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FACING THE MUSIC
A.N: Hey everyone! So sorry for the late update, I was very busy, but hopefully, this chapter will be enough to quell whatever irritation you’ve had with me for not updating. Oh, and the song written here is an original by me. Since she is a musician, there will be a few songs posted on this story, all original compositions. Read and review, please!
Chapter Two
Kalyn arrived home at least an hour late. Disgruntled and irritated at the day’s events, she walked straight to her bedroom. Upon reaching there, she shut the door, threw her book bag to one corner, and for the second time that day, fell back on her bed.
Life wasn’t fair, she decided. All she had been trying to do was to break up Mark’s rambling in order to start the lesson, but for some reason, it had been misinterpreted as another chance to cause trouble. And the moment Alex Donovan had interrupted, things had gone out for the worse.
“I hate him,” she said out loud. “Obnoxious fat-headed jerk.” Sighing, she stood up and took her guitar and song book from her closet. She needed to unwind for a bit, get her angry feelings out, and this was her outlet.
Opening her song book to the latest song she had written, she began to strum her guitar as she sang along.
It’s kinda hard to reach your goal
When everybody says no
It’s kinda hard to get, what you want
Cuz
Everything’s governed by the rules
But I don’t know why it’s so cool
To be the same when you can stand out from the crowd
I just want to be myself cant you see?
But myself is kinda hard for a girl like me
Why can’t I be free?
All I want to do, is spread my wings and fly
Get out of this place, and the same old faces
I just want to run this race called life
And be free
When I’ve got something to say
Something always gets in my way
No one wants to hear my side of the story
They right away think that I’m wrong
Just cuz I don’t try to belong
Just because I’d rather be an individual
Why can’t they all just leave me alone?
Instead of forcing me to conform
Why can’t I be free?
All I want to do, is spread my wings and fly
Get out of this place, and the same old faces
I just want to run this race called life
And be free
With another sigh, she put down her guitar, feeling a little better. “Oh well, things could be worse,” she said to herself. Suddenly, her cell-phone rang. She took a look at the name, and smiled when she saw that it was her fellow band mate, Paul Thomas, calling. “Hey Paul!” she said.
“Hey Kalyn,” he said from the other end. “Just wanted to know who bad you got it from your parents after that stunt we pulled.”
“Oh, nothing much,” Kalyn said, trying to sound indifferent. “Just yelling, threats of cutting off my allowance, and of course, grounding. In other words, the usual.”
“Same here, only my parents cut my allowance off for the week. But don’t worry, I’ll live.” Paul replied.
“As if I care,” she retorted teasingly.
“Hahaha, fine then,” Paul said, pretending to sound mad. “Then I guess you won’t be interested to hear that our band got a spot at the Bristow Café two Saturdays from now.”
“What?!” Kalyn jumped excitedly. “Oh my god, Paul, that’s awesome! How did this happen?”
“Let’s just say I know a few people who know a few people who have an in with the owners,” Paul said, trying to sound modest, and failing.
Kalyn rolled her eyes. Was it in every guy’s nature to brag all the time? “Whatever. But, seriously, I can’t wait! What if there’ll be a record company guy there, and discovers us? Then we’d be close to the big time.”
“You always say that every time a gig comes up,” he pointed out.
“Hey, I can dream right? Anyway, I got to go. Talk to you later!” Kalyn shut off her phone and, in a burst of happiness, jumped repeatedly on her bed, all the while yelling, “Yes! Yes! This is so awesome!”
“What’s so awesome, Kalyn?” A man’s voice suddenly said. Kalyn froze and turned to find her father with a tight-lipped expression on his face, a briefcase in hand.
“Dad,” she said, looking mildly surprised yet irritated to see him. “What are you doing home so early? Don’t you have some important business meeting or other that sends you far from home and doesn’t allow you to spend any more time with your family?”
A spark of some kind rose in Benjamin Roberts’ eyes, yet he said in the same tone of voice, although there was a warning tone laced to it, “Don’t answer a question with a question, Kalyn, it’s not polite. Now could you please explain to me why you’re jumping on your bed like a lunatic?”
“Um,” Kalyn quickly said the first-and lamest- lie that came to her mind. “I was—uh, I was, testing it to see if it was just right for sleeping?” It came out more of a question than a statement.
“Please Kalyn, you are not Goldilocks so I suggest you stop that childish behavior right now. Instead, do your homework and keep that guitar away, it’s an eyesore.” came her father’s response, his expression unreadable. He left the room, leaving Kalyn to roll her eyes in response.
