Road Not Taken ✔

Chapter 15

I woke up with a broad smile on my face. These days I wake up all cheery and happy .I guess I am having time of my life with my friends in school and coaching which is giving me inner peace and happiness .I love this trouble free life. I wish my life remains hassle free forever . After looking out of my room's window for while, I head towards bathroom for a shower . Then I go downstairs for breakfast , I see pancakes on the dining table . I jump in happiness because I love pancakes . I thank Reena didi for making delicious pancakes . After eating pancakes I head to my room . I dry my hair then tie it into a ponytail. After having a glance over the mirror , I pick up my scooty keys and school bag . Then I say bye to Reena didi and zoom off to school .

I park my scooty , then I go to my classroom to keep my school bag . I see Taniya and Cherry sitting in the middle row. I go near Taniya and Cherry and say them Hello and slid my bag in the table desk next to them. Then the school bell rings indicating time for school assembly. So, I Cherry and Taniya head to school auditorium where school assembly is held daily . We walk to the ground floor where the school auditorium for senior wing is located. We have three auditoriums in school where school assembly takes place respectively. One auditorium is located in the junior wing for Junior most classes which includes children upto Upper kindergarten class. Then there is a second auditorium located in primary wing building of school for Primary wing students containing students from class I to class V . Then there is the third auditorium located in the senior wing for the senior wing students and middle wing students where students from class sixth upto class twelfth assemble. This senior wing auditorium is the biggest auditorium of the 3 auditoriums because it has to assemble together  larger number of students in comparison to other two auditoriums .

I love the senior wing auditorium because it is magnificent , it feels like we have stepped inside a historical place with large benches set up on stairs , a dim light over these benches , large glass windows and a well lit centre stage with red curtains in the background .

As we stepped inside the auditorium a teacher asked us to sit quietly on a vacant bench . We did as we were instructed by that teacher and we sat on a bench in the third row which was vacant . After 5 minutes there was pin drop silence in the auditorium as our principal Suzzy Smith came on the podium kept on the centre stage . She wished everyone then the school assembly started . After that the assembly ended with National anthem and our Principal left the stage to go to her office. Before the students could disperse from auditorium in proper lines, our senior wing Co Ordinator Lovena Carlin stopped everyone for an announcement. So, everyone stood quietly in the auditorium for the announcement .

After a few seconds she announced that our school is going to organise some interschool competitions ahead of Independence day. It will include dance , acting ,singing , painting , debate, several quizzes, etc and interested students can give their names  to their respective class teachers . Everyone started whispering as all got excited for the upcoming competitions. But what took everyone by surprise was the next announcement made by Miss Carlin . She informed everyone that this year for the first time our school will ne hosting the national level basketball competition in which several teams representing different states will participate and the teams will stay in our school spare hostel building to compete against each other in basketball tournament  for about a month. She also told us that girls of senior secondary classes could go and see the matches as audience .

There were hush whispers after the announcement of hosting Basketball tournament and I could see many girls mainly of senior secondary of class eleventh and class twelfth giggling excitedly . I guess the girls are getting excited to see boys in the school vicinity which has never happened in  history of Scottish High Girls School  ever .

After we got back to the class I saw that everyone in the class were discussing about the upcoming competitions and the basketball tournament . Even during the recces time Competitions and Basketball tournament was the hot topic of the day among the girls specially the senior secondary girls .

Taniya and Cherry decided to take part in one of the upcoming competitions while I felt incurious about participating in any competition because I want to put my whole concentration on studies because clearing Medical Entrances is my soul agenda for now and I don't want to divert my attention by extra circular activities .

Taniya said she would take part in debate competition and Cherry decided to take part in the acting competition . I simply smiled to them as I felt out of the conversation . Both of them somehow noticed that I was feeling a bit left out. So, Taniya tried to start up a conversation with me. Taniya looked at me and asked politely " Why are you not participating?" I simply stated the same dialogue " This is crucial time , I need to pay full attention to studies so that I could crack Neet and other medical entrance    exams "  . Taniya remained quiet while Cherry laughed .

Both me and Taniya looked at Cherry with confusion . Cherry looked at me and said " That means we both won't be able to crack Neet and other exams". I looked baffled at Cherry's statement as I could not understand it. Cherry sensed my confusion and explained what she meant . She said to me" According to your belief participating in any extra circular might hinder oneself in studies and competitive exams . So, that means if I and Taniya participate in the competitions we might lag behind in studies leading to ultimate failure in any competitive exam which we will give after 2 years ."

I instantly replied to Cherry " No success in an exam is solely based on the sheer hard work and patience" I said these words hastily thinking that I gave Cherry a wise advise . But then I noticed a smirk on Cherry's and a smug smile on Taniya's face . Then it dawned upon me that Cherry trapped me in her words and now both my friends got to know that I was making a lame excuse for my     non- participation . Argh...how silly I am , I thought to myself.

Then both  my buddies encouraged me to participate by stating the fact that it will be our last year in school to have some fun  because next year we would be caught up by board exams, competitive exam final preparations and my friends reminded me that students of our school who are appearing for board exams are forbidden to participate in extra circulars for the sake of board exams , studies and school's reputation regarding the boards exam results .

They had there point right that there was no harm in participating as this is the last year to enjoy ourselves . Then after thinking for a while I declared to participate in the dance competition but I was bit hesitant to perform again after 3 years .

Well 3 years ago I participated in a dance competition in school , I even won the first prize in it . I went home and showed my trophy to my parents . My mom was pleased by my achievement but Dad was quite furious he even broke the trophy . My Dad thought that dance and other circulars were a wastage of time for me as he had planned to make me  a doctor. When my Dad broke the trophy I felt like my heart shattered just like the trophy , I was terrified so I kept quite as tears escaped from my eyes .From that day I became a nerd whose world revolved around books .

I told Cherry and Taniya about this unpleasant experience I had with my father after I participated in a dance competition 3 years ago. I could see my friends felt bad for me but they didn't pity me instead they made a plan that I could rehearse secretly at either of their homes without letting my parents know about my participation .

We decided that I could come over to Taniya or Cherry's house after my tuitions for practicing dance but I would tell my parents that I was doing some school project with Cherry and Taniya at home .

My dad is returning from UK a day after tomorrow so I need to be extra careful around him so, that he gets no suspicion about my dance competition .It is just two weeks for my dance competition so I need to pull up my socks, I thought to myself with smile on my face .

********CHAPTER ENDS***********