Be in the Stars

Stage Fright

Stage fright

 It took five minutes to calm the crowd of roaring guests, fans, and rich people who seemed not to have anything better to do with themselves.

The blonde male host that looked no taller than her 15 year old cousin waved them down and told the audience what to now expect.

She felt so nervous, peeping through the dark curtains.

A lady covered in black clothing with a headset stood readily, aware and yet ignorant of her existence.

“-and now we have…” there was a pause that was long and dramatic, silencing everyone.

“-Narvina Herondale, from Gogpipe in Australia!” His thick Texas accent kicked her nerves in the stomach, and made her want to giggle.

Here she was in America, a place where stars were born.

Although she hated that term. ‘stardom’

She wanted to impress people, not be famous for plastic surgery, and the problem was the one person she could entertain and feel standard around was…

“You’re on!”   she got pushed into a blinding arena.

So bright and noisy that she felt dizzy and her body shook in response.

“This one’s a bit new to show-bizz. Aren’t you?”

She couldn’t reply, instead a strained squeak made its own appearance.

“-and she’ll be performing, after the break!”

Black.

Dark.

Musty.

Silence.

“What are you doing little girl?”

Her arm was jerked to the left, the voice a pronounced whisper, which she took a second to realise was the hosts.

“Didn’t you rehearse?”

She nodded slowly, “I’m sorry,” he shook his head as a softer light - that did little to comfort her - brought back her eyesight.

“We’re back on in five, and if you aren’t cut out for the screen I suggest you leave before you make more of a fool out of yourself.”

She narrowed her eyes, he was shorter than her. The reason she was here danced from the back of her mind to the front and gave her courage.

Those screamers, judges, and paparazzi were just clients.

She nodded, “I just needed to clear something up in my head,” she admitted then walked off to the pitch black stage.

The host seemed to become someone else again, a flamboyant happy rich-man, not the cross guy who treats you like a pest.

He introduced her song, and this time she stood with pure pride opening her mouth to sing in delight, as she recalled her grandmothers dying wish.

“Show your talent to the world Narvina,”