Page 13 of Shattered Melodies

As we packed up for the day, the excitement was palpable. We all knew we had something special here, something that could really make an impact at the talent show.

“Same time tomorrow?” Caleb asked as we headed out.

We all nodded, energized despite the long practice. As we said our goodbyes, Caleb hung back, falling into step beside me.

“Hey,” he said, his voice softer than usual. “I just wanted to say you were really amazing today. The way you play, it’s beautiful.”

I felt my face heat up, a mix of pride and something else, something deeper, flooding through me. “Thanks,” I mumbled, ducking my head to hide my blush. “You were pretty amazing yourself.”

Caleb grinned, and for a moment, I thought I saw something flicker in his eyes, something that made my heart race. But before I could process it, he was saying goodbye, heading off towards his house.

As I walked home, my mind was buzzing with the events of the day. The music we’d created, the obstacles we’d overcome, the way Caleb had looked at me it all swirled together in a dizzying mix of emotions.

But then I walked into the house and saw my parents at the dinner table, their faces all serious and grim. And just like that, reality came crashing back down. The warm glow of band practice faded, replaced by a cold knot of dread in my stomach.

“Liam, sit down, we need to talk” my dad said, his voice leaving no room for argument. He was still in his work clothes, his tie loosened but still hanging around his neck. It was a reminder of the long hours he put in at the office, all for our family’s future. Our future. My future.

Not this again, but I slid into my seat anyway, my stomach already twisting into knots. “About what?”

Mom cleared her throat, folding her hands primly on the table. Her reading glasses were perched on top of her head, a half-finished crossword puzzle visible at her elbow. In another life, she might have pursued her passion for literature, but she’d put that aside to raise me. “We want to know as to why you’ve been spending so much time with these new friends of yours. Particularly that Caleb boy.”

I felt a hot flush creep up my neck at the mention of Caleb’s name. “What about him? He’s a good guy, Mom. We’re just working on a project together for the talent show.”

Dad’s eyebrows shot up so high, they nearly disappeared into his hairline. “Talent show? Since when do you have time for frivolous things like that?”

I gritted my teeth, trying to keep my cool. “It’s not frivolous, Dad. It’s important to me.”

“More important than your studies?” Mom asked, her voice sharp. But beneath the sharpness, I could hear a note of genuine concern. She reached out, her hand hovering over mine for a moment before retreating. “More important than your future?”

I wanted to scream. It was the same old argument, the same old song and dance. They just didn’t get it, and they never would. But looking at their faces, I could see the worry etched in the lines around their eyes, the fear that I was throwing away everything they’d worked so hard to give me.

“Why can’t it be both?” I said, trying to keep my voice level. “Why can’t I have music and school? Why do I have to choose?”

Dad slammed his hand down on the table, making the dishes rattle. His face was flushed, a vein throbbing in his temple. “Because that’s not how the real world works, Liam! You think you can just chase some silly dream and everything will work out? Life doesn’t work that way!”

I felt my own temper rising, hot and fierce. “It’s not a silly dream! And Caleb’s not a bad influence, he’s my friend! Why can’t you just be happy for me for once?”

Mom’s face hardened, her lips pressing into a thin line. But her eyes… for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something there. Understanding? Regret? “Watch your tone, young man. We’re just trying to look out for your best interests.”

I laughed, but there was no humor in it. “My best interests? Or yours?” I pushed back from the table, my chair scraping loudly against the floor. “I’m done with this conversation. I’m going to my room.”

Dad stood up too, his face red with anger. But beneath the anger, I could see fear. Fear for me, for my future. “Don’t you walk away from us, Liam! We’re not finished here!”

But I was already halfway up the stairs, my vision blurring with hot, angry tears. I slammed my bedroom door behind me, pressing my back against it and sliding to the floor.

I felt like I was suffocating, like the walls were closing in around me. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. All I could feel was the overwhelming pressure, the weight of my parents’ expectations crushing me from all sides.

I didn’t know how long I sat there, crying silent tears and trying to pull myself together. But eventually, I dragged myself off the floor and over to my bed, collapsing onto it with a shuddering sigh. All I knew was that everything hurt - my head, my heart, my whole damn life.

I rolled over onto my back, staring up at the ceiling as my parents’ voices drifted up from downstairs. They were arguing again, and I didn’t have to strain my ears to hear what it was about.

“He’s spending too much time on that nonsense!” my dad shouted, his voice sharp with anger. “He’s going to throw his whole future away if we don’t put a stop to it!”

“It’s just a phase,” my mom replied, but she sounded tired, defeated. “He’ll grow out of it eventually.”

Then, softer, almost too quiet for me to hear: “But what if we’re pushing him too hard, Ellis? What if we’re driving him away?”

There was a long pause, and when my dad spoke again, his voice was lower, heavy with a weariness I’d never heard before. “I don’t know, Maria. I don’t want him to struggle like we did. I want him to have opportunities we never had.”

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