Shy

Clara

We're nearly through with rehearsals for this evening's recital and I'm a jumble of nerves. My costumes are wrinkly, James nearly dropped me twice earlier and Kia's lost a shoe.

I sit and wait for my next part which should be any moment now as Kia hunts through our dressing room for her shoe.

"I know I saw it around here somewhere!" She says, hunting around with her phone torch on.

I'm about to reply when I'm interrupted by a knock at the door. I sigh and pull it open, expecting someone to yell at me that I'm due on stage any moment.

Instead it's one of the stage hands, holding a bouquet of beautiful red and white flowers.

"You're Clara Evelyn, right?" He says and I nod as he thrusts the flowers towards me.

I take them and gently close the door. Kia stands upright grinning and bounds over to me for a closer look.

"Who are they from?" She asks quickly, peering at them.

I shrug my shoulders and pluck the little note from inside.

Clara,

Good luck this evening. I know you will be utterly enchanting.

Affectionately yours,

"It doesn't say." I admit, flipping the card over without any luck.

"They're beautiful, do you think your parents...?" Kia asks and I shake my head doubtfully. Who on earth would have sent me flowers?

I smile as I look at them, recognising them as carnations. Such lovely little flowers, although I have no idea what they mean.

Saskia's phone chirps as she takes a photo of me and I look up, startled.

"Cute pic to remember the day by." She says, showing me and I nod, my attention back on the flowers from my mystery sender.

I've never been described as enchanting but it's a lovely compliment. I only hope I live up to that this evening.

We finish rehearsals all too quickly and by the time the show starts I'm no longer nervous. I'm never nervous to go on stage, it's the only thing I really know how to do. It's really what I live to do.

Just as always, the audience is pitch black because of the lights illuminating the stage. But, just as always, I feel complete and loved, just as I have every year for as long as I can remember.

Maybe the stage is my soulmate, I think ironically.

The performance goes well, no one misses their cue and James doesn't drop me. I try to convey what Clara in the Nutcracker feels towards her prince, but unfortunately all I have is James and I'm not a miracle worker.

None the less I try my best and by the end of the evening I'm exhausted.

I change into my work-out gear that I had arrived in and admire my flowers one last time. Kia hugs me and goes off to meet her family and I follow her lead. I reluctantly hang up my costumes, knowing I can't keep them despite how beautiful they are, and exit the theatre.

I tentatively walk out and the first person I spot is Kit.

He's dressed in black dress trousers with a white shirt and a matching black waistcoat. He fiddles with his bowtie and I cant help but notice how devilishly handsome he looks. His hair has been styled slightly and it reminds me of someone.

I'm broken from my trance by my name being called and I make my way over to my parents with a smile.

"Congratulations, Clara! You were amazing, what's this?" My mum asks, gesturing towards my flowers and I deduce that they're not responsible for them.

"Oh, I don't know. They were delivered during rehearsals, I thought maybe you guys?" I say but they shake their heads.

We head home and I silently ponder who my admirer is, and whether I lived up to their expectations. I hope so.

I also hope that the flowers aren't from a creepy old man.

I sigh, pushing that thought out of my mind and focusing on the fact that someone had bothered to send me flowers. I only wish I could thank them.