Ready, Set, and Cheer!

Chapter 24 (:

Julie didn't wake up the next day. Or the next. She woke up at 11 am on

Saturday. She had slept for over one and a half days. Julie, thinking it was Friday, started getting ready. She was surprised to see her dad in the dining table, reading a newspaper.

“Dad, don't you have office today?”

“Julie honey, it's Saturday today.”

“No, it's Friday.”

“You slept the whole of Friday.”

Julie gasped. No. No no no no no. She missed an entire day of school. The first time she's ever been absent.

“Nooooooooooo.....”

Mrs. Roberts said, “ Let's worry about that later. It's eleven now. Don't you have to get ready?”

Julie nodded. “Yeah, okay. Let's go.” She got her dressing bag, and left for the auditorium. She still had plenty of time. The program started only at six in the evening.

When she got there, she was greeted by Ms. Annabeth. Oh no, is Ms.Annabeth mad, she thought.

“How are you feeling, sweety? Did you have a good rest?”

“Yes, Ms. Annabeth. Thank you. I'm feeling better. Aren't you going to get mad?”

“No, of course not. Synthia told me about everything. Look at Andrea now. She's so happy and excited. Her father's with her now.”

Julie looked at Andrea, and her dad. She smiled. She was so happy. And then suddenly from the back, someone gave her a bear hug. 

She turned around and found Synthia.

“You did it. OMG, you did it. You saved the day. But you shouldn't have given us a scare like that. You just ran away.” Synthia was still hugging her.

Julie was embarrassed. “I wasn't sure if I could make it. I did it on an impulse.”

“She's so much happier now. She's been doing even more amazingly. So how are you feeling now? I asked Laurent to get your homework. It's in your room. You needed that good rest.”

“Thanks, Syn. I'm feeling okay. But I do feel a little dizzy. I thought I would be feeling much better. But it's rather the other way. I was feeling better before I slept.”

“Oh well, I'm sure you'll be okay. Let's get ready.”

Soon it was time for the program to start. Everyone had their starting jitters, but Julie had it the most. She hoped she was imagining it. She was feeling weaker and weaker every movement she made.

The program began. Andrea and Synthia were dancing in the introduction.

Julie came towards the middle, and stayed there till the end.

Andrea was so beautiful and extraordinary. Her smile showed everything. It was such a sight, that people could be watching only her.

Synthia was magnificent.

Julie played her part brilliantly. It required a lot of energy. Hers was the most forceful of all the dances because she was the wicked witch. Because of her nervousness, she had enough energy to last till almost the end.

In the end, she had to pretend to melt. Like as though she was disintegrating, or something like that.

Every part of her body ached as she dance through.

Her smile was so strained, but she was beautiful nevertheless.

She felt so dizzy.

Her head was throbbing.

The light pained her eyes.

Her entire body felt heavy.

Julie never managed to the last part so convincingly during practice, but this time, as she experienced the pain so real, she did it exceptionally well, that Synthia and Andrea became alarmed.

Julie, expended all the strength she had left, and got up, and exited the stage.

It was time for the ending part. All the dancers held hands and when Andrea, Synthia, and Julie bowed, they got a tremendous amount of applause.

The moment Julie exited the stage, she whispered home, and fainted. Fortunately for her, Laurent was standing right near the curtains. He caught her before she fell. And heard her say home.

But home wasn't the word on his mind.