CHAPTER 1

Ever since I was a little girl, my dream has been to perform on stage. Each morning, I close my eyes and picture myself in front of hundreds of people. As I sing, my voice echoes through the theater, transporting everyone from their soft, cushioned seats, and into a musical world away from their own. Then, the crowd rises to their feet with applause.

When I daydream, anything is possible.

“Christine, time for school!” my mother calls from downstairs. I open my eyes. My real life was pretty ordinary. Unlike the fancy theater with bright lights and gold-plated balconies, my room simply had a small bed and an old bookshelf.

My mother and I moved to town when I was in the third grade. On my first day of school, I was worried I wouldn’t make any friends. Instead, I’d met Sarah. Her fiery red hair matched her spirited personality. We’d become instant friends!

Every day after school, Sarah and I would perform in her living room. Sometimes, we would take fruit from the kitchen and pretend we were jugglers in the circus. Other times, we would perform moves we’d learned in our gymnastics class. This was where my love of performing began.

Now, in our junior year of high school, Sarah and I did almost everything together, including auditioning for our school’s Talent Showcase! We’d been practicing for weeks. Today was our time to show the world, or at least our high school, what we had to offer. If I could pull this off, maybe I could even make it into a real performing arts college.

I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the small mirror against my bedroom wall. Tiny dark freckles cover my brown skin, and braids flow just past my shoulders. I smile.

“Today’s the day everything is going to change,” I think, before racing downstairs with excitement.

Carrying two cups of coffee, I arrive at school and make my way across campus to the football field to meet Sarah. This early in the morning, the weather is chilly. I hug my hands around the cups to keep me warm.

On the field, Sarah is finishing up with cheerleading practice. She performs cartwheels and backflips across the field, before ending with her hands in the air and sporting a bright smile. She was always so confident.

“I hope I’m that sure of myself when I audition today,” I think.

When Sarah sees me, she waves excitedly and runs off the field. As soon as she makes it to the bleachers, she pulls me into a big hug!

“Christine! Today’s the day! Are you ready to show Madewell High what you’ve got?” she says, shimmying her shoulders in a little dance.

“How about we start with some coffee first,” I laugh, passing her a cup.

The sound of trumpets, drums, and tubas begin to play across the field. I notice a familiar face: Jackson Miller. He was a year older than I and played drums in the school’s marching band. I’d always had a bit of a crush on Jackson, but rarely had enough courage to say more than a few words to him.

I watch Jackson play in what feels like slow motion. His navy blue band uniform flaps in the wind and I admire how passionately he plays his drum.

“I wonder if Jackson’s auditioning for the talent show too,” I think out loud as the band finishes.

“Why don’t we ask him?” Sarah says. “Hey Jackson!” she calls out loudly. She waves her arms in the air to get his attention. Before I can shrink into the bleachers and out of sight, Jackson spots us. As he jogs toward us, a nervous feeling bubbles up in my stomach.

“Jackson, that drum solo was amazing! Christine thinks so too,” Sarah says, giving me an encouraging nudge.

“Uh, yeah. It sounded great.” I say shyly.

“Thanks. I’ve been practicing all week,” Jackson says. “Hey, are you two auditioning for the Talent Showcase today?”

“Yes! Christine and I have been practicing together!” Sarah says excitedly.

“Nice. I have to get back to rehearsal, but I’ll see you there!”

Jackson waves and runs back to the band.

“If Jackson is also auditioning, maybe we’ll all get to rehearse together,” I think, but this time I keep the thought to myself.

Instead of having lunch at school, Sarah and I go back to her house for one last rehearsal before the audition. We had chosen a routine from our favorite musical, Island Vacation.

Sarah choreographed a fun dance to go along with the song that I would be singing. I’d never sung in front of anyone other than my parents, but I was excited to perform in front of the talent committee, a group of teachers and students who planned the showcase each year. They ran the auditions and had the final say on who would perform in the show. They were the ones to impress!

For the next hour, Sarah and I sing and dance the time away. When we finish rehearsal, we are hyped up and ready to perform. Sarah’s mom even orders us pizza to reward our hard work.

With full hearts and bellies, we make our way back to school, ready to audition.