“Way to go, dad, thanks a lot for putting another downer on me just when I start to feel happy,” she said to herself sarcastically. “As if you weren’t doing that my entire life.”
She sighed. “Whatever,” she thought as she opened her bag to get her notebooks. “At least I still have the gig to look forward to.”
..------..
“Absolutely not,” Her father’s firm and stern voice rang through the living room two days after, making Kalyn gape at him in incredulity, the waver Paul had given her the morning before crumpling slightly in her hand. “I forbid you to go with your band on Saturday. I won’t allow it.”
“What? Dad, why not?” She said, close to anger. At that moment, Lacey and her mother exited the room in order to avoid yet another family row.
“Because you are grounded, young lady, or have you forgotten that?” he said. “Besides, the Bristow Café is slowly failing in business, and this song sessions they have are a last resort to save it. I will not have my daughter associated with failure.”
She could only glare at her father in shock. Why didn’t he ever understand? “Dad, that Saturday is the start of another month; technically, that means I’m not grounded anymore. And besides, even if the Bristow Café is failing, wouldn’t you want me to at least try and help them? You always tell everyone around you to help whenever they can, but you won’t let your own daughter do it? That’s crazy, dad.”
“Don’t fire back my own teachings at me, Kalyn,” Her father warned. “I will not allow you to go, and that is final.”
“But dad----” Suddenly Kalyn remembered something. In quite a new tone of voice, she said, “Tell me dad, is the reason why you don’t want me to go really because the Bristow Café is failing? Or is it because the owners refused to sell you their land and space last year when you wanted to turn it into a new project for your company?”
“I will not be spoken to like that in my own household, young lady!” Her father boomed, now obviously furious. “Go to your room, and stay there until you learn what respect is!”
“Fine,” Kalyn shrugged indifferently. “It’s not like I can learn what respect is from you anyway, seeing as I can never remember a day where you showed me that. See you tomorrow, dad,” And with that, she practically skipped to her bedroom, although the aura radiating off her was mad. Very mad.
The moment she entered her room, her cell phone rang for the second time that day. Frowning slightly when she saw an unrecognizable number, she said tentatively, “Hello?”
“Hey Roberts,” the somewhat cold, carefree voice said from the other line. “Had fun at detention two afternoons ago?”
Kalyn glared into the phone. “Donovan,” she said flatly. “How the hell did you get my number and why are you calling me?”
“Simple,” Kalyn could practically sense him smirking. “I just opened the directory until I found the number registered under the name ‘Crazy Uptight Biatch’.”
“Save the insults, Donovan and tell me why you’re calling.” She had very short patience today.
“I’m getting there,” he replied. “Well, as President of the Senior Class of Kentworth Academy, I-----.”
“Cut the formality crap and get to the chase before I slam the phone,” she interrupted. He always loved to gloat at the fact that he was president, especially since she was his opposition last year. Popular rich guy vs. Crazy Musician wannabee. It wasn’t hard to figure out who would win. At least she was given the Vice-President position.
“So impatient,” He said, making a tsk-ing sound. “Anyway, Mrs. Lambert called me in. She told me about the fundraiser we Seniors have to do for a housing program. It’s part of our Character Development grade.”
“And you’re telling me this, why?”
“Because your vice-president, remember? We have to head this event, disgusting as it may sound.”
She gave an impatient sigh. “Look, Donovan, why don’t you ask your little cheerleader girlfriends to help you out on this one? You told me yourself at the start of the year that you didn’t want me interfering with events.”
“As much as I would love to do that- god knows those cheerleaders are a better sight to look at than you-I can’t,” Alex gave a sound that resembled a long-suffering sigh. “Mrs. Lambert specifically told me that we have to work together on this one.”
Kalyn rolled her eyes and replied, “When is this fundraiser thing anyway?”
“Around a month from now.”
“Just great,” Kalyn stumbled to her bed. “Why do I even have to do this? It’s not like I don’t want to help the poor or anything, it’s just that I have better things to do than to plan this with you, Donovan.”
“Come on, Roberts,” Alex said in quite a patronizing voice. “Show some school spirit for once.”
“Rah-rah-rah, look at me, the epitome of school spirit,” she replied in a deadpan and sarcastic voice.
From the other end of the line Alex rolled his eyes. “Whatever Roberts. You know, you and your sister are so different. She’s popular and you’re, well, not.”
Kalyn glared into the phone. If there was anything she hated, it was being compared to Lacey. “So they tell me. Donovan, could you please do me a favor and not compare me to my sister? I already have it bad enough being compared with her here in my own household, and I really do not need it from you.”
