The Heart's Melody | ✅

Chapter 1 Missunderstood

Tris Prior was a teenager like any other. She was a girl. She was almost sixteen. She had a mom and a dad, a brother and a sister. She was the baby. She was highly misunderstood by everyone. She was a teenager after all. Aren't they supposed to be misunderstood?

Her father, Andrew Prior, is a very important businessman who built a multi-branch company from the ground with his longtime friend, Marcus Eaton. Natalie is a jewelry designer and together with Evelyn Eaton, Marcus Eaton's wife, they organize fundraisers and charity events throughout the city. However, their philanthropy doesn't stop there. The ladies often volunteer to help the homeless and not just on holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, but throughout the year. They often invited their children to help, which in Tris' opinion was translated in being forced to do that. Mr. and Mrs. Prior have three children: Shauna, their eldest daughter, who was a twenty-two year old psychology student, Caleb, their only son who was twenty years old and studied bio-chemistry and of course Beatrice, the youngest who would turn sixteen on December 24th, Christmas Eve. She hated her name. This is why very early Beatrice told everyone to call her Tris. Her parents still called her Beatrice, especially when they introduced their youngest child to friends or co-workers, but otherwise they respected her wish.

Tris' best friends in the whole wide world are Lynn, Marlene and Uriah. Lynn is her cousin, her father's brother's daughter, who is a minister. Lynn was sixteen already, turned two months before. She has an older brother, Will, who is the same age as Caleb. Mr. Joseph Prior, Andrew's brother, is a minister as mentioned and a widower. He often helps Natalie and Evelyn organize charity events, but is also very smart and bought stocks from his brother's firm. He is doing well and is well advised by the company's broker, courtesy of both Marcus and Andrew for Joe's loyalty and help throughout the years. Marlene was also sixteen and the younger daughter of the Eatons. She has also an older brother, Tobias, who is the same age as Shauna.

The girls have been BFF's since they were in diapers, inseparable like they were connected by a cord. When they were in junior high and went to the Band Camp, a camp for kids who were into music, they met Uriah. Well, they've seen him in the hallways, but he seemed way too cool for them, even though many kids wanted to be friends with the trio. Uriah and the girls quickly hit it off and he soon joined their group, who was as exclusivist as ever. Uriah has an older brother, Zeke, who was Shauna's boyfriend. Funny thing: Zeke and Shauna didn't meet because of their younger siblings' friendship. They met in college and soon after became a couple. Zeke is also best friends with Tobias, since they've known each other ever since first grade. Mr. and Mrs. Pedrad, Zeke and Uriah's parents, are owners of a bakery and despite many opportunities to expand their business they've decided to keep it small and friendly.

Like in many previous years the Priors invited their closest friends and their kids to celebrate Tris' birthday, much to Tris' misfortune. She hated celebrating her birthday, at least the way her parents did: a dinner party with all the adults and then all their kids who are much older than she is. Thankfully, her best friends were also there every year and she could sneak up into her room, which is the attic, but Andrew rebuilt it to be Tris' sanctuary, as she often put it. No one ever went up there and Tris was happy about that for several reasons: (a) it was always a mess; basically everything she owned was scattered on the floor or the railing of the stairs; (b) she hated it when people snooped around, that is other people than her; (c) she really didn't want mom and dad to find her secret pot stash. What could she say? She's a musician, they smoke pot, right? It's for inspiration.

It was almost four p.m. The Eatons, Pedrads and Priors were downstairs in the living room chatting. Ever since both her older siblings went to college they acted so mature, like they knew everything. Tris hated that. It was like some brain surgeon operated on them and made them lamer and dumber. And worst thing, her parents asked her to take an example. What? Did they really want her lame and stupid? Uh-uh, no way. Not with Tris.