1 Time and Again

I took a deep breath, today was the day. I stretched my fingers and popped my back. "Aly, are you ready for the big moment?" asked my best friend, Samantha Joyce Reynolds.

"Yes," I stated nervously. "I can't wait." I wiggled my legs and stretched my arms. A man dressed all in blue, t-shirt and jeans, came out from behind the curtain and walked up to me.

"You're on in five."he stated, making me more nervous than I already was. "Don't blow this one sweety."

"Okay, Daddy," I said to my father, Kent Rosewood, the co-worker for the lights and sound system in the L.A. Special Talents group. "I won't." he smiled down at me with kind eyes and a hearty smile.

"Alexandria, don't forget, if you win or lose, I'll always be proud of you." he stated fondly. I had always loved my dad, but the accident caused me to love him even more and really appreciate everything I ever had.

I hugged him and waited for the ballerina on stage to finish her performance. I was going to play the piano for the contest. I had been taking lessons since I was thirteen and my love for the instrument only intensified when-

"Up next, with the song 'Once Upon a December' from the movie Anastasia, is Alexandria Rosewood!"

I looked up from my daze when the announcer spoke and looked towards my friends and father, "Wish me luck," I said slightly more confident than a moment ago. I climbed the steps and sat down at the piano, a small smile on my face. I switched the tone from 'funk' to 'piano' and inhaled deeply.

I played the beginning piano solo in the electric keyboard, falling into the music as my fingers ran over all of the notes.

Dancing bears,

Painted wings,

Things I almost remember,

And the song someone sings,

Once upon a December.

I switched the tone to 'chorus' as fast as I could and swayed to the flow of the music, I felt sleepy, the crowd's eyes were on me. I hate public events, I'm going to be sick!

I abruptly stopped playing and stood up. "I can't do this," I unconsciously whispered into the microphone. I looked over to where my father was. I saw him bow his head as if praying that I was somewhat going to lose my stage fright by magic. I stared at the crowed for a moment, my father might not be ashamed of me, I thought to myself, but I'm ashamed of me. With that last thought I turned and dashed at full speed off of the stage.

I ran strait towards my house, the hem of my skirt caught on a branch and ripped so I'm running at full speed and trying not to be a traveling nudist in the enormous town. Once I got to my house, which happened to be pretty big, I collapsed on my bed and cried my eyes out.

I must have been pretty tired because I woke up the next morning with the shirt I wore last night still on and my ripped skirt somewhat on, the point was I woke up with the same clothes on.

I changed my clothes and trudged down stairs to get some breakfast. I saw my dad talking on his cell phone and eating a pancake at the table, "She just up and ran," he said. "I knew we should have waited another year for the stage fright to go away," he spoke into the phone. The whole town probably knows now, I thought glumly. Why me?

"Joanne, I don't know what to do," oh, so now my mom's town knows all about it. My parents have been divorced for five years and I haven't seen my mom in three years, now. I think about her all the time, but I feel bad for not remembering what she looks like...

"I think we're going to have to send Aly to live with you for the summer, you know, with the paparazzi all over you her stage fright will be gone by the time school starts." My dad suggested to my mom.

At that part, I decided to walk down stairs and pretend I didn't hear anything from the conversation. "Morning dad," I said in a sarcastic voice. "How did I do last night? Eleventh place?"

"Yeah, probably," he said not noticing my sarcasm. I moaned, when will he ever learn?

"Alright, I'll send her right over," he said and flipped his phone closed.

"Aly, you're seventeen, and old enough to make your own choices," Kent began before I interrupted him. "Wow, you really remembered?" I asked, sarcasm dripping from my voice. "I'm touched."

"Aly, I was thinking about letting you stay with your mother this summer, you know you haven't seen her in three years."

"No friggin' dip!"

"Aly!" Kent said, raising his voice. "I only want what's best for you, you know that!" he cried desperately.

"Well dad, you'd know what's best for me if you took time off work and payed attention to me!" I yelled frustrated and stormed up the stairs but only far enough up to where I could hear his voice from the kitchen.

He picked up his phone and dialed what I guessed to be my mother's number. "Joanne?" he spoke into the phone, score for me! "It's Kent, I think I'll be sending Aly over to Michigan. She agreed instantly!" he said. The lie is the only thing that will cure my phobia of being on stage.

Well, I'm going to prove him wrong, I'm going to make sure that I can get over stage fright without my mother's paparazzi help!

I felt tears sting my eyes as I packed up my suit case and prepared to leave for my mother's place in Michigan.