Silence.
That was what I heard for a couple of minutes until a bird started to chirp mere second before the wind picked up and blew my dress all around me.
I shrieked, open my eyes and with flailing arms I tried to get as much of the garment down from the air. Good thing I was alone.
Or I thought I was alone.
The wind carried a soft familiar chuckle to me and I turned with a grin to look at my father, who was standing on the porch drinking his coffee from the "best dad in the world" mug I had gotten him for fathers day when I was 7.
"You know you just flashed the entire neighborhood with your little stunt there."
"Yeah so? Not my fault they were watching. They should mind their own business," I sniffed and stood up. I went up the two steps, took off my glasses and wrapped my arms around his waist while burying my face on his chest as he hugged me with his free hand. "You know that cup is a little more than twice my age right? That's kind of old don't you think?" I mumbled as I put my glasses back on.
He kissed the top of my head and I felt his shrug. "So? It has sentimental value so I feel attached to it."
I rolled my eyes and turn my head so I could tip his cup down and take a small sip from it. He laughed at my expression and apologized. "Sorry. I needed something strong to make me last through the whole day." I raised my eyebrows at him and he just shook his head as he led me back inside. "Don't ask."
"There you are!" my mother sighed when we entered the kitchen. She kissed us both then lightly slapped us in our arms. "I sent your father to go look for you and when he didn't come back, I thought I was going to have to send another search party! Then who would help me with breakfast?"
"Sorry," we both murmured and she winked. "Lucky for you, I am-" she said this as she held up her mug and showed it off like a model "-the worlds best mom and I can do anything alone."
I rolled my eyes as my dad laughed and clinked his mug with hers. I had gotten hers the same year and they still wouldn't let it go. "Anything?"
"Well almost anything," she murmured to me. "What have you not seen me do?"
I looked at my father and saw him looking at me. We both laughed and then started to bombard her with stuff we did. Once we were done, we did our little high five routine and jumped back as she flung her towel towards us.
"Whatever," she said with a roll of her eyes and passed us each a plate. "Put this on the table so we can at least have breakfast before it gets cold."
"Yes ma'am," we both murmured. We all joked around and laughed about it but when someone got serious, it got serious. Jokes were over and laughter would get you a glare from the person trying to be in the spotlight at the moment. I sort of learned that the hard way at a young age....
After a few munches, my father and I both stood up, kissed my mother on the cheek at the same time, grabbed our bags and or lunch money from her as well and descended down the few steps to our cars. I was off for school, he was off for another shift at the hospital.
"Drive safely!" I heard my mother yell from the porch and I just poked my head out the window to blow her a kiss, earning a glare from her and a honk from my father in front of me.
"Sorry!" I yelled and backed away, not really catching their comebacks. As soon as I was out of sight, I pulled over and took a deep breath.
My parents thought that I had many friends and that I was popular at school. I was always the happy child at home, but what they didn't know didn't kill them. Only me.
I quickly changed from my dress to some navy skinny jeans and a long sleeve white shirt and pulled up my hair into a messy bun. I scrubbed off the small amounts of makeup I always put on and dragged the sweater that was two times too big over my head.
After putting my glasses back on again and making sure I had no traces of the makeup, I placed the car into drive again and took the short ten minute drive to school in peace.
As soon as I parked in my usual spot -away from everyone and in the lot no one used because it was too far away from the main doors- I pulled up my hoodie and grabbed my bag. I looked down at my feet as I splashed and dodged puddles of water from last nights rain, making my Converse dirty.
But I didn't really care.
I felt the football before I even saw it coming. It hit me on my right bicep, making me flinch and stumble, causing someone to bump into me, which in return caused a small traffic jam.
"Sorry," I murmured to the boy -a band nerd as he was checking his polished violin from the three inch thick case. He glared at me and stalked off as I blushed beet red and rubbed my arm. That was definitely going to leave a bruise.
The laughter and snickers didn't end until I was safely inside the building, but the staring didn't end there. Every day was the same; people laughing at me outside and inside the building. People talking about me, even though there was nothing new to talk about.
I ignored the whispers and laughter ringing around me and I had to bite my lip from crying. Somehow, I managed to walk down the hallway, take a right and push open the door without uncrossing my arms. I walked a few more steps and fumbled down the ten or so steps right before making a left turn to a short hallway with three rooms right before flopping down in my corner and popping in my earbuds for the remainder of the ten minutes before the first bell rang. No one knew about this place and rarely anyone came into this hallway. From what I had seen, there were other entrances to the rooms in here but occasionally the teachers would come through, ignoring me and continuing on in their business.
So I knew which teachers were who:
Mr. Zee, the choir teacher who also taught the piano class which explained why I only saw two teachers instead of three. He was the tall, young skinny guy out of the two of them. His black hair hung just above his shoulders while he hid his eyes behind thick lenses like me.
And Mr. Bass who unfortunately didn't teach the orchestra but the guitar class. He was rounder and older than Mr. Zee but his face didn't show it. Only his peppered hair showed the sign of his age.
