the ballerina falls
She was dressed all in black, like a scary witch. "All right, ladies, line up and we will begin!" Ms. Morgan called out loudly. We hurried into a crooked line against the wall. I stood on the very end, glancing across the dance room. I could see myself in the mirror: I was the only one whose brown hair wasn't in a pretty ballerina bun. Mommy didn't have time for it this morning, but she said it was Gabe's fault.
"Before we begin, I have a quick demonstration of what I hope each and every one of you has the talent and perseverance to achieve." Ms. Morgan said as two big kids stepped forward. The girl wears a pretty blue tutu and she walks across the floor on her tippy-toes, like I do at home, only she has real ballet slippers on. My pink fluffy bedtime slippers don't work as well. The boy picks her up and helps her jump even higher because he's taller than her.
Mommy smiled and reached down to whisper to me. "Maybe you and Gabe could dance like that together someday! Would you like to do ballet like that and have him catch you, Natalie? Be a ballerina and have your brother lift you?" Mommy told me that Gabe's my brother, but I've never seen him. Daddy told me that he doesn't exist, like the monster who likes to pretend it's Mommy. But maybe if he thought I was really going to jump in the air like that, he'd catch me.
Daddy was happy to swing me in the swingset when I got home. I couldn't jump high enough and Ms. Morgan wouldn't let us do any jumping yet. So, I asked Daddy to push me.
"Higher!" I insisted. Daddy pushed my back again. "No, higher, Daddy!" I shouted. The swing was going higher than ever. My feet could almost touch the trees! NOW I told myself and I let go—
...
My leg hurts and the doctor said I broke it. He said I wouldn't be able to dance now.
Daddy comes out and he hugged me. "Hi, Natalie, how are you feeling?"
"My leg's broke." I told him.
"I know…I'm sorry, Natalie, but you can't go back to dance classes until your leg is healed."
"I can't go back." I said.
"Not until your leg is better." Daddy said, nodding.
"Not ever." I explained. "Only ballerinas can do ballet. I'm not a ballerina."
"Well, you're not one yet, but once your leg is better…" Daddy started.
"I'm not a ballerina!" I cried out, shouting, yelling it. Daddy looked scared, like the doctor was giving him a shot, and then he nodded and hugged me again.
"Ok Natalie, you don't have to do ballet if you don't want to. What about music? Would you like to learn to play an instrument? You could learn to play piano!"
I nodded and whispered again. "I'm not a ballerina. He only catches the ballerina. That's why I fell, Daddy. Because I'm not a ballerina."
Just a quick little drabble (500 words) I came up with while listening to Next to Normal. This is not my personal best, but I need a challenge. I started writing on the Prelude, currently on Wish I Was Here. I wish I could see this show!