Christmas Talent Show

The Christmas Talent Show was the talk of my junior high school, Dozens of students had made it into the show, and I could not believe I made it into one of the acts. It was a chilly winter night; the school had cranked the heat and the packed stage was smoldering. After taking off my coat, I finished putting together my costume. Others ignored me but continued doing the same, a few of the students dressed in Santa and reindeer get ups, but most were already dressed either in formal or Sunday’s best.

Cookies and drinks lined one wall backstage, but for someone who sang as a hobby, knew better than to eat or drink anything other than water before a performance. Singing in my church was a regular event for me and tonight should be no different, other than the fact, that no one liked me. Bulling little old Amanda was the norm at my school; want to be popular, pick on Amanda. I watched the other students do their talents, sing songs, dance, and even played instruments. I decided to make a new friend out of the huge oscillating fan, because the heat and anxiety was becoming unbearable. With my arms outstretched like a gliding eagle on the wind, I set to follow each wave stepping back and forth trying to dry my sweaty arm pits. A teacher saw me doing this and approached me with a solemn grin on her face.

“Are you nervous, Hun?” asked the music teacher.

Lowering my arms, I nodded. “Yes, a little. Not everyone likes me.”

“You’ll do great. You’ve been practicing for this show for weeks.” She continued.

“I know… It’s just I’m scared what some of the kids might do to me later.” I said with a shrug.

“If any of those kids mess with you, just let me know and I’ll take care of them.” She spoke playfully.

“How do I look?” I asked holding out my dress for her to see my whole outfit.

“Like an angel.” She answered and placing her hand on my shoulder.

Indeed, I looked like an angel, because my mom had really done a decent job on my costume. She put my long, raven hair in tight curls and I had a little makeup to hide the acne. She had found a long white nightgown at a thrift store, and with a little piece of white, iridescent garland she had cut from out Christmas tree fashioned a halo onto my head with bobby pins. The wings I had made out of poster and cardboard and a little glitter; and finished it with yarn and clothes hangers to attach the wings to my back.

Everyone began to cringe as the snobby girls of the school, started singing a raunchy version of Jingle Bell Rock. Being the next student to go on stage, I stood waiting patiently and trying to not picture them falling on their faces or vomiting on the audience. After the girls finished their act, they looked me up and down as they passed by.

“Oh, she couldn’t even buy real wings. So sad…” one girl seethed.

“Who even wears curls anymore?” another girl mocked.

My teacher shooed them away and came to give me one last cheer. “You got this, Amanda.”

Giving her two thumbs up in response and taking a deep breath, I stepped out onto the stage as they called my name. The performance was perfection, and the crowd gave me a standing ovation. I curtsied and I skipped off back to my spot in front of the oscillating fan. After the rest of the students finished their acts the judges gave their votes to the principle, and he stepped into the center of the stage.

“And the winner of the 2001 Christmas Talent Show is…” His voice boomed from the microphone.

My heart raced in my head, and I felt flushed and sick, was I even good enough to win? My act was sure better than those other girls. Was I strong enough to take what was coming to me later? I crossed my fingers and prayed, prayed mostly for them to have mercy on me, but prayed to win.

“Amanda, with Oh Holy Night!” He said and looked towards me and began to clap.

My eyes felt like they were going to pop out of my head and my mouth gaped. Frozen with excitement, I had done it, I had beaten them; I was better than them.

“Oh, come on,” said one of the snobs. “She isn’t even that pretty.”

I could not hear the rest of their groans of disparagement over the crowd’s clapping. The music teacher put her arm around me and lead me back onto the stage; where the principle waited, holding a giant check for one hundred dollars. I was going to get beat up tomorrow, but I did not care; the hundred dollars was mine.

Reality came crashing back to me as the music teacher nudged me.

“Your sister is on next, and your mom asked if you want to come watch her from the audience.” She said placing her hand on my shoulder.

“No, I’ll be able to hear her from here.” I said grabbing another litter of Sprite and pouring it into the punch bowl.

“Why didn’t you try out for the talent show? You practiced for weeks.” She continued.

“I did, but I didn’t make it.” I frowned.

“Why? You are such a wonderful singer. What you had was way better than what your sister and her friends have cooked up.”

“Hey sis, the cookies are great.” My sister said interrupted the teacher as her and her friends’ shoved cookies into their mouths.

“Sis, you really should eat before you sing.” I reminded her.

“What do you know? You chickened out, remember.” She scoffed.

My teacher looked at me skeptically as they went towards the stage. “That doesn’t sound like you?”

“I didn’t chicken out; I am not getting beat up again, the freaking school won’t do anything to help me.” I tried not to scream and hid my face, which was beaming red with anger. “All the practicing and time I had put into this, and the morning of the audition…” I was now holding back tears. “The student council did the judging of the auditions, meaning I never had a chance.

“That was one thing I wasn’t happy about either, they decided to judge it without, well the music teacher present.” She said flustered.

Everyone watched and cringed as my sister and her snobby friends took the stage and sang their version of Jingle Bell Rock. After they had done their worst, they returned backstage to shove their face full once again of cookies. That is when I noticed the music teacher slip onto the stage to interrupt the principle in introducing the next act.

“I apologize for interrupting, but one of our students didn’t get the chance to audition and I personally would like to hear her sing tonight.” She boomed into the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, Amanda Partenheimer singing, Oh Holy Night.”