Nutcracker Season: A Short Story

Christina opens the door gently and steps inside the studio, “Sorry to interrupt Zhanna. Ladies, the cast lists are up.” A murmur spreads throughout the room. A smile beams across most faces, whereas some look terrified as they realize the Nutcracker season is here. Lainey’s stomach drops, she had been waiting anxiously for this moment to learn what part she had received for her final Nutcracker before graduating high-school. “Go ahead girls be back in five minutes to start pointe,” said Zhanna. In a split second, everyone had already rushed out the studio door and crowded around the bulletin board. Lainey waited for a few moments before making her way to the bulletin. She hoped to receive the role of Princess Clara. Princess Clara is the lead in the Nutcracker ballet, she is transformed from the young Clara
She had tried to prepare herself for this very moment, if she gets it great, if she doesn’t it won’t be the end of the world, but at this moment all Lainey could think of was performing the role of Princess Clara. Lainey retraced her finger over and over again, following the dotted line from Lainey Clark to Princess Clara on both cast sheets. She could hardly believe that her dream had just come true. She was overwhelmed by the embrace of her closest dance friends Elliana, Faith, and Jenny. Lainey’s eyes began to swell with tears. She couldn’t explain this kind of feeling. She had grown up looking up to the senior girls who performed Princess Clara and now that girl was her. So many hours of intense practice had gone into achieving this role and she couldn’t quite grasp that it was really happening. “We start in ten minutes,” said Sergey as he passed the group of girls. Sergey was the owner of Salt Creek Ballet, Lainey’s dance school. He owns the school with his wife Zhanna, and had been Lainey’s teacher for four years now. He was not one to celebrate or hug Lainey for receiving the role, he is tough and straight to the