Wishing on a star

Dancing with the grass

  I spun into a pirouette, letting all of my thoughts drown in the familiar haze. My Mary Jane's spun in the grass, which swung to the beat of an old record of classical music. The sky was bluer than ever, but all I knew was that I was elated to be alone.

  My discount ballet worked its hardest at times like these, flourishing when no one was watching.

  "Opal! What have I told you about ballet! You aren't allowed to do it!" My mother, Celesta, screamed at me.

  I knew she only wanted me to get back to chores . Leisure wasn't a thing around our house. My mother crushed all my dreams like she threatened to crush my legs. I picked my basket back up and ran into the strawberry fields, my hair falling out of its messy braids.

All I wanted was to dance, but I wasn't supposed to move out of the house. Ever. I was nineteen and still wasn't allowed to move out. I was pretty sure keeping me here was illegal but my mother never cared for the law.

For now though, my fingers would be used for picking berries instead of ballet.