[The Moment of the Performance]
Reem and her mother reached the entrance of the hall, their breaths ragged from running, hearts pounding hard...not just from fear for Mary, who had stayed behind, but also from the weight of the stage waiting ahead.
Inside the preparation room, Reem sat on a chair, hands trembling as she watched her mother carefully adjust the golden dress she had sewn with pure love.
The shimmering fabric glowed under the lights, like a small piece of the sun wrapping around her body, reflecting the dream they had carried together for so long.
Her mother fixed her makeup, smoothed out her wavy copper hair, then cupped her cheeks, eyes glistening with tenderness and quiet strength:
Stay strong… don't think about anything else. Tonight… all the lights are on you. Not just under the moon anymore, my girl… tonight a thousand eyes will watch your dance.
Reem's lips quivered as she whispered, voice shaky:
Mama… you're going to make me cry.
Her mother quickly brushed away her tears and pulled her into a tight hug:
I'm proud of you, my heart… never forget that.
Suddenly, the announcer's voice thundered across the hall:
And now… contestant Reem!
The stage quaked under a wave of applause, the audience's cheers crashing like roaring waves.
Reem stepped forward hesitantly, her eyes scanning the crowd, desperately searching for Mary… her heart screaming: Mary… please, tell me you're safe.
The music began...strange, hypnotic, a fusion of East and West, powerful and deep like the heartbeat of someone refusing to surrender.
Reem closed her eyes, drew in a sharp breath, then moved… every step a cry, every spin a dream blooming across the stage.
The audience froze, breathless, stunned by what they saw...then, just moments later, an explosion of applause shook the hall.
But among the crowd, one pair of eyes burned with hatred, a girl whispering venom to herself:
Impossible… three men couldn't stop them? How the hell did she get here?!
Reem ended her "Like Snake" routine with a daring twist, her body coiling like a golden serpent before halting sharply at center stage, head lifted high, a trembling smile on her lips.
And then… the entire hall erupted. Thunderous clapping, cheers that rattled the air, people rising to their feet as if pulled by pure emotion.
Reem gasped, tears filling her eyes...until she saw her.
Mary, standing at the far end of the hall, smiling, alive, safe.
Reem's smile stretched wider, her heart quivering with relief.
Tonight, her dream didn't just come true…
it had a witness, a friend, a bond stronger than any prize.
Announcement of the Results
The hall was still shaking with the roar of applause, the crowd chanting Reem's name over and over, children and adults alike calling for her as if she were already a legend.
Reem stood at the center of the stage, breathless, tears shimmering in her eyes, her hands trembling from everything she had just lived through.
Every spotlight was on her, as though, for one perfect moment, the world had stopped just to see her.
The judges approached the microphone slowly, the room buzzing with whispers, every gaze fixed on them in anticipation.
The head judge, a stern-faced man in his fifties, held a piece of paper, glanced at it, then looked up with a smile filled with astonishment. His voice rang out, deep and powerful:
We haven't witnessed a dance like this in years. Such depth, such emotion… a blend of cultures, a true story told by the soul of a dreaming child!
He leaned closer toward Reem, his expression softening:
Tonight, Reem… you didn't just win. You created a new color of dance!
The audience erupted again, waves of applause and cheers crashing through the hall, a sea of voices chanting, "Reem… Reem… Reem!"
An assistant stepped forward, carrying a black velvet case. He opened it to reveal a music album contract under Reem's name...a promise of her own songs, her own melodies to be recorded soon. Beside it, an elegant golden card reading "Rising Star", and a large envelope containing a $50,000 prize.
The announcer's voice rose above the chaos:
Ladies and gentlemen, give a roaring applause for the one and only, the incredible talent… Reem! Fifty thousand dollars and her very first album on the way!
Reem's tears spilled freely, her hands shaking as she took the prize. She turned toward the audience, eyes landing on her mother sobbing in the front row, heart screaming in joy: We did it, Mama… we made the dream real!
Then suddenly, she felt a hand slip into hers on stage. She turned...and there was Mary, standing beside her, smiling with radiant pride, eyes glimmering with pure happiness.
Reem threw herself into her arms, crying uncontrollably as Mary whispered softly in her ear, words only for her amidst the deafening applause:
I told you… tonight, you're not just under the moon… you're under every star in the sky.
The audience stood for minutes, clapping, shouting, lights flashing, cameras clicking. But through all the chaos, Reem knew the real victory was something far greater than money or fame… it was finding a friend who had given her life back.
[Farewell Moment]
The air was still… everything around Mary began to fade, dissolving like watercolor washed away by gentle rain.
Sounds turned into distant whispers, the light bent softly, bowing as if in tribute to its heroine.
An old man appeared Rami...his warm smile carrying the kindness of a father long gone:
You succeeded… even without seeking glory, my child.
He stepped closer, his voice flowing like an ancient tale:
First step… you became a friend to a lost soul.
Second step… you taught her to dance from the heart, with courage.
Third step… you opened a door for her, a door to life anew.
Reem wouldn't have had this chance… if it weren't for you.
He extended his hand, holding out a black card lined with glowing silver threads:
Keep this… when the time comes, you'll know how to use it.
Mary took the card gently, her heart heavy with sudden longing:
I'm going to miss Reem…
Rami's smile deepened, his voice fading like stardust in the night:
And she'll miss you… but remember this: you were the light that pierced her darkness. And no light like that… ever truly fades from a heart.