“...Hannah Rodgers - second place. Ciara Baynes - first place, congratulations” The boom of the announcers voice though the speakers is all I am listening to.
“I won” I whisper to myself.
“Ciara!”
I turn as I hear my name and see my parents rushing towards me dropping their bags as they move. “I won I’m going to nationals!” I cheer as I am swept into their loving arms. Suddenly my mother pulls back and holds me at arms length and looks at my face seriously, “I am so very proud of you. You said you could win and you did”
I try not to look my mother in the eyes as I tell her she needs to have more faith in me.
I need to be more careful. Although I will never forget what I can do, I am still reckless.
My name is called over the tannoy system and I pull away from my parents and jog over to collect my prizes and have my picture taken. I smile genuinely as my picture is taken and I shake hands with the town mayor. My emotions are discombobulated, I am happy, relieved, stressed and shocked all at once. But I don’t care. Finally I have proved myself. I won and I didn’t use my gift.