The Green Room

The Piano

"Eyes on the ball, damn it!" screamed Ayush.

Rohan quickly looked away from the balcony, but too late, he missed the ball again. He had spent over an hour in front of a mirror, combing his hair again and again and yet again and it only seemed to worsen each time. And just when he was all set to head for the Auditorium, he was informed about a football match, Edward House, E.D., versus Leopold House, L.P. Cursing, he changed into his football-kit and went to the Field. He didn't want to miss the audition. The match started but he couldn't take his eyes off the balcony. The audition had begun and students were strolling on the balcony, two storeys above the Field, with scripts in their hands while some merely watched the match, blue and yellow waves chasing a white sphere. He had spotted Nisha, but she wasn't there.

The match went on. Clusters of students watched from the Stadium Steps, occasionally cheering for their house. It was a pity sight as compared to school matches when it was compulsory for every student to watch and participate in organized cheering. Students of Class XI led this cheering, punishing anyone who refused to shout and cheer at their command. The mountains echoed with their shouts and slogans and drums. But Rohan did not need spectators to cheer him. All he wanted was one person watching him from the balcony. No team scored in the first half. But with a sudden change of luck, L.P. scored within five minutes into the second half. The match intensified.

Five minutes were left. Chances of winning seemed bleak for E.D. In a fresh wave of attacks, Rohan received the ball and took it along the left line, making full use of his speed to outrun L.P's defense and passed it to the right wing, which had come inside the penalty area. L.P's backs had come running and tried to deflect the ball in mid-air. But the pass was perfectly maneuvered. The right wing kicked the ball inside. A back projected himself in between, and the ball hit his hand.

There was a great deal of hooting from the spectators as the referee blew a whistle. A penalty! More students and even Junior School teachers, who taught Class III to Class V students, were watching the crucial moments of the match. Rohan knelt on the field as the right wing, Gurpreet Singh, who was also E.D. football captain, tapped his boots on the ground. The goal-keeper hopped at the center of the goal. Ayush, who played as the center back, was sitting in the middle of the field. Rohan's eyes fell on the balcony again. A mist was falling over the Field, making it difficult to make out the faces. The goal-keeper came forward and took his position. Rohan would have been more at ease had not the L.P. goal-keeper been awarded the best goal-keeper in the football tournament the previous year. Rohan looked up again. Manav had joined Nisha. But there was no sign of her. He scanned the other students standing along the balcony railing. No one was interested in their scripts now; all eyes were glued to the Field.

There was a yelp as the goal-keeper dived. The football changed its trajectory and spun out of his reach. Singh let out a roar and jumped into the air. He had scored. The team patted him and ran back to take positions. Minutes later, a whistle indicated the end of the match. It was a draw.

Rohan quickly went to the Auditorium hoping to catch up with the leftover part of the audition. He opened the door and stepped onto the aisle. There was no one in the hall. Rows and rows of green chairs spread out on either side. The walls were covered with brown boards displaying the names of past Head-Boys and Head-Girls and recipients of various awards. An old piano sat in a corner in front of the stage. He had missed it. But just as he was about to leave, he heard some voices in the Green Room, which was a suite of three small rooms beneath the stage. The first room was the waiting room with a changing room to its left and a make-up room to its right. Adjacent to the make-up room was a small toilet and a door that opened at the top of a spiral staircase which ran down to an alley at the edge of a forest, connecting the Basketball Court and the Field.