My second chance

It's my whole future

Edited
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Chapter1
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I slump back in my chair, push the table leg with the bottom of my shoe .It grates across the the floor and puts my teeth on edge.

My head's hurting ;pounding between my eyes. I shudder - full of hope and full of dread. Sometimes I wish I'd never started this crazy dream. It all seems so stupid now it's come down to this.

One performance.

I stare around the whitewashed room ; gaze at a dirty smudge on the wall . After 8 years of working my arse off, I get half an hour. Just half an hour to show the judges that i'm worth it . And i'm scared , scared like I've never been before .

I push the table, then set about removing my nose ring. Better try look the part. And where is Damon? I'm not going to be able to do tjis without an accompanist . Why does he always have to be late.

My violin teacher comes in , stares and sighs

"Where's Damon ?"

"On his way . I've told him there's no piano in here. He'll warm up down the other end."

I don't want him down the other end . I want him with me . I check the tuning of my violin a start my exercises.

Mr Noble watches, leaning against the table , his face a mixture of a smile and frown.

I hear snatches of music from down the corridor. Other candidates, three of them , and all younger than me . they're talented - that's a given - but i bet they're not skint , not desprate like I am .

For them, getting a scholarship will just mean another certificate on the wall. For me , it's my whole future.

I stand up straighter , play over some tricky phrases . My fingers don't feel like my own and I stop, put down my violin and shake my out my hands.

Mr Nobles hands me a glass of water and orders me drink. I grip the glass tightly, watch the surface of the water skitter and spill them take a sip.

"It's OK Amy" he says "This is no different from any other performance. You'll be fine when you get out there."
I nod. But he's wrong. It is different . If I don't get this scholership to get me through the next year then I'll never get to music college . I've begged from every charity. The grants are all used up. The money's run out and thats all there is to it. I'm done. I wipe my hands down my dress and pick up my bow again.

There's a knock and a lady put her head round the door .
" Twenty minutes" she says.
My heartbeat rockets . I need another day , another few hours, sickness swims through my stomach. Mum and Dad are in the audience , stressed out like me , most likely . If I fail today I'll be flushing eight years of hard earned lessons down the toilet . I cant do that to them .Not after they've given up so much.
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