The audience waited with baited breath as they waited for the new Prima Donna to come on stage. She sat behind the curtain, nervously peeking out between the curtains. Placing her hands on the wheels, she rolled her chair back and sighed. "I can't do this." She whispered, tears in her eyes.

A figure knelt beside her. "Yes you can, Cerri." He said. Cerri looked up at his masked face. His yellow eyes were trained on his student, and her ember eyes on her teacher. "You've improved these past few months. I believe you're ready for this."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. Her tear stained cheek touched the porcelain mask he kept on. For a moment, she forgot about the Parisian socialites beyond the red velvet curtains. But when she let go, the fear returned. "But what if I forget the words?"

Her teacher bent over the armrest and kissed her forehead. "You won't." He assured before vanishing into the darkness. Cerri took a deep breath and let her teacher's words echo in her mind.

The curtain parted, revealing the wheelchair-bound girl to Paris. She was ready. Pushing herself out onto the middle of the stage, she felt the eyes of hundreds on her. But they no longer bothered her. She had her teacher, her master, her phantom nearby.

Six months before, 2013

"Cerridwen! Are you even listening to me?" Winterlynn hollered, shaking Cerri out of her daydream. Cerri stared at her best friend, whose blonde hair cascaded in waves down her head. Her blue eyes buried with fury and passion.

Cerri smiled sweetly. "Sorry, Winter. I was...lost in thought." She stated, twirling her auburn hair around her fingers.

Winter rolled her eyes. "Obviously." She said in exasperation. "Anyway, I was saying that Donny was staring at me in English class!" Her whisper was full of delight. "And when I smiled at him, he smiled back!"

The best friends leaned to see Donny. He was a strong young man, with broad shoulders and black hair. He seemed perfect, unlike many of the people at their school. But the students knew better; he had an artificial heart in his chest. No one at Cerri and Winter's school was like normal teenagers.

Cerri was born with the ability to walk, but she lost the ability when her mother and father were murdered. Her doctors had told her she could do it if she wanted to, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get out of her chair.

Winter was born with a defect in her arms. She'd had prosthetic arms put in, but it made her extremely self-conscious about herself.

"Hey ladies." Freddy said, sitting down beside his life-long friends. His sandy hair and chocolate eyes would've made him dreamy to other girls, but Cerri and Winter knew about what was underneath.

He, like Donny, had a defect that no one could see. He had pectus excavatum, or a hollow chest. He'd shown Cerri and Winter the large drop in his chest, and the image was burned into their memories. "What're we talking about?"

"Winter likes Donny." Cerri teased in a sing-song voice. Winter's cheeks turn sunset red as her two friends laughed.

The P.A crackled to life. "Attention, students. The drawing for a week long trip to Paris has officially ended." All the teenagers in the room focused on the box box. "The winner is...Cerridwen Williams." As she heard her name, Cerri began clapping for joy. The other people groaned and began murmuring amongst each other.

Winter grabbed Cerri and picked her up in a hug. "Congratulations, Cerri!"She squealed as she put her back.

The click-clack of shoes became apparent to the trio, and they looked up at the principal, Ms. Chang. "Congratulations, Cerridwen." Cerri bit her tongue. She hated it when adults used her full name. "Should I call your aunt and tell her?"

All Cerri could do was shake her head. "I'll tell her tonight." She said with a smile.

"Oh no, you're leaving tonight."

"That soon?"

"Yes, we want you to experience all that Paris has to offer." Ms. Chang said with a grin. Cerri felt threatened for some reason. She couldn't understand why she had to leave that evening. But she didn't question it. "Alright, sir." She responded. "When am I leaving?"

"After your last class." The short woman answered, turning on her heels and scuttling away.

That didn't sound right to the trio. But, he was their official guardian, so if he was okay with it, then they had to agree with him. Cerri was left in the dark of what terrible fate awaited her.