As I sat down, the tiniest of movements made me flinch. I kept my eyes averted towards the pages littered on the desk in front of me. Every word was magnified hundred times, but I still could not comprehend what I was reading. The most insignificant of details popped up; I even noticed the swirls and whorls on the desk, and how beautiful they were. I was sitting as stiffly as a newly published newspaper. My hands gripped the chair, knuckles tight and white. At that moment, I would have given anything to turn back time for sixty seconds. Or almost anything.
No matter how hard I wished, the floor would not open up and suck me right in. I willed myself to evaporate or turn invisible, but in vain. I kept tucking the loose strands of my hair behind my ear, crossing and uncrossing my legs, trying my best to be comfortable. The air-conditioning felt like a blast from the Arctic. Goosebumps started erupting on my skin, and soon my hand was a miniature and alive version of bubble wrap. I was hoping nobody had noticed my faux-pas, but I wasn't that lucky. All eyes were on me, and it seemed as if everybody cared what I had to say. At other times, people don't give a damn, even if you shout and scream for attention.
The acknowledgement of my gaffe did it. All hell broke loose, or so it seemed. Sizzling heat erupted in my cheeks, and my blood vessels opened wide. Redness flooded in, and I could feel the heat moving towards my mouth in hot, strong strokes. I realized I was blushing. Extremely. The room felt smaller than usual, and claustrophobia kicked in. I put my hand on the right side of my face, creating a makeshift shield from prying eyes. The floor still refused to swallow me. My first instinct was to rush out of the room, away from this blunder. But practicality reminded me, it was just going to make matters worse. I gulped down an unusually large lump in my throat, resolving to pluck the courage for the next time. But my faux-pas's effects lingered for another forty-five minutes, and it was then that I was brave enough to come out of my shell and have a peep at the scary world.
