Gemotions

The air in the rehearsal room felt thick, oppressive. Sarah gripped her sheet music, her knuckles bone-white. She had envisioned the performance, the final showcase, the triumphant applause, all planned and rehearsed with Mr. Dubois. Only, Dubois was gone. Replaced by a stranger. A note had been left, explaining he’d had to leave due to a family emergency. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the stares of her fellow students, the way they seemed to pity her. Her cheeks were burning with the sudden sting of tears.