My Dream

Prologue

Emma's POV

As I ended my last note, thankfully with grace and without breaks, claps and hollers rang around the hall behind me as I bowed and walked backstage.

I forgot how much I loved this. The thrill. The adrenaline. The nausea. The anxiety. All of it.

As I walked further in, the people I know and have grown to love over the past year showered me with compliments. My friends, my family. These are the people who have been by my side through the highs and lows just as I have, for them. I couldn't be more grateful to have them in my life and for them to always stick by my side, supportive and encouraging. It was physically impossible to love them more.

Thanking all of them and gifting them with a brief hug, I exited the stage and went outside to look for my family.

But before I could, a hand reached out from the crowd and grabbed mine, pulling me away from everyone. I pulled my hand away from the grasp of the other person's rough touch, and looked up saying, "Hey!"

That's when I saw who it was. And I was not fazed in the slightest.

"Oh my god, Emma! Your performance was just mind-blowing. I was so moved by your emotional and touching performance and really wanted you to know that you're making quite a difference in a lot of lives." Khloe said to me, with an overly fake sweet smile and honey dripping from every one of her words as if her mouth were a bee hive. I was used to this, of course.

Right from the day I first arrived there one year earlier, Khloe hadn't liked me. Why? I wasn't quite sure, but I knew for a fact that she wouldn't miss any opportunity to let me know just how much she appreciated my presence in her life and how much she loved my, as she said and I quote, mind-blowing performances.

But having been there for a year, I knew exactly how to react.

"Oh, thank you so much, Khloe! I really do appreciate your feedback on my performance. It means the world to me." I replied back to her with the same enthusiasm that she showed me.

I then directed the same smile towards Kaeden and Kylie as well who were standing on either side of Khloe as if they were more her bodyguards than her minions.

They reciprocated as I turned to leave, relieved that I could finally drop the act and when I heard them sighing the same way I did behind my back, I knew they were as well. I shook my head slightly in amusement as I walked into the crowd, once again, to find my parents.

This time, I found them. And they looked like what the epitome of happiness would look like if you were to give it two bodies.

My shoulders were relieved immediately after being in the presence of their positive aura, especially after having been accompanied by the exact opposite of that just a few minutes prior to it.

My mother hugged me tightly and congratulated me for my performance, and my dad patted me on my head affectionately, not needing to say anything as his eyes did the speaking for him.

As I felt the pride in their eyes and the happiness in my heart, I knew then and there what I wanted to do with my life.

There's a saying from a book called Ikigai that goes, Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are: something to do, something to love and, something to hope for.

That was the moment I decided what I wanted to do, what I wanted to love, and what I wanted to hope for.

And all that was left to do, was to make that hope, a reality.

Because my name is Emma. And I have a dream.

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Hey! I hope you liked the re-written version of the prologue better. Please vote and comment if you like it. It would mean a lot. Until next time, STAY HAPPY, STAY SAFE.