The Beautiful Accident

The Beautiful Accident

         A small girl with dull red, curly hair sat hunched over in a hard wood chair against the wall in the school office. Her Kelly green eyes studied her hands intently, as if looking for an answer in the way her fingers fiddled with the lace at the bottom of her pink blouse. Her feet dangled off the chair and she swung them nervously back and forth. The grown-ups in the office past her without a glance, for each one had seen her in that chair before. The first couple of times she'd been there, sympathetic stares showed on their faces, but now, it was just routine.
         Her name was Riley Groll, a third-grader at John B. Higgims Elementary School, though most of the kids in the school called her 'Riley Ruin'. She was what the teachers called 'accident prone', and she had landed herself in more than a few sticky situations to date. She had moved to the school at the beginning of second grade, and now she was somewhat of a legend. Who else could manage to completely destroy the new playground equipment just minutes after the unveiling? Who else had the school record for accidentally going in the wrong bathroom 37 time in one semester? And who else knew the nurse on a first name basis? No one. Only Riley.
         Today she was in the office because she had accidentally flooded the first grade hallway when she had attempted to take a drink from the water fountain. Her clothes were still a little damp, and her hair clung to her head like a limp spider. Odds were, when it dried, it would turn into an unmanageable poof.
         She turned her head when a door beside the chair opened softly. A beautiful lady, also with red hair, emerged, her sparkling blue eyes smiling at Riley kindly.
         "Come on, Riley. Let's go home." she said, taking her daughter's tiny hand in hers.
         During the silent car ride, Riley sat in the back of the car, looking out the window at the kids playing outside as the car passed, not a care in the world.. "Someday," she thought to herself. "Someday, I'm gonna prove that I can do something right...someday."
         As soon as they got home, Riley rushed to her room, tripping over their shaggy dog, Max, as she crossed the threshold.
         "Sorry, Max!" she called as the canine sped away. Finally getting across the room without doing any more damage, she turned on the karaoke machine.
         Her karaoke machine had been a gift from her mother on her last birthday, and was the one piece of technology in the house that she hadn't managed to break. She loved it, and knew ever song on all her karaoke CDs. She'd go up every day after school, and sing her little heart out until it was time for dinner. It was her main outlet for all the frustration of her accident prone life. And she wasn't that bad at it. Her mother would pause sometimes while making dinner, and listen to her daughter sing, smiling softly to herself because she had mistaken her daughter's singing for the radio again.

         The next day, the usual angry or frightened stares followed Riley through the halls. Blinking back tears, she turned to open her locker, only to be distracted by something. Taped very lopsidedly onto her locker was an advertisement of some kind. Looking up and down the hall, she saw more of the bright highlighter yellow posters taped to other lockers and on the walls. She looked back at the one on hers. It read:

John B. Higgims Elementary School

First Annual Talent Show

         It listed some prizes and sponsors, but Riley focused on the italicized print at the bottom: Show the school what you can do!
         She finally had the answer. If this didn't work, nothing else would. "This is my chance." she thought as she ran to the office to sign up.

         A week and a half later, kids of all ages slowly filled up the rows in the auditorium, the noise level uncommonly high due to the excitement. There had never been a talent show before, and it was expected to be a hit, with the best known talent from the school participating in this glorious first. There were also rumors that Riley Ruin had signed up, and kids flooded the room to see if it was true. It was sure to be a showstopper, literally. Parents sat in the front rows, cameras at the ready.
         Backstage, Riley anxiously paced the floor, not daring to speak or to look at anyone in the eye, for fear that she would chicken out. She knew she had no chance at winning even an honorable mention, but her stomach slowly dropped to her feet with each act that went on before her. And then it happened. A teacher approached her, gently touching her shoulder to stop her pacing.
         "Ok, sweetie. You're the last one on." she said. Next thing she knew, Riley was ushered on stage, and she could feel the tension growing in the crowd, as if the whole auditorium was holding its breath. She saw the microphone on its stand in the middle of the stage, and slowly took it off, shaking as she held it with both hands. She stood frozen, her feet rooted to the boards, staring wide-eyed at the crowd with her shining green eyes.
         The music started up, and as the kids leaned excitedly in their chairs, Riley licked her unusually dry lips, and sang. Not loudly at first, but with growing confidence, she opened her lungs to their full potential, and sang as if she was only in her room, singing to her stuffed animals.
         Then, disaster struck, as it always does around Riley. During an instrumental break, the CD player backstage gave a small start, and then short circuited, leaving a deep silence. Murmurs then started around the room, and Riley stood shaken on stage, looking around for what she should do. A tear came up and slowly crossed her cheek.
         "You couldn't do it. Nothing can never go right with you." a voice in her head said, as Riley took a few steps backwards. Suddenly, another voice in her head spoke, stronger than the first one.
         "Come on, Riley. You can do this. You know the words. Just keep singing." it said. It sounded like her mother's voice. Riley took courage from that thought, and clearing her throat, she continued the song from where she left off. The crowd hushed as it listened to Riley sing, without the music, louder and stronger until the auditorium shook from her melodious voice. And then, with one last note, the song was over. There was silence for a spit second, and then a single clap vibrated across the room, followed by more, until the entire crowd had stood up, cheering and clapping, as Riley stood bewildered on stage, her sparkling green eyes blinded by the happy tears that flooded them. The world melted and she was whisked away to her mind's eye.
         She stood in a field full of flowers, with a brilliant blue sky stretching endlessly in all directions. A glowing figure stood in front of her, dressed in a pure white dress.
         Are you the one that helped me?" she said. The blinding figure nodded, saying, "Yes, Riley."
         "Well...um...thank you." Riley said, not knowing what else to say to this angel-like person.
         Suddenly, she was jerked out of her imagination when a touch of cool metal was brought to her fingers, and a large trophy was thrust into her hands, and she stood dazed in the limelight, blinking as camera after camera flashed before her eyes.
         "Thank you." she thought again as she gave the biggest smile of her life, lifting the trophy above her head proudly.
         Mrs. Groll sat in the back, looking on as kids rushed onto the stage and crowded around Riley. She sighed happily. "Your welcome, Riley."