Confessions of a Muslim Girl

Chapter 32 -- The Gold Chandelier Earrings

[Recap]: Everything we’ve worked hard on for the past three months is about to go down.

"It’s the first time that I realize that I could seriously get hurt tonight…or worse." -- Maysa Malik, COAMG

Chapter 32

The Gold Chandelier Earrings

☼ Maysa Malik ☼

            Two big brown eyes stare back at me in wonder, and I lift my hand up, causing the reflection to lift her hand up as well. Twelve delicate gold bangles slide back and forth in an easy, carefree way on her arm. My hand pressures against the cold, smooth glass of the mirror; hers does too.

            This is actually happening, I think to myself. My consciousness registers what my mind has just stated. Everyone’s going to be looking at you. Your appearance. I don’t think I’m ready for this. I’m going first. I don’t like going first. I’m comfortable being first or second. Somebody like Noha should be going first, somebody that faces life head-on. I prefer to work up the guts first.

            A light laugh interrupts my thoughts. In the reflection of the mirror, I see Hannan dancing like Elvis with a curler in her hand. I turn around and Noha, Shazia, and Naomi are all cheering her on as she sways her hips around.

            “Ladies, show time in three minutes.”  Drew sticks his head in the door and freezes when he sees Hannan dancing like a maniac, along with Noha and Naomi, who leaped up and started dancing with her.

            His grip on the door handle slackens and his skin is tinged with red. “Oh. I probably should have waited, but you guys didn’t open the door when I knocked.”

        Hannan and Noha’s eyes widen. “Oh. It’s ok.” Hannan says shyly. She doesn’t go to Riverside with us, so this is her first time meeting Drew.

            Drew awkwardly leaves. Silence ensues as we all sit there quietly. I can’t keep the smile off my face and I’m about to burst out laughing when Drew walks in again. “I need to talk to Maysa for a minute.”

Getting up, I slip on my gold heels and follow him out. On the way out, I hear Shazia mutter, “I can’t believe we have to share those damn shoes.”

            When she remarks that, I turn around to look at her. She’s wearing an emerald green dress with golden chandelier earrings. As I follow Drew out to the dimly lit backstage area behind the curtains, I can’t help but think at how beautiful she looks with her thick, wavy hair twisted up, complimenting the earrings she has on.

            “Ok, here’s the drill, ok? The instrumental for Take Care by Drake is going to play first. That’s when I’m going to make the announcement about what’s going to go on so the audience isn’t confused. Comprende?” Drew’s fail of a Spanish accent is painful. He’s such a white kid, I swear.

            “Yeah. I gotchoo. Then what?”

            “Then ‘Chasing the Sun’ by The Wanted is going to come on, ok? I’ll have the beat, just the instrumental, at the beginning. It’s going to start off with the words, ‘They said the day wouldn’t come, we refused to run’ blah blah blah. Got it?” I nod again. “Ok. And you come on the minute the chorus starts playing, ok?”

            I nod. His serious expression and solemn grey eyes are making me more nervous than I need to be.

            I head back to the room where all the girls are still chatting and giggling. We sit in there for a long hour, until all the other talent show acts before intermission are performed. I know all our parents are in the audience because Sobia went out and checked.