The sound of the piano filled the room.
I watched as my beautiful older sister danced her finger gracefully across the piano. Every key, every note, every beat was pulling my heartstring. I have heard this piece a hundred times and practiced it until I lost count. However, it felt like I was listening to it for the first time.
I watched in awe as my hold tightened around my fluffy bunny. This stuffed toy I was holding was named Elizabeth, a cute pink rabbit. I like Elizabeth because she was soft and easy to draw.
I focused again on my sister who looked like a fairy-no a princess? I don't know, who is more beautiful than the two, was my sister. Her platinum blond hair falls freely and stopped at her waist. Her green eyes that she inherited from father were like a forest in spring.
I looked away from her and turn my gaze to my mother who was like the same replica of my sister. Same platinum color that shines under the light. But my mother's eyes were light blue tinges with a little silver. Unlike mine, which had the color of a deep blue ocean.
My hair was also not the same as theirs. My father's hair was black. And mine was ginger with curl locks at the end. If I did not see the portray of my grandmother, I would speculate that I'm adopted.
Back to my mother, her smile was plastered on her face, seemingly pleased. Father was the same, holding back a smile on his usual cold face. But his eyes said he was proud.
Watching them, my heart started to waver. I gulped. There was a heaviness and suffocating feeling in my chest. I bit my lips and hope their smile would last until the end.
When my sister was done playing the piece, she stands up and bowed gracefully. They clapped, I clapped as well, happy to have such an amazing sister. But then my smile became stiff.
"Stella, it's your turn."
My mother strict voice brought dread to my being.
I hugged Elizabeth tighter and sat across the piano. I put Elizabeth down, and I slowly pressed the keys. It was the same piece but mine was slower. I could not hold the fast pace my sister was playing. Sweat covered my forehead as I'm trying so hard to not make a mistake. But then---
Dong----
I pressed the wrong key! My eyes go wide and my heart seemed to want to pop out of my chest. I looked at my mother and I was not surprised when a frown formed on her face. She said sternly, " Continue"
I continued. But because my heart was beating so fast and my fingers were trembling, I pressed the wrong key again! This time I did not turn to any of them because I'm afraid I would cry if I see their faces.
"Why did you stop? Continue!" There was a trembling in my mother's voice. She was controlling her anger.
I gathered myself again and continued. My fingers were pressing hard on the piano keys. I want to finish it. I don't want to sit in front of it anymore. Many notes and keys were pressed wrongly. But this time I don't care. I just want to lock myself in my room and hide my embarrassment. I don't want to see their faces after I played this. I don't want to be here!
"Stop!" My mother's angry voice sounded louder than the piano.
"What are you doing?! Are you really playing a piece?! You ruining a beautiful piece!" My mother, Virginia, pulled me up and made me look at her.
I don't want to look. I closed my eyes.
"Open your eyes!" Frightened, I opened my eyes.
An angry woman was in front of me.
"Look at your father!"
I looked at my father, Richard.
Richard was expressionless but his mouth was bitter telling me he was displeased.
"Look at your sister."
I don't want to. So I did not look. I felt really bad. If I look, I will feel worst. Looking at my perfect beautiful sister after making such embarrassing mistakes makes me feel like trash.
My mother pulled my chin and forcefully tilted it in my sister's direction. I saw my beautiful sister, Anna, who was also looking at me. There was pity in her eyes. Looking at those eyes, my heart becomes heavier.
"Did you see? That's a musician. That's a McKenzie." She let go of my chin and lectured me again about the amazing history of our family.
Oh. How many times I've heard that. How many times I was scolded.
She was telling me again, that our family, McKenzie was a famous family musician for generations. We have our own company inherited from my grandparents called McKenzie group, a big investment company.
My father was also an owner of Golden Empire, a big conglomerate under the ownership of five families.
She was telling me that the world recognized us as a musician, that I, Stella, was born into the McKenzie family and would be no exception as a talented musician.
"Mr. Kurt, get me the violin." Mr. Kurt was my musician instructor. He paled but then complied.
I knew well why he paled. If I'm not good at playing the piano how much more the violin? Since I could not master one piece by playing the piano, I practiced hard on it. That my time for violin was eaten by my practice for the piano.
He put the violin in my hands and gave me an encouraging smile. I could not return it. I know I'm doomed.
"Play. The. Same. Piece." My mother emphasized each word angrily. Like emphasizing would help a foolish child like me.
I put the violin on top of my shoulder and began to play.
They want me to play? I'll play.
I'll play what I can. But since I did not practice it a lot, in just thirty seconds my mother was thrashing again. Yelling at me, calling me useless, and worthless. I heard it a hundred times. And every time those words reached my ears, it came slashing my heart. I wonder how I'm still alive today. Why I did not die from bleeding? Yes, I'm bleeding internally.
"Mrs. Mckenzie, Stella is only eight. There is still a time for her to grow..." Mr. Kurt defended me but he was met by an angry roar. My mother directed her anger toward the poor instructor. After a while, being tired from yelling she turned to me.
