The New Demigods and...a mortal

Chapter 15: Birthday!! (pt1)

Celeste's POV

We woke up to a chorus of "happy birthdays" and the birthday song played in many instruments, by our siblings, being the children of the god of music. Today was the day, Nat and I turn sixteen, the day we would find out our talents.

"Will, what's our talents? How will we know?" Nat chirped excitedly.

It wasn't like Nat to be so excited, but I myself was too caught up in the excitement of knowing our talents, so I couldn't complain.

"While you do a particular activity and it's your talent, there'll be a sign. Usually, dad comes down when the talent "claims" us." Will replied.

Hmm...I wonder what my talent will be...I guess Nat's will be music, but what about me? I'm not particularly great at anything.

"Nat, take out your violin and play for us! You too, Celeste, you both can play a duet!" Will said, his face breaking into a grin.

I lost myself in the sea of music as the sweet melodies washed over me. Then suddenly, I realised something was terribly wrong. The music talent didn't claim Nat. The music stopped as Nat's face fell, the look I knew all too well returning. Her chin bobbed up and down, and I realised that she was holding back in the tears. Music had always been Nat's life, yet it wasn't her talent. She was awfully disappointed, and it broke my heart too, as her twin.

The rest of our siblings stared at us both, stunned and speechless. I was sure that they all thought music would be Nat's talent, after being stunned by her amazing performance last night.

Seeing Nat crumbling, Will stepped forward.

"Maybe, Dad forgot, or something's wrong."

Hearing "Dad forgot", Nat started sobbing. I knew how she felt, unwanted by our very own father, who didn't take any part in our lives, and then he forgot about our talents altogether.

Then suddenly, a bright light encased Nat, and when it vanished, one lone quaver note hovered over her head as a soft, sad, violin music began to play. I stared at it in bewilderment.

"Congrats, Nat, your talent is music!" Will announced, grinning.

But his grin didn't quite reach his eyes. Nat smiled a soft, sad smile, but there was still sadness in her eyes. And I understood why.

Dad didn't come. Will said that he would come when the talent claimed us. And everything else about the claiming part was sad, not happy, not great, just sa.

"Dad...the music was sad...one lone quaver note..." our sibling, Kayla murmured.

They began whispering, about how when the music talent claimed one of them, there would be loud, happy music, lasting for a long while. And the sign...was of many music notes, not just one, lone quaver.

Tears began silently streaming down Nat's face.

Why did Dad choose to be different for Nat? He didn't even bother coming down and the signs were all so sad!

Nat's POV

I was devastated. I was devastated when I thought music wasn't my talent, music was my life. I didn't know why I was so upset, after all, that means that I have a greater talent for something, right? After all, music would be my mortal talent. But then music was indeed my talent, and I was really relieved.

But then, now, it really was devastation, it was nothing compared to a small issue like music being my talent.

Dad didn't come down, unlike what Will and the rest told us. My talent was music, as I had hoped. I am supposed to be really happy about it, seeing that just now, when nothing happened while I was playing my violin, I thought my talent wasn't music and I was crushed. All I got was one lone quaver hanging over my head, and soft sad music, as if it was foreshadowing my extremely sad future.

Why, Dad, why?

I know I'm behaving like a bratty kid here, but Dad left us when we were not more than six months old, and hasn't taken any part in me and Leste's life since! And on this important day which our talents would "claim" us, he didn't even bother to come down! And he forgot for a little while! He was supposed to remember, to come down, like for the rest of our siblings!

Why did he choose to be different in a bad way, for me?