Chapter One

I sat on the ground in the parking lot. It was starting to drizzle, and I didn’t want my new shirt to get completely soaked, as I knew it would even through the plastic bag. I had hoped that my brother would have at least tried to remember to pick me up, but apparently even that was too much to hope for. Sighing, I slipped out my phone and started texting my friend Kayla.

I wrote, [Brad forgot to pick me up again. Can you dive over?] She was sixteen and had just gotten her license three months previously.

Her reply came almost immediately. [Sure Katie. Where are you?]

[Irongate Plaza, in front of Peebles.]

[Okay. I’ll be over in like five minutes or so.]

[Thank you.]

[Hey, what are friends and family for?]

I snapped my phone shut. Family was worthless, in my opinion. At least mine was. Soon Brad would be going back to “Party University,” and he was the only one of my immediate family that at least tried to make my home life semi-okay.

A few minutes later, me already soaked all the way through, Kayla’s hybrid pulled up. Thankfully, due to the weather in our town, she kept towels in the back seat, so I was able to dry off.

“Brad forgot again? What’s he doing while he’s on vacation?” Kayla demanded angrily. I hadn’t told her about my family yet. And I wasn’t planning on it.

“He just sleeps. College is very hard on him. All that studying,” I calmly lied. Kayla shook her head, probably mentally chastising my twenty year old brother.

“Can I spend the night at your house? Would your parents mind? I know mine wouldn’t,” I pleaded.

“Probably. But maybe only for a couple of hours. My aunt is coming over, and she’s bringing her violin. It’s the professional player, the one you met at Christmas four months ago,” Kayla babbled, uncomfortable with the silence.

I brushed my short, light brown hair behind my ear. It was still wet, but I didn’t care. “She’s so snooty. Just because she’s on book seven in Suzuki. You do realize I’m on book nine, right? And that’s out of ten.”

Kayla laughed. “Yeah, but just deal with her, all right? At least she makes a living with it.”

“She doesn’t even hold her bow correctly!”

Kayla was still laughing as we pulled into her garage on Pill Hill, nicknamed so because it was so close to the local hospital, and most of the doctors lived there and could just walk to work. It was also very, no, extremely high scale.

“Mom! Dad! Can a friend stay over tonight?” she called as we pulled our shoes off and set them down on the rug.

“Which friend?” her mother, Mrs. Serburt, asked.

“Katie Hyland! Is it okay?”

“Of course! You know how we adore her. Let her in, please.”

Kayla led me up to her room and gave me a change of clothes. We were the exact same size, even though I was a year younger than her and still a freshman in high school. I dropped my shopping bag on her bed.

“So, are you hungry? I have snacks downstairs if you want any,” Kayla asked, still uncomfortable. I shook my head, just wanting to sleep. She could probably sense that, so she turned out her lights and left the room. I gladly curled up in a ball and just slept.

Unfortunately for me, that peace didn’t last very long.

“Ciao! Hello, everyone, the virtuoso is here!” called Kayla’s aunt Dae called. I groaned and sat up, grabbing Kayla’s brush and running it through my hair before I went downstairs.

Walking slowly down I scowled at the case she held in her hand. It was fancy and blue and had many compartments for holding music, even an extra bow or two. It was also very expensive.

When Dae saw me she smiled brightly. “Kendra! What a pleasant surprise.”

“It’s Katie,” I replied frostily.

Her smile hardened when she said, “Oh, that’s right. I apologize for the mistake. I was mistaking you for some other imploring fan of mine. Easy mistake, really. I have so many of them.”

I smiled back. “Oh yes, I love how you always screw up when you try to play a chord. It’s really marvelous, absolutely fantastic.”

That made Dae mad. She yelled, “Why you little twit! I’ll have you know that I’ve been playing much longer than you have and I have paid good money to learn! Who have you learned from? Didn’t I hear somewhere that you taught yourself? You have no right to criticize me, you-”

“That’s enough, Dae. I’m sure Katie didn’t mean anything by it. Right?” Kayla’s dad George asked me, staring at me with level eyes. I always sort of considered her parents my own, seeing as they had taken care of me since I was little. I did live with my parents, but they. . . .

“Well, let’s dig in then,” George said, clapping his hands together. We piled our plates high, as Taylor, Kayla’s mom, was an excellent cook. Better than the chef at a local restaurant that everyone went to. Tonight it was stuffed chicken and wild rice, my favorite.

“So I hear that you’re going on tour, Dae. That’s amazing,” George said.

That’s when Taylor got all teary, as she usually did. “Oh, I’m so proud of my little sister!” she exclaimed as she ran over to hug her, stilettos tapping rhythmically on the ground.

“Tae,” Dae whined. Oh, I forgot to mention that they’re fraternal twins, Taylor and Danielle. Taylor was born about fifteen minutes before Dae, so she always calls her a younger sister.

Taylor let go. “I’m sorry. You know I can’t help myself. Hey, after dinner why don’t you play something for us. We’d love to hear you,” she insisted. I almost barfed then and there, but that would have ruined the taste of the chicken so I didn’t.

“Sure, Tae. Anything for my dear sister and her family,” Dae replied as she stood up and took her violin out, not even caring that the rest of us were still eating. She started playing and had forgotten to put rosin on the bow, so the first few notes it started squeaking. I had been taught that you should always put rosin on the bow before you play, as it keeps the bow in better shape.

Kayla and I exchanged a glance and she said, “Mom, why don’t we go and do the dishes so you can enjoy your sister playing fully.” With that we raced out of the room and closed the door so we couldn’t hear her anymore. When we did I sighed in relief.

“I’m sorry, but she’s just so unprofessional,” I replied as we piled the plates into the dishwasher.

“I know what you mean. I don’t even play and I can tell that she isn’t doing things right,” Kayla agreed as she turned the dishwasher on.

We were in there for a full hour before Taylor opened the door and said, “She’s stopped playing now, so you don’t have to hide out in here anymore.” We guiltily finished putting the dishes away and she said, “I know that you don’t think she’s all that good, but a lot of people don’t get that far with an instrument.” I almost scoffed but I knew better so I kept my mouth shut for the time being.

“Do you want to go home or do you want to stay the night?” Kayla asked. When her mom wasn’t looking she added softly, “Dae’s staying here tonight as well.”

“I think I’ll go home,” I replied quickly, climbing the stairs to get my things ready. My clothes were dry by then so I quickly changed and threw the clothes I had been wearing in the laundry hamper.

Kayla had her car keys in her hand already when I got down there. We slipped outside, both of us thankful that it wasn’t raining anymore.

I asked her to drive me home slowly, knowing that as soon as I got home I would have no support line. Brad would be sleeping and my parents would be doing who knows what. She complied, even though she asked why numerous times. I never replied. I just sat back, closed my eyes, and listened to her nonstop babbling.

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[Taylor H.]

I smiled back. “Oh yes, I love how you always screw up when you try to play a chord. It’s really marvelous, absolutely fantastic.”

That made Dae mad. She yelled, “Why you little twit! I’ll have you know that I’ve been playing much longer than you have and I have paid good money to learn! Who have you learned from? Didn’t I hear somewhere that you taught yourself? You have no right to criticize me, you-”


I didn't find this very believable...just saying lol

i enjoyed this :) I think you're a great writer. I will finish this sometime soon :)