♡ {Chapter 1} ♡

    I gaze around the stage as the bright lights swing into their positions, leaving sunspots in my eyes. Watching from behind the curtain, I see the stage crew set up the massive platform. Their hands still tinkering on last-minute projects before tonight's performance.

    My delicate fingers glide up the side of the curtain, my mind trained on tonight. I close my green eyes and drain all the backstage noises out. My breathing steady and focused.

    "Talia!" I hear a whispered voice come from behind me, making me jump. I turn around to a tall girl with beautiful light blond hair. Her curls fall down her back, like a pair of your favorite dangly earrings. Her lucid blue eyes are hands shoving me toward success. Her nose like a button, her lips like keys; she never tells a soul your secrets. This sweet girl, Opal, is my best friend.

    She hands me a pink bouquet of cherry blossoms. They are my favorite flowers. A smile scribbles onto my face, as I suddenly become sentimental. I reach out to her and give her a hug. My pale pink tutu brushing up against her t-shirt and jeans. I thank her for everything she does for me and being an amazing friend. We trade smiles, and hers illuminates the dark room like a flashlight.

    "You're the best," I tell her as two small tears fall down my cheek. She's always thinking of ways to bless me. Opal laughs and says, 'thanks' with her high cheek bones rising higher and higher.

    Someone tells her its time to leave and we say our farewells. I watch her stride out of the big double-doors and into the light. I sigh and place my fragile blossoms gently on my lite-up dresser in the corner.

    Everyone gets called to backstage to make sure we're ready for our performance. The Nutcracker. The room feels like an oven. Everyone's nerves and emotions are turned to the hottest setting, but not mine. I proudly make my way to the front of the group so I can be ready to leap into the air for the opening scene.

    "Are you ready, Talia? Are you ready, Zylen?" a woman asks me and my ballet partner. I reply simply, knowing its Miss Delia, my instructor, who spoke.

    "Yes, of course!"

    "Yes, Miss Delia," Zylen replies.

    "Wonderful! Remember to keep focused and stay in character throughout. You are Clara," she speaks to me, "and Zylen, you are The Prince. Remember, please!"

    He and I both exchange glances, our lips tugging upwards into small grins.

    I turn back to the darkness, with my grin still worn on my face, and I take a deep breath...

    Then I'm leaping across the wooden stage like I'm flying, I'm flying, I'm flying. My heart is racing as I point my tiptoes toward the Earth and my arms toward the clouds. It's the best feeling to fly. I feel like I have the wings of an Eagle and I never have to stop soaring. I just fly... gripping every second of the wonderful feeling. Then I gently float to the ground and my tutu blooms like a cherry blossom in the shining light. The pink petals growing towards the sun.

    My emerald green eyes close shut as I do the motions like I'm a single drop of water gliding through the air. My left leg extends toward the floor and right soars toward the sky. I'm a ribbon gracefully floating through the wind, being swirled around by a child at play.

    The spotlight follows my smooth strides up and down the stage. The crowd's eyes watching my every movement as I tiptoe into strong arms. Zylen's solid muscles lift me off the ground, and I'm a bird. I scan Zylen's face to see his gallant blue eyes glistening like stars. He shows that he's certain in all his positions, and he's never struggling when he throws my small frame into the air.

    We both enter center stage and our hands stretch towards our feet. The twelve other dancers lightly step behind us, their backs stick straight and their heads leaning upwards. We start a big ballroom scene, and everyone is flying through the sky. Bodies being twirled in the air to land in sturdy arms.

    Each and every one of our tutus is a flower. Blossoming into the sky, reaching for the sun's warmth. The stage becomes a beautiful garden, blooming, blooming, blooming.

    The ballerinas meet Zylen and me in center stage. Making a giant huddle group like a football team. Then all the dancers explode away from me, leaving a beautiful dancer in some other princess's dress.

    Zylen is holding out my hand, examining my new look. Admiration spreads throughout his eyes, and his signature smile is written all of over his face. I take a fast second to look down my torso at what he's looking at; a bright ruby-red dress covered with sparkles. I haven't worn this dress yet. My eyes rise back to Zylen's. They are looking at me with new feeling.

    Desperation. Hunger.

    I suddenly feel like I could drown under the weight of his gaze. I'm sinking, I'm sinking, I'm sinking... Into his deep pools of blue.

    Then I remember we are performing. My leg robotically moves toward the moon, making Zylen snap back into reality. He grasps my left arm, bringing it up towards his face and circles around me.

    I become a little ballerina in a music box; circling around pink and blue flowers; a smile glued onto my face as I circle, I circle, I circle.

    I finally set my foot back onto the Earth...

    and everything goes insane.

    Screams fill the air. Voices teem with panic. Echoes of "Run!" surround the room. Alarms ring in our ears. And red covers the stage.

    I am oblivious to what happened.

    To me.

    I'm falling. Lying in a pool of my own blood. Red. Red. Red. Zylen is gone. The dancers are gone. Red. Red. Red. My smile is gone. People are gone. I'm all alone. Agony filling my bones. Blood. Red. Red. Red. Ruby-red dress. Ruby-red blood. Red.

    The lights are gone. Disappeared. I'm left in darkness. Pitch-black but light enough to see the blood.

    That's everywhere.

    Dark red smearing my pale skin.

    I pull my trembling hands to the pain. My leg. A hole. .

    a bullet hole.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N

Hey guys! Hope you like this :) It's my first story on wattpad!! Yippee!!

Plus, the part where she gets shot reminds me of the beginning of Never Gone by Colton Dixon! (He's my fav singer!) AND this is one of my fav songs.. You DEF should check him out. Youtube vid on the side.. and pic of Talia on the side!

-kirsten :)