Welcome to Reefside (editing in progress)

Conquering Stage Fright

Normal POV

The Cyberspace Café is packed, louder than usual. Teens lean against counters, smoothies in hand, filling every booth. The performance corner is small—barely a raised platform—but tonight it feels like the center of the world.

Tracy stands beside Kira, trying to steady the butterflies in her stomach.

"You've got this," Kira whispers. "And I'm right here."

Hayley taps the mic at the counter.

"Tonight's performers—Kira Ford and Tracy Burlew!"

Applause fills the café.

Tracy steps up. The guitars launch the bright intro to "Fearless."

She grips the microphone.

She inhales.

She opens her mouth—

—and nothing comes out.

Her entire body locks. Her throat closes. The room feels enormous. Every face is staring. Her palms sweat. Her heart pounds.

Then it happens.

Grant's voice slices through the café:

"Hey Burlew! Didn't know tonight was a silent concert!"

Awkward laughter ripples around the room.

Tracy flinches. Then she backs up.

One step.
Two.
Then she bolts from the platform and hurries toward the back hallway.

Kira signals the boys to play a filler riff and rushes after her. Hayley slips out from behind the counter.

They find Tracy behind the storage shelves, arms hugging her ribs, shaking.

"Why didn't you tell me you had stage fright?" Kira asks softly.

"I thought I beat it," Tracy whispers. "I thought I'd be fine. And then he—"

She cuts herself off. Her eyes fill with tears she refuses to let fall.

Hayley rests a hand on her arm. "Freezing isn't failing, sweetie."

Another voice joins them.

"Grant doesn't get the last word."

Dr. Oliver stands in the hallway, calm and steady as if he's seen this a hundred times.

"Dr. Oliver? You came?" Tracy wipes her eyes.

"I came to support one of my students," he says. "You can do this. And we're all right here if you want to try again."

Kira squeezes her hand. "You don't have to be perfect. Just be you."

Tracy nods after a shaky breath. "Okay... I want to try again."

They return to the platform. The café gradually quiets.

Tracy leans over and whispers the next song to Josh.

He nods.

The gentle, emotional intro to The Climb begins.

No one heckles this time
Everyone is waiting.

Tracy inhales...

...and sings.

Her voice trembles at first, but it's real and vulnerable. The message of the song hits differently after what just happened.

There's always gonna be another mountain...

By the chorus, her voice strengthens. Several kids go quiet, watching her with softened expressions.