Love In Music

Chapter One

Zuri Comes Back

The story all begins when my sister, Zuri, is coming back from her two month trip from camp. Well, not really two months. It just feels like it because it had been so long since I've seen her. In reality, she had only left the front door to get to the bus two weeks ago, leaving mom in tears and me with a little smile. I had waved excitedly before she walked out of the door, and after that, I stood by the window and watched as she boarded the bus, which was already half filled. I hadn't excepted to miss her that much the day after, but when I woke up, I immediately got up and knocked on her door to tell her that I was going to make breakfast. When there was no answer, I had realized she wasn't home and a wave of loneliness caught me right in the middle of the hallway. After that, I had counted down the minutes till the day she was planned to come back. 

And that day was today. I was hurrying around the house, busying myself to make the best brunch that she could ask for. A stack of homemade bacon pancakes, with a side of hash browns and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. If mom had been home, she would have expected me to make her a portion too, but she was busy with a business meeting that she wouldn't shut up about until she disappeared from the front door. 

After what seemed like forever, there was shuffling heard on the other side of the front door. My ears perked up and immediately I bolted out of the kitchen and into the living room, which was right off of the entrance. When the door flew open, I raced toward the figure on the other side. "Zuri!" I said gratefully as I squeezed my younger sister tightly in my arms. "I missed you so much," I murmured into her hair as she wrapped her arms around my waist. She was twelve, while I was seventeen. I was a senior in high school while she was still a grade 6. But despite the age difference, we were still really close. Every since our dad died, we had gotten really close. Especially since we were both taking a huge toll on it. However, Zuri recovered quicker than I did. Instead of tuning out the world, she blasted music and I had to wear ear muffs to tune it down. 

Eventually she had gotten mad that I was growing so bitter and cold. She didn't understand why I was blocking out so many things that I used to love, like music. It was what I used to run to, especially when my dad was practicing. He was who got me into piano, which was why I had signed up for piano lessons. But the day of my dad's death, I dropped out and pretended that it didn't matter to me. Everything lost meaning. So when mom came home with camp papers, I refused while my sister accepted and left to go. 

And now she was back, in my arms, with a bright smile on her face. I didn't understand how she could look so happy while I had to work hard to even grin. "I missed you too, Lays," she said brightly before she pulled away from the hug and looked up at me. "You wouldn't believe how good it was! So many good people were there and the music was so great.  I was able to burrow the cabin counselor's ukulele and sing at the talent show. It was so fun. I really wish you decided to come." 

To that, I forced a smile and gently ruffled her straight brown hair, that was surprisingly thick. "I'm glad you had fun, kiddo. Did you make any friends?" I bent down beside her to grab the suitcase she hadn't brought in yet, and she didn't mind since she looked right at me with a thankful smile. I wheeled it in and gave her room to step in after she picked up her pillow and blanket. 

"Oh! Yeah, I did actually. Not a lot, but some girls were really nice and we started talking and then..friendship!" Her smile grew in size as she spoke. A smile of my own appeared as I noticed, before I walked toward her bedroom with the suitcase. Her walls were covered with a certain band's posters; Last Knight. She had been obsessed with that band ever since dad died. It was a band with, apparently, deep lyrics that related to her more than any other band's songs. "Oh, I missed my babies!" She said happily as she ran into her room and plopped herself on her bed before she looked around her room with a satisfied gleam in her eyes. "It's good to finally be home."