CHAPTER TWO,
HIS MOONLIGHT SONATA.
THE FIRST SONG I EVER SANG in my room was Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.
There is a specific feeling within singing your own song, by yourself, and in the presence of your own personal belongings. In my imagination, I changed my action figures to be people instead of real individuals. They were staring and gleaming from my talent, but cackled at my lack of confidence. That day, I used a wooden pencil as a microphone and a paper-made guitar as my prop. I imagined myself as a superstar who got the career in the end and was happy with himself.
I often loved to imagine things. I imagined myself as someone who is appreciative of my lifestyle, with fans begging for autographs, tour buses and their odd smells, my headset wrapped around my curly hair whenever I'd perform a song.
Unfortunately, that has and never will be the case.
I close my eyes in content as my fingers glide across the white keys effortlessly. Beethoven had recently become a favorite of mine and after studying 'Moonlight Sonata' I wanted to be able to play it with no mistakes. I opened my eyes to fall on the white sheet of music standing on my piano, my eyes ran over it to replicate the same keys. I lick my thumb and quickly flip to the next page as I begin the climax of the song.
There was a spark of interest that began just over two months ago. I grew up appreciating who Mozart was and his music. His songs seemed to speak to me with his twists and turns. But listening more to Beethoven showed me a different perspective of music. Music that makes you think about the ups and downs in your lifetime and makes you close your eyes in thought of what the artist could have been thinking of as he wrote his beautiful melodies.
He was an enigma I don't believe I'd ever have the power to understand, but maybe sometime in the future I could decipher his thoughts and his emotions. But it was technically impossible since–you know, he's been dead for centuries.
The final note I play on this instrument is a C sharp, which I mostly mess up on, but I grin smally when I realize that I finally have accomplished the song.
However, my time is cut short.
"Sage." I hear a deep voice speak. It sounds as if it is beginning to turn into a command, and I already clench my jaw as I run my hands through my messy curls to prepare for the irritation I'm about to feel from the depths of my very soul. "Off the piano. Now."
I glance down at my hands and the veins that connect to my forearms. I see my tattoos that dance across my fingertips and my hands. The black, bolded musical notes and my mother's name is the first I see in line with my vision. I raise both my arms and lean them on the lid of my piano, my tattoos appearing below the sleeve of my graphic t-shirt.
"Give me five minutes," I say in response to my father.
"I thought I said right now?" he throws back not even five seconds later. His tone sounds like a warning if I don't obey this instant. Knowing him, he just wants to piss me off and doesn't actually need me for something important.
"And I thought I just said–" my rude response is interrupted when I spot one of my younger sisters running into the piano room. I could hear her music before I saw her long jet black hair. Her gray eyes that are similar to mine, meet my globes causing an instant smile to come to my face. She's always been a joyful soul. With her dimples that match with her twin sister and how inseparable they are. You could rarely find one without the other.
"Sage, don't you have to go to school soon? You forgot to let us know when you were about to leave." Amethyst spits out in fake anger. I assume she wanted me to wake her up, but that was Rose's job, not mine.
I roll my eyes and stand up from my spot at the piano and glare at my father. "Just so we can get this clear, if she never walked in I still would've never listened to you."
"You better watch the way you talk to me, son." he replies as he steps closer to me in his black suit and his brown hair gelled down. "Don't start something you can't finish." With this, he walks away after kissing his daughter on her forehead.
My hands find my hair again to run my hands through it. I walk towards my younger sister–who has been trying to wipe our father's kiss from her head–and ruffle her hair. "C'mon kiddo, let's go get you ready for your day." I say before muttering, "I can guess it's gonna be a long one."
"Don't call me kiddo."
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I was an athlete for two reasons.
The first one was because of the way it would look on my college applications. Observing the way I balanced my school career with my athletic career would impress them and show that I was responsible, especially if I wanted to go to a school that was far from here. I also wanted to get in without depending on my parents' money and using my own start-up instead. I had the talents and the skills, why would I need to use my parents? I had confidence in myself and that's all that matters.
My main goal after high school was to get as far away from my father as possible. For the past eighteen years it's been heartbreak, tears, and anger. His motives have never been good for me, and all he wants to do is ruin my life. But then I think about my sisters. Their stark similarities to my gray eyes and curly hair. I think of them throughout most of my decisions because I know I couldn't do anything without them.
I believe the feeling of being an older brother is a feeling that not many have had. It was feeling similar to being a cocoon to a younger sibling being signified as a precious caterpillar ready to grow its wings and fly. My whole life revolves around my family and as a man I would keep them from anything to protect them.
Even if that meant keeping them from myself.
My second reason for wanting to be an athlete is for it to be an escape from my problems. When I have a horrible experience my go-to is to practice on the court or go on a run while listening to my workout playlist. Running made me feel wild and free as the wind blew against the soft hairs on my skin, and my hoodie covered the crown of hairs on my head. I admired the way my shoes would continuously hit the pavement and sometimes when it was raining some of the droplets would land on my skin.
This however, seemed to be a constant in my life. There's always something occurring and me running away from my problems.
