"Aria, baby, I am proud of you."
Mom hugged her tightly.
All Aria could manage was a brief smile.
"I've always told you," Mom continued, pulling back slightly, "you can do this on your own. You don't need Evelora."
Mom squeezed her one last time before letting her go.
Aria joined her teammates as they walked toward the stage to receive recognition for their hard work.
Miss Sofia joined them on stage.
On the surface, Aria smiled like she meant it.
Deep inside, she didn't know what to believe anymore.
The applause sounded distant.
The cheers sounded distant.
Even the host's voice seemed far away.
She wasn't really listening until she saw a microphone being held out toward her.
The host smiled.
"Go on. Tell us, how do you feel after this big win?"
Aria stared at the microphone.
She didn't know what to do.
So she reached out and took it.
But instead of looking at the crowd, her eyes found Jasmine.
Jasmine stood among the students.
Watching.
Smiling.
That same smile.
The one from the restroom.
The one that seemed to say:
I let you have it.
Aria's grip tightened around the microphone.
"Aria?" the host prompted.
She couldn't hear him.
Couldn't hear anything.
Not over the thoughts in her head.
Maybe I could've been up there too.
My dad is important to this school.
I let you have it.
"Go on, Aria," Miss Sofia encouraged gently.
"Here you go," the host said again.
"Aria!" Rebecca called from behind. "Take the mic!"
The pressure.
The guilt.
The crowd.
The victory she suddenly wasn't sure belonged to her.
It all crashed into her at once.
Without warning, tears filled her eyes.
Then she turned and ran.
A wave of confusion spread across the hall.
People exchanged looks.
Whispers began immediately.
Miss Sofia's eyes widened.
Then she hurried after her.
---
Mom stood up so fast her chair nearly fell backward.
"Aria!"
She rushed toward the backstage entrance.
But before she could enter, a security guard stepped in front of her.
"Excuse me, ma'am. We can't let you in."
"What do you mean you can't let me in?" Mom demanded.
"My daughter just ran off that stage crying!"
Her voice shook with worry.
"I have every right to make sure she's okay. I'm her mother."
"I'm sorry, ma'am," the guard replied politely, "but only authorized personnel are allowed backstage."
"Aria, baby!" Mom called out desperately.
As though somehow her daughter would hear her.
"Please just let me through."
"I'm sure the situation is being handled," the guard said. "Please return to your seat."
Mom looked past him one last time.
Still hoping to catch a glimpse of Aria.
But eventually she realized he wasn't going to move.
Slowly, she returned to her seat.
Though she couldn't stop glancing toward the backstage entrance.
---
Aria didn't stop running until she reached an empty hallway behind the auditorium.
Only then did she slow down.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
The applause from the hall sounded distant now.
Muted.
Like it belonged to somebody else's victory.
"Aria!"
Miss Sofia's voice echoed behind her.
A few moments later, the teacher caught up.
"There you are."
Aria quickly wiped her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
Miss Sofia frowned.
"Sorry for what?"
Aria looked away.
For a moment she said nothing.
Then the words finally spilled out.
"What if I didn't deserve it?"
Miss Sofia blinked.
"What?"
"What if Jasmine was right?"
The teacher's expression immediately changed.
"What did Jasmine say?"
Aria hesitated.
Then she told her everything.
About being privileged.
About her father's influence.
About being allowed to win.
About Jasmine claiming she could have taken Aria's place.
When she finished, silence settled between them.
Then Miss Sofia sighed.
"Aria."
She lowered herself slightly so they were eye level.
"Do you know what the judges spent all that time doing?"
Aria shook her head.
"They were reviewing performances."
A pause.
"They weren't reviewing parents."
Another pause.
"They weren't reviewing influence."
Another.
"And they certainly weren't reviewing Jasmine's opinions."
Aria swallowed.
"But what if she's right?"
"She's not."
The answer came immediately.
Firm.
Certain.
Miss Sofia pointed back toward the hall.
"Did you sing that song?"
Aria nodded.
"Did you spend months practicing?"
Another nod.
"Did Lewis sing?"
"Yes."
"Did the instrumentalists perform?"
"Yes."
"Then who won that competition?"
Aria opened her mouth.
But no answer came.
Miss Sofia smiled softly.
"People say cruel things when they're jealous."
Aria looked down.
Fresh tears threatened to form.
"But what if everyone thinks the same thing she does?"
Miss Sofia shook her head.
"Then everyone would be wrong."
For the first time since leaving the stage, a weak laugh escaped Aria.
A tiny one.
But real.
Miss Sofia stood and held out her hand.
"Come on."
Aria looked up.
"The ceremony isn't over yet."
For a moment she stared at the offered hand.
Then she slowly reached out and took it.
As they walked back toward the hall, Jasmine's words still lingered in her mind.
But they no longer sounded quite as powerful as before.