Page 134 of Missed Notes (Rixon High 5)

Cole was so kind, supportive, and loyal. In a short amount of time, he’d already proved to me that I could count on him. That I could lean on him when things got hard. But one day soon, he wouldn’t be here. He’d be off making music, doing great things with his life.

And me?

Well, I didn’t like to look too far into the future anymore.

* * *

“Mom, Dad, I’m home,”I called out as I stepped into the house.

“Sofe, is that you?”

I chuckled. Who else did she think it was? Unless they had another daughter I didn’t know about.

Mom flounced into the hall, wearing an apron and covered in flour. “Hey, baby. How was your trip with Cole?”

“It was good, thanks—”

“What happened?”

“Nothing happened, Mom.”

“You look pale. Do you feel okay? Did anything—”

“Mom, stop.” I shied away from her touch as she came closer.

“Sofia, don’t do that.” Her tone was a painful mix of disapproval and concern. “Don’t hide from me. Talk to me, sweetheart.”

Lifting my eyes, I let out a weary sigh. “It was a disaster, Mom.” Tears burned my throat.

“What? Why?”

“I… I fainted at the mixer. Mr. Kandon hates me. Cole is going to follow his dreams and I’m… I…”

“Oh, sweetheart. Come here.” She pulled me into a hug, squeezing me tightly. “It sounds like you had quite the night. Come on, the first batch of cookies is almost done.”

Mom gently guided me into the kitchen and sat me on one of the stools.

“Now, start from the beginning. What happened?”

I was relieved she hadn’t latched onto the fact I’d fainted. I hadn’t wanted to tell them because part of me thought she and Dad would rush me back to the hospital. Or at the very least call Dr. Jeffries.

“Mr. Kandon basically acted like I wasn’t there. Shoved me off on his wife while he paraded Cole around all his old college buddies. Then I… I came over all hot and light-headed, so I tried to get out of there before I…”

“Why didn’t you call?” she asked.

“I didn’t want you and Dad to worry. Cole looked after me.” A flash of lust went through me, and I fought to school my expression.

“He’s a good boy.”

“He is.” I smiled. “He got into it with his dad and told him he doesn’t want to go to Drexel.”

“Good for him.”

“Mr. Kandon will cut him off now though. So he’ll need a scholarship or financial aid. And he wants to go to UMich School of Art and Music so much, Mom. And he’s good, really good. His old band have this gig next weekend. It could lead to big things for them. He’s going to do it.” Tears dropped down my cheeks as the truth settled into me. “He’s going to do great things.”

And I’d be left behind. Forgotten. Alone.

“You think he’ll choose that over you?”

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