The Lies We Tell

Prologue: Memory

     "Memory, all alone in the moonlight. I can dream of the old days, life was beautiful then." Laurel's voice sang out as fingers danced along the piano. She never sang for anyone but alone was a different story. "I remember the time I knew what happiness was. Let the memory live again" Her voice quivered and her eyes welled up with tears. As she went on to the verse she became lost in thought. It was only by habit that she kept playing, but her voice dropped out and her fingers were soon to follow.
     She saw her mom's car turn onto the street by her house and gently but hastily closed up the piano and replaced her books on the floor. She grabbed her backpack and rushed upstairs into her room where she plopped on her bed and closed the door. Safe from the world, she removed a textbook and started to read.
     "Laurel!" Called a voice from downstairs, "I'm home!" It's not that Laurel didn't like her mother, she loved all her family dearly, but she simply did not wish to be around anyone right now. Not during her low week.
     "Studying in my room, Mum." She called back and that was that.
     As she lay in the blissful emptiness and silence of her room Laurel thought about that one line that was bouncing around in her head. "I remember the time I knew what happiness was." Do I? she thought bitterly to herself. When was it? A week ago? A month? A year? As the girl contemplated her life alone in her quiet, isolated bedroom she was brought back to the days she spent in middle school. The time she knew what happiness was.