I was walking to the auditorium when they hit forcefully. My nerves, they were there all day but now my heart was pounding against my ribcage, my palms were sweating, I was starting to hyperventilate, my blood was pounding in my ears, that's all I could hear. I walked slowly, so I wouldn't fall while walking up the stairs. I entered and saw my best friend, Annie Wilkerson, waving to me. I walked over to her and hugged her.
"Excited?" she squealed. I laughed.
"More like nervous." she laughed at me.
"Well, I'm going to go find my seat." she pulled out a bouquet of daises, tulips, and marigolds, my favorites, from behind her back and handed them to me. "Good luck!" she pecked my cheek softly before turning on her heel and heading into the auditorium.
I smiled. I smelled the flowers while walking backstage. I found my teacher, Mrs. Vance, surrounded by other students ages ranging from 6 to 18. I smiled again and held back waiting for her to sort out the other students. When she was done I walked up to her.
She smiled at me. "Where am I?" I questioned.
"You are going to play the finale!"
"Really?!" I squealed. Playing the finale was a big deal! Only the best students played.
"Yes! You'll do fine. Now there is a vase in the back, to put your flowers in." she pointed to a back room. I nodded my head, and she scurried off, as I drifted off in shock. I put my flowers in the vase filled with water and walked back. I sat in a chair that was grouped with the other performers, off center stage hidden in the back.
I was very nervous. I didn't know if my parents were going to be at this recital. They missed every one of them since they announced their candidacy. I sighed. I didn't even bother call or texting them, to remind them. I was past the point of caring if they were coming or not. Annie was there and that's all that mattered. I held my vase between my knees as I contemplated my new relationship with my parents. I blamed them for their distance. But soon school would start and I'd be busy with that and the few friends that I had.
I was thinking so intently that I missed the whole show. I missed fourteen people play their songs. Mrs. Vance had come over to remind me that my turn was next when I realized this. I had played three songs. Mrs. Vance thought I had a great voice so she made me learn two songs where I would sing to them. The fist non-sung song was "River Flows in You"- by: Yiruma, "Twilight" by Vanessa Carlton, and "Heroes and Thieves" by Vanessa Carlton, too. It was the first and only time I ever played and sang at the same time.
"Scarlett it's your turn, dear." Mrs. Vance smiled at me. I stood, trembling, carefully setting the vase on my chair and took my folder of music from Mrs. Vance. She walked with me to the curtain and stopped.
"I am going to introduce you." she told me. I gulped as much as air as I could. "Come on stage after I come back. Bow before you perform and after you perform." she informed me. She place her hands on my shoulders and looked at me with a gentle expression. "Scarlett, you are my best student. You are prompt and you practice everyday. You know your pieces by heart, but still use your music just in case, and you help with the younger students. You are amazing pianist. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You are going to blow them away out there." she patted my cheek before she went on stage. I stared at the curtain, waiting for her to come back. But I could hear everything she said.
"Now are last and final performer has the absolute right to fill the spot of finale. She is my best student. She always knows her pieces and is a wonderful talented player. She will be performing three songs for you tonight, but unlike the other performers she will be singing with the last of the two. She is the first student of mine to do this. But she has a great talent for both singing and playing and she can do both at the same time great. Now let me present, Scarlett Lane." Mrs. Vance called. Then she walked through the curtain and walked out the door leading to the auditorium, but not before mouthing good luck, I responded with a thank you.
I took a deep breath and stepped through the curtains. I walked to center stage and took a bow. I walked the two feet to the piano bench. I took the music out of its folder placed it in the holder on the piano and I sat. Then I started to play "River Flows in You" this was my favorite to play. Soon my nerves were gone. I was playing my heart out, pounding on the keys with emotion. I was pouring my heart out in these songs. Soon I was on to the next. I didn't even realize people were there. It felt as if I was practicing at home, by myself or with Mrs. Vance. I just played and sung my heart out. I was on the last one. I felt as if I was soaring! I couldn't believe this high. It felt amazing! I just wanted to keep performing...forever!
Then it was over, sadly. I stood, gathered my music, and stepped around my bench seat, and took a bow. The audience were standing and clapping. Some were even shouting! I couldn't believe it. I smiled widely, blushing and bowed again. I turned on my heel and walked back stage. It was then when I let myself laugh. I was laughing hysterically and dancing when Annie found me. She ran and gathered me up in hug. Then we both started dancing and laughing.
"Scarlett you did amazing! Why didn't you tell me you were going to sing?!" Annie said between gasps of laughter.
"Thank you!" I pushed my curly red hair out of my face and said. "I don't know why, probably to surprise you!" I shoved her gently. "Are my parents here?"
Annie looked slightly nervous. "Uh, Scar," she used my nickname, getting from all the scars gathered through my years of clumsiness. "I didn't see them. I'm sorry" she said sadly. I hung my head for a second, then snapped it up.
"Oh, who cares?! You wanna go get some ice cream with me? You know to celebrate!" I laughed. She laughed along with me.
"Yes, just let me call my mom and tell her." Annie replied. She pulled out her silver and pink cell and dialed a number. "Mom? Hey, I'm gonna go get some ice cream with Scarlett." then a frown came to her face. "Mom! I thought it was tomorrow?" she sighed. "Fine, I'm leaving now." she hung up. "Well, I can't come. I have to babysit my little brother and sisters. Ugh, my parents have some stupid dinner. I'm sorry, Scarlett." Annie flung her thin arms around Scarlett.
"It's fine. We'll hang out sometime this week, okay?" I smiled at her.
"You're so on!" she grinned at me again and turned around, running for the door. I sighed. Now what was I going to do? I walked back to my seat and carefully grabbed my vase. I turned and found Mrs. Vance staring at me with tears in her eyes.
"You were amazing! You are the best student I've ever had!" she wailed and enclosed me in an awkward hug, as my one arm was sticking out and holding the vase.
"Thank you, Mrs. Vance." I said sincerely. She pulled away and wiped her eyes under her glasses. She smiled.
"Where are your parents, dear?" she looked around, trying to see if they were there.
"Oh, they couldn't make it. Work." I mumbled as my foot scuffed at the floor.
"Oh, well tell them I say, hello." I nodded. "I must go see the other parents. But congratulations again." I smiled my thanks. She turned around and walked out the door. I sighed and walked out the door, too.
Soon I was stopped by students and parents alike, to congratulate me on my great performance. I said my thank you's and yours was great too's before I could finally walk out the door.
It was night out now. I was cold with a light breeze. Most people were gone by now. I held my vase to my chest and descended the stairs slowly, walking even more slowly to my car. Then I felt something oddly and extremely cold on my neck. I raised my hand to wipe at that spot when my hand collided with something hard, like rock. And I turned my head.
There was a face inches from my own. I tried to scream but there was no voice left in me. I couldn't even move, I was frozen. The face was of a beautiful young man, around 22. He had white blond hair. His face was pale, luminescent in the dark of night. Then my instincts hit me full force. And I bolted to my car. But he was in front of me in seconds. Now I screamed. How did he get there so fast?! I looked back, thinking I was hallucinating. I turned my head back and he caught it with his hands. I shoved at him, kicked at him. He didn't even budge. I was getting bruises on my hands. He hurt, he felt like rock. He was slowly lowering his face to my neck. Then his lips met my neck. Then pain. So much pain. Sharp razor blades cutting into my skin, and those were his teeth. He was lowering me to the ground. Then something shot through my veins. It burned. I fidgeted, then was still. Then everything was black.