Before Everything

Chapter 1

I heard yelling somewhere far and an ambulance was coming towards us. I didn't want to open my eyes, I just tried to reach for his hand. He whispered my name quietly like his lungs were crushed.

I opened my eyes. I saw pieces of glass all over me, him and on the ground. There were lots of people around us and they started to scream when they saw my eyes opened. I was just about to say his name when suddenly everything went black.

Six months ago

I felt the adrenaline coursing through my veins. A feeling that I loved more than anything in the whole wide world. The spotlight telling me that I was the center of attention and it was my time to shine again. Spinning and jumping effortlessly and feeling like I was floating in the air. I did my ending pose. The crowd with hundreds of people went crazy and started to cheer and clap. Tons of roses were thrown on the stage. I did an elegant wave and walked graciously away from the stage.

I looked at myself in the dressing room's mirror. Bright eyes shining with happiness. That is the happiness I feel whenever I dance. I started dancing when I was three years old and never once have I even thought of quitting. You see, I'm not just any dancer. I am labelled as the best teen ballerina in the world. I've had the priviledge to perform all around the world. I've visited the Sydney Opera House and the Buckingham Palace. But even though I am very successful, I always remember to stay humble because that's what takes people far in life, like my grandmother always used to say to me as I was growing up.

My name is Madeline Everleigh Johnson but people call me Maddie. A lot of people assume that Maddie is short for Madison but it's really not, it's short for Madeline. I am 16 years old and my birthday is in April. I am a junior at Central Park East High School and I live in New York City. I have an older brother called Tyler who is 21 years old and currently in the military.

Back in the day, when Ty was in the same high school I am now, he used to play basketball as the team captain. Nowadays, the team captain is Michael Blevins. He reminds me a lot of Ty. But I really don't know since I haven't ever really talked to him. Or any other boy. I'm too shy for that. And I have a perfectly good life without boys. I dance. That makes me happy. And I need no boy to feel myself happy. I don't meed amy warm hugs or over-sized hoodies or...
Well, anyway... I like to go to the basketball games and I must always see the three-point line. That's were Ty used to throw his throws just to never miss a loop. And he didn't.

A funny thing is that at school I'm a nobody and I prefer it that way. I have no idea how people haven't figured out that I am THE Madeline Johnson. Maybe I'm just so shy and normal. Not like there's something wrong about it. I am so much happier now when I don't have the crazy media buzzing around me all the time.

And it's not like I intend to live a life as some kind of a cheap version of Hannah Montana. Don't get me wrong, of course I have friends but only my best friend Nia knows that I am a worldwide known ballerina. But I like to keep it that way.

My thoughts got distracted when Madam Olga, my ballet teacher came into my dressing room and congratulated me.
"Madeline, my dear that was exquisite work you did there on stage. Magnificent performance as always!"
"Thank you, Madam."
"I better leave you to it, dear. Have a good rest and I will see you the day after tomorrow."
"The day after tomorrow? I thought that I had practice tomorrow," I asked her a little confused.
"Oh no, dear. You deserve a free day. Go and have some fun with your friends!"
"Okay. I will, thank you again!"