Emma's hands trembled as she held the script for the school play. She had wanted to try out, but now she regretted it. "I'm going to mess up," she thought. "Everyone will laugh at me." She considered hiding in the bathroom until auditions were over.
Her best friend Jake noticed her shaking. "You've practiced so much," he said. "You know every line by heart."
"But what if I forget?" Emma whispered. "What if my voice cracks?"
Jake smiled. "Remember when I was scared to do my science presentation? You told me that being nervous means you care. You said even the best performers get butterflies."
Emma took a deep breath. Jake was right. She HAD said that. Maybe she should listen to her own advice.
When her name was called, Emma walked onto the stage. Her voice wavered on the first line, but she kept going. By the second paragraph, her voice grew stronger. She even added hand gestures she hadn't planned!
After the audition, Emma was beaming. "I can't believe I did it!" she said to Jake. "I'm still nervous about the results, but I'm proud I tried. Even if I don't get the part, I know I can do hard things now."