silent

22

• AMALIA •

I wake up snuggled into somebody's chest, and I wrap my arms around their waist, grateful to whoever it is for letting me use them as a pillow as they lightly rub my back.

Everything comes back to me all at once, and I peel my eyes open, looking up at Elijah, who seems to be almost falling asleep himself.

I tap his shoulder. He jerks awake and smiles down at me, letting out a relieved breath. A second later, my dad stands up from where he's sitting across from me and leans down to hug me. I rest my head on his shoulder.

     "What happened out there, Amalia?" He asks softly, pulling back to look at me.

I look away from him. What if he gets angry at me? What if he's disappointed and doesn't let me dance again?

"It's okay," he says, sitting down. I shuffle closer to him. "You can tell me, baby."

Elijah ruffles through my dance bag on the floor, pulling out my notepad and pen, passing them to me with a kind expression on his face.

I write everything down quickly.

I WANTED TO BE PERFECT SO I STAYED
UP ALL NIGHT PRACTICING. BUT
I STARTED GETTING TIRED AND I THINK
I PASSED OUT. I'M SORRY. I JUST WANTED
YOU TO BE PROUD OF ME. I DIDN'T
MEAN FOR IT TO HAPPEN.

Tears sting my eyes as he reads it, Elijah peering at the words over my shoulder. It's then that Xander and Mason walk into the room, and I suddenly remember the competition. I scribble down.

DID THEY SAY WHO WON YET?

My dad sighs. "You can't go to the rewards, sweetheart, we need to get you home."

I shake my head. PLEASE!!!!!

He's about to say something when a voice travels over the loud speakers. "Can all soloists report to the stage for rewards within the next ten minutes. I'll repeat: can all soloists report to the stage for rewards within the next ten minutes."

     I look up at my dad with the best puppy-dog eyes I can muster. He looks at me like I'm the cutest thing he's ever seen before nodding. "Fine, you can go. But after that we're leaving, alright?" He says softly.

     I grin and sit up, wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him. I kiss his cheek, and I see him smile out of the corner of my eye as he hugs me back, planting a kiss on my temple.

     "Okay, go on." He says. "Do you know where you're going?"

     I shake my head. I don't even know where I am, but it looks like a prop room. He stands up, and I copy him. I say goodbye to Elijah, smile politely at Xander and Mason, before my father leads the way towards the stage.

•

After they announce the winners of the Mini's division (ages seven to ten) they begin calling out the winners from tenth place downwards. My name doesn't get called for any of them, and when the woman announcing the places gets to third place, I begin to wonder whether staying up all night was worth it.

     I look at the table with all the trophies, certificates and.. tiaras on it. Only first place gets one, and I want it more than anything. If I won, I'd also get a trophy. I know where they'd look nice in my bedroom.