Prompt: Audience

She paced back and forth, hand unconsciously running down one of her fiery-red braids. Peeking around the curtain while the lights had yet to be dimmed, shoulders sagged in minute disappointment. The aisle seat, four rows back from the stage, one of the best seats in the house, still empty. A deep emerald and maroon flash was almost visible to the front row as she ducked back behind the curtain, hiding again in the dimly lit backstage.

The girl kneeled down and took a breath. "It's okay, you've got this. No room to mess it up now right? It'll be fine if you do anyways right? Made it this far, I mean obviously I wouldn't want to mess it up, but you know if I do it's okay, right? I can be proud of that!"

She leapt up, narrowly avoiding flattening the passing stagehand's nose.

"Holy crap! Settle down there, fiesty pants." The blonde staggered, attempting to regain his balance, a hand settling over the reindeer logo of the performance hall on his breast pocket, "Don't want to knock a guy out twenty minutes before your showtime right?"

"So-sorry! I wasn't trying to knock you out, not that I could have, you seem like a pretty solid guy. I mean, in terms of physique. Well, I mean your personality could actually be pretty solid too but I don- " She whipped her hand towards her mouth, only to watch with dismay as the folio that hand had been holding fly away from her.

She trudged over to the folio, skirt bunched up in tight, slightly shaking fists. The stagehand moved and began helping her organize her pieces.

"You know, might just help to hold onto all your music." The blonde remarked, attempting to keep the mood light.

"S-sorry. Just a little nervous. Big night." She flashed a genuine smile towards him. "Thanks for helping me pick up after myself though."

"No problemo."

The two continued in silence, taking only another minute or two to get everything back in order. "Probably gonna want to keep a tighter grip on that, eh?"

She smirked. "Well, hopefully I can count on you to pick up after me if I slip up again."

Tipping an imaginary hat, the stagehand replied, in a mocking fashion, "'Tis our jobs, make the backstage magic happen so the audience is none the wiser." He raised a finger to the earpiece as Anna giggled, back straightening, listening intently to the instructions on the other end. "Got it."

Turning back to her, he said "Ten minutes to showtime. You ready to wow the judges?"

"Y-Yeah..." She smiled again, this one much less honest than the first. "Born ready."

Cocking his head, he only gave a "Hmmmm," in response as he watched her flitter over towards the curtain, glancing out the crowd, noting the same momentary sag of disappointment that had prompted him to come over earlier. "It's supposed to be a full house tonight, waiting on someone?"

"What! No! I mean… Well… Maybe… But she's busy… I didn't expect her to be here anyways..." A hand crept back up to one of her braids. "I told her not to come, she's got her report to fin-. Sorry, I'm not sure why I'm babbling to you about all these things. I'm probably distracting you from your job, huh?"

"Nah, we've got it all prepped, just gotta hit a switch or two as you walk out." He patted her on the back, nodding sagely. "I'm sure she'll show up. Trust me, I'm a expert at these sorts of dealings."

She crinkled her nose and laughed at that. "Ummm, I'm sure you are… And thanks…?"

"Kristoff." He offered his hand and she shook it, "And based on the program for the night, you must be Anna. Anyways, looks like it's time for you to head on out. Get out there and wow those judges."

"You say this to every competitor that steps through here?" She laughed, dusting herself off and straightening her skirt.

"Just the ones that look like they need a little boost." He gestured towards the curtain. "Go get 'em."

Anna took a deep breath, feeling herself stand taller and straighter. Stiff as a board, just like her instructor had taught, each step becoming more calculated, more intentional. She made her way to the curtain, taking a final deep breath, and stepped onto the stage, heels clicking and echoing on the polished hardwood with only a trace of uncertainty.

The murmur of the audience faded to quiet whispers as the lights slowly dimmed. Anna could hear the click of the door over to the far end of the performance hall as she settled onto the bench and arranged her piece. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ears, she snuck a glance towards the crowd. A flash of platinum hair, barely visible but unmistakable, settled into that aisle seat, four rows from the front as the lights in the amphitheater dimmed.

She let the smile bloom on her lips, running a hand down the keys to familiarize herself with this set. Memories of those lithe arms guiding her hand across the keys, gently pressing them down together in sync floated to the surface like a familiar melody. She closed her eyes, audience slowly melting away until only a single individual was left. Anna took a breath, fingers poised and hovering a hair's breadth above the keys, and played for her audience of one.