‹ Prequel: Happy Birthday
Recital
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Break a leg. I'll see you after.
My palms are sweaty. I put my phone in my bag and breathe. I stare at myself through the mirror and see that I'm not as shaken up on the outside as I am on the inside.
The recital is tonight and I'm going on for my duet in nearly five minutes. I'm freaking out so much that I feel like the skin on my fingers will start melting. I definitely can't do this. It's my first duet ever and I don't think I can do it.
A roll proceeds in my stomach as I hear the soft music playing just steps away. I didn't see the crowd yet, but I can imagine that all of the seats are filled. As the roll comes, I get up and rush toward the bathroom. I'm the only hurls to hear inside and I squeeze my eyes shut as my stomach empties. The bun on my head stays in place luckily and I walk out of the stall to wash my hands and face.
"There you are!" Kyle says when he walks in to see me washing my hands. "We're on in 30 seconds!"
"I don't think I can do this." I mumble and dry my hands quickly to follow him back to the stage. He keeps a grip on my wrist and even though his outfit is laughable, I can't muster up a cackle.
"You'll be fine, Elle. I'm not going to drop you."
My eyes widen in fear and I look up at the side of his head. "I wasn't even thinking about that!"
He laughs before we're side stage and I take my robe off as someone hands me a water bottle to sip out of. Kyle and I get more makeup put on our face and he keeps eye contact with me as he helps me breathe. Even after throwing up, I still don't feel better.
The lights on the stage are off and Kyle and I walk out into the dark. The crowd is talking, but as soon as the music starts, they're quiet.
"Breathe," Kyle tells me as I stand in front of him. "Everything's going to be fine."
I trust in his word as the light comes on us. I keep my eyes away from the crowd, worried that I'll freeze if I make eye contact with one human being during this. As the music keeps playing and we start gliding across the stage, I remember all of the practices and the steps to make this perfect. Keep your foot here, keep your foot there, and don’t forget to smile at the end, really look like it's real. There was so much going through my head that I didn't even stop to think about Kyle and if I was doing alright or the crowd and if they thought the dance was as beautiful as it was supposed to be. I wanted this to be perfect. This was the dance that would change everything, for better or for worse. It had to be better or I'd just have to try again.
For the dramatic part, Kyle and I pull away abruptly and I fall to the ground. It's part of the recital, so I'm not as worried about it. After we pull away and we're on our own, we start to realize that we're better together. Kyle's in the middle of the stage, the spotlights on us both. We stare at each other before the song builds up and I run to him in which he catches me and holds me up above his head in perfect balance. For a moment, I close my eyes and pretend I'm high up above and looking down at myself.
Kyle slowly brings me down after the loud applause stops. I then run from him to have him follow me until he catches my hand and we end the duet with him kneeling and bowing his head to me. The whole crowd roars with cheers and applause and I look up with a big smile with Kyle's hand still in mine. We bow for a moment then leave the stage.
"Oh my gosh," I say with a hand to my forehead as I realize how much the crowd liked it.
"I told you!" Kyle says and scoops me up in a hug. "Elle, that was amazing." He kisses my cheek as they flame with heat and we turn back to hear the ongoing applause. There are even a few whistles of praise and I can't help but tear up.
The fellow dancers backstage congratulate me on my first duet. That was really the first dance I ever did in front of a big crowd like that. After their praises, Kyle and I are quickly changed in second outfits for the final dance where everyone goes on stage. The makeup artists do my makeup quick before we're all thrown back out on stage to finish tonight's show. There are jumbles of couples dancing everywhere and the little girls do their twirls the best they can, making the crowd smile. We all stand on stage after the dance and our main director comes on and says a few final words. We all bow and the curtain drops.
Backstage, it's a bustle of packing up and calling it a night. Everyone changes into their regular clothes they came in and I pack up my stuff from a locker. I decide to keep my hair up instead of taking it out and enjoying its perfect creased mess. Kyle comes over to me before he goes outside to see his family standing by the door to the backstage. All of our families wait there for us, even if it's cold.
"You did great tonight and it was a pleasure being your partner. Hopefully we get to dance together again." He smiles at me with an arm around my shoulders. I walk with him toward the door since I'm ready to go too.
"You were just as good too, you know. Thanks for keeping me up." I pat his side as I hold my bag in my other hand.
"Anytime." We get outside where everyone's waiting. The little girls jump at us and express how much they loved our dance. I grin at their words and Kyle kisses their cheeks, completely throwing them off track. We say goodnight to them and their parents before going to find ours. "Have a good night. We'll talk later."
