Practice Makes Perfect (Completed)

Chapter 29

Allison was freaking out, and she hadn't even gotten on stage yet.

"If you can't relax, at least sit still so I can do your hair," Coach Dobbs chastised.

Allison did what she could to stop fidgeting, but she couldn't stop thinking of Tabitha in the hospital, wating for news that would determine her fate. Allison couldn't believe that teh fate of such a precious little girl was on her shoulders.

"You are absolutely unbearable when you're nervous." Coach Dobbs complained, finally fastening her hair into a tight bun. I was going to wait unitl after you danced for this, but come with me."

Allison followed her coahc through the crowded hallways, growing all the more nervous as she saw her competition. She knew she was up against a lot of good dancers, but seeing them face to face made her situation feel hopeless.Coach Dobbs seemed to barely even notice the others as he led Allison into the auditorium.

Sitting at teh end of the room, playing on his phone was a wonderfully familiar face.

"Noah!" At the sound of his name, he stood, and she had a moment to throw herself ito his arms. At least a few people in teh audience glared at them for interrupting the dancer on stage, but Allison didn't care.

Noah was enough taller than her that his hug had quite literally swept her off her feet, and after a moment he set her down.

"You came," she couldn't stop smiling.

"Absolutely." he looked her up and down. "And I'm glad I did. You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she said, and she meant it for more than just the compliment. "Thank you so much."

He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek, smiling all the while. "You're going to do great Alli. Just go up there and dance."

This time, when her coach led her through the hallways, she wasn't shaking. She stood tall, confident and ready. It was time for her to dance.

The coach led her to the backstage area and gave her a few extra tips. In return, she asked him to go find Luke and thank him for driving her. Luke was  a great kid, but she was sure she could get a ride from Noah now that he was here. The coach nodded, wished her luck one more time, and sent her on stage.

For a moment, there was silence. She took her starting position, and glanced out at the crowd. Noah was sitting right where she had left him, eyes glued at the stage. When he noticed her gaze, he smiled, and raised a single hand in a little wave.

The music started, and so did Allison.

She danced cleanly, as well as her talents allowed. Her coach had helped her craft the routine to showcase her strengths, and when she was at her best, it could rival the talents of lifelong dancers. 

That day, Allison was at her best.

She landed every jump with precision, every spin with grace. Despite her rhythmic difficulties, she managed to keep every move tied to the beat, and when she music stopped, she was in the exact position she needed to be in.

There was nothing more Allison could have done.

And yet, that night, as she clung to Noah's arm, waiting for the winner to be announced, it was not her name that was called.

Her first thought was for Tabitha, for her health and her surgery and of a tiny little coffin that would be Allison's fault. She couldn't keepp in the tears, and as Noah held her close, she sobbed into his shoulder.

Her second thought was for Tabitha's mother. What do you tell a woman whose daughter could have been saved by a few more points at a dance contest. A girl would had every right to live and who would be condemned to death becasue one former gymnast couldn't get her act together well enought to pass for a ballerina. Allison couldn't imagine what kind of torture that would be.

From behind her came a soft voice. "Allison?"

She didn't emerge from Noah's shoulder.

"Now isn't the time Luke." Noah warned.

"I really think she needs to see this."

"Luke, really, now is--"

Allison pulled her head away from Noah's shoulder and wiped away a tear with the back of her hand. "No, noah it's okay."

She turned to Luke. "What is it?"

"Well last night, the dance company that you've been training with released a press release about your journey from gymnast to ballerina."

Allison sniffled. "I know. They interviewed me."

"Well at the end of the article, they put a link to that website I set up."

"I know. I asked them if they could."

"Allison, the article went viral. Thousands of people read it, and even more donated." He turned his laptop screen to face ALlison. "The money is more than enough. You may not have won onstage today, but you got the victory you needed."

Suddenly, Allison was crying again, but this time from joy. She jumped into Noah's waiting embrace, and he spun her around with the same joy that she felt. 

Tabitha was going to be okay.