At Beyond the Box, we are constantly thinking of ideas to give something unique, refreshing as well as challenging to our community of writers. Two to Tango was one such endeavour to encourage the participants to work along with another writer as a team and bring about a creative synergy. 66 teams participated in this one-of-its-kind contest and the winners were chosen by an eclectic jury panel comprising of prolific authors Ramendra Kumar, Shilpa Suraj and Apeksha Rao. Below prompt was given to the writers and they were asked to narrate the same story from two different points of view.
Prompt – Write a fictional story in which a character’s life undergoes some kind of major change due to a lost mobile. Feel free to creatively interpret this concept in any genre of your choice.
The runners-up in the kids’ category were Kalandika Bhati and Kashvi P (Team 64). Enjoy their story!
Story Title: THE CHANCE RECONCILIATION
Point of View #1 – Betty’s POV
By Kashvi P
“Urgh, I can’t believe this rule is even a thing in this generation; can’t adults be cooler?” I thought as I had to keep my phone away in the tray to ‘improve the levels of concentration in the class’ – I wonder who even concentrates anymore. As I took my seat on the farthest bench, I looked at the clock, that’s when it struck me- “Oh my god! Each minute has SIXTY seconds.” I could hear Mrs. Pensely speak, but I couldn’t exactly catch what she said. Probably because I was more focused on the clock’s angle getting close to an acute? More accurately, because I thought that was more important than why algorithms are crucial for computers. As the clock’s hand completed 90 revolutions, the bell finally rang! “Damn! I proved to myself that I’m a big phone addict,” I thought as I walked to grab my phone as quickly as possible and get out of that room, that hallway, and that school. I quickly got seated, turned on the radio and drove away listening to my favorite song ‘Hymn for the weekend’ by Coldplay.
My phone wouldn’t stop buzzing, and the notifications did not sound like my usual audio. Goddamn, what had happened?! I didn’t bother to look at it and a second later, the phone rang. Hold up, THAT WAS NOT MY RINGTONE AND I KNEW WHOSE IT WAS. ‘You spin my head right round, right round- when you go down.’ THAT WAS BRET MATTHEW’S PHONE! I hated Bret- he was my best friend until high school started. He wasn’t the Bret I knew; the warm, kind, and the one who loved me as a friend; that Bret didn’t exist anymore. All these thoughts ran out of my mind as I turned into our street, and anger gushed in. I calmly parked my car, stomped to ‘The Matthews’, and knocked the life out of that damn door screaming, “BRET OPEN UP!”. As I waited for a second, I saw those familiar hazelnut eyes stare into me, “What do you want Betty?”
Point of View #2 – POV of Bret’s phone
By Kalandika Bhati
You know how many people say that they don’t like school? Well, even I hate school. I don’t hate school because of the homework or the studies, I hate school because every time Bret has his class, I have to sit in a box near the teacher’s desk. Like today, I listened to Mrs. Pensely talk about the final exams, how they will determine what college the students get into, and later on about some boring algorithms.
Finally, after what felt like a thousand years, the bell rang. Bret grabbed me and rushed to his car. Like every day, he turned on the radio and – wait Bret hated ‘Hymn for the weekend’, why was he singing this song? No that was not him, it was a girl – OMG BETTY THOMSON! Bret’s ex-best friend and current crush. I couldn’t believe this. Bret and Betty used to be so close until high school. Bret joined the football team and made new friends who didn’t like Betty. Bret’s mom and Betty’s mom were best friends till date and I quote ‘thought Betty and Bret were meant to be’. They had been wanting Bret and Betty to get married since they were 5 years old! Crazy no? Suddenly, I started vibrating. Bret’s friends were inviting him to a party that weekend. I started shaking again, this time Bret’s mom was calling. After a few seconds, I was yanked out of the phone holder. She shoved me into her hoodie pockets and started stomping up the familiar pathway.
She banged vigorously on the door and yelled “BRET OPEN UP”. My beloved owner and best friend opened the door and in disgust said, “What do you want Betty?”