I nod at him and he kisses my cheek before walking away. I look around for my parents and find them waving their hands and grinning at me. My grandparents and aunt and uncle are even here and it's overwhelming to say the least. My little cousin stands awkwardly by their side and hugs me back when I reach for her.
"Noelle, that was wonderful." My mom says, placing her hands on my cheeks. My dad holds my bag for me and kisses my cheek after mom releases me.
"Thank you," I smile. "I was so nervous before going on." Which reminds me how disgusting my breath must smell so I reach for my bag and take a piece of gum. I offer my cousin one, which she happily takes. I chew on it as mom tells me that dad recorded the whole thing. I'm 22-years-old and it's like I'm six again after my first recital.
"Oh!" Mom says suddenly with her eyes over my head. I turn around and see a familiar tall, lanky boy walking toward me with a bouquet of flowers wrapped in plastic. He smiles at me as he walks and I meet him less than halfway, a few feet from my family.
"You shouldn't have." I say and reach for the flowers.
"Who said they're for you?" I look at him with wide eyes only to watch his grin replace his confused look. He laughs and hands them to me before bringing me in for a hug. "You were amazing up there. I'm so proud of you, hon," he whispers in my ear.
I pull away and stare at him. "'Hon'? Really?"
"What?" He laughs.
"You need to stop with these ridiculous names."
John laughs and pulls me back in for a kiss to my lips. "I only do it because I love you," he mumbles as our eyes are still closed.
"Sure," I say as I stare at him. "Was it really that good?"
"Of course it was." His eyebrows crease. "Why wouldn't it be?"
"Because I was nervous the whole time."
"You didn't seem it."
"I threw up before going on," I whisper, embarrassed by it.
John grins and kisses me again. "Well, you don't taste bad, Smoo –" I stop him at that and thank him for the flowers before we walk toward my family.
Pictures are taken with everyone and when it's John's turn to stand beside me, he puts his arm around my shoulders and waits.
"Smoochie Poo," John says lowly enough for only me to hear.
"Shut up," I roll my eyes as the picture's taken and hit him lightly on the side. My mom says that it came out bad because of my face so we take another one where John's laughing.
My palms are sweaty. I put my phone in my bag and breathe. I stare at myself through the mirror and see that I'm not as shaken up on the outside as I am on the inside.
The recital is tonight and I'm going on for my duet in nearly five minutes. I'm freaking out so much that I feel like the skin on my fingers will start melting. I definitely can't do this. It's my first duet ever and I don't think I can do it.
A roll proceeds in my stomach as I hear the soft music playing just steps away. I didn't see the crowd yet, but I can imagine that all of the seats are filled. As the roll comes, I get up and rush toward the bathroom. I'm the only hurls to hear inside and I squeeze my eyes shut as my stomach empties. The bun on my head stays in place luckily and I walk out of the stall to wash my hands and face.
"There you are!" Kyle says when he walks in to see me washing my hands. "We're on in 30 seconds!"
"I don't think I can do this." I mumble and dry my hands quickly to follow him back to the stage. He keeps a grip on my wrist and even though his outfit is laughable, I can't muster up a cackle.
"You'll be fine, Elle. I'm not going to drop you."
My eyes widen in fear and I look up at the side of his head. "I wasn't even thinking about that!"
He laughs before we're side stage and I take my robe off as someone hands me a water bottle to sip out of. Kyle and I get more makeup put on our face and he keeps eye contact with me as he helps me breathe. Even after throwing up, I still don't feel better.
The lights on the stage are off and Kyle and I walk out into the dark. The crowd is talking, but as soon as the music starts, they're quiet.
"Breathe," Kyle tells me as I stand in front of him. "Everything's going to be fine."
I trust in his word as the light comes on us. I keep my eyes away from the crowd, worried that I'll freeze if I make eye contact with one human being during this. As the music keeps playing and we start gliding across the stage, I remember all of the practices and the steps to make this perfect. Keep your foot here, keep your foot there, and don’t forget to smile at the end, really look like it's real. There was so much going through my head that I didn't even stop to think about Kyle and if I was doing alright or the crowd and if they thought the dance was as beautiful as it was supposed to be. I wanted this to be perfect. This was the dance that would change everything, for better or for worse. It had to be better or I'd just have to try again.
