Episode In The Life Of A Girl: Xinmo D-Day

D-DAY

All the classes after lunch for the senior batch were called off due to the play. The team was already getting ready after the recess two hours ago and now the audience was coming in. Xinmo could hear the hustles from the huge room and she was getting fidgety. In a few minutes, the curtain would rise so everyone in the team got together for a courage cheer and dispersed to their positions.

The curtain lifted, and Xinmo (our Ardele) and the Author were in nightgowns banging on the table and arguing about a love letter.

Xinmo took a glance towards the audience and it was intimidating, FREAKING INTIMIDATING!!! Xinmo almost forgot her lines.“Chill bro Chill” chanting to herself Xinmo put up a smile and continued her dialogue “I hope not” which was supposed to be said loftily and she had nailed the line.

Proud, Xinmo and her mate did their best. Another actor entered and Xinmo had to exit for her costume change. “What!?” thought Xinmo looking at the guy and her friend back and forth. There wasn’t enough time to change in the dressing room so she and her friend had decided to change backstage thinking no one would be there. Just great! A boy was there. He was to drop the frame for Xinmo a few scenes later.

As if like a fool even after knowing Xinmo was to change, he wasn’t budging. Staring and embarrassed Xinmo said. “Hey, I need to change can you go over there for 5 minutes?” Changing swiftly and putting on her shower cap she got ready for the next scene.

Stamping on her feet, Xinmo goes in the study room where the Author was with a journalist, Madame Bessarabo. “So that’s how it is. You’re starting that?” says Xinmo to the male lead. And “ohhhh” goes the audience. Her bathrobe was a bit above knees and it was ok at home and the rehearsal but that day with the 300 audience and so many boys; Xinmo was drowning in shame.

Luckily, with the bathrobe, she had just two lines and hurriedly she went backstage to change. The guy from before is now gone since his job of dropping the frame was done and now he could just leave. “Taklia,” thought Xinmo; it was a dialogue from one of the Indian daily soaps.

Now she could change freely and before her third appearance on the stage, she could take a bit of breath. In a dress and an outrageous hat paired with red high heels Xinmo enters and starts arguing. The play was definitely farce, a sub-genre of the ‘Theatre of the Absurd’ and totally Ardele was unbelievably exaggerated. She starts a fight with her husband over her cat and him feeding it sardines. Everything was totally humorous and both the actors and the audience were enjoying the play.

Ending the play by introducing everyone in the team, they bid their gratitude to all who came to watch the performance. Everyone left and their teacher came to congratulate them for the great performance and decorations they have put up. After the teacher left, everyone was so excited they were hugging and congratulating each other. So did Xinmo, she was almost to tears such happiness was very rare and doesn’t come by every day. She hand-shaked the whole team one by one and saw a guy at the corner of the stage. He was a part of the backstage team so she walked towards him. Oh My God! Xinmo almost fell forwards against the guy; red like an apple Xinmo looked up at the guy, congratulating him she walked away.

To commemorate the end of the week-long preparation the entire team of Science A took pictures.

Totally satisfied with her acting Xinmo changed into her school uniform and went to the last period of the day. The team had planned to have a wrap-up party after the exams in the coming week so they didn’t want any distractions. Taking her bag and waving her friends Bye, she left singing ‘Impossible’.

Giddily singing “I remember years ago somebody told me I should take caution when it comes to love I did,”

she thought of the guy who was smiling at her blushing cheeks backstage and now the embarrassment made her walk as if she was going to run any moment. Changing to “Stand by Me by Shinee” she calmed down and went home ever so happy.