Dreams Before Family

When I was seven, my mother, a pianist, died of cancer. During her last moments, she held my hand. “Naomi, we both share a passion for the piano. When you grow up, you must stand on the world stage and play for me someday.” Since then, performing on the stage in Vinna had been a lifelong dream of mine. From the age of seven, I trained long and hard, practicing more than six hours a day until my fingers and wrists were bruised. At last, I gained recognition and earned a chance to audition for a spot in a top orchestra at twenty-one. If I succeeded, I would perform at Vinna’s New Year’s Concert the following week. However, my father brought home a sister, only six months younger than me. She became the apple of my father’s eye, and my piano room was turned into her dance studio. My brothers adored her, always personally making sure she got to school and came home safe and sound. Even my boyfriend, whom I had known all my childhood, was dazzled by her smile. His eyes often stuck on her. On the day of my audition, he ditched me on an overpass just to take her to her dance class. “Naomi, all you’re missing out on is a chance to realize your dream, but Charlotte can’t be late. “Don’t be such a drama queen. I’ll take you once I drop her off.” As the car sped away, I calmly took out my phone and broke up with Maddox over text. My mother was right. Boys only got in the way of dreams. Chapter 1 After the message went through, I received a big question mark in response. Maddox Wright hit me up on the phone in disbelief. “Have you lost your mind, Naomi? “So I took Charlotte to her dance class? Is that reason for you to break up with me?” Charlotte Clarkson’s hurt voice came on the call. “Is Naomi mad with me, Maddox? I didn’t mean to upset her. Today’s class is important. I won’t be able to get on stage for the dance recital if I miss the class.” With his heart melting, Maddox assured her. “Don’t worry about it. Naomi has always been so dramatic over a tiny thing. She’ll get over it after I talk to her.” He raised his voice in annoyance. “Hear that, Naomi? Charlotte has an emergency. I’m going to be family soon. I don’t see anything wrong with helping her out. “If you’re going to be petty over something minor, I honestly am lost for words—” “Then, keep your mouth shut.” I cut him off indifferently. “Maddox, this is not a negotiation. I’m informing you that it’s over between us. “Stay away from me!” After hanging up, I blocked his number and sprinted off the overpass. I returned home once the audition was over. It was pitch-dark in the manor. When I opened the door, several party poppers exploded right in my face. “Surprise!” Arthur, Caleb, Tucker, and Rhys Clarkson held gifts and flowers in their arms. However, they pulled long faces the moment their eyes fell on me. “Why are you here? Where’s Charlotte? Did you leave her stranded somewhere?” Caleb, my eldest brother, was first to grill me. “Of course she did. Naomi must have found out that we were throwing a party for Charlotte, so she came home early to ruin the surprise. Talk about manipulative.” Tucker, the second eldest in the family, pursed his lips and dumped the flowers on me. “You’re so annoying!” Rhys, the youngest of the family, gave the side eye before making the comment. “That’s enough.” My father, Arthur, stopped them from speaking any further, his gaze sliding past me. “Charlotte’s going to be back soon. Hurry up and clean up the mess. Don’t ruin the surprise for her.” Chapter 2 “As for you, Naomi…” Arthur paused before waving his hand dismissively. “You should go back to your room. Don’t come down unless it’s necessary. No point coming down and getting in everybody’s way.” As they chimed in one after another, no one recalled that it was my big audition day. It was a good thing this wasn’t new to me. I changed into my house slippers, made a beeline upstairs, and closed my bedroom door, my gaze never straying from ahead. I sent a voice message to a pinned contact with a grayscale profile. “Mom, I nailed the audition. “The orchestra conductor said they have room in the dorms, so I’ll be moving over tonight. “I’ll be on my own now, Mom. Don’t you worry.” The text was sent successfully, but a reply would never come. Out of habit, I took out my obsolete phone and texted myself a “you did great” emoji before packing my bags. The lights downstairs were killed, and ten minutes later, a car pulled up outside the manor. Out of nowhere, the party poppers went off with a bang, followed by a wave of cheers. I zipped my bag, wrapped a scarf tight around my neck, and dragged my suitcase down the stairs. Down in the living room, Caleb, never one for childish antics, spun Charlotte around in his arms. “Charlotte, I knew you could do it!” Staring intently, Tucker eagerly presented his gift. “Charlotte, I had this bracelet specially picked up to celebrate you being cast in this weekend’s dance recital.” “Don’t forget me!” Rhys bumped him away with his hip. “Charlotte, I know the rehearsals can be grueling for you. I bought you painkillers, just in case.” Maddox and Arthur sat in a row on the side, their gaze dripping with affection. Moved with emotion, Charlotte put her hand over her mouth. “You’re all too good to me. If Naomi finds out, she’ll—” Spotting me, Charlotte shifted her gaze and met my eyes. “Naomi, you’re carrying a suitcase. Are you leaving?” Silence hung heavily in the living room. Charlotte ran up to me, her eyes welling up. “I’m sorry, Naomi. I didn’t know Maddox would dump you in the middle of the road just to drop me off. It’s all my fault. Please don’t leave.” Maddox scoffed. He looked away, seemingly upset because I ended things between us. “Just leave