Love Circum-fended

𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐎𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟

At the backstage, between a bunch of black and differently colored wires connected to a guitar and a keyboard, a girl was sitting on a huge non-functioning speaker box. 

She kept looking at the ring on her right hand's index finger. She heard a few diffused sounds from the other side of the stage.Participant: Aadhira, mine is over. Two more participants and then it will be you.

Aadhira closes her eyes keeping the ring close to her heart and mutters something seriously.

Participant: Over? Now, come fast.

Aadhira (anxiously): What were their comments for you?

Participant: Nothing much this time, just the usual stuff..

Aadhira: Oh...

As they entered the other side of the stage, the heavy lights struck Aadhira's eyes making her close her eyes. The light was moved to a different direction then. Aadhira opened her eyes to see the vastness of the audition hall.

Down stage were a few people, having their tea and examining their notepads. Seeing them her heart beat increased. She was given a mic by one of the assistants there. She was asked to go forward and stand at the center of the stage. Suddenly something strikes her mind. She runs back silently without anyone noticing her.

Aadhira: Hey.. hey! Janu... Janaki! Hey Hegde (kannada name) !

Janaki: What? Why did you come here?

Aadhira: How does the second charanam start? I forgot the lines..

Janaki: Ayyo, even I forgot... uh what was it..?!

Aadhira: Argh ! I'm not getting it !

Janaki: Ah ! No wait...

Aadhira closes her face with her hands because of the nervous excitement.

Janaki: Ah yes ! It goes like, 'Ariyaadhu oru vayadhil vidhithadhu..oh oh'

Aadhira (smiles humming): Oh oh.. Yaass ! Thank you !

The assistant waves and signals at Janaki to send Aadhira.

Janaki: They're calling you.

Aadhira: Okay, okay bye !

Janaki: Bye ! All the best !

Aadhira stands at the centre of the stage and holds the mic with her right hand and left hand on top of it holding on to the ring. She hears the words said by her brother, 'Whatever you do, wherever you are, we will always be with you. This ring is for you, this ring is us. Make the best use of this stage, cause you have always longed for this'.

She closes her eyes and starts singing. She felt nothing but the music and the vibrations her voice gave her. She feels the heaviness of fear fade away and her mind setting her foot on a soft cloud, floating in the air. When the music ends, she opens her eyes to one of the judges smiling at her and the others noting down her marks.

She is told that she is selected for the next round. She leaves to the backstage with a calm smile.

Aadhira: Finally, this is over for the week !

Janaki: Yeah, two more rounds and then we will become contestants.

Aadhira: So confident about it huh?

Janaki: Yeah, why not? Even if not me, you will definitely become one.

Aadhira: I don't think so. I'm surviving here, only because of this ring. This is my only factor of belief.

Janaki: Ay, this is too much. You are competing in the seniors batch, don't forget that.

Aadhira: You believe it or not, it is.

Janaki: Whatever, my dad has come so I'm leaving.

Aadhira: Okay, bye.

Janaki: How will you be leaving?

Aadhira: Umm.. with my brother..

Janaki: Okay, bye.

Aadhira: Bye !

Aadhira takes her bag and starts walking towards the bus stand from the hall.

Someone from behind takes her bag from her.

Aadhira gets shocked and turns behind to get hold of her bag. She sees her best-friend.

Aadhira (irritated): Hey loosu! When will you ever stop doing this !

Aadhira's bestfriend: Until you stop getting scared (laughs)

Aadhira (sarcastically): Late people shouldn't be mocking at people.

Aadhira's bestfriend: I'm just 10 minutes late. Why did you leave the studio before me? 

Aadhira: I can't miss buses and be careless like you. You know how my mum is.. she is so particular about timings.. our father though left us before we...

Aadhira's bestfriend: Is it compulsory that you have to bring your father to every conversation?

Aadhira (feeling guilty): Hmm... sorry..

Aadhira's bestfriend: Leave him.. he must be at some corner of the world living his life.. why do you have to think about him..

Aadhira (smiles sadly): We don't matter at all, right...

Aadhira's bestfriend: Heyy.. shut up.. look the bus is here !

Aadhira and her best-friend run towards the halted bus. Both of them sit in the last seat of the first row.

In the front seat of the same row, a guy of 24 is seated, holding a book and a diary in his hand. He notes down the mannerisms of the people standing beside a tea shop reading their newspapers.

TO BE CONTINUED