Alora.
Do I run away?
I stared at the door as the thought filled my mind. A part of me wanted to, but there was a soft voice telling me not to. And that voice was Lana’s.
Reaching for the door knob, I twisted it and pushed the door open gently, peeking outside. A cold rush of air ruffled my hair and I blinked rapidly to see there were guards stationed everywhere.
It would be hard to escape, so I closed the door and rested my back against the hard surface, sliding down the floor tiredly.
Today was the first time I ever felt tired from working. Washing the dishes had worn me out so much because I wasn’t used to it, I hadn’t done it in years. The smell of food still lingered in my nose and I smiled softly when Lana had thrown a piece of food in my mouth asking if the salt was enough.
I rubbed my arms against the jacket she had given me and my smile grew wider. For the first time, I was properly clothed, not naked like Jax had wanted or in see through nightdresses.
The clothes itched me a bit and I stood up from the floor and headed upstairs to bathe. I wanted to do so before Ares returned and at the same time I wanted to look around his house.
It was the first time I was in some other place apart from Jax’s home and I suddenly became curious as to what was in each room.
I slid my fingers against the barricades and I turned towards the west wing. It was dark and looked like no one ever went there. A chill ran down my spine as I looked at the entrance door downstairs as if expecting anyone to come in.
After waiting for a few seconds, I walked gently towards the opposite wing of Ares’ room. There were about three doors on each side of the hallway and I touched the first one.
It was dusty and I sneezed, rubbing my nose with my sleeve before pushing the door open. It creaked noisily as it opened to reveal a big empty room.
My legs felt heavy as my eyes watered at the dust filled room. It was dimly lit with only a ray of light seeping through from the dark curtains and I almost hit the furniture in front of me.
I staggered backwards, squinting my eyes as I realized I hadn’t hit a furniture, from the legs I realized it had to be a piano.
There was a black cloth covering it and I reached for it, pulling it off the instrument. The piano was big, and the white keys were visible in the dark room. I noticed a chair sitting at its left and I looked at the door as if someone could come in any minute before I went to sit on the chair, pulling it closer to the keys.
My heart hammered in my chest as I looked down at the keys, my fingers itched to touch it but it’s been so long since I touched one.
The sight of the black and white keys caused a memory to flash across my mind.
“Mom! Look! I found something that makes a noise if I touch it.” Five year old me ran to my home raising a small piano I had found in the woods discarded.
“That’s a piano, idiot!” My mom yelled at me, pushing me out of the way as she opened the door, a frown on her face as she stepped on a poodle of water from the rain.
“What is a piano?” I had asked curiously as I looked closely at the piano on my hands.
“It’s a musical instrument, now leave me alone and get out of my sight.” My mother yelled angrily before heading to the backyard. I groaned loudly, dragging my feet to the woods. My favorite spot was just beside the river and I placed the piano on my lap as I started touching the keys.
A smile broke out my lips at the sounds it made and I giggled, touching each key curiously as I started to sing.
It didn’t take long for me to master each sound each key made and soon I was singing to the melody of the sound.
I blinked, looking down at a bigger piano and I raised my hand to it, my heart thumped loudly in my chest, and with a nervous gulp I pressed my finger on the key.
A resonating sound filled my ears and a smile broke out my lips.
It worked.
The sound of the piano had always soothed my ears and ever since I found the old one in the woods, I had clinging onto it as I found peace within me.
It was the only way I could block out the life I was living. It was my peace and solace.
Unfortunately, Jax had prevented any form of music in his home and soon I was once more tormented with my memories of my past and there was no way of escape.
He even stopped me from singing.
Just one song.
A voice said in my head and I smiled wider, there was no one at home anyways and I would definitely hear the door open if Ares got back.
So I adjusted in the chair as I raised my other hand, cracking my knuckles in preparation to play the piano once more.
I touched another key as my heart leapt in joy and anticipation of playing another note. I pressed down another key as I started to remember the particular melody I had played very often.
Soon, I was strumming the keys in a soft melody, my heart leapt with joy and soon I was lost in the sound, closing my eyes as I smiled. Remembering every key, every sound and memorizing it.
Every heartache, every memory of my past didn’t exist right now. Jax didn’t exist, my parents didn’t exist either. It was just me, swimming in a sea of beautiful melodies.
I opened my lips to sing when I heard footsteps.
“What are you doing here?!” A loud voice echoed in the room and I snatched my fingers away from the keys as I turned sharply at the source of the voice.
My heart leapt as I shrieked, shifting backwards as I looked up to see Ares standing at the doorway.
In the dark, he looked scary, his height towering closely to the door, he wore a dark suit that hugged his biceps dangerously. His dark blue eyes were cold as ice as they glared at me hatefully.
I jumped off the seat as Ares drew his eyes dangerously to the piano in front of me before he closed the gap between us in a second as he grabbed me by the throat and slammed me against the wall behind us.
I gasped in shock as his fingers dug my throat feeling like the shackles Jax had used many times, piercing my skin coldly before his hands ran through my naked flesh.
The memory flashed in my mind and I started to struggle to breathe. Shaking visibly as fear filled me and my blood ran cold as Ares’ cold blue eyes stared deeper into my soul.
It was almost like he was lost in them, and he wasn’t really seeing what was happening around him. His eyes seemed far away like he was in a trance, in a sea of memories just as mine flashed in my head.
“Pl.. please..” I choked out, my face turning red at the lack of air as my eyes watered in fear.
“Pl… please..” I pleaded and Ares finally blinked, letting go of my neck as I stumbled to the floor coughing loudly.
Ares stepped back, his eyes widening as he glared hatefully at me before turning to the piano and grabbing the dark cloth that had been used to cover it.
He threw the cloth against the piano, covering it as he looked down at it and swore in what I figured was Spanish.
He then turned to me as I pressed my back against the wall, fear creeping up my spine as I found it harder to breathe.
“You bitch!” Ares roared, grabbing my wrist and heaving me up my feet as he pulled me out of the room.
I glanced back at the piano and my eyes watered. The memory of my mother breaking my old piano against a hard rock filled my mind as Ares closed the door shut.
It felt like a part of me had been locked away once more and Ares didn’t waste any time dragging me back to his room, swearing loudly in Spanish.
The bright lights of the room filled my eyes and I blinked rapidly as my wrists ached at the string hold Ares had on me. My heart thumped loudly in my chest, threatening to jump out in fright.
“After what I did for you!” Ares yelled, finally switching back to English as he pushed me against the floor just beside his bed.
“I’m.. I’m sorry..” I whispered out softly, unable to see properly past the tears that filled my eyes as Ares found the shackles from earlier.
“No! Please! Don’t chain me up.” I pleaded, pulling away as Ares held me tighter, pushing my wrist against the bedpost and locking my wrist in place. The cold metal burned me immediately and I started to cry.
“Please.. stop..” I pleaded but Ares stepped backwards angrily, the room filling with a deadly aura as he groaned loudly.
“Why did you go in there?” He asked and I cried, looking up at him as no words could leave my lips. My mind was clouded with memories of Jax screaming loudly at me.
Ares stormed to his table, his hands throwing everything off his table to the floor, it clattered loudly and I closed my eyes at the loud noise. Tears ran down my face as I sobbed loudly.
Ares was angry, very angry and I regretted going to the piano room, I regretted it in the first place and I leapt backwards as a book went flying towards me. Cowering in fear, I bowed my head silently before opening my mouth.
I did the only thing I could do right now.
I sang.
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