For the dramatic part, Kyle and I pull away abruptly and I fall to the ground. It's part of the recital, so I'm not as worried about it. After we pull away and we're on our own, we start to realize that we're better together. Kyle's in the middle of the stage, the spotlights on us both. We stare at each other before the song builds up and I run to him in which he catches me and holds me up above his head in perfect balance. For a moment, I close my eyes and pretend I'm high up above and looking down at myself.
Kyle slowly brings me down after the loud applause stops. I then run from him to have him follow me until he catches my hand and we end the duet with him kneeling and bowing his head to me. The whole crowd roars with cheers and applause and I look up with a big smile with Kyle's hand still in mine. We bow for a moment then leave the stage.
"Oh my gosh," I say with a hand to my forehead as I realize how much the crowd liked it.
"I told you!" Kyle says and scoops me up in a hug. "Elle, that was amazing." He kisses my cheek as they flame with heat and we turn back to hear the ongoing applause. There are even a few whistles of praise and I can't help but tear up.
The fellow dancers backstage congratulate me on my first duet. That was really the first dance I ever did in front of a big crowd like that. After their praises, Kyle and I are quickly changed in second outfits for the final dance where everyone goes on stage. The makeup artists do my makeup quick before we're all thrown back out on stage to finish tonight's show. There are jumbles of couples dancing everywhere and the little girls do their twirls the best they can, making the crowd smile. We all stand on stage after the dance and our main director comes on and says a few final words. We all bow and the curtain drops.
Backstage, it's a bustle of packing up and calling it a night. Everyone changes into their regular clothes they came in and I pack up my stuff from a locker. I decide to keep my hair up instead of taking it out and enjoying its perfect creased mess. Kyle comes over to me before he goes outside to see his family standing by the door to the backstage. All of our families wait there for us, even if it's cold.
"You did great tonight and it was a pleasure being your partner. Hopefully we get to dance together again." He smiles at me with an arm around my shoulders. I walk with him toward the door since I'm ready to go too.
"You were just as good too, you know. Thanks for keeping me up." I pat his side as I hold my bag in my other hand.
"Anytime." We get outside where everyone's waiting. The little girls jump at us and express how much they loved our dance. I grin at their words and Kyle kisses their cheeks, completely throwing them off track. We say goodnight to them and their parents before going to find ours. "Have a good night. We'll talk later."
I nod at him and he kisses my cheek before walking away. I look around for my parents and find them waving their hands and grinning at me. My grandparents and aunt and uncle are even here and it's overwhelming to say the least. My little cousin stands awkwardly by their side and hugs me back when I reach for her.
"Noelle, that was wonderful." My mom says, placing her hands on my cheeks. My dad holds my bag for me and kisses my cheek after mom releases me.
"Thank you," I smile. "I was so nervous before going on." Which reminds me how disgusting my breath must smell so I reach for my bag and take a piece of gum. I offer my cousin one, which she happily takes. I chew on it as mom tells me that dad recorded the whole thing. I'm 22-years-old and it's like I'm six again after my first recital.
"Oh!" Mom says suddenly with her eyes over my head. I turn around and see a familiar tall, lanky boy walking toward me with a bouquet of flowers wrapped in plastic. He smiles at me as he walks and I meet him less than halfway, a few feet from my family.
"You shouldn't have." I say and reach for the flowers.
"Who said they're for you?" I look at him with wide eyes only to watch his grin replace his confused look. He laughs and hands them to me before bringing me in for a hug. "You were amazing up there. I'm so proud of you, hon," he whispers in my ear.
I pull away and stare at him. "'Hon'? Really?"
"What?" He laughs.
"You need to stop with these ridiculous names."
John laughs and pulls me back in for a kiss to my lips. "I only do it because I love you," he mumbles as our eyes are still closed.
"Sure," I say as I stare at him. "Was it really that good?"
"Of course it was." His eyebrows crease. "Why wouldn't it be?"
"Because I was nervous the whole time."
"You didn't seem it."
"I threw up before going on," I whisper, embarrassed by it.
John grins and kisses me again. "Well, you don't taste bad, Smoo –" I stop him at that and thank him for the flowers before we walk toward my family.
Pictures are taken with everyone and when it's John's turn to stand beside me, he puts his arm around my shoulders and waits.
"Smoochie Poo," John says lowly enough for only me to hear.
"Shut up," I roll my eyes as the picture's taken and hit him lightly on the side. My mom says that it came out bad because of my face so we take another one where John's laughing.