AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Their quiet taunts
Each hurtful word,
Like a stab to my back
Chipping away pieces of my heart
Until there is nothing left
No, there is nothing left…
What happened to you, Birdy?
Not letting myself think, I drop down on the ground, leaning my back against the wall as I just listen to her play, her music taming the demons raging inside my head.
I’m not sure how long she plays, but I listen to every second of it. Until my heartbeat turns back to normal, and my breathing evens out. Until the memories don’t threaten to swallow me whole. I listen until I feel it, a flicker of hope.
Then I pull out my notebook and write.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
PENELOPE
“I was thinking we could go to a party this weekend. What do you say, Penny?” Jade asks, her question snapping me out of my thoughts.
Next weekend?
Just the idea had my stomach twisting in knots with nerves.
This was your idea, Penny,I remind myself.Time to put on your big girl panties.
“Penny is going out with us?” The surprise in Grace’s voice is evident. Not that I can blame her. In the last couple of years that we’ve been friends, I only went to one party with them, and it was a house party in the building next door. So I’m not sure that really counts.
“She mentioned a while ago she wanted to.”
“I do,” I say quickly, not giving myself a chance to change my mind.
I mean, I know Icanchange my mind. But I don’t want to. I want to go out and have fun with my friends, even if it’s just for a night.
“We’ve got your back. It’ll be fun. You’ll see. We’ll get ready together and get you a drink or two, so you relax before we get there. And, before you say anything, I can’t drink anyway, so I’ll be the DD and make sure you don’t bump into somebody or something like that. Well, except if that somebody is hot, then I’m not making any promises.”
I’ll help you with your bucket list, making sure that you don’t flirt with inappropriate men.
Sebastian’s words ring in my mind, and something that feels a lot like disappointment makes my stomach tighten. I haven’t heard back from him since he walked out on me yesterday. The moment the words came out of my mouth, I knew I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have brought up the fact that he was hiding here. I guess it had to be something bad, and it’s probably connected to the fact that he can’t play. A cause or a consequence? I wasn’t sure, and really it was none of my business in the first place.
But when he said I shouldn’t hide my singing from people, I got defensive. It was a natural reaction for me. Music was my own, something completely personal, and I couldn’t imagine putting myself out there, giving people the most vulnerable part of me and letting them judge it.
“Although, maybe you don’t need a hottie since now you’ve got one of your own,” Jade muses.
“What? Penny has a boyfriend?”
“No, I don’t,” I say defensively, feeling my cheeks heat in embarrassment.
“Mhmm… Did you finally decide to put Mr. Rockstar out of his misery and give him some classes?”
I bite the inside of my cheek so I don’t let out a groan. Not sure why I’m surprised though. I should have known this topic was bound to come up sooner rather than later. Jade wasn’t one to let things go, and for whatever reason, she was invested in the whole Sebastian business.
“I’m not giving him classes. I’m just…” My words trail off as I try to come up with a way to describe what Sebastian and I are doing.
