Before You

24 | Getting Cold Feet

LOUD MUSIC POUNDED through the big speakers, shaking the ground beneath us. People chatted excitedly through all the hustling and bustling of the backstage.

It was the show night.

Currently, we were getting ready for the fashion show in one of the rooms in the backstage. Vedika had worked her ass off for this and I was praying that it would go all well and hopefully, she would win. I wanted for us to win. Two teams were participating—Vedika's and Heena's.

Though I personally feel Heena had full scope of winning, owing to all the skinny, tall and model-looking girls in her team. Our team, on the other hand, had people like.....well, me.

"Zivah, can you please stop smoking here?" I hear Vedika shout frustratedly at Zivah from the corner of the room who was sitting cross legged on one of the hair dresser counters, with a cigarette between her two fingers.

"Nope," she responds, blowing smoke in the air, mockingly. "Can't do that."

I roll my eyes.

I was kind of getting nervous now. I had never ever done this before. If a month ago, someone would have come and told me that I would be walking the ramp, I'd probably laugh at their face.

But here I was.

"Someone's getting cold feet, huh?" I hear Divya, bringing me back from my thoughts.

I sigh, bending my head. "Would anyone notice if I just left?"

Divya raises her eyebrows. "Yes, of course."

"Man, I wish I was in charge of helping the dress community like you. Is there any chance you'd like to exchange places with—"

"No. Shut up and get ready," She cuts me off.

I groan and walk to Vedika who was doing everyone's dresses.

"Vedika," I call her. "When are you gonna get dressed?" She was the showstopper and literally everyone was waiting to see her look, but she still hadn't started getting ready.

"First, I'm going to have to make sure that you'll are ready," She shrugs and turns to the others trying to fit into their costumes. "Listen up people. I lost this competition against Heena last year but I aim at winning it this time. Please. I'm begging each one you'll. I know we can win this," she says trying to cheer everyone up.

"Not this time, sweetie," echoes a voice from behind. We all snap our heads to see Heena standing at the door of our room.

Oh god. Not now, please.

"Speak of the devil," I hear Zivah murmur under her breath.

"Heena, what are you doing here?" Vedika says in an irritated tone. "Shouldn't you be preparing or something?"

Heena smirks. "We're ready. Unlike you."

"Of course, you'll are. That's cause you'll are going first and we are going after you'll so we have more time," Vedika says in matter-of-fact tone.

"Or that's because I won last year and the winning team gets to go first in the this year's show," She arrogantly grins.

The next voice I heard, surprised all of us. It was Zivah's voice that echoed in the room, "Heena, why don't you get this straight, once and for all. Vedika is going to win. And everyone knows it. Deep down even you know it and that is why your insecure ass has come here last minute, to try and bring their confidence down. But let me save you some time. Vedika has worked hard nights off for this and for one thing I know and believe is, that she's gonna win and no one can stop that from happening. Not even you."

We all look at Zivah, totally perplexed. I see Vedika looking at Zivah with a curious but grateful gaze. 

Heena just storms out muttering heavy curses under her breath as we all stand in silence.

"Are you'll gonna keep standing or move?" Vedika yells. "We have to be on stage in twenty minutes. Hurry up!" And with that, everyone starts rushing in and out doing their makeup, hair and getting dressed. Zivah continues sitting on the counter and smoking.

Soon, even I get dressed in my large sea blue ball gown.

"Aww, you look so pretty," Divya exclaims as I look at myself in the mirror. I stand still as she pinches some fabric with some pins, fixing the waist.

After a few minutes, I see Aman step into the room, snatching the cigarette from Zivah's hand and disposing it in a nearby trash can.

"Relax, Vedika. Stop stressing and calm down," He says to Vedika but it falls of deaf ears as she continues running abruptly around the entire room.

When his eyes move around the room randomly and lock with mine, his face shines. "Woah, cheesecake." He says, making his way towards me.

"Hey," I force a smile. "I thought we had established that you won't be calling me that."

"Nope. Not happening anytime soon," he says cockily as his eyes move down, taking in my appearance.

"You look gorgeous." He compliments.

"Kavya, you ready?" Vedika asks before I could reply to Aman. I nod frantically saying, "I guess."

"Cool, then. Divya," she turns to her, "Escort all the participants to the main backstage area. I'll get ready and meet you there."

"Sure thing." In a few minutes, all the participates, move out of the room to go to the backstage area but I continue standing in the room staring at myself in the mirror. Even Aman had probably left.

Can I really do this? No. This is not me. I'm Kavya Patel. I don't do fashion shows. I study and do nerd stuff. Then why am I here?

I gulp in nervousness and finally make up my mind and decide what to do next. I step out of the room but don't go towards the backstage area. Instead, I make my way out of the backstage, passing through all the dressing rooms. I come out to see the audience going wild, cheering and hooting on the top of their voices. I crawl my way through the crowd, in my huge dress, shoving some people.

I'm sorry, Vedika. I'm ditching you last minute. Please don't hate me for this.

I was moving towards the college dormitory, away from all the loud noise when a voice calls from behind.

"Where do you think you're going?"