Ledge

whirring of pistons releasing,

I knew it was falling.

It was on the other side of the glass before me, but I couldn't see behind the dark curtain.

crash

My heart shattered

The curtain went up

and as I looked out at the first match of the day

I saw that our robot lay broken on the field

I stepped back from the driver's station

defeated

I looked out to where my family sat in the stands

my ego curdling

we rushed back to the pits

a whirlwind of panic. 

I left the humming

of power drills and murmur of deep voices

behind me

as I approached my mother's worried eyes

"What happened?"

the code for the controls was reversed

so

the robot attempted to climb a ledge

that wasn't there

I glanced at my grandmother

She leaned towards me

with a smile

and suddenly a burst of light in my chest

nothing of what she said before would matter

"Stay away from the machines"

"Be a dancer instead"

right now she would be 

proud

"Well, honey, let the boys take care of it because at least you're great at standing there and looking pretty."

Oh.

my face cramped

my smile soured

"I gotta go."

Rubber soles in my boots

crushing the floor beneath me

like they'd crack open the surface

until I was walking through a memory

my prom dress

metallic silk

sun on my face

glare of rhinestones

painted nails slipping through strands of 

a braid

Delicate.

lace ticking a cut

on my leg from the robot

soft feet on smooth wooden floor

The same feet opening the Earth beneath me.

The same tears sliding down my cheeks of when

I had never felt more beautiful.

I have never been more beautiful.

sweaty brow, greasy hands, dirty nails

back to my team

this machine

we've worked tirelessly to create

I am more of a woman than my grandma would ever know.

I don't need her to understand.

my team looked to me

smiling

shouting

they'd fixed it.

My chest swelled with love:

"When's our next match?"