Arpita could see the seats in the school auditorium slowly being filled. The pandemonium increased with the number of people. There were giggles, guffaws and loud talk, that could be heard distinctly.
“Do you have any idea about what the topic could be about?”
This startled her. She had realized that she had lapsed into blank thought, pretty comforting blank thought, that had relieved her from the stress of her English Elocution competition.
“Have you any idea about the topic?” Siya repeated her question.
“ Umm…..dunno!” she replied in the quickest way possible.
“What is in the news today?”
“I have not read the newspaper. I woke up a bit too late and had to get ready fast”
“Okay” said Siya.
Arpitha looked at her fellow contestants. Among the ambitious crowd, those known to her included her classmates, Bhagya and Gautham. They were more experienced and had won several times before in previous competitions
Arpita remembered her father, who convinced her to participate in the competition.
“ It is very important for an I.A.S aspirant to develop the art of public speaking”
“I know that, but… I shall participate later, Papa”
“Later participation, later success” her father concluded.
The competition began. The topic was given to the contestants.
“Dreams”
Okay, dreams, she thought. It gave her some more confidence. As the competition proceeded, she found out that she had enough time to prepare, she was the twenty fourth in line.
“Use quotes of famous people” she thought “And put something of my own as fillers”
But as each contestant before her completed their task, she felt a certain sort of grip tighten around her. Then she thought for herself
“My parents must have reached. I must perform well”
“Chest number twenty four”
Arpita felt the crispness of her well ironed uniform and set her neatly braided hair. Then she slowly climbed on to the stage.
That was then a sudden wave of fear engulfed her. Almost every seat was occupied, and all eyes fixed on her.
“They are not bored yet” she thought for herself .
The judges, with a pensive look on their faces kept looking at her. But even more keen was the gaze of her parents, who sat in the center of the third row.
“Dreams….” She started, but later realized that her head was completely blank. Her shaking and drying lips displayed her helplessness. It was complete silence, both in the hall and in her mind.
“Close your eyes” she thought “ Take a deep breath”
That was what her mother used to tell her, when any stressful event approaches you. A deep breath before exams, before checking any result and now for the first time, giving out a speech in public.
It helped her though. Arpita did not remember any quote that she had planned to say, but she did say what she really thought about dreams. But after her speech, she was not able to remember anything she said on stage.
She left the stage, still able to hear the loud applause and take it in her troubled mind. She was crestfallen and felt that she could have done better. But somehow, the stage had seemed to limit her abilities.
“Nice speech” her father said, patting on her back.
“No, it was bad!” Arpita exclaimed “I had a nervous breakdown on stage. I forgot what I should have said”
“It was pretty good for a first timer” her mother comforted her “We did not expect so much from you”
“Really” Arpita gave out a short lived expression of happiness “But look, this ‘elocution’ thing does not suit me. I could not even expect to give a speech as good as Bhagya or Gautham”
“Well, that is not what you should be worried about now” her father said “Yesterday, you were a shy twelve year old who had not entered a stage in her life. Today you are a budding orator”
“A budding orator!”
“Yes, this is how you begin. Then, as you keep performing, you shall sharpen your skills Face fear to overcome fear”
The results were announced. Arpita did not win the competition, but now had the zeal to improve. 
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