The Lost Prologue

I had to cut it--the prologue to my novel-in-progress. It was a great scene, but didn't start the story in the right place. I still love it, so here it is for you.
“He posted it!” Maddie shoved her phone back in her pocket and grabbed her bag.
“What? The list is up? Already?” My heart thumped up in my throat. 
 Maddie shot off down the hall. “Come on, Aria!” 
I slammed my locker shut and threw my book bag over my shoulder, nearly toppling with the heavy load.  “Slow down!” I chased after her.
Our pace slowed to a race-walk as we passed the office, but then we sprinted down the last hallway. I started wishing that my locker hadn’t been on the opposite side of the building. 
I rounded the corner to the band room just after Maddie and spied a crowd of people huddled around the bulletin board. As I approached, my steps slowed and my ears were muffled with the blood pumping through my body. My nerves took hold and the scene in front of me became a blur.  
Maddie grabbed my shoulders, snapping me back in focus. “I made it!” She squealed and giggled as she bounded off to be congratulated by the others. 
I stepped up as the crowd moved along until I finally got to where I could see the list. “WIND ENSEMBLE AUDITION RESULTS” was printed at the top of the paper. I read the top of the list:

FLUTES
Hannah Brady
Destiny Cook
Jennifer Haugh
Mason O’Neill

I stopped reading. 

It felt like my whole body was being squeezed. Again, I couldn’t focus and my ears shut out the noise of celebration. I turned around and slowly headed up the hall. I never cried.

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