Singing From the Heart

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Author's Note: This is my first original fiction. I will update the

story as much as I can. I would appreciate any CONSTRUCTIVE criticism.

(In other words, please r/r!)

This story means a lot to me. It's loosely based on someone's

experience, someone very dear to me. I hope you enjoy the story as

much as I did writing it. Thanks.

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Music was everything, and everything was perfect. Although Krista Parker's

life couldn't be considered perfect, everything really was PERFECT when she

when she sang. As soon as the notes passed her lips, everything melted away.

She could forget what the kids at school had said about her that day. 

All the pain and the fear was gone, and she was no longer a girl; she was a women,

powerful and strong. She could be anything she wanted to be, and she was.

Krista had a rare talent, a voice that could make people stop and listen.

A voice that could really take her places, if she found the opportunities.

Life does not always grant us many chances, and someone in Krista's position,

no matter how talented, would have to fight for anything she got. Krista was not

born into an affluent family. Her mother fell in love at 15, got married, and

had Krista by the time she was 16. Her father was a deadbeat. She barely remembered

him, but what she could remember was nothing good. He was drunk alot and abusive.

He finally left her mom when Krista was 3. They hadn't seen him since. With her

mother's parents being dead and no other family to speak of, Krista's mom, at only 19,

was forced to find whatever work she could to support them. Krista would shudder when

she thought of the early days of their struggle to survive. They bounced from shelter to

shelter for almost 2 years, before Krista's mom could get a steady job. (It's not easy for

a high school dropout with a toddler at home to keep a job.) Somehow they made it through.

They only had each other, and that was enough. Her mom refused to give up. She had saved

enough money to finally move Krista and herself out of the housing projects of New York to

a small New England town. There she rented a modest home on the far side of town.

It wasn't the Taj Mahal, but for Krista and her mom it might has well have been. They had a

They actually had a backyard, and most importantly, they had a place of their own.

She made sure Krista had everything she needed and more. She worked overtime just so Krista

could have voice lessons. 

Krista, now 17, was amazed at all her mother had accomplished. In the last 14 years, her

mother had gotten her G.E.D. in between 2 jobs and raising Krista. She was now working on

an associate's degree in business at the local community college. No matter how hard it got her

mother, Jenna Parker, faced life with a smile. She had never once stopped to feel sorry for

herself. Her strength was Krista's inspiration; it was the reason was believed that she

could chase her big dreams. And Krista knew it would be a long, hard journey to make

it where she wanted to go.

Krista had a lot of other pressures in her life other than the ones at home. 9 years ago, Krista

and Jenna had moved away for New York City, where Krista was born (and where she intended

returning to as soon as she graduated), to the small town of Pleasant, Maine. Living there

so far, Krista could see nothing "pleasant" about it. Pleasant was a tiny, but picturesque coastal

town that attracted tourists in the summer and was pretty much dead for the rest of the year.

Pleasant was little in size, but that wasn't the only small thing about the town. Its

"important" inhabitants were mostly the wealthy, many of whose family lines were as blue as

the ocean and old as America itself. This was a fact they took great pride in. Krista frankly

thought of the blue-bloods as snobs. It seems that the more money a family had the more

small-minded they were. With their exclusive organizations and country clubs, their entire

society seemed to be built on rules that were designed to make those with something feel powerful

and those with nothing feel like just that, nothing. And a lower middle-class single mother from

New York City and her daughter definitely were not part of the club. But somehow, amongst the

distinguished gentlemen and shrew wives, Jenna had found her place in Pleasant society.

Krista was a different story. No matter how hard she tried to stay out in the background and

just fit in, something, or more likely someone took upon themselves to remind her that she was

different and would never fit into Pleasant life.

School was the worst. Krista knew that all schools had their cliques. The "in-crowd", the

"misfits", and etc. but Randolph Preparatory Academy seems to be lacking on the misfits.

However, Randy Prep (school nickname) had plenty of popular kids. Randolph Prep was the town's

private school, a place where the rich could send their little monsters to prepare them to become

tomorrow's anal rich society. At least, that's how Krista saw it. Krista had phenomenal test

scores and high grades. She was offered a full-scholarship to the school, and though she wasn't

too keen on the idea, she and her mom had decided it open doors for Krista. So that she might be

able to get into a good college. So she was stuck at Randy Prep with the pride and joys of the

elite society and she hated it.

Krista always seemed to be the favored target for torture. The group that was the most malicious

was Madison Standish and her minions, the Catelins, (actually one's name was spelled with a K).

Catelin with a C was the semi-brainy one but used her smarts to cause trouble rather than

to actually accomplish something. Katelin with a K was basically a vacant poof of air.

Her head was designed to hold up her sophisticatedly styled hair. Other than that

it didn't seem to serve much purpose. Very much a ditz, in every since of the word. And to

put it bluntly was a major slut, so she was REALLY popular with the guys. Madison was the worst

of all. She was beautiful, smart, and adored most everyone. She came from one of the richest

families in town. On the surface, she appeared to be everything a proper girl should be. But

under those sparkling eyes and that beautiful smile lurked a calculating coldness that few

actually saw. She fooled almost everyone with her sweet, innocent act. Not Krista. Krista got

the privilege of knowing the real Madison. Added to her vindictive nature, Madison also had

a major competitive streak. She had to be the prettiest, the smartest, basically she had to

be the best. That's how she had set her sights on Krista as a target. Before Krista transferred

to school, Madison was the best student, more importantly the best singer at RP. Randy Prep had

a great music program. (That was another part of Krista's scholarship.) Madison had been queen of

the chorus. Then, Krista came along and put her to shame. Krista also surpassed Madison in

academics. This infuriated her. Krista kept getting in her way, and Madison had a history of--

the point is you did NOT want to get in Madison's way.

Then, there was Trey Raines. Trey was smartest, cutest, nicest guy at RP. (Not that Krista

noticed!) He was from the oldest family in town. A real legacy. Pleasant's pride. Krista didn't

know a lot about Trey. (Not that she wondered!) Okay, honestly she did. a little. Okay a lot.

He seemed to have it all. It was like everything he touched turned to gold. He was a star of the

baseball and tennis teams. He could play the piano. He was even the official accompanist of the

RP choir. He could sing. She had heard him once when she arrived to class early. He was already

there, practicing on the piano. Krista hid in the hall and listened. He could sing really well.

That hadn't surprised her. Music, like everything else, seemed to come easily for Trey. Secretly,

she had the biggest crush of her life on the boy. So she did what any girl in her position would

do. She totally ignored him. Her feigned indifference was a shield against the pain she knew she

would feel if anyone ever found out.

Krista's aloofness fooled all except one: Madison. Madison made it her business to know

everything about Trey. Trey was going to be hers, and nothing was going to get in her way.

She had caught Krista Parker's gaze lingering on Trey a little too long too many times. It was

almost cute in a quaint way. Krista Parker entertained for a second that Trey Raines would give

her the time of day. Trey had broken up with his long-time girlfriend Alyssa over a year ago.

Since he hadn't shown interest in any girl. Even though Madison had just every trick in her

arsenal to get his attention. Trey said he was focusing on his studies. He didn't have time for

a girlfriend. Madison knew he only needed the right type of persuasion to get him back in the

game. If he wouldn't respond to her advances, he couldn't be interested in mousy, little Krista

Parker. Madison decided to sit on the information for awhile until she could decide what would

be the best way to cure Krista of her crush.

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Author's Note: Okay, wow, that was a lot of information. I'm sorry my exposition

tends to go a little long. I can't promise that I am done with that, but I think this is a

good start. I would appreciate r/r. Please. You know you want to.  Thanks again.

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