Madison Sparks was impatient. She sat in history class with her right hand on her head while her foot tapped at a quick pace on the white tile of her classroom. She repeatedly kept looking at the clock that was hanging above the door, as every second went by it felt more like minutes that were holding on for eternity. Watching the little second hand move around the center of it was agonizing. Soon there was only one minute left, she let go of her grimace and started to pack up even though the teacher was still talking. She had waited for this moment the whole day, and now there were only seconds until she was going to know her future. The bell rang, as all the other students slowly took their things and started to leave the classroom, Madison ran out as if she were a prisoner escaping from a lifetime sentence. She quickly walked down the hallway, because she didn’t want to make a scene by running, but might as well as she gave no consideration everyone else as she pushed and shoved toward her destination. She was wrapping around the corner when she heard the excitement and shrills of young girls. As she turned she saw her worst nightmare. There she was, in all her glory, Candace Smith standing with a full smile of perfect white teeth, and an expression that just scream sunshine.

“I could not been happier, this is so exciting,” shrieked Candace as her small group of friends smiled around her as they were giving validation to Candace’s happiness.
Madison then knew in that moment that it was then Candace who got the main role, and not her as after all they had audition for the same exact thing.

“It’s only fair that you got it and not Madison,” one of Candace stated while the others confirmed by shaking their heads.

“Well, we both really deserved it,” Candace then claimed with a sweet smile.
Of course, Madison did not agree with those statements. She was the one who deserved it and no, they did not deserve it equally. It was Madison who had done dancer for only the past ten years, while Candace had only started in Middle school. It was Madison who danced 10 hours a week, while Candace only came in for a maximum of two classes per week, while that was Madison’s maximum per day. She could have not understood how the director would have chosen someone who was obviously less experienced.
Madison then walked up slowly after Candace and her friends have left to see the truth in writing, and there it was in black and white ink, Candace had gotten the role of the lead dancer of the school’s production of The Nutcracker. Madison was disgusted and just wanted to go home, she was tired of people getting things they did not deserved, while she waited on the sidelines and should have been recognized for her achievements. But when she got home, it would still be the same thing. If it wasn’t her successful older brother getting on the dean’s list at college then it was her baby sister getting a gold star on her kindergarten style piece of artwork. Wherever it was , usually next to her brother or sister, Madison’s parent’s praise never was even in a five mile radius of her. Madison was not only disappointed that she didn’t get the part, but almost felt embarrassed as she told her parents she was sure to get it, but now she would have to go home and feel ashamed as her parents would tell her why she did not get it ,but Candace did. Madison almost decided there and then to just quit and not even participate in this production that she was bound to hate, but then she thought to herself, why get mad when you get even? Madison was a proactive person , and sitting around depressed was not her style. She needed some form of revenge, it didn’t even have to be that evil, but she needed it. The opening night was going to be Madison’s worst night ever…
THREE WEEKS LATER
The school production of The Nutcracker was going swell, the dancers had been practicing, the artists painting the sets, and the musicians rehearsing their music notes. Besides the occasional missing of Candace due to her winter track practice, it was going great, and even when the lead dancer was not there it was okay, because Madison would fill in. Of course, this did not help Madison at all , because at every chance she got to fill in for Candace she would dream of a possibility that the director would get tired of Can dace’s unprofessional lateness, and make her the lead. Though this was not going to happen as the director, loved Candace’s bubbly and kind disposition like everyone else, well besides Madison. It had been a long three weeks but the show had come together nicely , and opening night was in less than a day. The back area of the school’s expansive stage had turned into a fabulous dressing room that was holding all the ballerina’s precious tutus in an assortment of pastels and light colors. After the last rehearsal Madison and Candace set down to untie their shoes as Candace started to become uncomfortable in the silence of the two dancers and broke the awkward silence with some small talk.
“So, I heard there’s suppose to be snow tomorrow,” Candace seemed to be asking, “ do you think it might affect the show?”
“ I don’t know, it might,” Madison responded without much care , barely even picking her head up form untying her shoes as it if that she only answered to not be rude.
“Madison, I really just want you to know,” Candace started to say with a gentle unconfident voice.
“What?” Madison picked her head up starting at Candace with a utterly annoyed face.
“Well, I just wanted you to know that I knew you really deserved my role, and I’m just happy that you were so nice and mature and didn’t get mad that I got it and..” Candace trailed on with a sentence that probably included at least five more reasons why Candace was sorry she got the role while Madison was stuck with the embarrassment of an understudy.
“Don’t worry about it,” Madison quickly said with an icy tone, and a half hearted smile.
“Thanks,” Candace quietly said with a loudness of a mouse before she returned to her usual peppy tone, “let’s just have the best show tomorrow, and make it a night to remember!”
“Oh it will be,” Madison too quickly answered back with almost a villainous crackle because she knew what was going down the next night.
….
Showtime was in minutes, and people soon had to be in their places. It was only a matter of minutes before what they had been building up to was coming, but they were a running just a little bit late. Madison who had gotten to the school early already had her makeup and hair fully done, while Candace still had people putting eyeshadow on her fair skin eyelids, and another person finishing the curls in her hair. While Candace was about to go out in the spotlight soon , this was Madison’s time to shine. Madison escaped from the dressing room some other dancers were getting their makeup done , and started to walk toward the director who was surprisingly not freaking out, as had it seem.
“Hello, Mr.Whitaker, are you excited for tonight?” Madison asked with a saccharine attitude.
“Of course I am , I just wished my performers could have been on time,” Mr.Whitaker seemed annoyed as if talking to Madison was taking up his whole life. He heavily sighed as he tried to help a dancer fix her hair.
“Well I was her early,” Madison managed to ooze out of her month with a voice that was way too sweet.
“Of course, you were,” Mr.Whitaker said with an amazing eye roll.
“Everyone places are in two minutes,” a stage manager screamed out into the back hallway.
It was then with a sheer panic that Candace ran down the hallway without her costume on with a face full of panic, and a pink crumpled mess in one hand.
“My costume,” she screamed, “someone ruined it!” She took her what once was a pink tutu and opened it up to display an mix of pink tulle that had several rather large purple spots on it , and a paintbrush that had dried upon it and wouldn’t come off.
“It must had been a painter…” Madison suggested.
Mr.Whitaker was speechless, as he thought to himself that this would be the last time he directed a high school production.
The stage manager came out again to yell there was only 1 minute until showtime.
“I don’t even know what to do,” he announced as tears of sweat rolled down his shiny forehead.
“Madison, where are you,” he asked into the crowd of dancers.
“Right here, “Madison answered even before Mr. Whitaker finished asking the question with her hand straight into the air.
“Don’t you have the same tutu,” he asked.
“Well, I do but..” she started to say before Candace cut her off.
“But it won’t fit me,” Candace finished.
“Can you squeeze?” he unknowingly asked. The two girls looked at each other as if he was crazy. Candace had a curvy rather tall frame, while Madison was petite and very skinny.
“Madison , get your tutu on,” Mr.Whitaker exclaimed with disappointment in his voice , as Candace began to form a ugly frown.
“Okay!” she said with a little too much excitement as she pulled out the tutu from under a chair, “I have it right here.”
“Whatever,” Mr.Whitaker said just get on stage as he almost pushed Madison toward the stage door while trying to hand Candance a tissue.
Madison Sparks had once find a way to get her way. She wasn’t mad , she was even.