Winged? [Complete]

Twelve

We arrived at 10:52, fifteen minutes after leaving. And the place was packed. There were students and staff directing the parking lot, telling performers to go that way and others to go this way. I wanted to be as close to the door as possible so as not to be attacked with the excitement of people who recognize me.

Jacob had to park out front. Chris and I were told to park behind the building. When we parked, there was only one other person on the parking lot. Chris and I hadn't said a word to each other, even when we got to the parking lot. He took the guitar on his back after getting out then locked the car, walking with me. Holding my hand.

There were a few different performance people and groups backstage other than ourselves. But seeing them made me all the more nervous. "Chris." I whispered, receding behind him, "I don't think I can do this."

"What, why?" He asked, pulling me aside. "We're already this far. You gotta do this!"

"No, no I-" a hiccup interrupted my speech. I began my sentence again before hiccupping again. Hiccups haven't been a factor of my anxiety since grade school. But only then was I as nervous as now.

Chris sighed, pouring a cup of water from the cooler next to us. "Kelly, come on. I want you to do this."

I took the cup from him, drinking it between hiccups, "I do too but-" another hiccup. I ran a flustered hand through my hair. This was not going to happen successfully. I always fail at the simplest of tasks. Who would even like my song? Who would like my voice?

"Kelly," Chris took my hands from my hair, "You're the closing act. There are four acts and a skit before you. You have an entire hour almost to practice if you feel needed." I let my eyes fall downward, but he moved his head to find my gaze again, "Okay, Kelly?"

I smiled, nodding, "Okay, Chris."

He stood straight again, pulling me into a warm hug. It wasn't an affectionate one, but an assuring hug. An embrace to say everything's alright, and sometimes I just needed that. Because in my head, nothing's ever alright. The two of us walked back to the car to practice the music. That was the intention. But instead we ended up having pointlessly idiotic conversations and anything else that could calm my nerves.

I decided to stretch a little. I made sure the surroundings were empty beforehand. Then, in a single motion, I extended my wings. Chris walked over to touch them, never having done so before. He didn't say anything. He just brushed his hand over my feathers. When he was done analyzing them, he came and stood in front of me. "You know, with or without your wings, you're still the Kelly I think I'm falling for."

I grinned, looking at the watch on his wrist. "Oh my goodness, Chris!" He looked at his watch as well, seeing that we go on in ten. We both laughed to ourselves, rushing inside after grabbing the guitar.

When we went back in, the presenter was saying some joke before announcing the actual act. "Well, like I told my fellow classmates," she said, "I bet most of you are here for one act and one act only. Allow me to present our final one. A song by yours truly, miss Kelly Partley!"

"Okay, deep breath, Kelly." Chris said as I exhaled and walked through the curtains. The crowd must have been two hundred people or more. Regardless it was big and I was standing there. Speechless.

"Uh." I stuttered into the mic, my eyes scanning the hungry crowd. "My name's... Uhm..."

Chris walked on stage behind me, hooking the acoustic to an amp. He looked at me with a smile mouthing 'you okay?' I shook my head, stepping away from the mic. "Want me to...?" He signaled toward the mic and I nodded quickly. "Hello everyone," he greeted, pulling me over by the arm, "This is Kelly. She's gonna sing for you all but as you can see, she's a little shy so cheer her on, would you?"

"You can do it, Kelly!" Jacob and Taylor yelled from the back of the room, with Alex and Trevver raising an applaud as well. And I grinned, stepping toward the mic again but looking toward the front row. Only to see, smiling warmly, my mother.

Chris began strumming the opening chords. I took a final breath before singing with the notes my verses. I continued to look at my mother, becoming more confident as I sang. From my mother to my brother my glance shifted, knowing that these two people were the only ones that kept my spirit up when needed. Then, as the chorus approached for the first time, I took the wireless mic off of its stand and sang through the chorus.

Taylor and Mimi were dancing in the back, as Jacob looked approvingly at me. I smiled as I began to sing into the second verse, anticipating the chorus where Chris chimed in. And surely, he did when I sang it again. His perfect harmony was always a joy to hear. It helped especially in knowing I wasn't entirely on stage by myself. And as the song drew to a close, I realized how relaxed I had become, sitting on the edge of the stage with the mic in my hand.

The sound of a roaring applaud and cheers pulled me from my trance I was in of music. The announcer came back on stage and pulled me to my feet, taking the mic from my hand. Just as I was about to exit the stage, a little girl ran on stage.

"Wait, please!" I turned around and looked at the little excited face of the girl. "Ms. Partley, I'm Tonya. Today is my birthday and I live three hours away. I wanted to see you perform today and that's all I wanted."

My eyes widened, "All? That's it?" She nodded as I walked over, kneeling next to her, "You sure?"

"Well..." She said, bringing my ear to whisper what she truly wanted. I grinned, telling her to step backward a little, as well as Chris and the announcer. She wanted to see my wings. And so she did. A small portion of the crowd gasped, but the most of them cheered. I assumed most of them wanted to see that. I looked to little Tonya who was crouched on the ground, holding a fallen feather of mine. "Can I keep this?" I grinned being brought back to yesterday. The boy who was denied the feather he wanted. I nodded my head, refusing to cause the sadness on her like on that little boy.

Now, I noticed the rolling cameras in the back of the room. I stood next to Tonya, smiling and pointing to the camera. The two of waved for it and then posed for her parents' picture. "Excuse me, Kelly?" Her father asked, "My daughter follows your page and I noticed that you're in pursuit of a career in singing?"

"Sir?" I asked curiously. A hand touched my hips and I saw Chris appear beside me.

"Well, I happen to be a producer. I help boost those just like you. What would you say to performing for my boss and maybe getting that single out there?"

If I could grin any wider, I would have torn my face. I nodded, unable to articulate words to him. Jacob and everyone else waltzed over after the announcer dismissed the audience. The seven of us were a shrieking, excited riot after I told them Mr. David's news, that was his name.

To think I could transform in a week from a cocooned worm to a wonderful butterfly whose dream came true. It's almost unrealistic. Yet, it's what I asked for: breaking the chains of my own heart.