CHAPTER 2

By the time Sarah and I get back to school, the music hall is already packed with students ready to audition. The sound of different instruments fills the air as we enter the building. I walk past a group of students playing the violin. For a moment, I pretend they are playing just for me. I imagine I am floating through the halls in my very own musical.

“Excuse me! Watch where you’re going!” a voice says, snapping me out of my imagination. I realize I’ve bumped into Mandy Turner. Mandy was the first freshman to ever make it into the Talent Showcase. Now a senior, she rarely let anyone forget it.

“You’d think people would have a bit more respect for a member of the talent committee,” Mandy says, flipping her long black hair and walking away dramatically.

“Don’t let her ruin your day,” Sarah reassures me. “Today’s supposed to be fun! Let’s go sign in!”

A little bit of nervousness bubbles up in my stomach again. From what I could tell, all the acts were very impressive.

Next to me, a guy with blue hair and a nose ring gracefully practices the cello. In another corner of the room, a girl in cowboy boots salsa dances with her partner. For the first time, I begin to question our act. Sarah was used to performing in front of hundreds of people because she was a cheerleader. But what if I wasn’t good enough?

I try to ignore the thought. After signing in, we find two free chairs against the wall. Sarah makes fast friends with the girl sitting next to her. Before I know it, they are deep in conversation and laughter.

Looking around the room, I see a few familiar faces, but no one I know well. I wonder if Jackson is here yet or if he’s already auditioned.

Finally, the door to the classroom swings open. A girl walks out of the room with a large smile on her face.

“Crushed it!” she says, practically floating down the hallway with pride.

I swallow nervously.

The teacher standing in the doorway reads off of an old metal clipboard.

“Sarah and Christine!”

Sarah looks at me with a sparkle in her eye. I try to do the same, but the very moment that I hear my name, my nerves seem to take over. I have to encourage my feet to step towards the classroom.

“I’ll feel much better once we’ve made it into the showcase,” I think as I follow Sarah into the classroom.

Inside of the classroom, all the desks and chairs have been stacked against the wall, creating an open space in the middle of the room. The talent committee sits at a long white table at the front. I notice Mr. Thompson, my music teacher, Mandy Turner, and…Jackson Miller!?

My heartbeat seems to thunder against my chest. I had no idea Jackson was a part of the talent committee. I was already nervous, but the thought of auditioning in front of Jackson nearly made me frozen with fear.

“When you’re ready,” Mr. Thompson says with a nod. Instrumental music begins to play through the speaker. Because the room is so small, the music sounds much louder than I’d expected it to. I try to swallow, but my throat is dry like sandpaper.

“Oh no,” I think, trying to keep my focus on my cue to begin singing. But as Sarah starts to dance, I don't sing. I open my mouth, hoping for something to come out. Instead, my knees begin to wobble and my voice begins to shake.

“I- uh,” I say, out loud this time.

At the table, Jackson’s green eyes shine with concern, but I think I see a smirk forming on Mandy’s face. How could she laugh at me when I was already so embarrassed?

To cover for me, Sarah begins to sing my verse. Her voice, full and beautiful, seems to fill the whole room. Sarah could shine on her own. She didn't need me. With tears in my eyes, I run out of the classroom.

The next morning, instead of going to the football field, I make my way to one of my favorite rooms on campus. I hadn’t slept very well, but there was one place that always helped me feel better: the art space. Covered in colorful paintings and decorated with handmade clay sculptures, the art space was another world away from my own. During the school day, I liked to come here to draw and clear my head.

This early in the morning, the space is peaceful and quiet. I take in the calmness for another moment before turning on an old radio at the back of the room. Then, I sit down at a table covered with dried paint and pencil marks.

Pulling out my sketchbook, I begin to draw myself on stage to help process how I am feeling. I draw Sarah singing confidently into a microphone. Then, I get to me. I draw myself with my head down, faced away from the microphone, the opposite of Sarah’s image. As I draw, I hum along to the radio. One of my favorite songs was playing!

Before I know it, my soft hum has turned into real singing. The freedom and ease of performing seems to flood back. I sing each lyric passionately. Looking down at the drawing of myself, I realize that wasn’t the real me. I was so much more than that. Maybe, I was more than my fear.

