# First Step
On Monday, the 14th of April 2025 | 527 words
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It had been an hour and Francesca knew it. She sighed and walked to the door, next to it hung coats, and scarves, and hats, and jackets. A rainbow of chaos through which she now dug, searching and searching, trying to delay for a while longer.
"It has been an hour."
"You don't have to fucking remind me." Francesca spat.
"Rude."
She took a green overcoat by the hanger, it was soft and long, with big round buttons that matched the fabric. It was her very favourite coat.
"Hmm," she pondered, "maybe not. Maybe the leather jacket after all?"
"You're stalling."
"Can you shut up for five minutes!?"
"It has been an hour."
Francesca huffed and tossed the jacket aside, the hanger clicking when it hit the floor. She stomped back down the hall.
"Now, where do you think you are going?"
"To the bathroom."
"You already went."
"Well, maybe I have to go again!"
She walked up to the bathroom door and clutched the knob, but stopped. A wooden sign hung from a nail on the door, it was painted pastel green and "WC" had been painted on it in white.
"What is the matter?"
"I just..." She sighed. "What if something goes wrong? What if I mess this one up?"
"You are afraid."
"Of course I'm afraid!"
Francesca let go of the knob and spun on her heels, resting her back against the bathroom door. She closed her eyes.
"There is a worse feeling than fear."
"Oh yeah? And what's that?"
"Regret. In the future you will look back on this moment, and you will regret not going. You will remember your fear, and you will regret being afraid. You will wonder about what could have been, if you had only overcome your fear. It will consume you, and make it that much harder for you to try again."
"Well, I don't want that, but what can I do?"
"There is only one thing that you can do, Francesca. You must take that first step."
Francesca opened her eyes and stared at nothing in particular. You make it sound so easy, she thought. But then she started thinking about what was the worst that could happen? Realistically, she could be rejected, and then she would return home and play video games, and try again tomorrow. No one would be hurt, no one would die. The world would not end.
"If I just took that first step..." She mused aloud.
"That is right."
Francesca straightened out and walked back to the door. She picked up her green overcoat off the floor and patted it down with her hand, making sure that no dust remained. With a swing of her arms she freed the coat of its hanger prison, returning the wooden wedge back to the coatrack. She threw on the coat and fastened its big buttons.
"I look good." She said, looking at the full-body mirror.
"You are going to do good."
"You really think so?"
"I know you are. I believe in you, so believe in yourself."
Francesca smiled.
"Thanks."
She opened the door and stepped outside.
Today was going to be a good day.