her, Charlotte. I’m not surprised she’d play this lame game, considering how casually she throws around breakups.” Arthur grimaced hard and glared at me. “That’s enough. How many times do I have to tell you that Charlotte is family. You should be more accommodating instead of being so difficult over something so minor. “Is this how I raised you, Naomi?” I looked up and met his eyes with composure. “It’s not something minor.” I would not consider realizing my shared dream with my mother something trivial. With that, I hauled my suitcase down the stairs. Caleb marched upstairs and grabbed my suitcase. “Stop this, Naomi. How do you expect Charlotte to live with this? If word gets out, people are going to think that Charlotte got you kicked out. Think about the damage you’ll do to her reputation.” I pried open from his grip, my footsteps not stopping even for a second. Tucker blocked my path at the landing, his tone disdained. “Naomi, must you take things far? If you leave now, don’t expect us to come running after you.” I walked past him, not even looking back. As I neared the doorway, Rhys scoffed. His voice was loud enough for all to hear. “Caleb, Tucker, just ignore her. Naomi is clearly not right in the head. She walks around with that long face as if the world is against her all the time.” Chapter 3 “I don’t buy it for a minute that Naomi’s leaving for good. She’ll probably go off somewhere for a bit of fun before she comes crawling back. “Naomi, I should remind you that Charlotte has been eyeing your room. If you don’t stop these antics, I’ll tell Dad to give your room away to Charlotte.” I froze. Mom had lovingly decorated the space in my room. Charlotte demanded my room on the first day she moved in. The family was all on board, except for me. “If you move her into my room, I’ll break her legs!” Arthur branded me ungrateful, Caleb and Tucker called me a psycho in disgust, while Rhys spat at me. I couldn’t care less. All I wanted was the memory of my mother. Clutching the suitcase in my hand, I turned on my heel, my voice flat. “She can have it.” The sneer on Rhys’ face went stiff as he stared at me in disbelief. Caleb and Tucker scowled. Exasperated, Arthur yelled at my back, “Naomi, don’t bother coming back if you walk out the door today!” I nodded and blissfully disappeared into the night. ‘Mom, I’m taking your dream and living my own life now.’ … It was nearly midnight by the time I reached the dorms. I briefly unpacked my things and set a photo of my mother by the bed. The phone in my pocket kept buzzing with notifications. I pulled it out for a look. I had dozens of missed calls from Arthur, Caleb, Tucker, and Rhys. Not wasting my time, I turned off my phone and put my attention on my upcoming performance overseas. Charlotte’s dance recital was held in the dance school’s in-house auditorium. Unlike her, I would be performing at Vinna’s Golden Hall. Even without anyone’s support, I had to make sure I was ready. The next day, I showed up at the orchestra rehearsal full of energy. I ran into Maddox, whose suit looked rather wrinkled. His hair was unkempt. Judging by his five o’clock shadow, I doubted he had slept last night. As his gaze met mine, Maddox bolted toward me and grabbed my hand. “Why didn't you take my calls, Naomi? You didn’t even tell me that you passed the audition to be in the orchestra. You have no idea how worried I was all night. Am I even still your boyfriend?” His loud voice, laced with rage, turned heads. I tried to wrench my arm free, only to be dragged into the car. “Charlotte was up all night, crying because of you. Her dance instructor even gave her an earful today. You need to go home and cheer her up. “While you’re at it, you should give your spot in the orchestra to her. Charlotte picked up the recorder as a kid. She’ll be glad to join the orchestra.” I smirked in rage. “Maddox, save that crazy talk for someone else.” It was insane for Maddox to think that someone who played the recorder could join a top symphony orchestra. Furrowing his brows, Maddox looked at me like I was the unreasonable one. “Naomi, how did you become this person?” He fixed his eyes on me, as if lost in his memory. “You used to be so sweet and innocent. You never made a fuss as a child when someone took your toys. In fact, you’d even give away the rest of them. Even my mother felt sorry for how sensible you were and worried you’d be taken advantage of, so she told me to look after you. Now all Charlotte is asking for is a chance to perform. It’s bad enough that you won’t even give her that, and yet you—" I smirked, my tone chillingly flat. “I was so sensible because I knew that you and my family would stand up for me if I were ever picked on.” Chapter 4 “What about now? Where were you when I was hurt?” Maddox was taken aback. “When were you hurt…” As his mind wandered to the moment he had dumped me on the overpass, Maddox was at a loss. “Naomi, hear me out—” “Save your breath, Maddox. If you still have even a shred of conscience, you should just leave me alone. “We are done.” Shaking off his hand, I took strides to leave. It was nearly time for rehearsal, and the last thing I wanted was to be late. Maddox stood there in a daze, lost in his thoughts. That night, I got his message. “I’m sorry, Naomi. I know I was wrong. I won’t make you give up your spot to Charlotte. “She’s honestly just like a sister to me. Can we not break up?” While breaking out in goosebumps from sheer disgust, I blocked and deleted Maddox’s contact number again. Maddox was absent from my life for the next few days. My family, on the other hand, was out of control. These men were never ones to frequent social media. Yet, they had been updating their feeds