with a clang, jolting me viol

usic teacher, came waddling in with

que tones shattering the weighted silence like a sledgehamme

st of the motley crew of music students traipsed in behind Hend

Derek Thorne...only to find the imposing giant had vanished as inexpl

e audition, if you will," a disembodied baritone q

orne reemerged from the depths, his formidable presence n

characteristic, stunned silence – a reaction that woul

ed as he hastily smoothed back his comb-over. "I did

acher with a brusque flick of his wrist. "We were simply having

ng it with that same magnetic intensity tha

ed, as the rest of the class colle

apped his meaty hands together. "If you'll all take your seats, I have an excit

oup as the other students hastened to find

with her harpies clustered behind her

ning acts?" she called out in that shrill nasal whine that made me want to grin

ut there was an unmistakable flicker

others, it was obvious no one was keen t

almost

h the tension like a broadsword, his eyes glittering dangerously as they raked over Brittany's scowling features, "I fear the..

pin drop in the ringing

lge out of their sockets, her pouty mouth working

genuine artistic expression demands a visceral emotional rawness that woul

at final barb, which seemed to be the combustible

sed venom, she stabbed one c

ffronted fury. "You're not even worth the gum on the bottom of my shoe! What c

ttled with rage as he jabbed a stubby finger towards the door. "Office, now

n seem to register

ch scathing, unbridled loathing that I ins

d fingernails of her jealousy claw

word with naked savagery. "You're not going to just waltz in here like some rags-to-riches Cinde

n her heel and stormed out, her faithf

in wide-eyed shock, the stark silence s

ng to rally the room with a tight smile. "Let's m

n in the background, I coul

t over and over, her jealous, territorial rage bra

, those hate-filled eyes still bore into me,

ed to reverberate through the de

dew and cheap whiskey washed over me – just another pungent

ressive silence like a gunshot. I flinched as her hulking silhouet

red, planting her hands on her broad hips as she loomed over me. "Get in

ly-lit living room and made for the teeterin

hanty towns littered across its scarred surface – the onl

ay," Janine grumbled, sinking back down onto her ratty recliner with a resigned gr

why she was home so early then as I mixed h

n from the loose collection of chaos ruling my m

ed the drink on the battered milk crate beside her c

nocked back half her drink in one gulp, sl

with the back of her hand. "What'd he see, the way your tits final

crude bait. I pressed on, channeling every

In the music room after school. And

once she he

a breathless rush before

rrowed, beady eyes - the only sounds were the muted strains of a talk show

f laughter, taking another swig of whiskey. "That what this fancy man

ngy blonde curls swaying languidly

e sneered, leaning forward to fix me with those hollow, dead

eper under the caustic mockery saturating her tone. "He wasn't...hit

e before licking her lips with unconcealed relish. "Well in that case, by all means! After all,

an audible click as shame a

eflecting my even the faintest glimmer

s music program," Janine barreled on with that mocking sarcasm practically dripping from her

t wounded, embarrassed rage finally boiled over. "For once I'm thinking

pletely off-guard, whipping my he

blossoming across my cheek as my mother loomed o

whiskey over the sides of her glass as she jabbed a finger in my face. "After everything I

liar sense of broken despondency once again

ut all those years ago - any tiny flicker of ambition or hope on my end inevitably

ink you're a star?" Janine hissed, her lips curling back in

ing her considerable bulk to eas

no escaping the hot whiskey fumes on her brea

voice was little more than a guttural rasp, laced with bitter venom. "He would've used you up and tossed you right back into the goddamn gutte

yes as the jagged shrapnel of her wo

ed out in the wake of her

tter get real goddamn comfortable being another neglected has-been like me. 'Cause I'll be damned if I let

nt, knocking back the last of her drink befo

f shattered hopes and wounded defiance as the ha

he squalid air, mingling with the obs

ing my throbbing cheek, I could still feel the ice-cold

rty and abuse, the shackles anchoring me here always seemed to grow tighter

spirit slowly corroded until they were as cold and discarded as ev