Today was the day, the day that I was going to audition to be on the National Dance Squad! I was trembling all over from excitement. I had practiced the routine I was doing a million and one times, so I was sure that I would make it onto the squad. Doing so had been my dream since I became a little dancer way back when I was three. I tried to shake back the fears that I wouldn’t make it and went to change into my costume.

My routine was very complicated. It was an original that my dance teacher came up, and we were both confident that it would win the judges over. As I watched the other dancers go onto the dance floor, I looked for mistakes that the dancers made. That girl didn’t spot when she was turning. She didn’t walk like a dancer. Would it kill her to smile? This is going to be a piece of cake!

Finally, it was my turn. I put on my best smile, and I walked gracefully onto the studio floor. I had studied the mistakes that the other dancers had made, and I was going to refrain from making any silly slips. As the music started to fill the room, I felt a stone get stuck in my stomach. What if I don’t make it? What if I make a huge mistake and ruin my chances of ever getting on the squad? I started to dance, and all of my worries drifted away. I was going to try my best, and that’s what mattered!

As I twirled around the studio, I felt as if I could fly. My turns carried me halfway across the floor on feet that felt like they were barely touching the floor. I came about an inch or two from hitting the wall, but I swung swiftly away from the wall. Now came the hardest part; I was supposed to do a quadruple turn and end up in my center splits. I was confident that I could do it, but the floors had been waxed for this competition, and there was a slight chance that I would fall. Slight. I danced up to the front of the room and prepared to turn. The floor didn’t feel that slippery, so I was even more confident that I would ace it. I started turning fast, faster than I have ever spun in my life. I started to wobble, so I fought to gain my balance back; but it was too late.

I hit the floor fast and hard. The impact went straight to my hip and I shrieked in pain. I was aware of the judges rushing over with my teacher and my mom, but the darkness was starting to take control of me. The last thing I heard was someone calling my name…
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I woke up to a brightly lit room. The walls were painted white, and there were different machines clustered in the room. I turned my head to look around; but as I twisted a little, I felt a searing pain flare in my lower back. Good, I thought. I’m not dead… Yet.

Just then, I heard the door open. I looked out the corner of my eye and saw that my mom had come into the room. She looked grim as if her worst fear had happened. Oh wait… it might have.

“Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?” She put on a forced smile, and I knew something was wrong.

“I’m fine,” I answered quietly. “I’m never going to be able to dance again, am I?” As much as it hurt me to voice that fear, a gut feeling told me that it was true.

My mom frowned. I saw tears well up in her eyes as she answered me. “Nope. You’re not going to be able to walk, either.”

My eyes widened in surprise. I’m not going to be able to walk? I felt tears rush to my eyes. They spilled over in huge drops as I started to hyperventilate. This can’t be happening!!

I closed my eyes and fought to breathe slowly. This day, the day that I had hoped to be the best day ever, had turned out to be the worst. I guess even really slight chances happen sometimes…