I spring up from the art table, new confidence sweeping over me. I was going to do the showcase! I rush out of the room and run right into a tall figure wearing a Nashville Junior College baseball cap.

“Sorry.”

I look up at the person timidly. Under the baseball cap, I am surprised to find Jackson standing right in front of me.

“Christine,” Jackson looks at me curiously. “Was that you singing?”

“Yes,” I say, nodding slowly. “You heard me?” I ask embarrassed.

“I sure did! You’re really good!” Jackson replies with encouragement.

It takes another second for me to muster up the courage and ask for his help, but finally, I say, “Jackson, I know that I didn’t do so great at the audition, but I was hoping maybe you’d be willing to give me another chance?”

“With talent like that, how could I say no! I’ll even go with you to talk with Mr. Thompson after school!”

CHAPTER 3

“I want to do the talent show!” I exclaim excitedly to Sarah.

At the sound of my voice, she jumps, startled by how thrilled I was. I’d run straight to the football field and found her taking a break from cheerleading practice. We hadn’t spoken since the auditions and I was excited to tell her the news.

“That’s great, Christine! I was worried maybe I’d pushed you too hard.”

“No, I’m sorry, Sarah. I shouldn’t have run out of the auditions. I just got really scared.”

“It’s okay. What’s important is that you get out there and try again.” Sarah gives me an encouraging smile. Then, her smile turns into a small frown.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Mr. Thompson already approved my dance for the showcase. I don’t know if we’ll be able to perform together.”

“That’s okay,” I say. “I think this is a performance that I need to do on my own anyway. I may never get over my stage fright if I don’t at least try. I could sure use the help of my friends though, if you're willing.”

“Absolutely,” Sarah replies, her beaming smile returning.

Jackson and I meet with the talent committee after school. When we arrive, Mr. Thompson is sitting at his desk, while Mandy stands against the wall on her cellphone. Her long nails make a tap, tap, tap, noise against the screen as she texts. She doesn’t look up when we come in.

I tell Mr. Thompson how much it would mean to me to be in the show. Jackson adds that I have real talent and deserve another chance.

“Well, I believe everyone deserves a second chance,” Mr. Thompson says kindly. “If Jackson thinks you can do it, then so do I.”

“Thank you! I won’t let you down!” I say. But just as I’m about to leave the classroom, Mandy stops me.

“Good luck performing in front of the whole school. You couldn’t even perform in front of us,” Mandy says coldly, finally looking up from her phone.

I do my best to shake off the comment, but a part of me thinks that maybe she is right. How was I going to be a performer if I didn’t even have the courage to sing to a small group!

Sarah and Jackson help me practice in the theater every day after school. Sarah helps me come up with a fun dance routine. We spend most afternoons spinning and swaying around the stage, imagining we’re pop stars on our first world tour.

After dancing with Sarah, Jackson and I practice my song together. He shows me how to use my diaphragm, a part of my stomach that helps me to sing louder.

“Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh.” We stand at the edge of the stage with our hands on our stomachs, singing at the top of our lungs.

One day, instead of going straight home after rehearsal, I decide to stay back in the theater to think. I sit on the edge of the stage, my legs dangling while I’m lost in thought.

“You okay?” Jackson asks. His navy blue backpack is slung over his shoulder. When he sees the worried expression on my face, he sets it down and sits next to me.

“We’ve been rehearsing a lot. And I’m confident I know the song well. I guess I’m just worried when the time comes to perform, I’ll freeze up again.”

Jackson is quiet for a moment, as if deep in thought. “I get stage fright sometimes too, you know?” he says finally.

I look at him surprised. “You do?”

Jackson nods.

“What do you do when it happens?”

He holds up five fingers.

“My dad taught me an exercise to do when I feel anxious or overwhelmed. It’s called the five senses check. I look around the room and focus on something that helps me to feel calm. Then after I really see it, I pay attention to what I can smell, to what I can taste, to what I can hear, and to what I can feel. You should try it next time you perform. I think it could really help.”

“I will. Thank you.”

I smile at Jackson. I was grateful to have a new friend in my life who was so encouraging.

