"Within a week, it will be our long-awaited recital." Jude Callen, the teacher, says. "You are more prepared every day, so I can’t wait for that day to come.” The heels of Marylin Durant, Jude’s secretary, echo across the wooden floor. Everyone turned to face her, including Jude. "Sorry to interrupt, but I came to inform you that Friday is the last day for the payment of the recital. Just missing..." Marylin looks at the clipboard in her hand and analyzes it from top to bottom. "two people.” She faces Davine Baker and Evangeline Atkins. The two scholarship students. "If they do not make the payment, they will be out!” Marylin had a superb smile, as if to be happy with the poverty of others. That was the fault of her parents, who never let her make an effort in life. The desk job is just on paper, to mark on top of who won scholarship to class. And she loved doing that, because according to Marylin, who does not strive, does not deserve rewards. "I am sure that whoever fails
But thanks to her mother-fucking-mother, Leah, it was ruined. Just like she had ruined the Christmas ball by showing up drunk. The same way you ruined the school dance, coming up as an escort for one of the students. "I hate her!" Evie grunted, while Felippa caresses her curly hair. "What did I do, to deserve a mother like her?" "Nothing, Evie. It’s not your fault she’s a shitty mother.” Sniffing, Evangeline turns away from her friend and faces her. "What am I gonna do, Felps? It was my dream in that box. There’s not a chance in hell I’m gonna get that money in time.” The girl with her hair dyed red and who needed to paint the root, gets up and starts walking from one side to the other. "Well, there’s one thing, but you won’t like it.” "What?” "Do you remember JJ?” Evie didn’t have to make any effort. She spoke of the slender, light"eyed black boy with whom Felippa had a torrid year of love. Nobody knew his name, just called him JJ. Not even Felippa, knew. "What’s wr
Evangeline didn’t even think twice. She sat on the bed quickly and stared at her mother. For the first time in years, she felt that that woman in front of her was being sincere. "What do you mean?” Noting that she got Evangeline’s attention, Leah pushed one of the pots to her daughter and stood up to get forks. Only then, when he returned, did he begin to speak. “You know that I work for a wealthy people." she says and Evie just shakes her head, filling her mouth with food. "So they have a party tomorrow. Big party. I heard someone say over two hundred guests.” "Wow... and all these people fit in there?” "Much more than that. Anyway. The head of the maids asked us to get as many people as this, to help. And since you need money for that hassle there...” Evangeline felt an immense desire to embrace her mother, but knowing her well, she repressed at will and continued eating what was in front of her. "How much will they pay?" She tried to show disinterest. "I think about
Leah had left a paper attached to the refrigerator, with the address and which drives Evangeline would need to pick up. She had already given instructions on how she wanted her daughter to get her hair red and curly. Evie would need to tie it in a tidy bun and no thread could be out of place. "What did I say about your hair?" Leah asks, as soon as she sees her daughter at the gate of the mansion. "You know my hair doesn’t stay in place. Especially after two buses and the subway.” The security guard has Leah decide what to do on the inside. She then grabs her daughter’s arm and pulls it, while the girl admires the immensity of the house in front of her. They enter through the back, which leads directly to the gigantic kitchen. Several people went and saw, in a hurry and bumping into others, who were busy filling trays. The guests would start arriving any minute. "Carol?" Leah calls the older woman who was yelling at another. Carol was the boss of that kitchen and organized any
Things happened in a matter of seconds. Seeing the amount of weapons and drugs on the table, Evangeline’s hands faltered and the tray ended up on the floor. As if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, the elastic of his hair ceased and left all that tangle of wires, armed. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?” As soon as the man at the end of the table screams, all the others get up and take their weapons out of the waist, ready to tear Evangeline out of there and make her never snoop again. "I... I..." she couldn’t formulate a sentence, she was so nervous. Evangeline looked at all the faces there and focused on the one she knew. Her mouth was trembling and she was able to cry at any moment. Evie turns and runs down the stairs, hating herself for being so curious and for losing the only money that would lead her to the recital. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" Blake Castello, the man at the end of the table and owner of everything where they stepped, screams, angry with the laziness of t
She looks at Alec and inspects him. In addition to the impeccable beauty; the recently shaved face; the blue and serene eyes; the straight hair and hairstyle back, Alec appeared to be a good listener. And just for that reason, she decided to open her heart. "I’m going to be a violinist and the biggest dream of my life, is to live it. Where I study, you’ll have a recital and it’s worth a good amount of money. But even though I have a scholarship, the recital gets paid. If it wasn’t for the fucked"up mom I have, I wouldn’t have to be here tonight.” "Let me guess. She took your money?" Evangeline just nods. "How much was it?” "I had a little over two hundred dollars. And if I hadn’t been sneaking around and breaking into that room, I would have made three hundred for working that night.” That amount was nothing to Alec. With two hundred dollar bills, he would wipe dog poop out of his shoes. While Evangeline was busy cleaning under his eyes, Alec took his wallet out of his pocket and
Until when she was almost giving up, she opted for the classic. A black midi dress with short sleeves. She went home and asked her best friend to keep that outfit in her trailer. Although her mother had not yet appeared, Evie still did not trust her. She took her violin case and went to her evening class. Evangeline hadn’t noticed, but Howard, the Castello driver, had been following her since he left the house this morning. He accompanied her in all her stops and only returned to the mansion when Evangeline returned home after the violin lesson. "Here are the photos, sir.” Howard delivers an envelope, which was filled with photos he had taken of Evangeline. Alec passed one by one, delighting in the images he had at hand. He couldn’t stop thinking about Evangeline and the touch of her lips on her cheek. "Tomorrow her class is playing a recital. I thought you might like to go.” The driver takes a couple of tickets out of his pocket and puts them on the table. Alec takes the ticke
When her turn finally comes, Evie begins the introduction of Paganini’s God Save The King. Everyone was extremely surprised by that choice, as this song was considered one of the most difficult to play. Only someone with great skill, was able to do it with mastery. And Evangeline was that person. When she started playing, there was not one person in that theater who wasn’t hooked with the performance. Even Felippa, who hated classical music and had spent the entire recital facing Alec. Evie played that song with her eyes closed the whole time. It was her way of feeling it. And the moment she finished her presentation, all the people who were there stood up and applauded her fervently. She couldn’t hide her happiness. Alec subtly applauded her as she carried a beautiful smile. Felippa screamed hallucinately. The five people destined to judge those individual presentations already had their verdict. Marylin walked sensually before them and took the envelope from the last person in th