Iris [Kellin Quinn]

Prologue

"I just want you to know who I am," I sang as I played the finishing chords to the Goo Goo Doll's Iris. My old acoustic guitar was on my lap as I sat under the tree in the park. I came here every weekend to do homework and draw, but today I decided to take my guitar so I could learn Iris. I wanted to preform it at a school show, but I had to learn it first. I would play it at home, but it's to loud there, and my mom wouldn't let me anyway. 

My mom. Oh, crap. I looked at my watch, which read 5:17, and sighed. My mom got home early on Wednesday nights because not many people came to the strip club she works at. She was only thirty-five, and looked fairly young for her age. She had me when she was just eighteen, and my father is unknown to both of us. Anyway, she doesn't like when I'm home after four, which is crazy because school ends at 3:30. She usually gets home at around nine or ten, depending on the customers, so she doesn't know I go to the park. I took my guitar and ran home, which was only a few blocks away from the park, so it was easy to get to. 

Once I got to the house, I went through the back door, which was in the kitchen, so it seemed like I was there the entire time. Thankfully, she wasn't home yet and I went to my room and put my guitar in the closet. I heard the front door open and quickly wiped the sweat off of me with a towel from the bathroom. I went to the living room right as my mom put her purse on the counter. 

"Hey mom," I said kissing her cheek, "how was work?" She glared at me as if I was mocking her and I quickly looked away from her face. Then a man came through the door with something small in his hand. He looked at me, winked, and walked over to my mom. 

"I'll be doing work for a while in my room, do me a favor and make dinner," she said as she walked to the master bedroom. She hardly ever brought customers to our house, and I was disgusted. I tried to ignore the sound of her work by putting earbuds in and listening to music. Pierce the Veil came on and I hummed along to Hold on Till May. My birthday was May first, oddly enough, and that was in two weeks thankfully. I was turning eighteen in just fourteen days. Then it would be legal to move away from this hellhole. The house was old and falling apart, but my mom didn't have the money or decency to try and fix it. There were small cracks in the ceiling so when it's raining we have to place bowls and cups under it so it doesn't stain the carpet. The steps on the front porch have dents because of how many people have stepped on them and many of the lights didn't work. 

I took the packs of ramen out of the cabinets and made three packs of them on the stove, hoping she would't realize my laziness to cook. It was like this most days; my mom would have me cook or she would bring takeout from McDonalds. 

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. I took my earphones out and walked to the door.  I looked into the peep hole and saw a man wearing a suit that looked very expensive. I opened it and he looked at me and smiled. 

"My mom is busy right now, if that's what you wanted," I said holding the door open for him. This happened a lot too, CPS would visit to have a checkup and that's when my mom would say the guy she's sleeping with was my dad and he was just getting ready to do repairs on the house. We lived in Houston so it isn't hard to believe that the storms busted up our house. 

"I'm not here for your mom, I'm here for you," the guy said coming into our house. He looked around and I could see his nose scrunch up a bit. "I'm Dallas Pryde from Fearless Records," I gaped at him for a few moments before he could speak again. "I heard you singing in the park and you have an amazing voice, do you mind singing for me?" I nodded slowly before singing the first couple of verses from Hold on Till May since it was now stuck in my head. He nodded and grinned. "You're perfect, what's your name?"

"I'm Tessa Dae, thanks I guess," I bit my lip nervously, wondering what Dallas wanted. 

"There's this band that we have signed, but the lead singer recently quit and the rest of the band said that if they couldn't find a lead singer in the next few weeks they were giving up and going back to their ordinary life," he started, reluctantly sitting down on the couch. "We've been searching for a week now with no luck, until you. What are your plans for the future?"

"I- uh- I don't have any," I mumbled looking down. I couldn't afford to go to college, so I was planning on living with my friend so I could find a job and not be with my mom for any longer then I had to. 

"Do you want to come to the studio and meet the band? Do you want to be in the band?"

"Isn't it a little late? I should go-" 

"No! It's only six! Please, you have potential we've been looking for, we need you."

"How can I trust you? You just showed up at my house!" I almost yelled, but quickly remembered my mom was in the other room. You could say that I don't like change. I want it, but I don't like it, it's complicated. I dislike how it happens so quickly, but I like how good things can come out of it. Maybe this is the change I need. 

"You can leave anytime, just come with me and meet them, show them your talent," he pleaded. I promptly looked towards the master bedroom before reluctantly nodding. He grinned and led me to his car as I got in and headed to the recording studio. 

...A/N...

Hello!

The video to the side is what Tessa sounded like singing Iris.

Thanks for reading and please vote and comment if you liked it. I'll try to put the first chapter up soon.

The rest of the book takes place three years later.

Your feedback means everything to me.

~Q