Copyright Notice
Published by Katherine Susannah Prichard Foundation Inc. 11, Old York Road,
Greenmount, Western Australia 6065
Copyright © Imogen Baylis-Smith, Lan Fang, Taylor Finnegan, Freya Jolley, Wenny
Qu, Eudoria Sin and Alisha Woodford
All rights reserved. This book is copyright. A part from any fair dealing for the
purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under Copyright
Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquires
should be made to the publisher.
Distributed in Australia and overseas by the publisher.
Parameters
Primary Character1: Butterfly Collector
Primary Character 2: Dancer
Non-Human Character: Crab
Setting: Bicycle Shop
Issue: Losing a Limb
Acknowledgments to the sponsors
Janice Lai
Elizabeth Scott
Max Jolley
Alex T-C
Tash T-C
Genevieve Bayliss-Smith
Elisa Lau
Joey Minett
Mr. and Mrs. Woodforde
Fernando Pinhero
Winnie Jolley
Jonathan Hsu-Pinhero
Thank you to everyone who sponsored us. Without them we wouldn’t have been able
to participate in this Write a Book in a Day event. Thank you so much.
Dear reader,
We have really enjoyed writing this book for you.
We hope that you will be able to feel the same
happiness come out of the book that we put into it.
Thank you for reading this book
Love,
WILFTEA <3 <3
Step by Step
Written by Imogen Baylis-Smith, Freya Jolley, Wenny Qu,
Eudoria Sin and Alisha Woodford
Illustrated by Taylor Finnegan and Lan Fang
Contents
Prologue
…………………………………………………………..1
Chapter 1 – Fascinating
…………………………………………………………..2
Chapter 2 – Hectic
…………………………………………………………..5
Chapter 3 – Cantankerous
…………………………………………………………..7
Chapter 4 – Curious
…………………………………………………………..9
Chapter 5 – Trust
…………………………………………………………12
Chapter 6 – Furry
…………………………………………………………13
Epilogue
…………………………………………………………15
Prologue
The tension and suspension in the room was immense. I
smeared my sweat-soaked palms onto my pants. Jazzie looked
just a nervous as I did. As a matter of fact, everyone in the
room looked like cows waiting at a beef factory. I glanced at
my watch as a drop of sweat rolled lazily down my brow. It
was already 8’o clock at night.
We’ve gone through so much hardship and pain, and
our willpower is so strong. I would be quite surprised if we don’t get the prize. Even
if I don’t deserve anything, Jazzie does. Her wonderful recovery and her
determination to continue dancing after everything she’s gone through should
definitely be awarded.
Jazzie whispers “Do you think our names would be called up?”
“Yes it will be,” I answered, sure of the fact we will win!
As the broken beam on the ceiling flickered, the announcer in a sparkling pink
top hat, shimmering pink coat and high waisted pants shimmied delightfully onto the
stage.
“EVVERRYYYBOODDYY! GEET PUUUUMMPED!! Sorry to keep you all
waiting, but the judges ARE REEEEAAAAAADDDYYYY TO ANNOUCE THE
WINNNEERRSS!!!!”
“Okay starting with fourth place! We have Dori and Fry!”
I could feel the sweat running down my back and completely soaking my
shirt.
“In third place! We have Lan and Alisha!” I could almost feel the circulation
being cut off through Jazzie’s tight grip on my hand.
“We have Taylor and Immi coming in second! Yes, well done to you both!”
“And THE WINNERS ARE!! Drum roll please…”
Chapter 1 - Fascinating
“Hey there! I’m William and is it hot in here or is
that just you, want to go out with me?” Ah no that makes
me sound like one of those creeps that you find on a train at
midnight. I can’t get my eyes off this gorgeous girl who’s
no more than 5 metres away from me, but my feet can’t
move like they’re stuck in mud. I yearn to know her name.
Her long hazel hair has a slight wave and her olive skin is
vibrant. But the thing I love the most about her is how she is always smiling and her
little imperfections; like the freckle on her neck, and the hazel colour of her eyes just
defines who she is.
