cause we were surprised she is so happy after a break up. And she isn't a bit uncomfortable seeing her ex-boyfriend dancing with another girl.

" After this dance section, this year's ball is coming to an end. After that we will be announcing the winners of the ball. All the couples in the other auditoriums will be joining us here by 11 PM. And we are planning to wind up the program by 12 Am. Thank you." Daniel who was Rose's co-MC on the stage, said into his Mike and flashed a smile. Then he and Rose went out of the stage, hand in hand.

Soon the music started and Gavin and Grace stood up from their chairs along with the other pairs. They especially Grace looked much more beautiful as she stood up. We waved at them and Grace noticed us. She soon pointed us to Gavin and they both smiled at us, waving back cheerfully.

Gavin then stretched out his hands, smiling at Grace and she took it gracefully. We both gave them a thumb ups before they walked hand in hand to the center of the auditorium. Then they started slowly dancing to the music.

We stood and watched as the pairs danced in different ways to the same song. Gavin and Grace were dancing well without much effort. They were smiling at each other and were really enjoying each second. Milan and his girlfriend were just doing simple moves and swaying back and forth holding each others hands. However there were other couples who were stumbling and almost tripping over each other's feet while trying to do already rehearsed steps and at the end looking exhausted like they just want the thing to end.

" My legs hurts.", Michael whined after sometime. " Wanna sit..", he said tugging on my shirt sleeves. I looked around and found one empty chair on the other side.

" Come let's go there and sit.", I said. He nodded and we walked to there and quickly occupied the chair.

" You don't wanna s..sit ?", he asked looking up at me with big eyes.

" No..", I shook my head smiling. He frowned at me for a second. But then tilted his head back and fished his phone out from his pocket, starting to capture the video of Gavin and Grace. I stood behind his chair, looking at his soft fluffy hair and occasionally playing with it. I thought he would protest but he actually didn't. He was so much engulfed in taking the video and watching the pairs dance, especially Gavin and Grace. Whenever Gavin picked Grace up from the floor and twirled her around, he let out a soft giggle which was too much soothing to my ears.

" Ethan, s..sit for sometime.", he said after a few, placing his phone back in his pocket and proceeding to stand up.

But I quickly pushed him down and shook my head. " You sit. I don't wanna sit.", he turned his face back, leaving a sigh. Then after a minute, he again looked back at me.

" Wanna sit on my l..lap ?"

What ! What did he just say ? Did I hear it right ?

He bit down on his bottom lip, looking at my surprised face. Then he pointed to the left. Feeling confused, I followed the direction of his finger and found three boys sitting on a chair, one above the other. Oh I see...

"C'mon..stand up.", I told him smirking. He hesitantly stood up. He knew what I was about to do and his face looked like he already regret what he did.

But I sat down on the chair and pulled him to my lap, giving him no time to protest. Gavin and Grace stopped dancing for a moment and looked at us surprised. I could also feel a few other people's gaze on us.

" This was a b..bad idea.", Michael mumbled.

" No..it was a very good idea. Now we both are sitting comfortably.", I whispered in his ear.

" Everyone's looking.", He muttered.

" Let them look. Just don't mind them.", I said. He didn't say anything after that but I could feel his body tense with the stares we were receiving from people. Anyway we sat like that for the rest of the time until the dance section ended.

Soon couples from the other auditoriums joined us and we watched the space around us fill rapidly. I was suddenly so happy and relieved when I found Gabriel standing a few rows in front of us holding a guys hands, whom I soon recognized as Timothy Wilson, one of our junior football players. Gabriel was in a beautiful green frock, matching with her eye colour. She looked extremely pretty. She once turned her head and looked at me. I quickly waved and smiled at her but she turned back without smiling or waving back at me.

Okay, I'm not complaining she didn’t smile back. I know I kind of used her and threw away. But hope she starts dating Timothy. He is handsome and all.

I suddenly felt the warmth of Michael’s palm curl around my wrist, tightly and I tilted my face to see him staring at Gabriel and Timothy with scrunched eyebrows. I guess he didn't like me waving and smiling at Gabriel.

“ What baby ?”, I murmured swinging our hands a little.

“ Nothing.”, he shook his head with a pissed expression. I couldn't help but smile at him. Why is he so cute even when he is angry ?

The Award function soon began and the MC's started announcing the various prizes. I was hoping Gavin and Grace win some prize or Grace becomes the Ball Queen. Cause there was not a girl looking more attractive than her tonight, not even Gabriel. But King and Queen award is given mostly considering your dance than your looks. I'm sure If Michael danced, he would have become the Ball King. He is beauty plus dance.

Awards like Best dancing couples, Best dancers- Senior and Junior, Rhythmic couple, Cute Couple etc were announced and Gavin and Grace were in none of them. One of the awards ‘ The perfect couple' went to Noah and Andrea and it was announced by Rose. There wasn't any difference in her voice as she announced the award. She didn't sound particularly happy or sad. But the audience were all oohing and aahing during the time of the result.

Then it was time for the most beautiful couple award and I had a real gut feeling that it would be Gavin and Grace. And it was ! Daniel announced their names and Michael started jumping up and down beside me, clapping his hands and laughing out loud. I couldn't help but laugh and jump along with him feeling extremely happy. His laughter was of course the thing which made me more happier than the fact that my friends won the prize.

We were in the extreme back of the auditorium among the few audience and Gavin and Grace were in the front. So we couldn't see their reaction when their names were announced. But soon they went up the stage hand in hand and got their award. They looked so surprised and happy.

After that the much awaited Ball King and Ball Queen awards were announced. Rhett, one of Gavin's basketball friends was the Ball King. For some reason, I prayed Gabriel won’t become the ball Queen. And to my relief, she didn’t. Ball Queen was Catherine Miller, a junior girl who always win first prize in every dance competitions.

The Award function ended by 11 : 30 and the auditorium was given to mass dance. Gavin and Grace joined us in the back with their trophy and Michael immediately got it from Grace's hands and started inspecting it. Grace was laughing like crazy saying she never expected such an award.

“ It’s because of you Gracie. You look really beautiful today.”, Gavin said smiling at her.

She laughed in reply. “ Aww..thanks Gavy. But this is the most beautiful couple award. Not the award for the most beautiful girl.”

“ That's right. ”, Gavin laughed brushing his hair backward. “ But we got it mostly because of you.”

“ So you agree she is beautiful?”, I whispered in Gavin’s ear.

“ She looks like a freaking princess today.”, he whispered back.

“ Please already ask her out.”, I told him. He just gave a mischievous smile in reply. Don’t know what his plan is.

Michael was still admiring the trophy and grazing his fingers on it’s metal surface. I snatched it from his hands and started jumping with it squealing, causing him to whine and jump along with me to get it back from my hands. I didn’t let him get it and he at last stopped jumping and crossed his hands, pouting. Grace and Gavin were both laughing at us.

Finally I gave it back to him and he went back to looking at it and running his fingers over it. I don’t know what he found so much appealing about the trophy. It was just a gold painted statue of a dancing girl and a boy.

We then danced or rather jumped along with the crowd for about five minutes and clicked some photos and videos together. Then we decided to leave. Cause Gavin and Grace were tired and Michael too wanted to go back to dorm. I don't need to mention me in particular I guess. So the four of us walked back to our dorm '69' to get a peaceful sleep.