Habanera/Stronger Than We Know taken from Brave New Girl

Chapter 7: The Student Exhibition

Ruthie loved Juliard. By Halloween it was if she had always been there. She had made several friends and excelled in all her classes. One Friday Ruthie went outside to wait for Matt to pick her up and as the green suburban pulled up she got a big surprise. Jayden was sitting in the backseat.

"OH MY GOSH JAYDEN!" she shrieked as she hugged her best friend. "What are you doing here?

"I am here for a week." she said

"That's great." Ruthie said smiling. "The student exhibition is in three days. You can come. Matt and Sarah are coming and so is Mary and Carlos. Mom and Dad are flying out with Sam, David, Simon, Lucy, Kevin, Savannah and Andrew. You can finally meet the rest of my family."

"One of her professors wants her to perform at the exhibition, but she won't tell us what she's going to sing. All we know is that she has been studying french for three months solid." Matt said to Jayden.

"I want it to be a surprise." Ruthie told her brother.

Over the next two days Ruthie and Jayden were attached at the hip. They talked about school, boys, everything they had missed since September.

The night of the exhibition came extremely quick for Ruthie. She had butterflies in her stomach as she dressed and did her hair and make up back stage. At 7:30 it was finally time for her to go on. Her choral director introduced her.

"Our next student performer has only been at Juliard a short time. In that time, in order to perform the piece she will share with you tonight, she has gone from knowing absolutely no french to becoming almost fluent. Ladies and gentlemen, Ms. Ruth Camden."

Ruthie stepped out on to the stage and took the mic from it's stand.

L'amour est un oiseau rebelle

que nul ne peut apprivoiser,

et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'appelle,

s'il lui convient de refuser.

Rien n'y fait, menace ou prière,

l'un parle bien, l'autre se tait:

Et c'est l'autre que je préfère,

Il n'a rien dit mais il me plaît.

L'amour est enfant de Bohème,

il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi;

si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime:

si je t'aime, prends garde à toi!

Si tu ne m'aime pas,

Si tu ne m'aime pas, je t'aime!

Mais, si je t'aime,

Si je t'aime, prend garde à toi!

Si je t'aime, prend garde à toi!

Take a journey to find your dream
It's not as far as it may seem
Everyday is another step
So don't get down if you're not there yet

When things get worse than they've ever been
You'll find the strength that you need within
So don't give up 'till you find your dream
No matter how hard it may seem, yea

And to yourself you must be true
'Cause it's the only thing you can do
So when it's tough just don't let go'Cause we're all stronger than we know

And as we go through the crazy things
That's the way we're gonna find our wings
So when its' tough just don't let go
'Cause we're all stronger than we know
Stronger than we know-oh-oh-oh
Yeaaa...

Life is full of impossibilities

You can be one too if you believe
We're all stronger than we know-oh-oh-oh

There was a thunderous applause and standing ovation as she finished the song. She had done it... She had sung her first solo for a Juliard performance.