The Beats of My Heart - Chapter Six

Payal and I hurried over to the competition so that I had enough time to relax. We went backstage and waited for the show to begin.

"How are you feeling Khushi?"

"I feel... I feel... oh I don't know what I feel!" I covered my face with my hands.

"Khushi stop getting all tensed, okay! You need to relax!"

"You're right, I need to relax."

I took in deep breaths when the TV turned on, showing that the competition had begun. A man then came in, telling us that he would come in and tell who would be going up on stage. Lucky me, I wouldn't go for a while.

I waited and I watched. One by one the contestants went. Then the man came in taking another contestant and told me I was up next.

"Okay Khushi, it's almost show time!"

Payal gave me a hug. "Don't worry, I'm in the crowd so if you feel tensed, I'm there for you."

"Thanks Payal."

I hugged her and she left to join the audience. Soon after she left, the man came back and led me to the stage. It felt like with every step I took, the stage was getting farther and farther away. Finally, we reached there, and backstage was crazy! A lady came up to me and said that my song was ready and gave me my instructions for when to go out on stage.

"Alright folks," the host went on, "you've seen many performances and now it's time for the last one!"

Last one? Really? Wow, I didn't even realize.

"Now then ladies and gentlemen, I would now like to welcome Khushi Kumari Gupta on stage, who will perform Chhan Ke Mohalla! Please give her a big hand!"

I took a deep breath and walked out on stage holding onto my lehenga. The crowd was going crazy and I saw Payal right there, and she was whistling like crazy! Once the crowd calmed down, I turned around, facing my back to the crowd, ready for my dance.

~

Payal was about to sit down when she saw him.

"No... way...."

It was him. It was Mr. Ajnabi - a nickname they had graciously given to the handsome ajnabi - dressed in another suit, who was making her best friend different and confident. Payal couldn't register it in when she realized and thought to herself.

Oh no! What if Khushi notices him? She's going to mess up big time!

Payal was about to go backstage to stop this when the song went on.

"Oh no," Payal shrieked.

As the music came on, Khushi could feel herself transform to life and she moved immediately to the beat.

Payal was amazed by her best friend's moves as well as the rest of the crowd and the judges. She turned to see if Mr. Ajnabi was paying attention and in fact, he was. When the spotlight turned on to Khushi's face when she turned back around to face the crowd, he actually moved forward in his seat and was watching her!

Oh my gosh, Payal thought to herself. When Khushi finds out, she is gonna freak!

Payal went back to paying attention to her friend's dance as the song proceeded:

Mila na koi aisa, mere sapno ke jaisa

Mila na koi aisa, mere sapno ke jaisa

Chhan ke mohalla saara dekh liya

Jawani chadti jaaye, karega kaun upaaye

Jawani chadti jaaye, karega kaun upaaye

Chhan ke mohalla saara dekh liya

Payal stared. No way, she thought to herself. That is no way that is my best friend up there. She itched her eyes. Oh my gosh it is!

She turned to look at Mr. Ajnabi and he was sitting back in his seat, his hand on his chin.

I wonder what he's thinking....

Khushi continued to dance, enjoying every moment.

Pyaar ki hera pheri kar ke meri sang se chura le

Ya mere dil ki basti nainon se loot le

Dekh ke woh albela mujhe akela apna bana le

Ho gayi neendhein sasti, nainon se loot le

Hai aisa kaun bata de, jo mann ki pyaas bujha de

Hai aisa kaun bata de, jo mann ki pyaas bujha de

Chhan ke mohalla saara dekh liya...

The crowd was going wild. Payal was so happy for her friend as she turned to look at the crowd. She even noticed that Mr. Ajnabi was still glued into Khushi. This made Payal smile.

Jali toh, bujhi na, kasam se koyla ho gayi hum

Lagi hai, tujhe na, kasam se tauba ho gayi hum

Jali toh, bujhi na, kasam se koyla ho gayi hum

Lagi hai, tujhe na, kasam se tauba ho gayi hum

Khushi ended her performance with her hands poised in the air, looking out to the crowd, and everyone went wild. Khushi smiled like crazy! Payal couldn't remember the last time she'd seen her friend smile like that, and she whistled for her friend. Mr. Ajnabi had even stood up and was clapping.

Eep! Oh my gosh!

The host came back out. "Wow! That was Khushi Kumari Gupta!"

Payal noticed how Mr. Ajnabi had made a face but she couldn't quite understand it.

"Alright then folks," he continued, "now we will wait on our judges, who will tell us the results in a few moments. Ms. Khushi..."

Payal noticed how Mr. Ajnabi had made a face again, once again not understanding his expressions.

"...how do you feel?"

Khushi grinned. "I feel great! I just hope the audience liked my dance."

"Well let's see, do they?"

The crowd went wild making Khushi grin harder.

"Alright then Ms. Khushi, we'll send you backstage now."

"Thank you," she said, and she left back stage.

"Alright! Now we wait on the judges and there can only be one winner. Who, will it be? We'll find out in 5 minutes."

With that the host went backstage and Payal went backstage to go congratulate Khushi.

"Oh my gosh," Payal shrieked.

Khushi hugged her friend really hard. "Payal you have no idea how I feel right now! I feel so alive and free and... I can't even explain!"

"Well that's a really good thing to hear. So how do you think you did? Think you won?"

"Honestly Payal, I don't care. Whether I won or lost, it doesn't matter. I had so much fun, which is what matters to me the most."

The backstage guy came in and told all the contestants they had two minutes till they went back on stage, and that everyone else had to leave.

"Alrighty then, well, I'll see you later champ!"

"Payal I'm not a winner yet," Khushi chuckled.

"Oh, but you already are." Payal gave Khushi a sly look.

"What do you-?"

Khushi didn't get to finish because Payal had already left the room.

What does she mean, Khushi thought to herself.