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The heel of her foot clicks against the hard wood.

The sound breaks through the silence that lingers in the empty hall.

She looks out at the empty seats, seats that just a short time from now will be full.

Butterflies fill her stomach; fear catches in her throat as she thinks of the performance to come.

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She takes a deep breath as she tries to keep the beat of the melody that flows through her head.

She glances out at the seats and imagines people sitting in them.

Stretching her fingers and closing her eyes, she places her delicate yet strong fingers on the keys.

Her right foot finds its way to the pedal as her left foot continues to tap out the beat.

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The young girl presses down the first chord with her left hand.

The low bass notes flood the room.

She stalls for a moment listening to the way the notes sound in the spacious and empty hall.

Then taking a deep breath, she places her right hand on the ivory keys.

The melody that once lived in her head is now out in the world.

Her fingers fly against the keys as the notes get faster.

She smiles in deep focus as it is just the piano and her and the music.

She leans into the notes putting all her energy into the song.

Crescendoing into the end, the hum of the last chords ring out through the building.

A slow clapping from the corner of the stage brings her out of her rapture.

She looks up and grins as she sees her old man with tears in his eyes and a smile on his face.