This little corner was know as "the weirdos" since no one really played those instruments or sang. There was one main choir class, but the few songs they did sing were sometimes off key and it seemed as if Mr Zee did notice but tried not to. He would just congratulate each girl on their performance and they would just grin like idiots, thinking they were the next American Idol winner or something like that. I would literally just roll my eyes and walked away from wherever they were performing.
As the bell rang, I just made myself comfortable and tugged down the hoodie even more. Having first and second period off rocked, but having to get here early because my parents thought I was having fun with my friends sucked ass.
One time though, I almost did get in trouble, but Mr. Zee had saved my life. It wasn't that long ago that I was sitting down waiting for the bell to ring when a hall monitor came through the doors and saw me. Her pepper colored hair was pulled back tight into a bun and she had glasses at the top of her head that bounced ever so slightly with each step.
"Why aren't you in class? Do you have a hall pass?" She screeched and I all but practically froze. She was about to grab me when Mr. Zee rounded the corner and saw me wide eyed, almost about to cry.
"There you are Grace! I though you had ran." He laughed and came to me. "Ms. Sanders she's with me. She has first and second off and I asked her to come in and practice the few songs we were learning in class. We can't get any better without her." He said with a wink and grabbed my arm. "You're done listening to the song right? Why don't you go into the room and start the drills. I'll be there in a second."
"Ok," I all but stuttered and literally ran into the room. I tripped on the first step the room had, but I managed to fling out my arms before my face met the floor. I looked around, trying to find the other door but when I found it, I heard them both walking in so I knew I couldn't leave.
For the next three seconds, I scanned the room and spotted the piano. I all but rushed into the bench, causing it to roll and make a squeal come out of me, before I rolled back and pulled my sweater away from my arms.
My fingers immediately started flying everywhere and after a few rounds, I began to play the only Nutcracker piece I knew by memory. The years and years of lessons my mother had placed me on since I was five were paying off as I pretended to sway with the music and fumble here and there so it looked like I was still learning it. My nerves helped me stumble through a few notes here and there as well, making my charade look even more imaginable. When I played the last note, I cringed and wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans.
"Sorry. I just can't get that last part," I half whispered and turned around to look at them both. What I saw made me flinch and wish I had just let her take me away.
They were both staring at me with wide eyes and mouths wide open. The papers he was holding in his hands earlier were now scattered across the floor and the walkie-talkie that was in her hands was screeching non-stop about some fight going on in the first level.
"Ummm...." I all but mumbled and that was when Mr. Zee broke the silence.
"Are you kidding me? That was incredible! What are you talking about?" Ms. Sanders nodded, still speechless and I flinched again, hiding it by looking down and blushing. She shook her head for a second and then noticed the commotion coming out from her hand.
"I have to go. But I agree with him. You need no work Grace. That was incredible and I look forward to hearing you again in the recital."
Recital? What recital?
"Oh she can't make it. Her parents are going out of town the week before and they aren't coming back until the day after. I already have another plan for her." He said with a big smile. I looked down and played with my bracelet as they said a few words to each other and then once she was gone, I practically ran out the room, tripping over my own feet again when he yelled, "Wait!"
Shit.
"What's your name?" He murmured softly and I gulped. I looked up at him and whispered it twice when he didn't hear me.
"Claire Cross."
"Well Claire Cross. I must say you can play the piano very well. Why aren't you in my class?"
"Can I go? I am very grateful that you helped me out but I don't feel comfortable talking to people I don't know. Please."
His lips thinned but he nodded. "You owe me though."
I flinched but nodded and practically ran out the door, cursing myself the entire way to my car.
I skipped the rest of the day and just went straight home, making my mother worry when she saw me there which caused my father to rush home. After an hour of telling them I was alright and that I wasn't sick, I was left alone and I cried myself to sleep that night.
And right on cue, both men rounded the corner and walked in, laughing over god knows what. Mr. Zee caught me looking at them and he smiled. "How about today Lyn? Changed your mind?"
My middle name was Rosalyn. Somehow he managed to make me squeak it out so now he called me Lyn, annoying the shit out of me. But I kind of liked it. No one had gone through that for me, but of course he wouldn't know that.
I rolled my eyes and smiled as I pushed my falling glasses back into place. "When pigs fly, come back and we'll talk."
"How about guitar?" Mr. Bass chirped in but Mr. Zee talked for me.
"Hey! I saw her first so don't steal my student!"
"She can play both piano and guitar. It won't kill or hurt her to be double talented."
I tuned them out with a small smile on my mouth and was about to hit play again when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I flinched and turned around, expecting to see a student.
"Sorry. I wanted to know if you wanted to come in. I overheard Ms. Sanders saying she was going to pop in and see if you were still playing. Want to run through a few things before she comes in so at least we still have an alibi?" Mr. Zee murmured. Crap. This was so not good.
"No thank you. I'll just go to my car and wait there." I whispered and got up. With shaky legs, I quickly went out the doors and sprinted all the way to my car, earning me a "Walk!" from someone.
Once in the safety of my car, I noticed that my hands were shaking and my breathing was harder then usual.
I really needed to control myself!
With deep breaths, I calmed myself and managed to turn on the car, before backing up and heading off campus. My blood was singing for coffee so instead of sitting in my car like an idiot, I decided to waste my time at my second home.