“Aw, did I hit a nerve? Must be sad, knowing that your parents treat you second best because you’re not exactly the kind of daughter your parents wished for.”
Kalyn had enough. “How dare you!” she practically screamed into the phone. “Honestly Donovan, is it your mission to ruin my day?”
“I try my best,” he wittily replied. “And it makes me feel all the more happier when I see that my remarks have a certain effect on you.”
“I hate you,” Kalyn said venomously. “Just you wait until I see you tomorrow at school. I’m gonna…..”
“You’re gonna what?” He said with a tone of cool nonchalance which angered her even more. “Face it, Roberts. No matter how many threats you pitch against me, no matter how many insults, at the end of the day, I will still win, because I, unlike you, actually have the student population at the palm of my hand.”
Kalyn let out a banshee-worthy scream, and in a flurry of anger, she threw her cell-phone with all her might across the room, making it hit her bookshelf until all that remained of it were broken bits and pieces.
Only when her head had cleared did she realize what she had just done. Her face one of horror, she hurried to the broken remains of her phone and gingerly picked it up. Before she could contemplate on the consequences of her actions, she heard footsteps approaching her room.
She had just stuffed her cell phone into her drawer when her mother arrived, frowning. “What’s all the commotion, Kalyn? I heard screaming.”
“No-nothing, mom,” Kalyn replied, a tad bit nervously. “Nothing’s going on here, I just, accidentally hit my foot on the bed, that’s all.”
Angeline Roberts’ frown set in more deeply, but all she said was, “Alright then.” She turned to leave but paused. “Oh, and next time Kalyn, please don’t shout. It’s very unlady-like.” Then she left.
The instant the door shut Kalyn dropped herself to her bed and groaned. First a scolding from her dad, next a phone call from her worst enemy, and then her smashing her phone to bits and pieces. Could things get any worse?
..------..
“Why is it?” Kalyn asked Ysabelle the next morning, as they made their way to their Third Class together. “Why is it that life never seems to agree with me?”
“Kalyn, what are you talking about?” Ysabelle said with an arched eyebrow. “And why are you even asking me that question anyway?”
Kalyn proceeded to tell her the events of the night before, and Ysabelle nodded in understanding. “I know the feeling. There are times when I feel like nothing’s going my way. But for goodness’ sake, Kaye,” her expression turned to something akin to bewilderment. “What the hell possessed you to throw and smash your cell-phone?”
As if to answer her question, Alex Donovan came up to them, right on cue, and flashed Kalyn his signature smirk, which she returned with her own perfected glare. “You smashed your cell-phone last night?” He said in interest. “No wonder the line suddenly broke. And here I was thinking that you had suddenly dropped dead or something.” He gave another wistful sigh. “I should’ve known that that was too much to hope for.”
Kalyn glared at him. Ysabelle muttered a, “I’ll see you later, Kalyn,” but she paid no mind. Her temper was on a short fuse today, and his comment had just ignited it. “Donovan, leave me alone. I really am not in the mood to deal with you right now. You may think that you’re witty, but honestly, those comments that you think up with your brain-which is the size of a pea, by the way- serves nothing but waste my time.”
“Glad to hear that,” Alex said, grinning. “Because in case you haven’t noticed, it fulfils my time when I waste yours.”
Kalyn was seething by now. “You know what, Donovan? I don’t have time for this. Excuse me.” She made to push past him but he stood his ground, blocking her path and every attempt to leave. A minimal number of students were in the hallway now, and class was due to start any minute.
“Donovan, what the hell is your problem?” she snapped, folding her arms.
“Why do you always ask that question whenever we argue?” he countered.
“Why are you such an overbearing prat?” she retorted.
“Why---damn it, why the hell are we arguing in questions? This is so pointless!” he said, giving out an impatient sigh.
“Pointless…..he’s the one who came up to me and started arguing in the first place, stupid prat,” Kalyn thought in irritation. Aloud she said, “You started it.”
“Did not!”
“Did too!” Kalyn stared at him childishly.
“Did not!”
“Did too, and that’s final, you annoying asshole!” Kalyn snapped angrily.
”Miss Roberts, Mr. Donovan, fighting again, I see,” a stern voice said from behind them. Slightly surprised,
the pair turned to find Mr. Tanner, one of the strictest teachers in Kentworth, eying them with dislike, a frown crossing his face. “Well, here at Kentworth, we do not tolerate abusive language or fighting of any kind. I am taking the both of you to the Guidance Office right now.” And he did just that.
