CHAPTER 27; TENSION

I left the garden and went

straight home. I got home

exactly 5:55pm. I lay on

my bed to rest a bit

before Sharon comes. any

moment from now, she will be

here. I thought

I waited for the next 30

minutes but she didn't show

up. I thought she said she was

on her way already. I waited

for the next ten minutes but

she still didn't show up. I took

my phone from my bed to call

her. immediately I took my

phone, her call came in. I

picked the call immediately.

"hello Sharon, where are you?"

I asked

"I'm very sorry Christian. I

won't be coming anymore. I

got a call from the course

adviser that all course rep

should assemble in school. I'm

on my way to the school now"

she said

"you are going back to the

school by this time. isn't it late

already. can't they wait until

tomorrow" I said

"have you forgotten that

tomorrow is Saturday." she

said

"yes that's true, but whatever

they have to tell you guys

should have waited until

Monday" I said

"it can't wait. it's very urgent.

it's concerning the event our

department is organising on

Monday. The HOD wants to

pass all necessary information

to us." she responded

"oh I see. till Monday then" I

said.

"yes. I will talk to you later"

she said

"okay" I responded and ended

the call.

I took a deep breath.

' the day of the event is

already very close. so by

Monday, I will be standing in

front of a very large crowd.' I

thought. I don't even know if

I'm prepare to face the crowd.

I have never faced such crowd

before, so I don't know what it

feels like to be standing in

front of a large crowd. I have

already memorized all what I

will say, but I can't be so sure

that my mind will not go blank

when I see the large crowd.

can I actually do this? could it

be that my mind is only trying

to discourage me. could it be

that discouraging voice that is

speaking to me now. Sylvia

said that I shouldn't listen to

the voice, because it will only

get me nervous. talking of

Sylvia, I haven't seen her since

the last incident. I have to go

and explain things to her.

I stood up from my bed, took

my phone and left my room

immediately.

twenty minutes later, I was

standing beside Sylvia's door. I

waited for the next 5 minutes

before I finally knocked.

"hold on I'm coming" I heard

from within.

she opened the door a minute

later. I could see anger visibly

on her face the moment she

saw.

"Sylvia I am........"

she entered her room back and

slammed the door without

allowing me to complete my

sentence.

I waited to see if she would

open the door but she didn't. I

waited for the next 30 minutes

but she still didn't open the

door. when I was tired of

waiting, I turned and left her

place.

I got home 30 minutes later. I

lay on my bed immediately I

entered my room.

'Sylvia is very angry with me.

I need to look for a way to

make her forgive me. she

doesn't want to even see my

face. let me just leave her for

now. I will talk to her later,

when I believe she won't get

angry. for now, let me just

focus my mind on the speech I

will deliver on Monday. I need

to prepare myself very well so

that I won't mess up.

I took the book Sylvia gave me

and busied myself with it

immediately. I opened to the

page that contain step by step

guide on how to overcome

stage fright. the book has

really helped me, and I believe

if I follow the guideline in the

book, I will be able to face the

crowd on Monday.

I read the book until 1am. I

finally slept off when I was

tired of reading, with the aim

to continue when I wake up.

I woke up very early. I quickly

took my bath and had

breakfast. I busied myself with

the book when I was done with

all my chores. I made sure I

practice some tips as I read. I

didn't do anything else aside

from reading and rehearsing.

The next day which was

Sunday, I continued same way.

I read until my vision became

blur. then it occurred to me

that I have over read.

I couldn't sleep that night,

because I knew that once I

wake, it would be the day of

the event.

I was more than ready for the

event, but I was still very

scared. I was scared because it

would be my first time of

facing such crowd. I was sure I

will do very fine if I follow the

guidelines in the book, but

that discouraging voice

wouldn't let me be. it kept

sounding it clearly to me that I

will embarrass myself. the

voice was doing no good to

me, because I was already

having headache. I tried to get

some sleep for me to wake up

early but couldn't. after 30

minutes of restlessness, I

finally slept off.

I woke up hours later. I turned

my gaze to the wall clock and

realized it was 6:25am. the

event will begin by 11am.

there won't be lectures, so my

only reason of going to school

was because of the event.

I had my bath and got ready

for the event. I made sure I

had enough breakfast. I left

home exactly 10am.

I got to school 30 minutes

later. I went straight to the

place the event will hold. the

event will actually hold in the

school main auditorium. the

number of people I saw when I

got to the main auditorium

made my heart missed a beat.

the crowd was more than I

expected. the auditorium was

already filled up when I got

there. the stage was already set

for the event, and I could see

some important figure already

sitting on the high table. the

minister of finance was

already seated, and the

minister of education was also

seen sitting beside the minister

of finance. the vice chancellor

of the university was also seen

on the high table. some of the

lecturer in our department

were seen occupying the front

seat in the auditorium. the

other two students that will

also deliver speech were also

seen occupying the front seat.

about ten thousand people

were occupying the seats in

the auditorium, waiting

patiently for the event to

begin. the M.C was also seen

standing on stage.

I quickly went to sit beside the

other two students that will

deliver speech.

Five minutes later, the event

began. The M.C started by

recognizing the presence of all

important figure in the

auditorium.

After five minutes later, the

HOD went up stage to

introduce the event properly.

some lecturers also went up

stage one after the other to

speak.

now, it was time for the

students to deliver there

speech.

The M.C called the first student

and he went up stage to

deliver his speech. I was really

nervous. my heart was

pounding. I didn't pay

attention to what the guy on

stage was saying. I might be

called next. can I do this? I

asked myself.

Everyone gave the guy on

stage a big round of applause

when he was done. he walked

back to sit on the seat he was

previously occupying.

The M.C went back on stage

with a book in his hand.

"that was a great speech" the

M.C said

"now the next student on the

list is Christian Owen"

My heart paused immediately I

heard my name.