The Risk of Being Known

Prudence Mitchell had played with this harp since she was 4. This four-foot-tall silver masterpiece had been her first best friend. Now, her freshmen year in high school would begin after being home-schooled. She played many times for the Home school Association functions and for her family, but now the opportunity came to play for these new peers she wanted to know and be known by at the Star of the Hour Talent Presentation.

The Saturday night of the show, Prudence sat patiently behind the scenes as she enjoyed and appreciated the talent of her new classmates. Some had talents she slightly wished she had; others had talents she wasn’t sure could be called a “talent”. Fun, cloaked in uncertainty, was in the air.

Gail Yuca played the drums. Prudence had never met a girl drummer, and noticed with a delighted giggle how Gail was able to have such graceful mannerisms while gently bopping her head. The girls made eye contact as the audience applauded and exchanged a mutual smile.

Seconds later, while observing the vast audience from behind the curtain, Prudence noticed two girls in the audience disengaged from the performance eyeing those around them, wrinkling their noses, and smirking at Gail in the unfriendliest of ways. One happened to lock eyes with Prudence and her focused glare made a strange, hot lump form in her throat. This girl was mean. The joke is on them Prudence thought goes to show they obviously have nothing better to do. Two more participants, and it was then it was Prudence's turn.

She hadn't even thought of how she would get her harp on stage until, to her surprise, Robert Tolman effortlessly maneuvered the instrument into the light and met her thankful smile with charming one. Encouraged, Prudence merged on stage, glimpsing at the audience just enough to see her mother, camera ready and her father, with a stone face that often masked his soft heart. A curl dangled from its place over her shoulder as she sat down. she decided not to waste time trying to control it away. Let go, she said to herself breathe, just breathe.

Prudence felt a rush of emotion from melodies her fingers produced. She forgot about the audience, but opened her eyes enough to see Ms. Ustice the art teacher by the entrance, with her eyes closed, her head positioned towards her and as if she smelled something sweet in the air.

Prudence was lost in melody when a shadow flickered in the spot light, the sound of an abrupt splash, murmurs and gasps of the audience. Prudence focused her eyes off the stage. The glaring girl in the audience now had perplexed eyes and was standing with a look of confusion and disappointment, her arm and body positioned as if she had just thrown a softball. Her eyes raced up and down from Prudence to someone standing below, closer to her.

Standing three rows from her, in front of the stage was her victim, dripping wet from a water balloon intended for Prudence. Ms. Ustice appeared, suddenly, with a plush towel. Her hands shook and her jaw tight as her eyes flashed at the girl still standing in the audience. All that could be heard were her heels as she marched. She was angry, but softened when she reached the girl shivering in front of the audience.

Within Ms. Ustice's safe embrace, the girl was ushered away and as she went, she sent a shy glance at Prudence. Recognizing the face she had just become acquainted with, Prudence whispered a name clear enough for the microphone to carry it across the auditorium to the ears of all those who didn't know it, but now would. Gail Yuca.