The sky outside the auditorium was unusually calm. A cool breeze passed by. The night was getting cooler.
As he stood on the balcony, the annual debate competition in English went on inside the auditorium, on the stage lit with two large lights that hung from the soaring roof above. Though his friends, the senior students of the school, continued chatting around him, his thoughts wandered.
He thought about the consequences of his proposed meeting with the Principal the next day in his office. When he stared into the dark night, he said to himself – everything is going to change tomorrow. The future suddenly seemed bleak.
Eight sub-junior students, two each from one House, sat on the stage, four chairs on both sides. The moderator of the competition, Mahesh occupied a centre chair from where he could see the whole audience. The last participant, from Veluthampi Sub-Junior House, had just concluded his speech, which was an average performance, and drew lesser applause from the listeners.
It was a hectic evening. Mahesh thought as he announced the conclusion of the contest. The three judges passed their scores to the teacher who finalized the results. As always, Mr VKM, known by his initials, was the chosen teacher for this job. The debate competitions began with the Senior Category, followed by the Juniors and then the Sub-Juniors. All the results were declared at the end. The contest between the Houses for the famed Cock-House trophy was a bit intense this year. Each result mattered.
The students let out an anxious applause as the teacher stepped on to the stage.
Outside, on the balcony, he could feel the silence that swiftly swept across the auditorium. He knew that the results were about to be announced. But his mind was filled with lot of other thoughts. For once, he did not care the results.
On the dais, the English Teacher opened the piece of paper and kept it on the space before him. He always liked this silence. He also liked the dramatic presentation of the results before his students. He glanced into the results for the Senior level contest and could not hide a smile.
The boy has done it. The teacher knew he would do it.
“The first place for the debate, seniors, goes to ... “in his typical style, he announced the name of the student. A huge roar went up. The auditorium erupted with an applause the school had not witnessed so far.
It was customary for the winners of the contests to walk up to the stage, as if an award ceremony was going on. The applause continued, and still no one came over to the stage. Students turned their heads to all directions. The teacher once again announced the name which could not be heard clearly over the thundering noise inside the auditorium.
He turned his head, when his friend, Shyam rushed from inside the hall and pulled him by his hand.
“You are being called to the dais”, he said beaming.
“Why me?” he could not understand.
“Mate, you have done it, you are first in this competition.”
He was pushed into the huge hall. As he walked though the narrow space between the seats, he could not believe his ears. Me?
The applause began again. So many hands touched him in appreciation as he walked by.
It seemed ages before he reached the steps, climbed on to the stage and stood firmly. His house mates roared from the back rows.
Once he was settled, his eyes met with the person sitting in the front row of the audience. Colonel Shah. He could not see any trace of appreciation on the colonel’s face. He quickly turned his eyes.
As he stood there, the reality started to sink into his mind.
“I have achieved what I had never dreamt of.”
And it all started six years back.