Shivers run down my spine as she glares at me while I’m here drooling over
her. I must look like a lost puppy. I quickly turn around and suddenly bump into my
best friend Tyler, who had just gone to get another tyre for my bike.
Now where do I start with Tyler? He is like one of those weird friends, who
aren’t technically your brother but still does everything a brother would do. We have
even been on a date together; not together, but a double date. I helped him pay for
this bike shop and decorate the place. From the roof, painted blue and white like the
sky, to the placement of each sparkling bike stand. I even helped name it, come on
who doesn’t love the name “Wheely Tylers Bike Warehouse?”.
“You like her? Or do you just really like her bike?” he says in that mocking
tone he uses far too often. Of course he knows I love that gorgeous girl. I talk about
her non-stop and he’s always noticing my gaze on her as soon as she walks in. He
knows how I find every movement of her body fascinating. Whether she’s scratching
her hair, or bending over to tie a shoelace.
“You know very well what my feelings are for her!” I yell in his face.
Well that got her attention. She glares over in my direction, her sweet angel
eyes filled with suspicion, and her finely waxed eyebrows rise so high they could
probably be taller than Mt Everest. I quickly turn away and glare at Tyler, with anger
swelling up inside me. I turn back, however she had already taken her bike and left. I
am as mad as a hornet!
Snatching my bike out of Tyler’s hands, I go for a bike ride trying to get the
anger out of my head and collect some butterflies. Everyone thinks collecting
butterflies aren’t manly. However, it helps me understand how beautiful things can
be and it really helped me get through the humiliation I faced a couple of years back. I
slam the door on my way out of the shop forcing as much anger into it as possible. I
faintly hear Tyler laughing like a hyena. Can’t he just grow up?
I start cycling on the uneven, bumpy path across the rivers edge. I love this
path for numerous reasons. It reminds me of the ups and downs through life, that
when hard times appear, there is always a way through it. The many types of
butterflies on this path are all so unique. The beauty of the blue lake with the sun’s
rays beating down on it. I pedal my feet harder as I speed down the road like a bullet
ready to hit its target.
When I left the shop the sky was light blue, now, it’s covered with grey misty
clouds, rain threatening to downpour onto the heated concrete.
I’m absorbed in my thoughts when I make a sharp curve around the hill. Then
I see the most beautiful thing. It is the Spice Bush butterfly, one of the most beautiful
but also one of the rarest butterflies in Australia. I start chasing after it, hoping to add
it to my collection.
I pedal even faster, like a bullet getting closer to its target. I make one more
sharp turn down a hill. The butterfly has landed. I swerve over to the other side of the
track, but my timing couldn’t have been worse, just as my wheels are skidding to the
other side of the track, the girl earlier from the bike shop rides up. I crash straight into
her and it was a nightmare. Her back wheel flips over her head and she falls onto the
concrete. She skids so far that her bike falls off the cliff next to us. With her blood
dripping hands, she holds onto a tree branch loosely wedged between two rocks. Her
legs dangling off the side of the cliff as she vigorously tries to find something secure
to stand on.
I forget about my own agony as I sprint over and help her. Maybe I can offer
her some comforting words or become her hero by saving her life - the one I nearly
caused an end to. Before I know it, my legs are over the edge like spaghetti and I am
grabbing on to the same weak branch as she is.
“Great, my life is in the hands of a creep who just stares at me, and like that
wasn’t bad enough, but now we are both here dangling from this cliff about to die and
no chance of surviving,” she says with all her might as tears streamed down her face.
Just as I open my mouth to try and comfort her, we hear a snapping noise, and
we both look up in fear. The branch was starting to detach from the soil and my life
flashes before me. I remember the first time I went on a date, the first time I rode a
bike and the first time I saw this gorgeous girl. If she’s going to die I am going to die
alongside her, like Romeo and Juliet.
“Try the branch next to you! You will have a better chance of survival!” I say
as calmly as possible.
She swings over to the next branch gracefully, like a professional dancer.