Margaret Valarie, the Guidance Counselor of Kentworth Academy, was leisurely reading some Emotional Quotient reports when her secretary came inside.
“Ms. Valarie, sorry to disturb you, but Mr. Donovan and Ms. Roberts are here to see you,” she explained in a rush.
A wary look crossed the woman’s features. “Send them in, and thank you.” The door closed and opened once more to reveal the two teens who looked as if they wanted to be anywhere but here.
Ms. Valarie forced a smile to her features. “Ah, Kalyn, Alex, how nice to see you two here again…..for the 53rd time this week. Take a seat.”
Once they were seated, she placed her palms on the table and began. “So what seems to be the problem this time?” she asked, emphasizing ‘this’.
“Well, Donovan was being a prick, again,” Kalyn explained as if stating the obvious. “Nothing new to that, is there?”
“Kalyn,” Margaret Valarie said somewhat sharply, “What did I tell you about language the last time you were sent here?”
Kalyn rolled her eyes. “You said that language is the basic communication used by all species and it should not be abused and blah blah blah blah……”
Ms. Valarie sighed, not because she was getting irritated, but because she felt pity for the younger girl, and for Alex as well. She had never met people who were so angry at the world before. Those two had no idea how much they were alike.
“Very good, Kalyn, but next time, cut the blah blah blah’s, they don’t sound appealing.” Ms. Valarie turned to Alex. “And now Alex, could you tell me the reason why the both of you were fighting again?”
“Well,” Alex said matter-of-factly. “I just approached her, hoping to, for once, have an intelligent conversation with her, then she promptly starts to yell at me for no good reason!”
“No good reason? YOU BROKE MY PHONE!” Kalyn exclaimed.
His gaze was cool an unnerved. “I broke it? Roberts, I wasn’t the one who threw your phone onto the wall, now was I? You managed that quite well all by yourself. ” His mouth curved into a smirk.
Kalyn looked close to breaking point as she turned to the counselor. “See? Do you see what I have to put up with? Arrogance of his caliber should not be permitted to enter this school.”
“Bitchiness of your caliber shouldn’t be allowed here either,” Alex muttered, just loud enough for her to hear.
“That is it!” Kalyn said. She got the nearest object she could find—a pillow—and threw it at him. Sadly, his reflexes were too quick and instead of the pillow hitting him, it hit the glass vase behind him instead, causing it to fall to the floor with a loud crash.
Her face burned. “Could this day get any worse?” she thought, cursing the world for being so against her. She turned to Miss Valarie “Look, Miss Valarie, I’m sorry, I’ll replace that, I really will.”
“No matter, Kalyn, we’re here to talk about the problem you two obviously have. Honestly, all this animosity has got to stop! Alex, you have to stop baiting her and making her the victim of her jokes, Kalyn, you have to control your temper a bit—lashing out without cause isn’t something a proper young lady does.”
“What if I don’t want to be a proper young lady? Miss , I’m just not cut out to be a Fall River socialite, that’s just not me!”
“I didn’t say anything about socialite, Kalyn,” Miss Valarie said patiently. “But still, whatever career path you might choose, decorum is very important. And Alex,” she turned to the boy. “Victimizing people for the fun of it isn’t right. I know how your feeling, and you might have the school at the palm of your hand, but really, you just—”
“Could you hold that thought, for awhile, Miss, I have to take this call,” Alex said as he pulled out his ringing cell phone. He went to the far corner of the room as he conversed with the person on the other line, Kalyn watching him intently. She was extremely surprised to find his expressions darkening, a mixture of anger and something else she couldn’t place.
But whatever it was, she didn’t like it.
Within minutes Alex turned off his phone and went back to them. The same look was still on his features, and Kalyn shivered involuntarily at the blatant anger she saw there. “Listen, I’ve got to go. Something just came up, and I’m needed elsewhere. Sorry,” he said as he turned.
“Alex, wait—” Miss Valarie called out but he had already walked out the door. With a sigh, she also dismissed Kalyn, who naturally left and looked around for Alex. His behavior puzzled him. She’d seen him angry a lot of times, but now, this was the first time she’d ever seen him like that—pure rage. And despite her irritation at him, a part of her wanted to talk to him, to figure out what brought about his sudden change of attitude.
She didn't really know the meaning of, "Curiousity Killed the Cat."
Thinking hard for places where he could be, she wandered the school. She looked around, in the hallways, classrooms, and the parking lot.
But he was already gone.
