By Anisha Anil Chadha
Standing there in the solitary room, she was scared, she heard her heart beat. It was her first chance.’ It might be my last ’, she thought. Sweat dropped from her forehead while she stood in front of the mirror of the cold room. Applying her cherry red lipstick, she noticed her hand shivering. Never had a task so simple, felt so tedious. She heard footsteps approaching her door, they halted, and she panicked. As the door opened, a man of 30-something stepped inside, premature balding quite evident on his head. She stood still, staring at him; he seemed like a busy man, much in hurry as he spoke fast in what sounded like gibberish to her. Seeing her blank reaction, he assumed she did not understand him, with irritation on his face, he decreased his pace.’5 more minutes and then you are up’, he said, as her speech would not support her, she managed to force a nod, and in what felt like a blink, he was gone.
She turned to the mirror for one last look, she had to admit, what she saw was quite pleasing. But wondered if that would be enough, she knew the answer was not in her favor. Her throat felt dry, the weird itch inside was quite disturbing. So she picked up the glass of water carefully, making sure she did not drop it from her trembling hands and took a sip of heaven. Placing her glass back on the table, she turned to look at the old, dusty clock. It was three minutes to eight, and she knew, she could not wait any longer.
She walked out of the room and towards her final destination, but just before she could reach it; she was stopped by a familiar face, it was the man who came to her room a while back. ’Not yet, 2 more minutes to go’, he said, and suddenly she felt her body go numb, it was like she was in a state of comatose, she could see her destination in front of her, she could hear the commotion behind her, she could feel the nervousness in her heart but she stood there, still like a statue. She was trying to bombard herself with positive thoughts but all she could think of was the negative. A thought crossed her mind, that she should quit, but even with the fear filling up her heart, she knew one thing for sure, whether it goes good or bad, she would perform tonight. She had waited for this moment since she was a 6 year old girl, since she saw her mother up there, looking like a dream.
Tonight, after 18 years of work and devotion, she stood here and there was no going back. Her thoughts were interrupted, when the man told her it was time. She closed her eyes and saw her mother’s face, she heard her say,’ Good Luck my darling, you are going to shine tonight’, that was all she needed, her fear drained away the second she opened her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she stepped onto the stage. The room went quite, the spotlight fell on her perfectly and at that moment she knew, this was going to be the best performance of her life.
She walked out of the room and towards her final destination, but just before she could reach it; she was stopped by a familiar face, it was the man who came to her room a while back. ’Not yet, 2 more minutes to go’, he said, and suddenly she felt her body go numb, it was like she was in a state of comatose, she could see her destination in front of her, she could hear the commotion behind her, she could feel the nervousness in her heart but she stood there, still like a statue. She was trying to bombard herself with positive thoughts but all she could think of was the negative. A thought crossed her mind, that she should quit, but even with the fear filling up her heart, she knew one thing for sure, whether it goes good or bad, she would perform tonight. She had waited for this moment since she was a 6 year old girl, since she saw her mother up there, looking like a dream.
Tonight, after 18 years of work and devotion, she stood here and there was no going back. Her thoughts were interrupted, when the man told her it was time. She closed her eyes and saw her mother’s face, she heard her say,’ Good Luck my darling, you are going to shine tonight’, that was all she needed, her fear drained away the second she opened her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she stepped onto the stage. The room went quite, the spotlight fell on her perfectly and at that moment she knew, this was going to be the best performance of her life.