Sarah had been practicing the "Revolutionary Etude" for a week when she realized she had to make a decision. The auditions were only seven days away. She could play "Für Elise" perfectly. It was simple and safe. Mrs. Henderson expected it, and Sarah could perform it without any risk of embarrassing herself.
But the "Revolutionary Etude" was calling to her like a siren song. Even though she had only been learning it for a week, she could already play the main sections. Her fingers were getting stronger and faster every day. The piece felt like it was written for her own emotions—all the frustration and determination she had been feeling for years.
Sarah knew that choosing the "Revolutionary Etude" was a huge gamble. If she made mistakes during the audition, she would not only fail to make the recital, but she would also expose herself as someone who had been hiding her true abilities from her teacher. Mrs. Henderson might be angry that Sarah hadn't been honest about her skill level. But if she succeeded...
Sarah spent her weekend practicing both pieces. She would play "Für Elise" to keep it fresh in her memory, then spend hours working on the challenging passages of the "Revolutionary Etude".
Her grandmother noticed that Sarah was practicing more than usual. "You work very hard on your music, little bird," her grandmother said on Sunday evening. "Your fingers are getting calluses like a real pianist."
Sarah looked down at her fingertips. Her grandmother was right: she had developed small calluses from all the intense practice. They were marks she wore with pride, proof that she was pushing herself beyond what anyone expected.
That night, Sarah lay in bed and made lists in her mind. Pros and cons of playing each piece:
"Für Elise" pros: safe, expected, no chance of major embarrassment, Mrs. Henderson would approve. "Für Elise" cons: simple, boring, wouldn't show her real abilities, would prove Mrs. Henderson was right about her being just adequate.
"Revolutionary Etude" pros: challenging, impressive, would shock everyone, would prove she was capable of more than anyone imagined. "Revolutionary Etude" cons: very risky, might fail spectacularly, could anger Mrs. Henderson, might not be ready in time.
Monday morning arrived gray and rainy, matching Sarah's uncertain mood. She walked to school early as usual and stopped outside the music room. Through the door, she could hear Jessica practicing her Chopin piece. It sounded confident and polished. Then she heard Marcus working on his Bach invention. His fingers moved through the complex passages with ease, like he had been born to play that music.
Sarah continued walking to her first class, but her mind stayed focused on the decision she had to make. In the storage room, the grand piano was waiting for her, ready to help her practice whichever piece she chose.