Chapter 11

  I call Aria as soon as I come home from the store. My ear hurts so much and I blame Aria but it also feels good because Jackson Reed did it, and paid for it, which proves to my brain that he is a good guy. Screw Amanda Smith….

  “Hey Mia,” My mom says, which is making me nervous because I didn’t really tell her that I was going to get a piercing. I mean I told her I was going to get one but not today!

  “Um, hey mom… what’s up?” I say, trying to sound calm so she doesn’t suspect a thing.

  “Nothing much, just taking out the groceries.”

  “Great, so I’m going up to my room and maybe I’ll play the piano.”

  “Great honey, have fun!” I go upstairs and feeling so lucky that she didn’t see my piercing. Now I can sleep in peace. As I open my room I walk over to my piano and take out my songwriting book out of my backpack. I always carry it because I always write songs in it. Also, I’m scared leaving it around my room because my mom could be cleaning my room and see my book and open it. Who knows what page she will land on and see the songs I’ve been writing. What I’ve been writing about, and whom… I go over to my piano and rub my fingers across the keys. This always makes me feel calm because the feel is amazing. When the piano is new you can’t really feel anything but when it’s old it feels great and smells great too. My piano is about 10 years old because my mom bought it for me when I was just a kid. I love my piano so much that I can’t stand not playing it. If I don’t play the piano I feel so sad and depressed. I figured out that the piano is pretty much my drug. I sit down and breathe very calmly and start playing the piano. The song I’m playing is Fur Elise, which is my favourite song to play. Beethoven was a genius, and I’m hoping I will become one too, with my music. I finish the song and start playing a song that I made up and start singing to it.

  “Every night I think in my bed

  Lost in a fairy tale

  Can you hold my hands and be my guide?”

  I sing while closing my eyes because it makes me feel good about myself. My mom always says to never play the piano while closing your eyes because you may mess up, but I know these notes in my sleep. I created these notes, anyway! I think Beethoven knew what he was doing when he was creating songs, and so do I.

  “Books are filled with your poet cover your skies

  What kind of dream is this?

  You could be my loving poet or a charming man.

  Either way I don’t want to love without you.”

  I never thought my dreams could come true because of seeing you

  Oh, my Romeo, oh my Romeo, let me be your Juliet.”

  I know, I know cheesy, but that’s what I am, cheesy. Even though I don’t like cheese, I’m a cheesy person. I love reading romance books, I love writing romantic songs and I love singing them too. While I’m singing my phone rings. I open my eyes and give my phone the death stare because I hate it when something distracts me from my piano or makes me want to get distracted. I groan while walking all the way to my bed and see who’s calling. Of course, it’s Aria.

  “Yo, you made me stop playing the piano!” I say, annoyed. Aria knows that I hate it when people distract me from doing anything that involves music.

  “I know, I know, I’m sorry.” She says which makes me feel better because she needs to know how sorry she feels.

  “Yeah, yeah, so what’s up?”

  “We need to pay Jackson back.” She says. I knew this was coming.

  “Yeah, yeah, I will pay him back on Monday, sheesh.” I say, because I know I should pay him back. I’m not a monster; I know I should pay him back the money, or something back. Just hoping it’s money, because that’s all I have in mind.

  “Great, oh yeah, no money.” She says which shocks me. NO MONEY???? What the hell does she mean, no money. He paid 15 dollars, and 15 dollars he’s going to get back. “What the hell do you mean no money?”

  “Look, he deserves much more than that Mia.”

  “Fine, 20 dollars, is that enough for you princess?” I say because she is getting me mad.

  “No, no money. We should do something better.”

  “What the hell do you mean something better? You want to buy him a car or something? Or give him a hot girl so he can make out afterwards?” I say because this is just making me mad. People want money. When somebody pays for something, you pay them back. Somehow Aria doesn’t understand this basic logic.

  “Mia, don’t be stupid. We need to do something special for the guy.”

  “Then what do you plan for Aria? And if it’s stupid, I’m out.”

  “Mia, he paid for your earring not mine.”

  “And it was my earring, my piercing so I’m going to pay him back myself. With money.” I say because somehow Aria isn’t getting this.

  “Mia, you need a better plan than paying him with money, which he has already.”

  “He doesn’t have the 15 dollars, he lost it by paying for this stupid piercing and earring which I am actually regretting now.”

  “Mia, you are not paying him back, you are paying him with something better, something that comes from your heart.”

  “You’re kidding, right? Did you hit your head or something when you came home? Are you catching a fever?”

  “Mia, I am not kidding, and I did not hit my head!”

  “Hmm, sure…. So, what do you want me to do? Throw a party for the guy?” Once I say it, I regret it so much.

  “Mia! That’s a perfect idea!”

  “Say what?” Oh, shit, now I gotta throw a party. I think I’m going to be sick.

  “You are going to throw a party, and I’m going to help you.”

  “Ha, sure you are.” I say while I cannot believe she wants me to throw a party, at my house! I have never done this in my life, and I don’t want to do this anyway.

  “Yes, I am. Please, Mia!!!! It is way better than giving him money back. A party is way fun then money.”

  “Hmm, sure it is.”

  “Please Mia!!!”

  “Even if I did have a party, my mom wouldn’t let me have one anyway, Aria. Why on earth would you think my mother would allow me to have a party?” I say. My mother won’t allow me to have a party. She might allow me to have a boyfriend, but a party? Now that’s out of bounds.

  “Well we can fix that, you said that your mother is going on a trip, right?”

  “Um, yes… She’s going on a work trip which she has to go on or she would get fired.” I say, because she would, but I hate telling Aria that my mom has a trip. I regret telling her because now I know she wants me to have the party now since my mom will be going on a trip which involves one night.

  “Great, so we can have the party when your mom goes on the trip.”

  “Um well….” I hate this plan, a lot. I already didn’t tell my mom about the piercing, and now she wants me to lie about the party? Damn, why did I get this piercing in the first place??? Now I have to host a party, at my house, with people who are from school that I don't even like…

  “Just ask her or don’t. Ooh, gotta go, sorry, bye!” she says, which makes me regret even picking up my phone.

  “Bye….”

  Ugh what the hell am I going to do now? Ask my mom or don’t ask my mom and lie about having a party. Damn it, I don’t feel good. I don’t even want to play my piano now, and I always do that when I’m sad or depressed or even mad. Maybe today is just the day where the piano is not going to fix me, not even help me.

 
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