#Chapter 55: A Moment Alone

Audrey I held my breath as the judges raised their scorecards. Time seemed to slow down as I watched the numbers appear, one by one. 9... 9.5... 10! A perfect score! For a moment, I couldn't believe my eyes. Then, the reality sank in, and I felt a surge of joy and disbelief wash over me. “Congratulations, Team Audrey!” the announcer’s voice boomed through the microphone. “You have nearly received top marks from our judges! How do you feel?” I could barely breathe. “I… I feel…” I couldn’t even speak. Only one word seemed capable of escaping my lips: “Amazing!” The crowd erupted into applause and cheers. My friends, too, erupted into cheers around me, hugging each other and jumping up and down. I could only stand there, stunned, until Tina threw her arms around me and jolted me out of my reverie. “We did it, Audrey!” she squealed. “We actually did it! I can’t believe it!” I hugged her back, laughing and crying at the same time. As we