Chapter 1: As a McKenzie

The sound of the piano filled the room.

I watched as my beautiful older sister danced her finger gracefully across the piano. Every key, every note, every beat was pulling my heartstring. I have heard this piece a hundred times and practiced it until I lost count. However, it felt like I was listening to it for the first time.

I watched in awe as my hold tightened around my fluffy bunny. This stuffed toy I was holding was named Elizabeth, a cute pink rabbit. I like Elizabeth because she was soft and easy to draw.

I focused again on my sister who looked like a fairy-no a princess? I don't know, who is more beautiful than the two, was my sister. Her platinum blond hair falls freely and stopped at her waist. Her green eyes that she inherited from father were like a forest in spring.

I looked away from her and turn my gaze to my mother who was like the same replica of my sister. Same platinum color that shines under the light. But my mother's eyes were light blue tinges with a little silver. Unlike mine, which had the color of a deep blue ocean.

My hair was also not the same as theirs. My father's hair was black. And mine was ginger with curl locks at the end. If I did not see the portray of my grandmother, I would speculate that I'm adopted.

Back to my mother, her smile was plastered on her face, seemingly pleased. Father was the same, holding back a smile on his usual cold face. But his eyes said he was proud.

Watching them, my heart started to waver. I gulped. There was a heaviness and suffocating feeling in my chest. I bit my lips and hope their smile would last until the end.

When my sister was done playing the piece, she stands up and bowed gracefully. They clapped, I clapped as well, happy to have such an amazing sister. But then my smile became stiff.

"Stella, it's your turn."

My mother strict voice brought dread to my being.

I hugged Elizabeth tighter and sat across the piano. I put Elizabeth down, and I slowly pressed the keys. It was the same piece but mine was slower. I could not hold the fast pace my sister was playing. Sweat covered my forehead as I'm trying so hard to not make a mistake. But then---

Dong----

I pressed the wrong key! My eyes go wide and my heart seemed to want to pop out of my chest. I looked at my mother and I was not surprised when a frown formed on her face. She said sternly, " Continue"

I continued. But because my heart was beating so fast and my fingers were trembling, I pressed the wrong key again! This time I did not turn to any of them because I'm afraid I would cry if I see their faces.

"Why did you stop? Continue!" There was a trembling in my mother's voice. She was controlling her anger.

I gathered myself again and continued. My fingers were pressing hard on the piano keys. I want to finish it. I don't want to sit in front of it anymore. Many notes and keys were pressed wrongly. But this time I don't care. I just want to lock myself in my room and hide my embarrassment. I don't want to see their faces after I played this. I don't want to be here!

"Stop!" My mother's angry voice sounded louder than the piano.

"What are you doing?! Are you really playing a piece?! You ruining a beautiful piece!" My mother, Virginia, pulled me up and made me look at her.

I don't want to look. I closed my eyes.

"Open your eyes!" Frightened, I opened my eyes.

An angry woman was in front of me.

"Look at your father!"

I looked at my father, Richard.

Richard was expressionless but his mouth was bitter telling me he was displeased.

"Look at your sister."

I don't want to. So I did not look. I felt really bad. If I look, I will feel worst. Looking at my perfect beautiful sister after making such embarrassing mistakes makes me feel like trash.

My mother pulled my chin and forcefully tilted it in my sister's direction. I saw my beautiful sister, Anna, who was also looking at me. There was pity in her eyes. Looking at those eyes, my heart becomes heavier.

"Did you see? That's a musician. That's a McKenzie." She let go of my chin and lectured me again about the amazing history of our family.

Oh. How many times I've heard that. How many times I was scolded.

She was telling me again, that our family, McKenzie was a famous family musician for generations. We have our own company inherited from my grandparents called McKenzie group, a big investment company.

My father was also an owner of Golden Empire, a big conglomerate under the ownership of five families.

She was telling me that the world recognized us as a musician, that I, Stella, was born into the McKenzie family and would be no exception as a talented musician.

"Mr. Kurt, get me the violin." Mr. Kurt was my musician instructor. He paled but then complied.

I knew well why he paled. If I'm not good at playing the piano how much more the violin? Since I could not master one piece by playing the piano, I practiced hard on it. That my time for violin was eaten by my practice for the piano.

He put the violin in my hands and gave me an encouraging smile. I could not return it. I know I'm doomed.

"Play. The. Same. Piece." My mother emphasized each word angrily. Like emphasizing would help a foolish child like me.

I put the violin on top of my shoulder and began to play.

They want me to play? I'll play.

I'll play what I can. But since I did not practice it a lot, in just thirty seconds my mother was thrashing again. Yelling at me, calling me useless, and worthless. I heard it a hundred times. And every time those words reached my ears, it came slashing my heart. I wonder how I'm still alive today. Why I did not die from bleeding? Yes, I'm bleeding internally.

"Mrs. Mckenzie, Stella is only eight. There is still a time for her to grow..." Mr. Kurt defended me but he was met by an angry roar. My mother directed her anger toward the poor instructor. After a while, being tired from yelling she turned to me.

"You will not eat with us until you master the piece. Lock her." Then she strode off out of the room.

The people aside from my father looked at me with pity before they also went out.

Alone in the room, the tears that threatening to fall since earlier fall endlessly like a dam. I put away the violin. And I hugged Elizabeth tighter. How I wish I brought my pencil and pad in the music room. They were the things that could comfort me.

I glared at the piano and violin.

I

really

hate

music.