However I couldn’t have been more wrong. What I was telling her to trust her life on,
was nothing but a twig.
She falls.
Chapter 2- Hectic
The constant beeping rings around the room like a
ticking time bomb. Beep. Beep. Beep. A waft of cold
stainless steel and antiseptic gel floods my nose and runs
throughout my body, sending a sudden chill down my spine.
There’s a faint murmur in the back of my head. Where am
I? What am I doing here? What is that smell? Peeling open
my eyes, a sudden flash of light floods my vision with bright
rays of colour. My eyes adjust and all I can see is splintered
white paint above my head. I move my eyes left and then right, getting flashes of
stained blue walls bouncing back at me. The patched blue walls remind me of home,
except these walls are bland and dull. Absent are the scratch marks from the tantrums
I threw as a child, ripping down my Angelina Ballerina posters, striving to be mature.
Suddenly a flow of whirling colours were displayed me, spinning around and
around. Too confused and dizzy, I clamp my eyes close to escape this nightmare. I
reach down to pinch myself and wake up from this chaos, but wire strings dig into my
forearm interrupting my movement. I freeze in fear. A swell of panic surges through
my veins and my eyes open. Lifting my head gently, I am tied down to hundred of
tubes all digging into my arms and legs. Following the tubes, they lead to a tall water
bag on stilts dripping constantly. Drip. Drip. Drip. I watch the liquid slither down the
narrow tubes and enter openings into a wound in my arm. I shut my eyes again in
terror. My body tremors and a wet tear rolls down my face. Soon, droplets stream
down my face and like a tributary, along my patchy skin. A pool of water forms on
my shirt. Where am I?
A slow drumming sound resonates throughout the room. I shut my eyes
together tightly until they hurt. There is a faint buzz of voices murmuring behind the
door and then it gently opens. A rhythmic beating of shoes drum on the vinyl floor,
disturbing the silence as it gets closer.
“Jazmine?” A deep and stern baritone voice mutters in my ear.
“Jazmine, there’s someone here to see you.” His clear, professional voice
awakens me.
Another padding of shoes click against the plastic floor, but this noise is
slower and gentler, like it was stepping on thorns.
“I’m sorry Jazmine, I am truly so sorry.” His voice is tense and insecure, like
he was about to cry.
I recognised his voice. His deep, manly voice echoed and drifted around the
blue-coated room.
He’s the creepy guy who kept looking at me at the bike shop.
“Jazmine, I am so sorry, I did not mean to hit you, I’m a butterfly collector,
and saw the most beautiful butterfly and needed to catch it, look I am really sorry.”
Anger and frustration fumes through my whole body. I can feel my cheeks
going red with hatred. A flashback of the fall flares up like flames before me. I tumble
down the cliff like a helpless rock. I try to clutch onto anything to stop the impact. But
it’s no use, my defenseless body plummets into the water like breaking glass. The
chill of the water was unbearable, like sharp razors cutting into you from every angle.
That man knocked me down. He’s the reason I am strapped to this bed. My eyes burst
open and I stare at his soft blue eyes and angelic facial features. His fair skin, dimples
as he breaks into a soft smile.
I glance back and forth into his eyes. His glittering sparks in his eyes suddenly
turn dull and his face drops. His eyes ponder from mine and then to my legs. I lift up
my body to see what he is looking at. White cloth bandages wrapped around my
stumped leg are stained deep red. This can’t be real. The nightmare visions of my
once perfectly sculpted leg now blood stained and cut off, scare me. My arms buckle
and I collapse into the fluorescent white sheets. Strong pellets of water drip down my
face. The man gentle hushing sounds calm me down and I finally stop crying.
“By the time we rescued you from the lake, it was already too late. This was
the only option. I’m so sorry Jazmine.”
My mind can’t come to terms with what has happened. This is not real. It can’t
be. No more dancing, no more jazz.
“Look, its not the end of the world,” he says encouragingly.
I can’t stand it anymore, I can’t live without my leg.
“What do you mean it’s not the end of the world!” I scream at him. I exhaust
the little energy I had.
