shattered•6•hearts

REVELATIONS

Ken was right. London is definitely not happy with me. During warm-up vocals, he paid special attention to me. If I so much as sang a key slightly off, he'd make me start over until it was to his liking.

The boys weren't spared either, London hurled insults and curses their way with every mistake.

"You wrote the fucking music for this song and you're still fucking it up!" he snarls at them.

The song in question is actually my ringtone; Thorn in the Rose. This song is almost entirely London's vocals. He hit notes that I can only dream about hitting.

After a few more minutes of London berating his band, he turns in my direction. "Melany, you're on leading vocals for this song."

Jackie squeals and stands at her post on a mic next to London's guitar.

Hooded dark blue eyes stare at me intensely, "If you need the lyrics-"

"I already know them," I interrupt before breathing out. The impressed look in London's eyes goads me on as I take my place at the standing mic angled halfway toward the band.

London stood next to Jackie who gives me thumbs up.

"Now, I know you can sing," he starts sternly, "but you need to also perform the song. Feel the music and reach into your darkest thoughts. Show me what you're made of."

His words instill a confidence in me that has been dormant for years and I give him a defiant nod.

I wink Jackie's way and Brendan starts the count. At four the band, all start at the same time. Fast-paced heavy metal-type chords thump my veins, the live sound of the music taking my breath away.

My queue to come in is signaled by London who lets out a deep roar. Being a call-and-response song it was by far one of my favorites from Crash Course Rebellion and now I get to live it. I sing the melody, Jackie is in harmony and London's note is a growl.

~

"I can't fight it!"

London and Jackie:"I can't fight it!"

"There's a feeling deep inside when I look into the eyes of the monster!"

"I see through it!"

London and Jackie: "I see through the facade!"

"Wounded and afraid, he's become no more than a killer"

"Run! They warned me!"

London and Jackie: "Run! Run for your life!"

"Give me a fucking break, can't you tell he needs emotional attention!"

"Fuck society!"

London and Jackie: "Society fucking sucks!"

"Don't tell me what he's done, I will stay by his side 'till the sun dies!"

The musical interlude with the guitar has my feet moving and my head bobbing. Soon I zoned out and was only me the music.

"Look for thorns in the roses, perfect little posers."

London: "Hiding behind closets, planning your demise, shit!"

"Everybody blame the misfits and eccentric."

London: "This world's already fucked, we didn't add anything to it!"

"Crying out for help!"

London: "Crying out for fucking help!"

"No one seems to care!"

London "She was the only one to scrape her hands!"

"For the rose in the thorn bush!"

Another musical interlude ensues and London repeats the first verse as the song is structured like that.

We sing the chorus together again, my eyes closed and my body moving to its own beat. When it was time for the big finish my feet sprung on its toes propelling me up as I repeated the last line three more times.

~

The music stops at a strum of the electric guitar and as soon as it does, applause erupts. My eyes snap open as my body jolts back into reality.

A crowd had formed in the music room and my heart exploded As I take in the number of people staring at me.. When did they get here? How long have they been listening.

"My gosh!" a voice squeals, running to the front of the crowd. Her brown hair and green eyes revealed her to be none other than the captain of the cheer squad, Taylor Lestine.

Her parents, Noah and Gene Lestine own one of the most successful TV stations in our state. She's never really paid much mind to my existence but not in a bad way.

She would shoot me small smiles now and again but she was majorly busy. "I had no idea you had such a voice on you!" she continues staring at me.

Her cheer uniform fluttered as she excitedly runs up to me and yanks me away from the mic and into a bear hug. I let out an oof but she doesn't seem to notice.

"We are so totally friends now!" She cheers before pulling away, holding me at arm's length. A huge smile pulls on her lips, "Long overdue I'd think."

"Nice job, weird kid!" someone shouts from the crowd and they disperse, Taylor going with them.

When I turn to look at the band, I catch Luke staring after the head cheerleader longingly while Brendan and Ken looked pleased.

London, however was shocked. Though his face was blank, his eyes gave away what he was truly feeling. They stared at me intently without blinking, his dark blue eyes looking black under his eyelids.

"I knew you could do it!" Jackie squeals, breaking my staring contest with London. Suddenly, I'm surrounded in a group hug and I giggle at the warmth of 4 bodies squeezing the air out of me.

"You rock, Mel!" Brendan compliments making me blush. He was the closest to me, his arms around my waist.

"Picking you was the best decision, that bonehead ever made!" Luke follows. Ken just smirks at me. I was grateful for their praises but one person was still missing.

Casting a glance behind me, I couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. London just stood there, staring at me with uncomfortable intensity.

~

London...

Did I make a mistake?

After school, I sat in my car for a little while. Today's practice is stuck in my head. She's too perfect.

The way she embodies that song; I can tell she's spent many late nights listening to it. I can tell that she understands every word that came out of her mouth. She believes them.

The guys already love her. Our fans already accept her, well those who know of her that is. Is it bad that I want to kick her out?

I chose her, but I didn't think this would be the outcome. I was so hyped at the sound of her singing. For the first time in months, I enjoyed my music and I really enjoyed sharing that feeling with Melany.

There's something about her that makes me want to run away and hide; hide every dark part of me so that she never sees them, so that she doesn't get close. So that I can't get close to her.

I can't get close. Groaning, I finally start up my car and drive out of the now empty parking lot. I head into my neighborhood, Oak Haven, and sigh as the gates open automatically after scanning my fingerprint. I drive up the hill and take two left turns before parking at my residence.

The old Victorian-style house was badly in need of a makeover which I already scheduled. Nothing much needs to be fixed, just some roof work, window replacements and obviously paint; inside and out.

This was Mom's house, I would love to keep her memory alive but I can't. Just one night spent in this house and I've already started having nightmares about how she died.

The evening sun is almost burning to the skin but with Autumn right around the corner, I know that will soon change. Summer is almost over.

After locking my car, I turn around only to freeze. My eyes lock on chocolate brown ones and I gulp as my eyes glide over her clothes. Does she live here? There's no way.

She gives me a small wave before heading inside. The house is right across the street from me. She's right across the fucking street! Melany Reecher lives right across the fucking street. There's no other explanation.

I heard she's a scholarship student so how does she live here? Can today get any more complicated? I angrily open my mailbox and drag the envelopes out of the iron mechanism before stomping inside.

How ironic, I go home to cool my head and she's just across the fucking street now I won't be able to stop thinking about it.

I carelessly flip through the mail as my feet clump past the living room and upstairs to my bedroom. I will be avoiding that living room at all costs until it's remodeled.

I flip through bills before coming to a blank envelope. My curiosity gets the better of me and as I enter my room, I slam all the letters on my desk; all, except the blank one.

Sitting on my bed, I carefully pulled the envelope open to reveal the edge of a white card. I frown, a postcard? I pull the card out and take in a sharp breath as my eyes land on the picture attached to it.

My lungs constrict and my heart beat its way into my throat the longer I stare. Why? Is this some sick fucking joke? I flip the card over and my blood boiled within me.

"Say hi to your new step-mom," the card read, meaning this is from Julius Morse, my father. How can he be so fucking disgusting?

A scowl forms on my lips, as I flip it back over, my chest burning as the whole world seems to stop around me. My so-called stepmother, standing next to Julius, is Jessica Leviathan, my ex-girlfriend.

The questions that plagued my mind since she left stopped and I come to an obvious conclusion. She never loved me. I gave her everything and she never fucking loved me!