EIGHT
Claire's statement left Alex speechless. He didn't know what she meant, but he could utter just one word, "W-What?"
"You heard what I said." saying that, Claire left the rooftop. She was cold as ice. And she had successfully overcome her anger. Alex, on the other hand, had no idea about what Claire said. And that frustrated him even more.
"Ughh! Why're her words so twisted? They don't even make any fuckin' sense!" Alex slammed his hand on the railing before leaving for his class. He just hoped that he wasn't late.
•••••
After school, Claire drove back home. She parked the car in front of the mansion and walked to the front door. She entered and went towards the staircase. Claire saw both of her parents seated on the couch. Her eyes meet her father's and he gestured her to sit across them. Mrs. Simpson noticed Claire and smiled sweetly, "Welcome home, honey."
From her mother's unusual sweet behaviour, Claire understood that they wanted something. Something that she won't like. "Just get to the point. What do you want from me?" Claire's rude tone sent a wave of anger in Mrs. Simpson's veins.
However, Mr. Simpson stopped his wife before she could react. He asked Claire, "What is your aim in life?"
Claire looked at him wide eyed. She couldn't believe that he was interested in her life, for once. A little but of happiness filled her heart and she answered, "I want to pursue music; become a singer our a producer."
"No." he stated coldly. Claire got her ice cold personality from her father. The little happiness she felt, was shattered in a fraction of a second. She took some time to register what Mr. Simpson had just said.
"What?"
"Jay wants to become a software engineer and we don't want to force him to do something against his will. So, I will pass on my company to you." Claire was at loss of words. Her father continued, "Our empire must pass down through the generations."
"So just because Jay doesn't want to be the CEO, you'll pass it on to me? My opinions, my dreams, my goals, they don't matter?"
"It's not like that, Claire. You see, there's not much scope in music and you won't be able to succeed. There are people much more talented than-" Claire stopped her mother mid sentence.
"So your stupid son who can't score anything beyond Cs can become a software engineer but I, who can sing well and play so many instruments, can't succeed in music?!"
"Trust me Claire, it's seriously not like that." Mrs. Simpson tried to calm Claire.
"No, I get it. Jay's your first priority. But no, I'll not be the CEO."
"You'll not sum up to anything if you disobey me, Claire." her father said with a straight face. His voice still stern. It was hard for Claire to subdue her instinct to act out.
"Let's see." she smirked. After that, she rushed upstairs to her music room. Only one thing could calm her at that moment. Music.
Claire picked up her guitar and strummed the strings melodiously and sang her heart out.
🎵
When you feel it's hopeless
When you think that you lost, Oh
I will take your hand and
We'll rise up from the dust, Oh
Here we go go go
Let us heal and grow
You won't be alone
We're unstoppable
Don't be afraid to show
What we're going for
This is what we know
Here we come back to life, we're still breathing
Standing up, everybody's gonna see it
Oh all you need to know is that we're holding on
Even if we fall
We will rise up
And we follow the path that we believe in
No we're not gonna stop until we reach it
Oh all you need to know is that we're holding on
We rise up from the dust and claim our throne
We rise up from the dust and claim our throne
We all have our reasons
Why we are on this track, Oh
We all have our burdens yeah but
We just keep on fighting and we never look back
Here we go go go
Let us heal and grow
You won't be alone
We're unstoppable
Don't be afraid to show
What we're going for
This is what we know
Here we come back to life, we're still breathing
Standing up, everybody's gonna see it
Oh all you need to know is that we're holding on
Even if we wall
We will rise up
And we follow the path that we believe in
No we're not gonna stop until we reach it
Oh all you need to know is that we're holding on
We rise up from the dust and claim our throne
We rise up from the dust and claim our throne
We rise up from the dust and claim our throne
🎵
Once she stopped singing, the tears that we're welled up in her eyes, fell. Claire broke down inside the locked room. This was normal. Out of everyone's sight, she would take off her mask of the 'tough girl' and break down.
Acting like everything was alright, exhausted her. She was tired of being an eccedentesiast. The feeling of nodus tollens didn't leave her mind. She was at a state of despair.
•••••
When the sun rays hit Claire's face, she woke up from her sleep. She had fallen asleep in her music room. The position she fell asleep in wasn't comfortable at all. So, her neck hurt.
She reached out for her phone and checked the time. It was half past five in the morning. The incidents from the previous day dropped her mood. Claire got up and kept the guitar in its place. Then, she went to her room to freshen up. She decided to be early as she had somewhere to go to.
On her way to school, Claire stopped by a pharmacy which was just a few minutes away from the school. She entered through the door and a bell rang, indicating her entrance. The old man looked at her and smiled. Claire returned the smile and greeted him.
"So, why do we have your here today?" he asked her. The man continued arranging some boxes on the shelves add he spoke to her.
"Could you give me some cyanide pills.." Claire was polite as always. But it was so ironic.
___________