"I'm a donkey, Sam!" I said, as I talked down the phone line to my absent brother. "Rehearsals are horrible. All the kids laugh at me, and make donkey noises."
My costume itself is a joke. It doesn't even fit me properly. It is basically a oversized, grey, furry, sleeping suit with a hood, that has sticky up ears attached to it. I also have to wear black mittens, and black socks. I look absolutely hideous. Everybody is gonna laugh at me. Even my own family. Though, no doubt, it will only be Dean that will appear on the night of the show. I understand that Sam won't make it, but I just hope that my Dad can make it, even if I'm a laughing stock.
"Don't take it to heart, Chris," replied Sam. "I played a sheep when I was in first grade. I got so nervous, that I wet myself on stage. I bet Dean has already told you that story."
I giggled slightly, as I wiggled my toes. I was sitting, cross legged on my bed, dressed in my pyjamas. Sam let out a small sigh.
"I'm so sorry that I can't come and see you," he added. "Promise me to take lots of pictures, so that you can send them to me."
A sad smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.
"I promise" I replied.
Later, Dean was tucking me into bed. Even though I'm eleven, he still acts like I'm a little girl.
"Dad will make the show, right?" I asked, my eyes full of desperation and hope.
Dean sat down on the bed beside me, before letting out a weary sigh. I noticed several beer bottles on his night stand. He's been having restless nights again.
"I can't promise you that, sweetheart," replied my brother. "You know what Dad is like. I just hope that he does, for your sake. Still, I'll be there to cheer you on."
A tear slipped down my cheek. My brother quickly wiped it away with his thumb, as he smiled down at me, a strong sense of sadness in his eyes.
"All I'm saying is, don't set your heart on him being there, because you know how much he has let you down in the past," added Dean. "Just remember that he loves you, and would do anything to protect you. Dad means well, just in his own way."
Nevertheless, that night, I tried my best not to cry myself to sleep.
Rehearsals continued, to which my humiliation seemed unending. I sat beside the make shift manger, crossed legged and hunched over, with folded arms. Isabella and her posse surrounded me. Tammy flicked at one of my ears.
"Well, girls, they picked the perfect person to play the donkey, don't you think?" said Isabella, wearing her perfect costume. "You look like you life in a barn. Where do you get your clothes from anyway? Cheap thrift stores? Trash cans? Face it, Winchester, you're nothing but a pathetic runt."
Her posse laughed at me, whilst poking and nipping me. At that point, I would've kicked their asses clean off the stage, but I managed to contain my anger. I hurried off stage, my eyes blurry with tears.
Suddenly, there was an almighty crash, followed by ugly crying. I rushed back onto the stage, along with several other class members. Isabella had fallen down the stairs leading from the stage, her tinsel halo was now all wonky, and her blonde curly hair, all messy. Apparently, she had been walking down the stairs with her posse, when something caused her to trip and fall.
I quickly gazed into the auditorium, and noticed Lolly sniggering. He was sitting casually in one of the seats, completely invisible to everybody else. A candy cane was sticking behind his ear. He was also still wearing a Santa hat, with a matching hideous Christmas sweater.
"Hey, note to the casting director out there, pick a kid who isn't a little bitch," he called out, taking the odd lick from the candy cane. "Totally makes me look bad. Honestly, what's the deal with that, anyway? I'm a nice, reasonable guy. Also, who the heck wrote the script? The script for Battlefield Earth is better than this crap! Seriously, why do I come to these things? I only end up being either bored or offended."
I was dumbfounded by the current events, whilst trying to ignore Lolly's ongoing rant about the pageant. Turns out, Isabella had badly twisted her ankle, and would be unable to continue with the role of the archangel Gabriel. Rehearsals were dismissed earlier than usual, but Mrs Bailey stopped me, as I turned to leave.
"Christina, can you do a big favor for me," she said. "Would it be possible for you to take over Isabella's role, as the archangel Gabriel. I trust that you know the script, and Silent Night off by heart. The show is tomorrow night, after all. Please, can you do this favor for me."
Even though I had been humiliated by the role of the donkey, I couldn't refuse a promotion towards archangel. A smile soon spread across my face. Lolly winked at me, which confirmed that he was behind Isabella's accident.
I decided at that moment, not to tell Dean about my promotion, and would leave it as a surprise. I know in his eyes, it would be counted as a Christmas present.
I was a bag of nerves by the next night. As I slipped into my new costume, which was a white smock dress, with a tinsel halo, and fake angel wings; I could only imagine the look on my big brother's face. I wanted to make him proud.
My prediction was right, for once I appeared on the stage, my brother's face lit up like a candle, and the grin on his face, made me feel all happy inside. I never thought he would have been sitting in the front row. All the mothers and older sisters gawping at him in awe.
My cheeks then flushed red, as I sang Silent Night, and I knew that Dean would tease me about it later. I still wished all my family was in the audience. Sam would have been so proud of me. Still, I was on cloud nine, due to the sense of pride, and achievement that I was feeling within me.
I blushed once again, during the curtain call, as Dean stood up, and cheered very loudly. The other families raised their eyebrows at him, in a slight disapproving manner.
"What? That's my little sister up there" he said, shrugging off their looks with his usual bravado.
I couldn't stop smiling. Little did I know, that Dad had been sitting up the back of the auditorium all this time. When he stood up, I recognised him straight away. Suddenly, I leapt off the stage, and raced towards my father's open arms. As Dad spun me around in his arms, I felt like I was really flying.
Merry Christmas guys!
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