Crumpled

Chapter 22: The Quarter Finals

 “…..coming back to New Jersey, there has been a slight increase in the temperature and according to the report provided by the Meteorology Department, the temperature is expected to increase further more in the coming days. Washington DC, however, seems….”   

 I opened my eyes groggily. All I could see was a blurry form of a man and something bluish behind him as my eyes started to open fully. When everything became clear, I realized that the TV was showing the daily weather news. A man, fully dressed in a formal suit was blabbering away on the climatic conditions across the country, raising and lowering his hands, occasionally, while the screen behind him would move in equal sychronization with his movements, showing the weather data of which place.

 I frowned in confusion; the last thing I did before falling asleep was actually entering my home around three’o clock in the afternoon like a tired zombie-after being subjected to three hours torture of Colin sir’s music class-and falling asleep on the sofa, my glasses slipping off the bridge of my nose due to the impact of my fall on it. Who had switched on the TV then?

 Dismissing the matter away from my mind, I glanced upwards at the clock and saw it was 6’o clock. Giving out a yawn and stretching out my hands, I was about to get up and search for Mom when a voice behind me, said, “Good evening. Or should I say guuuuurrrrd evening?”

 I gave a start and whipping around, I saw it was Uncle Ronald, listening to the weather news with the utmost concentration which was quite a model to behold. Slapping myself, mentally, for being such a scaredy-cat, I gave out a sigh of relief and said, a bit embarrassed, “Oh, hi Uncle Ronald. Sorry, I didn’t see you. I guess I was too much sleepy. Having you been waiting for me for a long time?”

 “Nah, don’t worry about that,” he said, turning his eyes to me and then to his watch, “It’s been only half an hour since I came here. Angelina told me she had to go and buy some groceries and asked me if I would mind sitting here till she comes and I said no. She told me a few days back that you were not keeping well so I thought of visiting you. Is anything wrong?”

 Even though I was glad to see Uncle Ronald after so many weeks and would be glad to talk with him again, I wished he hadn’t said the last two sentences for as soon as he said that, I felt some weight crushing down in my chest which is something I have been experiencing ever since I got news that two days from now, I would be giving my last performance for the Quarter finals which will decide whether I was eligible enough to get through the Semi’s.

 Exhaling deeply, I just slumped down back into the sofa, feeling tired and weary again, like as if I had lost all confidence and couldn’t practice or perform any more songs. Uncle Ronald looked quite concerned and taking my hand and messing up my hair, he asked, “Harris, what’s wrong?”

 I remained silent for a while and finally realizing again that I could rely always on Uncle Ronald, I gave a small shake of my head and replied-my voice a bit dry and cracked-, “It’s just that I have to give my last performance for the Quarters and my voice has not been good for quite some time now. I have been getting less marks and I don’t know if I will have the luck to make it through.”

“You are just pressurizing yourself.” Uncle simply remarked.

“No, I’m not.” I said, a bit annoyed for this was something I had been hearing from a lot of people for the past few days. “I’m not burdening myself. It’s just that I have to sing difficult songs now and sometimes, I find my voice breaking off and seeing Colin sir’s face and hearing him tell how happy he will be once I win and all this stuff….it’s just making me go crazy.”

“I will say again, you are just being pressurized. Peer-pressurized, to be precise.” Uncle Ronald said, sounding quite casual.

“Well, whatever it is, Uncle, I guess I might as well say goodbye to all this, once and for all.” I said, exasperated. “Honestly, I just can’t manage all this.”