9.47 a.m.
I feel my legs going numb by the second. “Looking good! You will smash this.” Clare knows that I am having anxiety attacks hence the barrage of compliments. “As long as I get to beat Jess, this will be the most amazing day ever,” I swear. “Good. Now look at your new look.” Did I ever say that Clare comes with many talents? I have never seen my eyebrows look like Eva Mendez’s. And my facial art makes me look like I am from another dimension. I give myself a mental hug. “Ladies!” We look up to find a head of brown curls leaning inside the bathroom. “The contest will start in about five minutes. I believe you all are ready.” With that she steps out into the corridor. Some girls yelp out loud as they crash each other with hugs. Presumably friends like Clare and I. I twist my body sideways just to see if my tummy is flat. A small bulge at my waistline catches my eye. I would rather not think about my weight issues right now.
“I just ran into this super-hot guy on my way out of the washrooms!” Clare joyfully announces. “He says he is in a band of some sort. Can’t remember its name but his is Jake. OMG! He even asked for my number!” Is it the same Jake from the Crossway band? Yeah that’s the name of their band as Dash had informed me. “Clare I think I know his band. Well … Maybe it’s the band I told you about.” This might mean that Dash is definitely here. ‘Holy crap!’ I curse out louder than I intended to. Clare gives me one of her concerned frowns. ‘What’s wrong? Do I look okay?’ I ask nervously. “Gabbie? I swear your face turned red beneath that chocolate brown skin. Could it be…”Before she can finish her dead on guesses I pull my `don’t ask me that question now’ look. I quickly grab her hand and head out into the waiting room.
10.00 a.m.
Showtime! The contest kicks off with a short speech from the patron of the Nairobi Arts Association Community, Jake Lewa. We are backstage getting, learning our cues and confirming with the sound operator if our mixes are in the right order. I lift a corner of the blue curtains just enough that the stage is visible from where I am standing. Our hosts for tonight are presumably some Uni. Students. I forgot to listen out for their names. Manju band from our school open the show with a couple of their songs. I share a class with Suzie who is their bassist. They have pretty cool songs but I am not into funk/trap music which they are known for. My cup of tea involves some psychedelic trippy tunes that would get you teased at school. I most definitely don’t care what people say. After roar of cheer and claps that seemed unending, Manju leaves the stage. The girl hosting jumps on stage and shouts into the small mic. “And now we invite the Funky Crew to the stage. Give a shout for the Incredibles Dance Crew from the Everett High School!” It is like the whole is jeering their lungs out. The reaction is warranted of course. They have made a reputation in every high school in Nairobi. Thank God I don’t have to compete with them either.
After them comes the first act. Jimmie Kim belts out a tune while playing the piano. He is singing about some girl who died for love. Sadly the crowd does not reciprocate the longing sadness on Jimmie’s face. Love songs don’t get to exist in occasions like this. The narrow corridor that is our backstage is cramped with all of today’s performers. Someone has been farting the whole time since the stage had been opened up. I pity the people stuck in the middle.
I am number seven in the list so I will perform after six people. Mary Beth is performing just before me. She is not nervous at all. Her smile is as bright as it can get and those teeth have been whitened for the show. If only the teeth did the dancing. Crappy people. Jabulani is done with his robot routine. He has like four claps from the crowd. Ouch. “Up next, contestant number six Mary Beth Nambia!” She glides into the stage with grace that I can’t master any time soon. I have to admit that she is really good. Her ballet is perfect and to top it up she does some hip hop moves too. Future’s Looking for Her comes to an abrupt stop and Mary Beth bows her head.
“Up next, Gabrielle Lebajoa performing a contemporary dance!” Suzie calls out. “Go Gabbie!” I look down into the crowd. Clare is on the first row with three guys. One of them flashes a wide grin at me. I respond by smiling back and mouth his name, “Dash”. Carlton, my music classmate, plays some notes on the piano. I tense my legs and take a leap to the other end of the stage. I manage to catch Dashe staring at me with strange awe. Is it my crazy imagination or are his eyes brown. Compose yourself. I remind myself of the matter at stake when I spot Jess craning her head behind the curtain.
After waltzing and doing several rabbit-like leaps my routine comes to an end. Carlton joins me and we take a bow. Whistles cheers and an occasional scream goes off soon after. I run off into the backstage meeting Clare just by the door. “Oh gosh you were incredible up there! You take the cup home today!” She immediately bombards me with praises. I am overwhelmed and breathless so I take a seat on the bench next to the door. I turn to Clare and say, “We have to pray that the bitch trips on the stage.” She gives me a smug look and blurts, “Oh she will if she dances with those slutty stilettos she has on.” Jess is the ninth contestant out of fifteen. We have to wait it out for like thirty minutes. I won’t miss watching her dance. She is really good but today I have got to beat her.
alyssanisha 