“ Dancing is the world to me and I can’t do it anymore!”
I start bawling again. Big fat teardrops drip down my tired and lined face.
“ Look, let me explain.” He whispers.
“ You will be able to use a prosthetic leg which will give you almost full
movement.” His face edges closer to mine and I can feel his tingling breath on my
neck as he speaks.
“You should hopefully be able to dance again.” His voice is almost silent now.
I keep my eyes closed to keep feeling his soft voice on my warmed neck. I
can feel his smile radiating onto my face, making me smile warmly.
I feel him pressuring on the steel bed and lifting himself up. He exhales a deep
sigh and leaves, leaving a comforting aroma in the room.
Chapter 3 - Cantankerous
I place my head in my hands remembering the
thoughts, the pain and the loneliness I felt when I was in
Jazmine’s position. I remembered training that time in
summer, hoping to enter the greatest dance competition in the
world, the Prix de Lausanne. I believed that my life would
finally start, but boy how wrong was I. While I was
launching myself off for my final leap, I soared knowing the applause I would receive
from my fellow competitors if I were to land perfectly. My foot hit the ground rolling
over at an unnatural angle causing me to fall onto my knee.
Excruciating pain shot down my leg causing me to cry out, and then darkness
overcame me. When I woke up again I found myself in the hospital alone with no one
in sight to help me. Looking at my leg I knew that my career was over, none of my
friends even came to see if I was all right, because to them, my life was over and I
would not benefit them in any way. Session after session of rehabilitation I finally
was able to walk steadily on my leg, the tears of joy I felt at that moment could not
compare to the loneliness I felt on arrival at my company. The mocking glances and
the cold shoulders I received from all. I, who was once their most promising dancer,
fell from the ranks. Thus, I left looking for a new way. That’s when I found Petvet,
an animal shelter caring for neglected animals, I found my way of life again.
I turn into Jazmine’s apartment complex, parking into the visitors lot next to
the elevator. Looking up I silently pray that she will forgive me, clambering out of
my car I reach into the backseat pulling out a hermit crab wrapped with ribbon.
Walking away from my car, I approach the elevator hitting the second floor. The large
silver doors creak open, I stride to her apartment door trying to remember if it was the
right number, I managed to see her apartment number on her key when I was taking
her to the hospital. Raising my hand I knock. With no reply I knock again, hearing
the echo of my knocks.
Nothing.
Placing my ear against the cold apartment door I hear the painful, lonely sobs
coming from Jazmine’s once strong and beautiful eyes. The door clicked as I slowly
pushed it opened. My entrance startled her, and her head whipped up at me. I position
the enclosure on the table as I close the door. Her room is dark, curtains drawn and
evidence of items thrown around the room was present. My eyes move to her, looking
so small and fragile different from the strong woman I first met in the Bike
Warehouse, so confident and sure of herself. I crouch down next to her, placing my
hand on her back, causing her to flinch and glare at me.
She holds my gaze, glaring at me even as the tears continue to run down her
face, slowly I set myself down next to her in the silence between us. Little by little the
tension between us lessens and she finally speaks.
“Why did it have to be me?” her voice cracks as she asks, “All my friends and
colleagues left me! It wasn't my fault I ended up like this!” Her voice started to rise at
the statement. Her eyes narrow with despise clouding them. Her voice reaching a
scream as she says, “It was because of you, speeding down the path like you were the
only one in the world. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be like this!” she pounded her
fist on my chest as I caught her in my embrace, she struggled, trying to push me
away. Even so, I hung onto her until she could no longer resist. She laid her head in
the crook of my neck, warm tears running down her face onto my now damp shirt.
Holding her in my arms I tell her my past, the history I long to erase. I tell her about
the pain and the struggle. But also the new friendships I have built with Tyler and
how I found a new path in life.
She looks at me with a new determination in place; unconsciously she rubs her
joint between her prosthetic leg and her thigh; the transformation was barely visible.
