Maria was scared stiff. She didn't want to perform. No matter how beautifully her outfit looked on her, no matter how many compliments her maid gave and no matter how many times she fed herself motivational speeches, she didn't want to perform.
She didn't know what was coming over her. Whether it was the air around her, tension, or maybe it was the pressure that was squarely on her shoulders. She couldn't move without feeling its heavy weight on her shoulders, it was heavy, it weighed her down tremendously.
She looked in the mirror again and filled her mind with encouraging thoughts. She drummed on the table and peered down at her instrument. She had spent hours just for this moment.
