West Virginia Young Writers 2012 Anthology - Marshall University

I scurried away and was met by a fuming Molly. “You were supposed to meet me fifteenminutes ago!”C.J.“Sorry,” I moaned. I spent the next ten minutes telling her about what had happened with“I don’t know if I want to compete,” I said grimly. “C.J. can do awful things to people,and she never gets caught!”“Rose, just ignore her. You are going to win!” Molly replied. I wish I had backed outthen, but I was too loyal to Molly to really consider what C.J. could really do.Since it was Friday, Molly and I were planning to go ice skating that night. Sitting in mybedroom, messing around on the computer, I had completely forgotten about C.J. and the talentshow. I logged on to the school website and clicked on the link to the student wall, a placewhere students could post messages and pictures. Then I saw it. My stomach dropped and I feltsick. On the top of the wall was a message from C.J.Rose Parker is a loser! She can’t even sing!I called Molly that night to cancel our evening out. But the conversation turned to thetalent show almost immediately. “Molly, I can’t compete in the talent show!” I wailed.“Why, just because of some stupid post? Rose, you’ll never win if you don’t believe inyourself. And by the way, you’re the best singer I’ve ever heard.” She hung up, but I didn’tneed to talk anymore anyway.I stood in the wings, watching C.J. dance. Boy, had she been shocked when I showed up.She hadn’t expected me to come. The lights dimmed and C.J. sauntered off the stage with hergang. I stepped out of the darkness and into my moment, leaving all fear behind me. Closingmy eyes I sang my heart out, knowing I had already beaten C.J. just by showing up.14 14