Little Big Problems

Chapter 6: Baited

"This is the first time I'm glad that baboon was there for you," Jenny says once I'm done narrating the last night's incident. We are at the lecture hall, waiting for Mrs. Campbell, our Electrical Machines professor. Jenny throws a quick glance at Adrien who is at the other side of room busy with his phone. "You should've come to our flat." She huffs.

I shrug. Jenny and Rachel offered me to stay the night with them so I didn't have to travel alone that late but I refused, partly because I didn't want to trouble them or the other two girls who live there, and another reason being I was craving my bed instead of someone else's couch.

"Next time if we're late I'm dragging you with me. I'm not taking your no just because you're shy," announces Jenny.

"And I'm letting you drag me. I'm still shaking thinking about last night," I say honestly. I'll rather spend a night on a couch than being followed by creeps.

"Good, because I think soon we'll be spending a lot of time outside." She points her cell phone's screen at me and I see the new notification on our university's website. It's about the cultural fest that our faculty organizes every year. The dates are set for next month. "So what are you going to participate in?" She asks once I finish reading.

"I'm definitely not going back to Speakers club," I reply, shuddering as I recall my last year's terrible experience. "I'll see what I do this time, or even if I want to do anything this time."

The annual cultural fest of Valden University is a great place to showcase your hidden or not-so-hidden talents in all spectrum of Arts, from dancing and singing to film-making or photography. Or that's what they say. The event lasts for about five days and students from many other colleges participate too. Celebrities and music bands also make special appearances. 

The atmosphere of the whole campus changes a month before the fest. Studies and assignments are set aside and everyone gets busy with their events or competitions. I must say I like this change in air during the preparations even more than the festival itself. The college seems to buzz with energy.

Though I have a pretty bad experience from last year. As an overzealous freshman I had joined the first club that handed me their pamphlet which happened to be Speakers club. They organize debates, extempore speeches, or anything related to public speaking. I thought that by working with them I'd get over my stage fear. Spoiler alert: I didn't. I ended up freezing at the fest's Oratory Speech Contest. And let's just say my stage fright only got worse. 

I quit the Speakers club the very next day after that embarrassing episode. Not to mention Adrien kept teasing me about it for a whole week, rubbing salt in my wound.

"You're still hung up on what happened last time," Jenny states, rolling her eyes. "Don't let that stop you. There were so many other participants who stuttered. I bet nobody even remembers about you."

"But I remember."

"It's not that big of a deal. You're making it too serious Harper."

"I guess I am," I agree with a sigh. "But I am not going back on the stage. This year I'll stick to volunteering behind the scenes. It's an important job too."

"Boring," she chimes.

"What about you? I'm sure you guys have already started with your script," I say to take the attention off me, and it works as Jenny animatedly starts talking about her drama club. Unlike me she's very good on stage and also a very talented actor.

"Michael and Clarissa are working on the script. We are planning to do a political satire. But before finalizing anything we have to first pass it through the committee and wait for their thumbs up..." she goes on explaining how much pain in the ass it is to kowtow to organizing committee and faculty who always want to avoid controversial topics. I agree with her as it hinders creativity and exploration of relevant problems. But I also see college's perspective that has a reputation to maintain.