What happened?

Stars in Red&Gold

Lisa

So, I'm talking about my first real experience of a Russian festival. The Maslenitsa festival. It's a festival to say goodbye to the winter and say hello to spring.

So, it's a day like any other when Sonija ran up to me and asked me if I'm excited for Maslenitsa. I didn't know what it was.

'Sorry Sonija, what is that?' I asked and she explained it to me. I was kind of excited but I haven't been much into that Russian life. I just got used to that life.

'Lisa? I will be singing and I'm afraid...' Sonija told me. I pulled her into a hug.

'You don't need to. Everything will be fine.' I said.

'Will you be there?' she asked and I promised her to support her in the audience.

So, already a few days after it, the day was there. I helped Sonija and Sofija into their costums since they surprised me with the fact that they will be having a little play with thwir school. They looked SO cute! We left as soon as they got dressed and their parents got ready. We went there by car. We needed like an hour to get there.

I brought the girls to their school group near the main stage.

'Can't you just be singing instead of me? I mean, you know that song...' she joked a little bit.

'No Sonija.. Can I tell you something? I'm afraid.. It's been the last thing I did with my sisters and I'm afraid that everything comes up again...'

'But... But, you will be there? Promise?' Sonija asked me before I left.

I nodded and then I started a little walk around the festival area. Everything was really colorful but mainly red I think. Many people rushed around already and alot of people were dressed in costumes. I started feeling a little down that time. Mascots kept pushing me around (ofc by accident but some also for fun) and some of the workers kept talking to me with joy and excitement. I just felt wrong in that place. I didn't really enjoy it. I felt like everything is coming up to me and I was just pushed around. I just wanted to get out of the crowd but soon, I didn't get to move anymore. It was full! A tear started rolling down my face. I just stood there and didn't notice people kept moving, and suddenly, I was pushed on the bottom. A kind old lady helped me up. I thanked her and then I ran out of the crowd. Somewhere behind a booth. I stayed there for a while, just hoping on better thoughts.

Meanwhile at the main stage

The play started and Sonija's and Sofija's parents already got there. The girls came on stage after 2 acts. Since Sonija helplessly looked around and searched for Lisa in the crowd, their parents wondered what happened and looked around too. Sonija was about to sing but since she didn't spot Lisa she whsipered into the microphone: 'She didn't come..' and ran off the stage. Everyone wondered what happened. Katinka left the audience and went backstage to find her daughter. Sonija cried and told her Mom that Lisa promised her to be there for her but didn't come.

Back

I got a text really soon (yes, I got a phone).

"Where were you? Please come to the main stage... -Katinka"

I checked the time and noticed it was already 12:20pm... The play started at 12. I remembered that I promised Sonija to see her performance. I felt so bad and tried to rush into the crowd again. I needed 10 minutes to find the right way to the main stage. But then I finally found them. It was after 12:30pm which meant the play ended.

'Lisa where were you?!' Sonija sobbed.

'I.. I'm so-' I tried to say but then she walked away.

'Lisa, now serious, where were you? She's so disappointed and sad now... She didn't sing. She ran off the stage. Did you really just forget the time or did something else happen?' Katinka asked me, now more caring.

'I feel so bad now. I didn't want that. But I didn't feel that good and so I went out of the crowd and didn't notice the time... I know that's not an excuse. Forgive me please.' I said.

'Lisa? Did you cry?' she asked next. Woah, did she see it? Oh I guess my eyes were read. I just nodded.

'Please rule that thing with Sonija. She loves you like a sister and this really hurt her. And I know you built something like a bond to her too.' Katinka said and stroke my shoulder. Then she left and I walked up to Sonija who desperately tried to get out of her costume.

'May I help you?' I asked her and she turned around.  She made a sigh. That meant yes.

'Sonija, listen, I didn't do it on purpose and had fun for myself.' I said but then she cut me off.

'Thanks. Lisa, I had confidence because of you and really wanted to get out because of you. I really wanted to sing. You became something like a role model today but then you didn't come and I ran off the stage... It was so embarrassing.' She told me and it hit me. She had confidence because of me? I turned into her role model? I felt even worse. I just kept standing there. She brought away her costume and then we met outside. I thought of a thing I could make it better with. A thing I could excuse myself with. I wanted to help her. After walking around the stage (there were more booths around the stage) with the family for a little bit and when I spotted kind of a 'DJ' I got an idea.

I walked up to that DJ and asked him if he could have a microphone and if he would play that soundtrack Sonija had to sing too. Sonija stood right in front of the stage and watched me. Literally nobody knew what happened. To be honest, I was so afraid to go on stage. I meant what I said to her earlier. I stumbled a few words. Then I pulled Sonija up on stage. She didn't want to but then she was on stage.

'I'm here now, and I'm here for you.' I whsipered into her ear.

I gave the DJ a sign to start the music and I started singing. It was so hard to sing that Russian song. The struggle was real. But ssuddenly, Sonija came out of the corner. She had a microphone in her hands and started singing. That's what I wanted to be honest. It worked. The smile she had when people started cheering was precious. But I was also thankful for her to join. It was so hard to get all these russian words down. At the end, we both stood together, arm in arm and sang the last line. Then everyone started cheering and I smiled my heart out and looked up to the sky. I thought of my sisters, but this time in a positive way. She hugged me and then I took a step back and cheered for her too. She was so happy.

'Forgiven?' I asked her when we left the stage.

'Forgiven.' she answered and smiled at me.

'Good job, Lisa.' Katinka whispered.

We kept walking around the festival area. We had much fun the rest of the afternoon. I liked to be around them. I came to them as kind of a Babysitter/ Household girl and now I'm part of the family.

In the evening, there was a fire. They burned the girl (Obviously not a real girl, just a huge doll) Maslenitsa and they set some fireworks. It was so good to watch. The fireworks were red and gold just like everything else in that tradition.

When we ame home around 10pm, we even set a firework. Each of us was allowed to set one firework in the sky to say goodbye to the winter. I loved that. The sky was just full of stars and to see these fireworks in it was amazing.