Talent Show “Good morning boys and girls! These are your daily announcements for Friday March 10, 2006. For lunch….” Announced Principal Steel. Blah, Blah, Blah, Katie thought as she sat at her wooden desk in Ms. Stern’s 6th grade class around her 3 best friends Sam, Cathy and Michelle. Her bright pink nail polish seemed more important then what Principal Steel had to say. He seemed to say the same thing every single day; what they were going to have for lunch, what clubs were meeting after school and who the basketball team was going to be playing that afternoon. Katie picked at her nail polish, while thinking about what had happened at Night at the Rec on the past Saturday. Night at the Rec was at our Recreation Center. We were able to go swimming, dance and play games. It was the best part of the week, but particularly it was the best one ever last week. She was asked to slow dance by the hottest guy in her class, Tom Appler. Oh, how she loved moving back and forth to the slow music, while having Tom hold her in his arms. She could almost feel his arms around her when all of the sudden she heard Principle Steel say the worst words ever…. TALENT SHOW! Oh no! It couldn’t be time for that again? Last year was a complete disaster, she thought as she sunk lower into her chair like a piece of jello. Her stomach felt like bee’s flying around who just had their hive broken. It’s too embarrassing to even tell the story, but I guess eventually you would find out. Last year just around this time my best friends and I decided that we were going to do a dance. We practiced for weeks on end making sure every movement was together. We were even able to have Cathy’s older sister help us. She was on the dance team at our local high school and even became captain in the fall. Wow, how we all wanted to be just like her. She made the movement seem so easy. We were convinced that our dance was the best dance anyone would ever see at Trump Elementary School. Our costumes were black jazz pants with red sparkly tank tops. As our big night arrived I became so nervous that I forgot the whole dance. My stomach was tied in so many knots that I thought I was going to throw up. I couldn’t do it; I just couldn’t go on stage. My friends had to drag me on to the stage and the minute the curtain opened I vomited everywhere. You were able to tell what I had for dinner… lasagna (Bad choice)! The whole audience started laughing as I ran off stage crying. My parents told me it was ok and that it happens to people, but the kids at school talked about it for weeks. Now just a month away…. The Talent Show. As the bell rang for recess I put on my lavender rain jacket and ran outside. I loved the rain. My favorite thing to do was dance around in it and try to catch raindrops in my mouth. As I danced around, Sam, Cathy and Michelle came over to me. “Hey Katie, we need to talk to you about something,” said Sam. “Ok sure, what is it?” I asked suspiciously. “Well, we don’t want to hurt your feelings and all, but we think it would be best if you didn’t do the Talent Show with us again. With everything that happened last year we don’t want you to repeat last year’s episode.” Michelle said quietly. “Well guys that’s not very nice. I don’t think I would do the same thing again as last year. I was in a play this summer and I didn’t get sick when I was on stage.” I said defensively. “Yeah, but you forgot all your lines and started sweating pretty bad.” Cathy said. “Well, fine I don’t want to be in your stupid Talent Show dance anyways.” I said proudly. “Ok thanks Katie for understanding. We’re sorry,” Sam said. “Whatever,” I yelled. The rest of the day seemed like a complete blur. How could my friends not want me to be a apart of the Talent Show? I wouldn’t get sick this time and I wouldn’t forget my lines. Besides, since the fall I had been taking dance lessons at Dance Dimensions. I really liked to dance and I had become really good. My favorite kind of dance was Hip-hop. As my mom came to pick me up at the end of the school day, I told her what Sam, Cathy and Michelle had said to me. It was so rude; they were supposed to be my best friends. My mom listened to me explain the story and at the end she was quiet. “Well mom, what should I do?” I asked sadly. “Katie I think you should show those girls that you aren’t scared to be on stage. If I were you I would put together a hip- hop dance and surprise everyone by doing it at the Talent Show!” My mom answered. “Well, I guess I could. It would show Sam, Cathy and Michelle that I’m not scared to be on stage. Thanks mom!” I said happily. “Your welcome, now when we get home you should practice the dance Ms. Ashley taught you from dance class. No one in your dance class goes to Trump so it wouldn’t be that big of a deal,” she said. “Yeah and that way I can just practice a lot. Oh, this is going to be so good! I can’t wait!” I answered. Throughout the next two weeks I practiced every day from 3 to 5 on my hip hop dance. I would perform it in front of my stuffed animals or for my family. I was determined to be the best act in the show. I would watch Sam, Cathy and Michelle practice their dance during recess. One day they even asked me to help them make up a part, but I told them that since I wasn’t in their dance that I wouldn’t help them. On April 1st we had tryouts for the show. I talked to Ms. Patterson (my choir teacher) and told her I wanted to be in the Talent Show but I didn’t want anyone to know. She told me she was proud of me for wanting to be in the Talent Show. Ms. Patterson told me a saying that if you fall off a horse you have to get back on. I was able to show her my dance, which by the way she loved. I wasn’t even nervous about being on stage when I showed her. I wanted to conquer my fear. Finally after lots of work the big night arrived. I was wearing baggy black sweat pants and a white shirt that said, “HIP- HOP” in black sparkles with a white bandana tied around my head. I walked into the school with my parents and my head held high. I was going to show everyone that I was the best performer there that night. Slowly butterflies crept up into my stomach, but I took deep breaths and reminded myself not to get nervous. I stayed in Ms. Patterson’s office hiding from the other performers until it was my time to perform. Slowly I walked back stage taking deep breaths while running the dance in my head. When I got back stage I saw Cathy, Sam and Michelle sitting in a corner whispering. When I stepped on to the stage Sam pointed to me as Cathy and Michelle turned around. They were shocked to see me standing on stage. Ms. Patterson looked at me and gave me a big smile and said, “Good Luck Katie! You can do it!” The curtain opened and my music started. I smiled and started doing my dance. I was enjoying every minute of being on stage. I remembered every part of my dance and I even hit all of my turns. As I hit my last position the audience burst into applause. I had done it! I didn’t throw up and I remembered my whole dance… it was amazing. I took a nice long bow and walked off stage. When I got off stage Sam, Cathy and Michelle met me. “Katie, we didn’t know you were going to be in the Talent Show” Cathy said surprisingly. “ Well, I wanted to surprise you guys and show you that I wasn’t afraid of being on stage.” I answered confidently. “You did a wonderful job. We’re so sorry that we were mean to you,” Sam said. “Yeah!” answered Cathy and Michelle together. “It’s ok, but next time I would like you guys to trust and believe in me.” I answered. “We will! Hey were all having a sleepover now at my house, would you like to come?” Michelle offered. “Yeah, that would be a lot of fun!” I said excitedly. “Ok, well let’s get going!” said Michelle Finally, I was able to prove to everyone that I wasn’t afraid of being on stage. I know I have more fears to conquer in my life, but I know that if I believe in myself I can do anything. Life was finally back to normal. I didn’t like fighting with my best friends. I knew that no matter what we would always be close…always!
Copyright © 2006 Courtney Eisenach |