The putrid smell of one of my best friends fills my nostrils. I instantly scrunch them, brushing my nose ring against the side of my nose. I glared at the culprit of the smell who was seated on the bench in front of me. "Seriously? In the locker room?"
He shakes his head as he forces on a t-shirt, causing his tied locks to fall down into their natural position. "Wasn't me. Levi is the culprit."
The said man – Levi Jeong – pauses from his position in front of my locker. His shirt is off showcasing his mini back tattoo and his hair is still wet from his quick shower after our practice. Em is texting on his phone to someone unknown and ignoring the start of another banter.
"Screw you man. You didn't have to say anything."
"Yeah well you didn't have to try and kill us either."
Levi smirks, "Guess it's my specialty."
After soccer practice the three of us have a routine in taking a quick shower after all the sweat and odor that stems from our workouts. We all trudge into the showers and make sure to keep it short and sweet. We change into our clothes, go to the nearest diner, and call it a day as we separate into our homes. Some days if we aren't feeling too drained we'll stay at one of our homes.
I pick up my latest version of the iPhone and quickly send my mom a message of me being home a little later than usual. "We still on for food?"
Em shuts off his phone and grabs a scrunchie from his wrist. "Of course, fatass. We're still on."
My eyes drift towards the colorful band on his wrist. Emeka Njoku is not known for being with a lot of women like Levi and I. Don't get me wrong, he's had his fair share of flings in the past, but seeing a scrunchie on his wrist truly baffles me. I want to question the whereabouts of his new companion but I refrain from asking since I'm ninety percent sure it can cause an argument, but it seems like Levi is on my train of thought.
Levi puts his dirty uniform into a trash bag and packs it in his duffle bag not too long after. "Who's scrunchie is that, Em?"
There was a pause.
Emeka has been acting a little different for the past few weeks. He seemed to be running on edge. Whether it be hiding his phone when we're all together, rushing out of his classes, or coming to our get-togethers later than usual. I've come to the acceptance that I should let him come to us when he feels the most comfortable to explain, but a part of me can't really...wait. My curiosity is getting the best of me as I continue to wonder what could possibly have my best friend in his emotions that makes him feel that he cannot come to us? As a friend, do I let him be alone and give him time? Or do I help him?
Something as small as a scrunchie isn't enough to jump to conclusions of course, but when it comes to Em, anything is possible.
"I have a physics test today with Mr. Ras and I barely had time last night to study for it," Levi sends me a look from across the bench as we witness Em horribly deflect the question. "Soccer is honestly so hard to balance with school work but hey–at least colleges will see my grades."
"Yeah that's cool but where'd you get the scrunchie from?" Levi asks. I, on the other hand, don't want to get involved in this discussion, even though I do want to hear the answers.
"Levi just drop it, bro." Emeka says as he places back his nose ring since he took it out before practice. I always wondered why he did that. I mean, I have a nose ring and I don't need to take it out all the time.
"Ooooo does someone have a crush?" Levi grins pushing him back a little. We've all just finished getting dressed so we grab our duffle bags and keys. "I can't believe Emeka is really getting out of his shell. About time."
"For someone to reach this far as you do on a daily basis is a hard skill. Seriously. So because I happen to have a scrunchie on my wrist I'm assumed to be with a girl? Isn't that a little closed-minded?" Em replies to our friend as we walk out into the open field where some of our teammates were still getting some practice in. I wave to our goalie that does reaching and jumping exercises and he instantly nods back to me as he gives me a smile.
"You really can't blame me though. You have like... no love life."
"You can say the same thing about Sage!"
"No but he's different. He's too cool for relationships and you're not."
It was hard to keep my silence for so long and a sound of laughter escaped from my lips, "Levi shut the hell up, man."
"What!? You know it's true! Even Em himself knows it's true. It's not like he can't get a girl, you have girls constantly talking about you, but you choose to ignore them all in the name of 'I need to focus on school' or 'I can't let myself get kicked off the team'. God knows all the excuses you come up with on a daily basis. You even used that as an excuse when we wanted to start the band–"
Levi pauses and clenches his jaw as he comes to the realization of what he said. Em is quick to hit him upside his head for his statement and two pairs of eyes look at my gray ones.
Ever since last semester they've been treading on thin ice mentioning the events of what happened and the names we refuse to say. Two of our best friends were taken from our grasps all because of selfishness and jealousy. I still see them around the halls, my eyes can't help but to find her figure, but it physically angers me when she knows I'm near and simply refuses to acknowledge me. It's like she completely vanished me from her life in general. Like she was the one that was hurt, or humiliated in front of the whole student body, and her little friend isn't any better either.
I still can't help but for my eyes to look at her brown ones for one last time.
Emeka and Levi saw how I was affected first-hand, and I refuse to let my life intertwine with the likes of them again. After Levi's slip up, they expect me to lash out and storm away from them.
However, I surprised my best friends.
"So what do you guys think you'll be getting at the diner? I think I'm just gonna get a burger."
Looks like Emeka and I aren't too different from each other after all.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: .....hey.
It's been so long since i updated this book and im so sorry, but im here to say that im back! updates will be coming in weekly or at least every two weeks! the beginning of this is slow but trust it gets better :)
thanks for reading and have a great day, drink some water! <3
~ precious