Ocean

I woke up, finding myself remembering the insane dream from last night.
Someone had come and comforted me while I cried about my dead parents. Again. For the third time this week. It was exhausting. The last thing I had wanted was to feel the phantom comfort I used to when I felt alone.

It felt like someone was there when nobody was. It hurt so bad to realize I was alone.
My bed felt more comfortable than usual today, and since my alarm had yet to go off, I just lay here.
I felt something shift slightly, as though it were breathing, and my eyes popped open. I could make out a figure, under the covers next to me. Not just near me but right up against me. I was pressed into a bare chest. My head was, in fact, resting on an extremely muscular arm. Another was wrapped around my thin waist.

My breath hitched in my throat as fear filled my lungs. I couldn't breathe. The world was spinning as I tried to silently gasp for air. Slowly, my sight began fading in and out. My panic was interrupted when I heard a familiar voice mutter "Ocean you smell ...." The rest of his words were incomprehensible. It felt as though a weight had been removed from my chest. Hayden nuzzled his nose into my hair.

It hadn't been a dream.

Tears welled in my eyes; I wasn't alone again. For the first time since that night, I felt like I wasn't alone. Not wanting to wake Hayden up, I shuffled out of his grip before hurrying to the door, grabbing my robe on the way. The tears had started streaming down my face as I ran downstairs and into my only true escape, my library.

Every book had been bought by me from the money I saved from my allowance. Which had been a dollar a week. True, Lucas was cruel, but he taught me from a young age how to manage money. When I started working, I got 5 dollars a week. I had started working at the age of 11.

My books were my escape. Each story was a new place to visit. I ran my fingers over the spines when I stopped on one. I pulled it out. My first possession. Lucas didn't know it existed. It was a gift from my grandma on my sixth birthday, which was only a couple months before the accident. I opened the old book. On the inside of the front cover was a picture of my mother, her red hair reflecting the camera flash My dad was holding onto her very pregnant belly smiling down at her. His green eyes were filled with joy.

There was only one other person in Lucas's house who had known about this book.

My nanny. She had passed away when I was 9. She never told a soul. I missed her, but she was gone.

I slowly stood up. Taking a deep breath, I decided it was time for breakfast. As I stepped out of my library, I noticed Hayden's secret rooms door was slightly ajar. I had sworn I would never enter it. No matter what. And yet it seemed to be luring me closer. I was too curious not to. I gently pushed the door open and stepping inside closing it behind me softly.

Switching the lights on, my breath was taken from me. The room was beautiful. On the wall hung two different guitars. There was a bookcase filled with music books standing against another. In one corner stood a well-loved drum set. In the other the most stunning part of the whole room.

A black lacquer grand piano. The seat on the piano was well upholstered and looked well taken care of. Instinctively I reached out and lifted the fall board and ran my fingers over the keys. I glanced back at the door before sitting down and lifting the fall board entirely off the keys. I stretched my fingers and found middle C.

The melody that I started playing wasn't well known but it was one of my favorites to play. It had been my grandmothers favorite. It was the one my grandfather taught me after my mother started to teach my keyboard. The notes flowed one after the other. I could almost here my dad singing his part of the duet he had written for himself and my mom. It was one of there less popular songs, but it meant a lot to them. As the music continued to flow though the piano, I joined in softly to my dad voice in my head with the vocals my mom used to sing.

"With you, I fall

It's like I'm leaving all my past and silhouettes up on the wall

With you, I'm a beautiful mess
It's like we're standing hand and hand with all our fears up on the edge
So stop time right here in the moonlight
'Cause I don't ever wanna close my eyes," My voice was barely audible over the sound of the piano.

"Without you, I feel broke" A new voice suddenly put in. It was a deep tenor.

Like I'm half of a whole
Without you, I've got no hand to hold"

I abruptly stopped playing and turned to the door, only to see Hayden standing in the doorway arms crossed.

Standing quickly, I covered the keys again and hung my head in shame.

"You know, I should be really upset with you right now."

Here it comes I thought to myself

"But I've never heard anyone play that song as well as you just did, other then the original creators that is."

I swallowed hard feeling a lump in my throat. Here it came, bracing for at least an angry tone.

"I just want to know when you learned to play that song and who taught you to sing."

"My parents." a spoke softly before chiding myself for opening my mouth.

"Your parents?"

I squeezed my eyes shut as he stepped closer.

"Well, you have a beautiful voice princess," a hand caught my chin, and gently tilted it up. I opened my eyes and made eye contact.

The silence the ensued was the most awkwardly intimate silence I had ever experienced.

And then I ran for it.