43 Seconds

Today I learned a very important lesson: Always make sure you know the due dates for your assignments.
We write an "occasional paper" every six weeks in my English class. If you don't have yours the day it's due and you're supposed to read it for the class, you have 43 seconds of glory. The teacher will play music and you have to dance for 43 seconds in front of the whole class.
I had written mine over the break so I wouldn't have to waste time with it later but I didn't print it out. I thought it was due on Thursday, but I had a very bad feeling it was due today. I should have listened to my instincts.
I asked my teacher if I could go print it, or read it off of his laptop. Not a chance, that wasn't how the system worked. So he called me up, and I took my place at the front of the room.
Now, the thing is, I get stage fright, badly, especially with improv. Not to mention the fact that I don't know the first thing about dancing. I kept telling myself "you can do this, just move to the beat a little bit." The song was "Hey Ya," really easy to dance to. I'm an epic fail.
As soon as the music started I told myself to move. Do something, anything, they don't want to see you standing there. One boy made encouraging motions, trying to help me out. My legs just wouldn't listen. I couldn't do it, I simply could not make myself move except in my nervous habit ways. I ran my hand through my hair and took steps back towards the corner, away from my audience. I kept saying "I'm sorry, I can't." I probably laughed a bit too. I don't know why I would have, but I think I did.
I hate this paralysis that comes over me in front of crowds, but I always get nervous, no matter what I tell myself or how confident I feel beforehand. But before I knew it the music stopped. My 43 seconds were up and I hadn't even started to dance. Relieved that I hadn't been forced, or even really pressured, I gratefully sunk back into my seat.
Never again will I get the date wrong for an assignment.