Picture Perfect

Chapter 31

I stare at Elise for a few seconds restraining myself from strangling her.

"Are you crazy? I'm not singing in public. In front of people!" I yell.

"Sure you are. That's why you're wearing the disguise. You have such a great voice, it would be a shame not to use it."

"No, it's not. My voice is for me, I'm already judged enough. I don't need it more for something I care so much about."

"You know what I think?" She asks leaning against the wall behind her.

"There's no telling."

"I think you want to share your voice but are just too caught up in being perfect that your too scared of people saying that your not." I stare at her stunned. That's almost exactly how I feel yet if feels like a blow to the chest. I let out a sigh and run my fingers over my braid.

"I thought you weren't going to be my sight seeker today."

"Meh, I'm too awesome for those promises."

"The thing is Elise, I want to sing for people but I can't."

"But you can. That day when we sang together you were so good. You became a whole new confident person. And this disguise is the first step to doing what you love." Defeated I sink onto the floor.

"My mom thought the same thing." I whisper. Elise joins me on the floor being quiet to let me finish. "She always thought I could do something great with my voice. But when she died I didn't want to sing for people anymore. I loved playing with my dad but that was it. I just can't sing in public Elise, I'm sorry." I say wiping a tear off my face.

"It's okay. But your going to do this. It's for your own good." Elise pops up and grabs my case.

"Elise." I whine.

"Come on little chickling." I follow her out of the bathroom and into the sidewalk. On the ground sits a tall stool with a cup next to it. "Why not get some cash out of this." Elise fixes my glasses and beanie.

"I'm not doing this." I hiss. People are still all over the streets, I can feel all their judgmental eyes.

"Yes you are. I understand why you don't want to but your going to do it. Knock them out!" She shoves my guitar into my hands and sets the case on the ground. Before I know it she's walking away. Annoyed I go to put my guitar back in my case but a voice stops me.

"Aren't you going to sing?" A voice asks. I turn around to a little girl. "I'll even put in a coin before you sing." She drops a little coin in the cup.

"I'm sorry I-"

"It's fine." She says disappointed. I feel my heart ache at her saddness.

"Okay, I'll do one song." I say reluctantly. She smiles at me and waits as I get into the stool and strum a few times thinking of a song. Once I got one I try and stop my boiling nerves, as people stop walking to hear what I'm going to sing.

"I know you're somewhere out there, somewhere far away. I want you back, I want you back." I sing hesitantly and quietly, still scared out of my mind.

"My neighbors think I'm crazy, but they don't understand. You're all I have, you're all I have.
At night when the stars light up my room, I sit by myself... Talking to the moon, trying to get to you." Claps ensue as I do the oh's of the song. I feel my cheeks heat up but continue with the song.

"In hopes you're on the other side talking to me too, or am I a fool, who sits alone, talking to the moon?" I finish the first part of the song, earning whistles and claps from the small crowd that has gathered around. They come and drop money in my cup telling me how great a job I did.

The little girl from the beginning comes up to me last giving me a wide smile. "I knew you would be good."

"Thanks." I reply as she skips off. Elise comes out of the retreating crowd giving a a big encouraging smile.

"How did that feel?" She asks.

"It felt, good. I liked knowing that I made the smiles that sparked on their faces." I admit.

"I'm so happy!" Elise exclaims. I can't help but match her excitement. "So you think you can sing now without the disguise?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself." I laugh. Elise helps me with the chair as I pack up my guitar as something occurs to me. "Elise, when did you get my guitar?"

Her face reddens, "So I may have lied about why I came in your room this morning." I can't help but grin at her.

"Your quit the liar."

"It's a gift." We reach her truck and throw all the stuff into the truck. As I get into the passenger seat I turn over at Elise.

"Thanks. For everything."

"Your welcome."

"Including making that little girl come up to me to give me the boost to sing." She turns to me wide eyed.

"You knew?"

"Of coarse."

□

I scurry out of my car and hurry into the school building. I woke up late and had to rush over here. Just as I step inside, the first period bell rings.

"Great." I mutter. Elise and I continued to have a great rest of the day and finished if off with countless reruns of How I Met Your Mother. When I did wake up it was really late.

As I weave my way through the hallways to my locker a familiar voice calls my name. I turn around to Drew running to catch up with me, his signature smirk on his face.

"I didn't know the goody-goody could be late for school." I roll my eyes.

"It's not my fault Nina didn't wake me up."

"Oh right, my bad. So since our project is due on Friday I was thinking we could try and finish the pictures today so we have three days to edit."

"Sure." I reply as I finally get to my locker.

"Oh and Kora wants to come too. Ever since she met you she can't stop talking about you."

"That's awesome, I would love to have her tag along." I open my now unlocked locker, sending a piece of paper to flutter to the ground. Confused I pick it up and go to read it, Drew reading over my shoulder: If you think it's okay to go from one boy to the next, your deathly mistaken. You need to learn to appreciate what you had to begin with and stick with it because your actions cause pain on those around you. You will pay for this, so watch where you step.

When I finish the note I can't stop my hands from shaking. Who would write something like this.

"What the hell!" Drew shouts. "What sicko would write a death letter for something so stupid?" I can barley hear him continue to yell as my heart beat quickens, loud in my eardrums. I didn't steal anybody's boyfriend, who would think- Wait a second. I reread the note and then everything makes perfect since.

"I know who wrote this."

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Who do you think wrote the note? So change of plans this week, due to me being too busy, there will not be an early update on Friday no matter how many votes or comments. The next update will be in one week from today. But starting next Monday everything will go back to the way it was. But still feel free to vote and comment. Thanks!