Chapter Nineteen: Carter’s P.O.V-
The spaghetti was finally done and we gathered around the table to eat. I took my seat between Ross and Riker. Ross put his arm around my shoulders. I leaned my head on his shoulder and sighed. It had been a long day and I honestly could not wait to sleep. Ross’s hand lightly rubbed my arm.
“Tired, love?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I sighed.
“After dinner you can go up to bed if you want.” He said.
“I might,” I rubbed my forehead.
We passed food around and had conversation. I partook in some of it but mostly stayed quiet to conserve energy. I knew I would eventually have to talk… I just didn’t know when. I twirled pasta around on my fork and popped it into my mouth.
“So Carter, tell us about you,” Papa said.
“Um… I grew up in a small town forty- seven minutes outside of Austin, Texas with my mom, my dad, and my twin sister. My mom died when I was six or eight then a couple years after that my dad inherited his uncle’s multimillion dollar business and we moved out to California where my dad met my stepmom Mara. They are now expecting my baby brother which is REALLY exciting. Um… that’s pretty much it, I mean my life is rather boring.” I laughed.
“Oh no it’s not! She’s amazing with music!” Ross bragged.
“Seems fitting,” Mamoo laughed.
“I’m serious,” Ross said, getting out of his chair and pulling me along with him “She plays the piano BEAUTIFULLY!”
Ross sat me down on a piano bench and stood behind me. I looked up at him. He rested his hands on my shoulders and smiled down at me.
“Oh Ross you’re being too kind… really… I don’t play THAT well.” I narrowed my eyes at him.
“C, what are you talking about? Just the other day you were saying that you could play any song; with or without sheet music.” He replied.
“Wow… You have one GREAT memory.” I said with less enthusiasm than a brick.
“I know, it’s just another one of my amazing qualities.” He shrugged “Play something,” he pushed.
Oh, I was so going to slap him tonight! I knew I was going to humiliate myself in front of Ross’s ENTIRE family, but I had to… Ross had such confidence in my musical talent that he thought playing in front of people would be a walk in the park for me. Sooooooo WRONG! I took a deep breath as I heard the sound of chairs being moved. I placed my fingers on the keys and breathed out as I started to play the tune of A Thousand Years by Christina Perri. I was nervous at first but soon I just let the music take over. It moved through my whole body like a second heart beat. I loved when it did that. It made me feel alive in a sense. As soon as I played the last note I breathed a sigh of relief. I turned to look at everybody’s faces.
They began to clap.
“Oh sweetheart, that was beautiful!” Mamoo said.
“Thank you,” I blushed.
“I told you she was good!” Ross put his arm around my shoulders.
“You did but you never mentioned she was THAT good.” Papa said “I’m so jealous right now!” he laughed.
I laughed too. I was so happy that I didn’t mess up on that song. It’s one of the most complex songs that I had EVER learned! Mrs. Lynch looked at the clock on the wall.
