When Perfect Meets Crazy

11 - Einstein and a scary badass chick

I wasn't surprised to not find him when I finished tutoring. Even I wouldn't have waited ninety minutes, no matter the circumstance. Well, not unless my mum explicitly asked me to.

My lips curved up in a small smile as I walked to my car.

Looks like I win this round, Idiot.

I swung by a diner to pick up Olly. She needed a ride home from her violin lesson. Apparently after practice, she decided to get a late lunch at a diner in the area and wanted me to drop her off at home. I would never understand what she had against calling her driver but I had long since given up trying to get her to see reason. She was only two years away from license anyways.

And more importantly, in a few months I'd be away at Harvard where it wouldn't be my problem.

"How was practice?" I inquired as she collapsed into the front seat.

"Do you think mum will let me drop it? Or at least switch to guitar?"

"Not even if your life depended on it." I scoffed, shooting her a flat look. "Besides, there's no guitar in an orchestra."

"You know, it's not so bad when I'm learning new pieces and prepping for a show but still, it's so boring and uptight. Geez," she huffed, roughly pulling the seat belt.

"Yeah, well, that's the point. 'Boring and uptight' gives her bragging rights," I explained, backing unto the road. "'Boring and uptight' in the case translates into 'respectable and cultured'."

Being the mummy's pet that she was, Olly got off easy. I was forced to master the piano and the cello when I was her age. There was talk of getting me on a harp but thankfully, it didn't work out. School got busy, I 'graduated' music lessons and the idea was dropped but of course, my entitled little sister would complain about her one instrument.

"Sheesh. None of my friends do this stuff. It's so lame."

"You're fourteen. She'll let you drop it soon enough. Just a pick a really, really hard piece. Perform it, then tell her you've mastered the violin," I advised.

"Really? It'll work?" Excitement blossomed on her face. I could practically see her planning a million and one hangouts with the new found free time.

"It's what I did but don't get your hopes up because as soon as you drop that, she'll get on you to start working on your college portfolio."

Her smile collapsed.

"You'll be swamped with more after school jobs than a single mum with only a high school diploma."

She flashed me a frustrated look and leaned back in her seat. "Ugh."

• • •

Dinner was cooked, eaten and the plates were being cleared. Olly, true to form, was already upstairs pretending to sleep to get out of having to do any extra work. Our mum wasn't home yet but that wasn't out of the norm for us even though it was going on ten p.m.

Unfortunately, our dad was.

I smelled him before I saw him. I had my earphones in so I didn't hear him arrive while I was taking care of the plates but he quickly took care of that by greeting me with a strong blow to the back. The violent kind.

Shockwaves reverberated through me, sending the plate I was washing into sink, splashing soap suds everywhere. I sent up a quick prayer of thanks that it hadn't broken. Clearly he was in one of his moods, I didn't need my mum against me too for breaking one of the fancy dinner plates.

I hurriedly pulled out my earphones and stashed them in my pocket.

I turned to face him.

"Welcome home." Despite my effort, my voice wobbled betraying my terror. Warning lights were coming on in my head and I could smell enough alcohol on him to know this wasn't going to be a pleasant encounter for me.