Page 1 of Shattered Melodies

Part One

AN UNFORGETTABLE DUET

CHAPTER 1

The New Kid

LIAM

TWENTY YEARS AGO…

My feet dragged along the sidewalk, the fallen leaves crunching under my sneakers as I made my way to Oakwood High. The crisp autumn air bit at my cheeks, carrying the scent of wood smoke from someone’s chimney. Just another day in this painfully ordinary town.

The houses I passed were all cut from the same cloth - perfect lawns, white picket fences, and porch swings that creaked in the breeze. It was like stepping into an old sitcom, minus the laugh track.

As I neared the town square, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the ancient oak tree dominating the center. The trunk was massive, sure, but it was just a tree. The town treated it like some sort of sacred monument, which was ridiculous.

Other kids were heading to school too, all of them seeming to know each other. They exchanged quiet greetings and sideways glances. One guy with tousled brown hair caught my eye and smiled. My heart did a little flip, but I quickly looked away. In a town like this, I couldn’t afford to let those feelings show.

I overheard snatches of conversation as I passed. “Did you hear about the new family that moved in on Elm Street? I hope they’re not too different. You know how people talk.”

It was obvious Oakwood had its prejudices. The town seemed stuck in time, clinging desperately to their outdated ideas. Change was not welcome here, and neither was anything - or anyone - that didn’t fit their narrow view of “normal.”

As the redbrick facade of Oakwood High loomed into view, I sighed. Fitting in here was going to be a challenge. Being the new kid was hard enough, but being different in a town like this? It felt like I was carrying a ticking time bomb.

My heart was pounding like crazy. The school building loomed over me, all brick and windows shining in the sun. It was way bigger than any of the other schools I’d been to.

Kids were everywhere, laughing and hanging out in their little groups like they’d known each other forever. The noise was overwhelming, and my stomach twisted into knots. I gripped my backpack straps so tight my knuckles turned white.

“Here we go again,” I muttered under my breath. “Another new school, another fresh start. Yay me.”??I was so done with this moving thing. Every time Dad got a new job, we had to pack up and leave. This time, his company transferred him to their Oakwood branch. Mom kept going on about how it was a “great opportunity” and how Oakwood was supposed to be this super quaint, friendly place. But I didn’t buy it.

I just wanted to stay put for once, y’know? Make some actual friends I could hang out with for more than a couple months. But nope, the universe had other plans. Story of my freakin’ life.

But my feet felt like they were glued to the sidewalk. I scanned the courtyard, watching all the other kids being buddies. Laughing, joking around, making plans. Must be nice.

I wished I had someone to talk to, someone who got what it was like being the perpetual new kid. Starting over from scratch every single time. It sucked.

Looking down at my scuffed sneakers. Maybe this time would be different. Maybe Oakwood would be the place where I finally fit in. Where I could find my people and just breathe for a while.

The warning bell shrieked, making me jump about a foot in the air. I blew out a breath and squared my shoulders. “Showtime.”

I followed the herd of students streaming into the building, keeping my head down and praying I wouldn’t get lost. The halls were packed, and I felt like a sardine in a can, jostled from all sides.

I managed to find my homeroom without too much trouble. I slumped down in my seat, wishing I could disappear. The teacher’s voice droned on, but her words blurred into meaningless noise as my eyes darted around the room. Every face seemed to be turned towards me, their gazes burning into my skin like laser beams. My palms grew clammy, and I could feel sweat beginning to bead on my forehead.

The classroom suddenly felt too small, too cramped. The walls seemed to be closing in, and the air grew thick and heavy. I tugged at my collar, trying to breathe normally, but it felt like my lungs were shrinking.

A guy two rows ahead turned to look at me, his eyebrow raised in what I could only interpret as judgment. I quickly averted my gaze, focusing intently on the scratches on my desk. My fingers traced the grooves, desperate for something, anything, to distract me from the suffocating feeling of being watched.

“Alright, class,” the teacher’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. “Let’s have our new student introduce himself. Come on up to the front, dear.”

My heart plummeted to my stomach. This was my worst nightmare come to life. I glanced up, hoping I’d misheard, but the teacher was smiling expectantly at me, gesturing for me to stand.

With leaden legs, I pushed myself up from my chair. The scrape of metal against linoleum seemed deafening in the quiet classroom. I could feel every eye on me as I shuffled to the front, my gaze fixed firmly on my scuffed sneakers.

Standing before the class, I lifted my eyes, immediately regretting it. A sea of unfamiliar faces stared back at me, some curious, others bored, and a few… hostile? My mouth went dry, and I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice.

“I’m… uh… I’m Liam,” I managed to croak out. “I just moved here from…”

---