"You will not eat with us until you master the piece. Lock her." Then she strode off out of the room.
The people aside from my father looked at me with pity before they also went out.
Alone in the room, the tears that threatening to fall since earlier fall endlessly like a dam. I put away the violin. And I hugged Elizabeth tighter. How I wish I brought my pencil and pad in the music room. They were the things that could comfort me.
I glared at the piano and violin.
I
reallyhatemusic."--act like a lady of a McKenzie. Remember our image is very important. You have to talk to the other children and establish a connection, especially with the golden heirs. Anna, you can charm them by leading them to the music room. No one can resist your music. Stella--Stella! What are you holding?!!" I was jolted awake from my daydreaming when I heard my mother yelling at me. Subconsciously, I hugged Elizabeth tighter in my arms. I'm just enjoying the scenery from the window, what I've done now? "Stella! Throw away that garbage! You are ten already and still playing with that stuff?!" Virginia, my mother, who was wearing a silver dress, sitting in the passenger seat glared at me from the rearview mirror. Richard, my father also glanced at me from the
"Whatthehelldidyoudothatfor??!!!!Douchbag!!!Bastard!!!Sh*t!!!F***k!!!D*mn!Motherfu-"I turned off my alarm and throw my phone on the bed. I went to the nearby closet and began to dry my hair. Yup, I'm already awake. I always wake up 30 mins before my alarm blows off. I still put an alarm so that I could know how much time I spent after I woke up. I'm an early person. Besides, I had reasons why I'm waking up early than ot
The four of us moved here when were sixteen and live here onwards. It was very awkward at first, but for me, I'm glad I'm not living in that suffocating house anymore. Speaking of them, my family already moved to Italy to support my sister Anna in her music career. She was already twenty and at the peak of her career. So my parents did not let her stay here but offer me instead. If it's other children, they might be sad, but for me, it was freedom. I don't need to practice piano or violin anymore. I toasted the bread and went to the fridge to get the milk. I saw two cartons of milk with different brands. Layla said yesterday that she bought milk. Not caring what kind of brand Layla bought, I get the nearest one. They were both kinds of milk anyway. Howe
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Kane looked at me like he was seeing a ghost.Oh. Did I hit a bullseye?I become more confident and proud after seeing his expression. So I continued."You know Kane, I don't like you personally but I think you're a good man to Layla. Do you want Layla to stop dating those absurd guys and playboys?"Kane did not answer, he just looked down. However, his jaw was clenched.I took it as a yes."If you hate seeing those maniacs hover around her, then go forward and confess to Layla. But of course, you will not blindly confess. If you do tha
I am always right.Me being an avid reader of thousands of stories out there made me a psychic.Of course, I am kidding. My perception is just better than other people. It made me good at reading people.I stared at the new guy, named Eduardo, as his eyes followed Layla's every move.This guy was definitely into Layla.On the way to the classroom, Eduardo walked closer to us. He tried to strike up a conversation with Layla which Layla ignored.Eduardo just smiled. He then turned to me, the woman who was Layla close to.Ugh...."So you are Stella Mckenzie? I have met your sister, Ella, in France. I attended one of her concerts.""Oh...Nice." What else could I say?"How long have you been friends with Layla?"You are being direct just after one question?I awkwardly stepped closer to Layla who was busy bickering with Levi."Since childhood.""You know her very well then, huh? Then,
The always solemn and majestic white mansion suddenly turned into a wild and loud place in just one night.There were people partying everywhere. The loud sound of music almost burst my eardrums preventing me to eavesdrop from the surrounding people. The flash of neon lights blurry my sights. In the sea of intoxicated people in the living room, it was hard to recognize which one who's who.Currently, I was being dragged by Lila towards the living room where people with high hormones dancing without a care. "What's the point of coming here but you won't dance? Come! Dance with me!" Lila's strength was not something to laugh at. She can't beat a whole grown man without giving the other party a chance to fight back. As someone who was not sporty, I don't stand a chance. I could only hug her arm as I forced my feet took root in the ground. "No-! I don't want to!""Then why the hell did you come here for?!""Just stay with me~" I acted pitifully which was working well since Lila stopped
I could only watch in silence as Lila took that Josh on the second floor. I don't know what they were talking about, but that Josh had a lecherous smile on his face as he followed Layla in.I closed my eyes. Layla said to trust her. But I could not help but worry. When my gaze brush past the entrance again, I saw a man coming in.My eyes lit up.Kane?But when the disco light brushed past the man, I saw the differences.It was Eduardo.Did he come here for Layla?Eduardo looked around. Even though he was standing at some distance, his tall figure attracted some crowd. When lights passed him, his handsome face was revealed. Just standing there, he gave off a charisma that was hard to resist.Some girls saw him and approached him quickly. The number of the girls who surrounded him was five times the number that approached that Josh guy.When some people noticed the gathering crowd near the entrance, they also walked towards the crowd to see what was going on.Eduardo Calvano was tall,