Her gaze travels to the door, something catching her interest, “What did you bring?”
her curiosity showing through. I smiled and told her about Petvet and the neglected
animals I help take care of there, I walk over and pick up the cage, her eyes following
the movement of my leg. Smirking, I look at her. This caused a slight blush to crawl
up her cheeks.
I set the enclosure down in front of her, opening the top to take out a hermit
crab. I watch her face light up in a smile, appearing almost angelic. “Do you know
what they symbolise?” I ask.
“No, I didn't know hermit crabs symbolized anything” she simply states.
“Hermit crabs have many symbolisms, but there was one in particular when I
thought of you.”
“Well, what is it?”
“Hermit crabs can symbolize giving or receiving guidance, and I wanted you
to know that I want to help you get through this, I know the pain you feel, dancing
was your life. I want to get you back on your feet and dance once again.” I say. I was
met with silence. Then she smiles at me, happiness reaching her eyes. Jazmine looks
towards the hermit crab, laughing. “I’m going to call you Jammy,” this causes the
both of us to start laughing.
Chapter 4 - Curious
I look out the window and all I see is the rain,
outpouring onto the front porch. My mind is blank, Will
hasn’t contacted me in a while and I’m becoming worried. I
still can’t grasp the fact that I will no longer be able to dance
and if Will leaves me too… I don’t know what I would do. I
know the doctor said I will be able to dance again, but I know
that’s not possible. Not with this plastic leg anyway.
I hear rapid knocking on the door. Disrupting my train
of thought, I look out the window.
Will came to see me, finally!
I actually quite like his presence now, but he hasn’t visited me in a while. I
wonder what’s happened. Will has been with me through my highs and lows. I know
how much he’s done for me, how much time he’s spent with me. I can’t imagine my
life without him anymore.
Seeing him shiver, I quickly invite him in. “Hey, how’s the leg?” he asks.
I realised I’ve never actually looked at him properly. I always just take a little
glimpse at him just so he knows I acknowledge his presence. But today, I just
couldn’t stop staring. I never realised how good–looking Will actually is. His ice
blue eyes, his chocolate brown hair, everything.
“The legs fine today, still getting use to it though.”
“How about we go out? I want to take you somewhere!” Will looked at me
hopefully, as my mind was contemplating whether or not to go. Maybe this will bring
our relationship to a whole new level. Maybe I should take this chance to find out
more about Will. His hobbies, what he likes about me, why he is helping me out.
“Yeah sure, why not!” I replied.
The car trip was silent however, I couldn’t think of a way to break the ice.
“Will”
“Jaz”
He chuckles and so do I, we spoke at the same time.
“You… you can go first!” he stutters.
His stuttering makes him appear so cute. I take another quick glimpse at him
and he looks a little flustered.
“I just want to say how thankful I am to have you beside me all this time, I
just want to say, that without you I probably would still be home sulking over the fact
that I can never dance again. Thank you so much Will. I know how rude I’ve been to
you lately but that’s only because I couldn’t get over the fact that I lost a leg. I know
how much you’ve done for me Will. I really appreciate it all. Thank you so much for
being here for me all this time!” I confessed, not giving Will anytime to interrupt me.
His silence made me realise that maybe he just wants to end it all here, never
contact each other again. I’ve been such a nuisance, I know. Getting angry with him
for no reason.
He finally speaks after what felt like aeons. “Jaz… everything I’ve done for
you was from the bottom of my heart. It’s my entire fault you lost your leg, if I had
been watching where I was going that day at the lake then you wouldn’t have lost
your leg in the first place. If only I had been more careful. I’m truly sorry. I know
dancing is your passion.”
As the car comes to a halt, he looks into my eyes. “Jaz, you may think that
you will never be able to dance again. But I believe in you! One day, you will shine
again on that stage. We’re in this together! I’ll always be with you, till the very end!”
Without realising a silent tear rolls out of my eye. Then more and more, I’ve never
felt as special as I did then. His words really touched the broken parts of my heart, I
can see a future with Will. We might become something more than friends.