At the end of the week, I rush to the theater right after my chemistry class. Today was the last day of rehearsal before the showcase. The three of us had worked hard all week. I was confident that I knew both the music and dance choreography well.

When I get to the theater, Sarah and Jackson are waiting for me at the front of the stage.

“Christine! There you are! We have a surprise for you,” Sarah calls out in her normal cheery tone.

“For today’s rehearsal,” Jackson begins, “We’re going on a little field trip.”

I look at both of them curiously. What could these two be up to?

The three of us pile into Jackson’s car eagerly. As we drive, we sing songs from Sarah’s playlist, even making up silly lyrics when we don't know the words. After a few minutes, Jackson pulls the car into a crowded parking lot outside of a small coffee shop.

“Where are we?” I ask, getting out of the car.

A few people carrying guitar cases and drumsticks were making their way inside the cafe. I wondered if there was a concert.

“Well,” Sarah begins, “we thought it might be nice for you to watch a few performances for a change.”

As we get closer to the coffee shop, I see a sign on the door that reads, Open Mic Night.

“You don’t have to perform if you don’t want to,” Jackson adds. “I just thought you’d like to come and listen to some music. Maybe you’ll be inspired by what you see.”

Inside, the cafe smells like coffee beans and baked goods. A bright spotlight shines on a small stage and microphone at the front. After buying three hot chocolates, we take a seat at an empty table near the stage. First, a girl who looks to be college-aged performs a poem. Her words seem to flow into each other as she speaks and I am swept into her story.

As the night goes on, I become more and more inspired by each performance; my favorite is a singer who plays both the guitar and harmonica at the same time! These were real performers. I took pride in the fact that by tomorrow, I could say I was a real performer too!

CHAPTER 4

On the day of the show, I wake up with a mix of nervous excitement. The performances at the cafe helped me realize I did have what it took to be a performer. But there would still be a lot of people at the showcase. I hoped I had enough courage to follow through with it.

I arrive backstage a few minutes before the show begins. I notice the sound of quiet voices on the other side of the curtain where the audience waits. I take a peek through the curtain. The auditorium is already beginning to fill up. I notice that Jackson and Mandy are seated in the front row. My stomach does a nervous flip.

Jackson and I had been preparing for so long. What if I let him down? Or worse, what if I messed up in front of the whole school and in front of Mandy. She would never let me live it down.

I checked around for Sarah but I don’t see her.

“She must be preparing for her own act,” I think.

I look out at the audience one more time before the lights in the theater begin to dim. The show was starting! The performances before me go by quickly. Before I know it, the sound of my name echoes throughout the room. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. It was time.

I step up to the microphone and immediately shield my eyes from the bright, shining spotlight. Maybe this was going to be harder than I thought. I close my eyes and remember the five senses test that Jackson taught me.

I open my eyes. What can I see? I look around the auditorium. Just past the front row, I see Jackson giving me a thumbs up from his seat. I smile back softly. What can I feel? I feel the soft velvet of my dress brush against my fingertips. I inhale and smell the sweet scent of the perfume my mom had loaned me. What can I hear? I hear the beginning of soft instrumental music as my song begins to play. My heartbeat slowly returns to a normal pace. “I can do this,” I say quietly.

Then, with everything in me, I begin to sing. As I sing, I think of everything that has led me to this moment: the daydreams in my bedroom, the encouragement of my friends around me, and even the embarrassing audition. Each moment helped me to grow and face my fears.

When the song finishes, I open my eyes to find the entire audience standing on their feet cheering and applauding for me. Even Mandy claps along with the rest of the crowd, showing a small look of approval.

“I did it!” I think as I take a bow.

After the show, I am met with a flurry of praise and congratulations in the school lobby. I spot Mandy from a distance. When she sees me, she starts to come over. I brace myself.

“Christine.” I look at her nervously. “You did…well. I may even talk to Mr. Thompson about giving you my spot on the talent committee after I graduate,” she says, before prancing off to her friends.

Jackson and Sarah join me in a big group hug.

“You were incredible,” Jackson says proudly.

“Yes! You really did it. Were you scared?” Sarah asks me curiously.

“At first,” I say nodding. “And I still have a long way to go. But tonight gave me hope. Tonight, I found the courage to dream.”