three times a day. Today, Caleb bought Charlotte a necklace set. The following day, Tucker spent the whole day with Charlotte in the theme park. Arthur and Rhys set their social media cover photo to a family portrait of five. They even dropped hints in the family group chat. “I’m blessed to have such a well-behaved and sensible daughter.” Rhys took a more direct approach. He helped Charlotte move her things into my bedroom. His caption read, “Forever the best sister.” I saw all the posts and liked each and every one of them. Heck, I even took the time to comment on Rhys’ updates. “Don’t forget to burn the sheets I’ve slept on.” By the time I refreshed the page, the post was gone. A minute-long voice note popped up in the family group chat. Instead of tapping to listen, I removed myself from the group chat. It was another day of rehearsals that ended at ten at night. I routinely slapped a pain-relief patch onto my wrist before packing my things to head back to the dorms. The conductor approached me. “Naomi, we have a change of plans. Someone is taking your place. “I’m afraid you won’t be joining us for the performance next week.” … My mind went blank. From the age of seven to twenty-one, I went through fourteen years of tough seasons, just to gain this opportunity. I was just one step away from realizing my dream and fulfilling my mother’s dying wish. Yet now… Gritting my teeth, I asked heart-wrenchingly, “Sir, may I know who has been given my role?” For all I knew, it could be Natasha Lorde, the runner-up who lost to me by a hair in last year’s awards. Maybe it was a piano-playing relative of one of the orchestra’s board members. The conductor shook his head and murmured, “It’s Charlotte, the daughter of the prominent Clarkson family. Word is, she has connections to the late Talia Clarkson. She was a student of hers. “Talia was a remarkable pianist, and her death was untimely, so the orchestra felt obligated to give her student a chance. “You need to accept it, Naomi.” Without a word, I turned around. Talia was my mother. I was her last student. To think my family would exploit my mother, who has been dead for over a decade, just to secure Charlotte a spot in the orchestra. Blinded by rage, I dialed a number. The person was the country’s youngest piano talent and the only student Talia ever publicly acknowledged. “Hello, Desmond? It’s me, Naomi.” On the other end of the line, a man in his thirties jolted to his feet. “Naomi? You finally called. What’s the matter? Are you crying?” Picking up on the anxiety in his voice, I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. Chapter 5 “Desmond, can you come by tomorrow? Someone’s using my mother’s name to kick me out of the orchestra.” Silence ensued on the other end of the line, and soon enough, I could hear teeth grinding on the call. “Text me the address.” With Desmond having my back, I didn’t stray away from rehearsals the next day. As usual, I walked into the hall. On stage, Arthur, Caleb, Tucker, Rhys, and Maddox crowded around Charlotte as she took my seat in front of the piano. Charlotte had never received formal training, and it showed in the awkward way she lifted the fallboard. Her eyes shifted when she spotted me, and she pulled a sweet and innocent look. “Naomi, what are you doing here? Didn’t Caleb have you kicked…” Biting her lip, she seemed to realize she had said something wrong. Her eyes welled up. “I’m sorry, Naomi. I didn’t mean to rub salt in your wounds. If you’re upset, I’ll make way for you.” Caleb pressed her down. “Don’t be scared, Charlotte. You are deserving of this spot.” Tucker nodded and glanced at me defiantly. “That’s right. Naomi was the one who turned her back on family. Now, you’re the only girl in the family. It’s only right that you enjoy the spotlight.” Rhys sized me up in amusement, determined to fish out any bit of resentment and regret on my face. He was in for disappointment, though. I kept a stoic look. I simply asked indifferently, “Charlotte, do you know how to play the piano?” Charlotte turned white in the face. “W-What are you trying to say, Naomi? Playing the piano is easy. Of course, I can play. “Didn’t Maddox tell you? I have a solid foundation in musical instruments. What gives you the right to look down on me?” Feeling bad for Charlotte, Arthur patted her on the shoulder and scowled at me. “You’ve gone too far, Naomi. Just because you're incapable, do you assume everyone else is too? “Isn’t it just playing the piano? It’s not like it’s something respectable. Had I known you’d be smug just because you can play a few chords like your mother, I would’ve broken your fingers the year your mother passed away.” “Don’t you dare mention Mom! “If Mom knew of your abuse after she died, she would’ve crawled out of her grave to get to you!” For the first time, I teared up right in their presence. My tears rolled down my cheeks. Caleb and Tucker approached me, only to be stopped by Rhys. “Don’t go near her. She’s not going to learn if we coddle her.” Arthur was taken aback, as if the word were caught in his throat. I wiped away my tears as my gaze fell on Charlotte, who turned ashen. I made myself loud and clear. “Charlotte, I’m going to ask you one last time. Do you know how to play the piano? “By taking my spot to perform in Vinna, do you have the guts to get up on stage?” Charlotte’s lips quivered. Before she could make up an excuse to deflect, the door to the rehearsal hall swung open. Desmond Walter marched in along with the entire orchestra leadership and over a dozen news outlets. His voice was loud and commanding. “Young lady, I’ve been meaning to ask you. Since you’re replacing Naomi in the recital, can you perform a piece for us?”