BEYOND THE LIGHTS «j.p.»

why you wanna fly

•••

The next day, Rio stands side stage, Daphne stands next to him, rubbing his shoulders as the watch a child about Rio's age on stage, performing a strange interpretive dance that, quite frankly, is down right awful.

Daphne can't help but smile though, because so far, none of these children have matched up to her baby, he had talent that exceeded them all. She knew he was going to win.

As the girl on stage finishes, the audience applauds her, and she bows and runs off stage.

Daphne turns Rio to face her, crouching down to be eye level with him, she looks right into his eyes. "You're better than them. Remember that. Go out there and give it everything that you've got."

Rio nods his head.

"Next up, we have little Rio Carmichael!" The host says. Rio walks on stage and the crowd claps for him. He walks over to the mic stand, and everyone falls silent. He looks over to Daphne, and she gives him a nod.

"Why you wanna fly, blackbird?" Rio begins to sing. "You ain't ever gonna fly."

Daphne looks at him, then out to the crowd, who all look taken aback by his talent. She smiles triumphantly.

"Why you wanna fly, blackbird?" Rio continues, eyes closed as he gets into the song. "You ain't ever gonna fly."

Ebony walks in, standing in the back, and smiling as Rio is singing, his hair braided to his scalp.

"No place big enough for holding, all the tears you're gonna cry." Rio sings. "Cuz your mama's name was lonely, and your daddy's name was pain. So they call you little sorrow."

Rio finishes the song, and everyone claps for him, the loudest applause that anyone has received all day. He runs giddily offstage back to his mother, who embraces him in a hug.

"You did amazing, sweetie." She smiles at him. "You're a star."

•••

Later, all the talent lines up on stage, and Daphne stands in the crowd with Ebony. Rio smiles at them.

"In third place, we have..." The host says, reading off of a card. "Little Rio Carmichael!"

Rio smiles and walks over, letting the host hang a medal around his neck and stepping back into line. He looks out into the crowd, expecting to see his proud mother, but instead she wears a frown. Rio's smile fades.

"In second place, Timmy and his talking turtle!" The host says.

"In first place, Cindy!" The girl that did the strange dance jumps up and down as she receives the trophy.

Daphne, outraged that two white children beat her son, who was obviously much better than them, just because he was someone of color, walks up to the stage. "Come on. Let's go."

Rio, not wanting to disappoint his mother anymore, takes her hand as she drags him off stage and out of the room. Ebony stands there dumbfounded as Daphne drags him out of the room.

"They're all idiots!" Daphne exclaims as she and Rio walk to the car. "Idiots! They wouldn't know real talent if it slapped them in their faces. It's bullshit!"