Being the gentleman he is, he wipes the fallen tears from my face and smiles
the sweetest smile. Getting a hold of myself once again, I step out of the car. “Will,
why are we at the Bike Warehouse?” I asked, extremely confused as to how this can
help open my mind and allow me to believe I can dance once again.
“You’ll see,” and with that he drags me into the Bike Warehouse. All I see
are bikes, more bikes, we walk to the end of the warehouse and still, all I see are
bikes.
“Will! Over here!!” We both turn our heads to the voice that is calling for
Will. I think I’ve seen him before, I can’t picture it exactly but it felt like déjà vu.
“Tyler!! Hey! So can I borrow the studio?” Will asked as if he was expecting a
yes. What was he planning?
“Close your eyes Jaz, I want to show you something!” I close my eyes. I hold
tightly onto Will’s hand as he slowly guides me closer to our destination. Curiously, I
peek with one eye and catch a glimpse of my surroundings. I smile. Before I know it
we’ve arrived.
“You can open your eyes now Jaz!” Will informs.
I cautiously open my eyes. Adjusting to the light I find myself standing in
front of pictures on the wall. Curiously I approach them. The girl in the pictures
look happy, bubbly, carefree, everything I yearned to be. Examining the pictures
more closely I realise that girl is not just some ordinary girl… it was me. Me before
my accident, the Jazmine before she met the end of her leg.
“You might be a little surprised as to how I got these pictures … I asked your
mum for some them. Of you when you were younger.”
“This last picture” he says as he points to a picture of me in an ending pose. “I
was thinking we should recreate this moment. I really want to dance with you. I want
to be able to help you overcome your fear, i think this will be beneficial if we dance
together. I really want to be with you through all your ups and downs Jaz.”
Tears pool at the edge of my eye and uncontrollably they fall out. For the
second time today he has made me cry, he showed me exactly what it felt like to be
loved again. I look at Will, I know we’re not together, but we are definitely more than
just friends.
Chapter 5 - Trust
It’s the first day of dance practice with Will. I am not
going to lie, I am just as nervous as I was when Will used to
stare at me creepily. But that was the old Will and I am giving
him a second chance. Will turns up at my house on time as
usual, if anything three seconds early. That’s one thing I admire
about him. I walk slowly to the door so it doesn’t seem like I
have been waiting anxiously for the last hour.
I open the metal clutch and then something weird happens, he picks me up and
carries me, just like a monkey. It is so sweet and romantic.
He drives to the bike shop, where he opens the door like a true gentleman. We
go into the studio to start our first dance session together. We start awkward and stiff,
with the worst song ever. I mean who dances to Gangnam Style? We start by just
moving to the music. I fall over and slide across the floor. I must have looked like a
penguin sliding into water, but this doesn’t scare Will off, he runs after me and kneels
over with a concerned look on his face. It looked like he was getting ready for a
proposal. After making sure I was okay, we started laughing at it together. We then
tried making it into a dance move. In the end the move looked amazing and unique.
We then started to do some simple hand actions and I started to remember
how good it felt to dance, the hole in my heart I hadn’t even noticed that I had was
closing up, my life was coming together, the fake leg no longer annoyed me.
The memory of the bike ride disaster comes back to haunt me occasionally,
but then the memory of how good it feels to dance came back too.
Will approaches me carefully. “ Do you trust me?” he asked quietly.
“Yes” I said, without hesitation.
“Then will you be able to trust me with lifts?” he asks.
I thought about it carefully for a bit. “Yes” I replied with a soft smile.
He pulled me up, holding me close to his chest. He slowly lifts me up. Very
slowly, always making sure I was comfortable. After a while, I felt like a dancer
again. I had never felt so happy and I was in the hands of a guy who truly cared for
me. I was dancing again. All the other complications in my life had disappeared like
magic.
We were dancing together. To the same beat.
For the next few weeks we worked hard and came up with a routine, although
it seemed a bit pointless as we were never going to perform it, well that’s what I
thought. Until Will came to practise with suspicious looking piece of paper.
