Hidden Melodies

Chapter One

Copyright Joelle Blue ©

Ellie

I wake up to the all too familiar buzzing of my alarm announcing the start to another shitty day. One week. That's all that I have left until I graduate and never have to enter that school again.

I hit the button on my phone to silence my alarm and slowly get myself out of bed. Which is quite a task. I have made my bed the coziest place on earth. When you have no life except reading and music, you spend a lot of time on your bed, so why not? It has the softest blankets and about seven pillows. All just for me.

Once I'm up, I go through my routine for getting ready. I shower and do my simple hair and makeup routine. I get dressed in loose jeans and an oversized t-shirt. Then find myself a simple pair of vans, and I'm ready to go. Not too out there, but not obviously trying to not be seen. Unnoticeable. Invisible.

Once I've gathered all my schoolbooks and backpack, I make my way downstairs in the quiet house. Mom is probably still sleeping and dad either didn't even come home last night or left hours ago. Neither of them even considering checking on their daughter, saying hi, or telling her happy birthday.

Did I mention I turn eighteen today? Yeah, probably not because what's the point. I don't remember ever having a birthday party, and I think the last time either of them wished me a happy birthday may have been a decade ago.

I've been taking care of myself for a long time now and stopped expecting anything from them years ago. What's it like to have parents who don't give a shit about you and forget you exist? Parent's that let you know constantly that you were a mistake. It's fuckin' fun, I'll tell you that.

They also gave me the worst name in the world. Oselda. It's not a family name or anything special, they just thought it sounded funny. So, yeah, no love lost here.

So, I stay out of their way, and they stay out of mine. My dad makes a shit ton of money and he lets me use however much I want. But I've seen what a loving family looks like. What parents that care look like, and if I could buy that, I would.

Shaking myself out of those daily thoughts, I grab a banana and my keys and head to the garage. The garage is filled with ridiculously priced cars with minimal miles, including the one my parents made me get. For image's sake.

I head to my Range Rover and place all my things on the passenger seat, then slowly make my way out of the driveway and towards school. I hear my phone buzz a couple times, knowing it's probably one of the two people I ever talk to, which makes me smile.

Scarlet, my oldest friend, is the one person I can be myself around. Her and I play music together all the time, and if I had the confidence, I would give in to her begging me to start a band. But there's no way I would put myself out there when I get ridiculed as it is from the shadows. She's been homeschooled her entire life, so I've always been grateful that we happened to have the same piano teacher when we were younger. We've gone to many music camps and clinics together over the years and they hold some of my favorite memories.

My only other friend, Charlie, has been my neighbor for almost five years. I remember meeting him for the first time and expecting him to be cruel like most people are, but he was kind and took me in as a friend. I've always had a deep crush on him, and as we've gotten older and he's gotten hotter, it just grows. I don't see him much at school ever because he plays football and always seems to be busy, but he comes over when he can. I haven't seen him since Friday after he invited me to a party, and I declined. He seemed a little sad, but why anyone thinks that sounds like a good time I will never know.