“I know we weren’t going to enter into competitions, but you are amazing and
I think more people need to know about your talent. It’s time for the world to see your
talent again. Whether you have one leg, two legs or three legs, it doesn’t matter
because you are perfect.
I think we should enter our dance into this competition” He said forcefully.
I sit down on the floor to think about it, but I already know the answer in my
heart, I just had to let my lips say them. After a suspenseful minute of silence my lips
finally responded. “Yes.”
Chapter 6- Furry
It was finally the day of the competition, after months of practicing Will and
Jaz walk hand in hand into the warehouse.
“Are you ready Jazzie?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Her bright smile gleams back at him.
As they moved to their starting positions on stage, cheers from Tyler and
friends could be heard, boosting their confidence.
Will started off with a quick pirouette before going into the boogie-woogie
with Jazzie. Shimmying through their dance, Will became more and more assured
believing that they would get through it without a single slip. Jazzie strode forward
and did a magnificent split mid-air before going into a step ball change. They jived
and trotted to their hearts content laughing and smiling every step of the way. It was
time for the climax where Will lifts Jazzie in mid leap, when Jazzie missed her
footing on a pirouette fouette. Landing on the floor with a thud. The energy of the
audience dimmed dramatically and the only sound was the faint pulse of the music in
the background.
Jazzie felt like hiding in a hole and never coming out. This embarrassment
was something she had never experienced before. Not even when she was told in front
of her classmates she wasn’t made for dancing by her teacher or when she farted
vociferously in front of a good-looking man.
Jazzie’s face became bright red and her ears were as red as Rudolph’s nose.
What was she supposed to do now? Get up and continue dancing? The song had
finished and hundreds of eyes were staring at her. Will chassé to her rescue pulling
her heroically up by the waist before lifting her elegantly high above his head in an
end pose.
Gradually, the audience came around and the cheers grew louder and louder.
“Encore! Encore!”
Jazzie’s face beamed radiantly. Looking up at Will, she felt every part of
herself love him. He had saved her from total embarrassment and received an encore
in the process. She could kiss him! Once lowered, the audience’s cheers became
louder.
“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!
The end of Will’s lips curled up in a slight smirk and gently kissed her on her
lips.
“AND THE WINNERS ARE! Drum roll please…”
“SARAH AND LIZ!! YES YES WELL DONE TO YOU BOTH!”
“THIS YEARS COMPETITION HAS SADLY COME TO AN END WITH
SOOOOOOO MANY GREAT PERFORMANCES YES YES ONE OF THE BEST
I’VE SEEN. MHMM. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU AND
GOODNIGHT!”
Jazzie’s shoulders drooped.
“Its okay Jazzie. There’s always next year. Besides, in my heart, we were
always the winners. Don’t you think?”
Jammy wobbled onto the stage at that moment and Jaz finally smiled, a
smile they believed would last a lifetime.
Epilogue
The wind rushed against my face as we rode a tandem bike through the park. I
looked up at the clear blue sky, listening to the happy chirping of birds. Children
playing hopscotch on the worn footpaths and their parents sitting back, smiling and
watching them from afar. A year has passed since our bike accident and everything is
going so well. We won this year’s dance competition at the warehouse and my leg
doesn’t let me down very much anymore.
“HAVE I SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU YET JAZ!?” Will yelled
against the wind.
“YES YOU HAVE! AT LEAST FIFTY TIMES YESTERDAY AND
ANOTHER FIFTY TIMES TODAY!” I laughed back.
We rested on a nearby park bench laughing, enjoying the sunlight and each
other’s presence. When suddenly a spark from Will’s pocket catches my eye. He gets
on one knee…
And the only thing I could think, was “YES!”
What would you do, if you lost
everything had?
Jazmine’s passion was dancing, her life was all about dancing. There wasn’t anything
else she loved more than dance. Upon meeting William, her life went haywire. What
will be the destiny of her future? But what happens when one accident causes you to
lose your entire career? Your entire life? And all your friends?
- It was a very inspirational story. It brought me to tears.
- Heatwarming. I couldn’t put it down.