The next day the group ventured into a small but busy town close by. If Violet had known there was a place merely a ten minutes drive away, she would have refused her brother's cooking and instead ordered a takeaway. She could only guess what was going through both Mia's and Aiden's heads right now, but it was most likely the same thing.

Cole had come up with the idea that busking would be the best option for the group. He wanted to fit in the most practise as well as get some reactions at the same time. The public opinion was harsh but honest, something he thought they needed with the competition being tomorrow.

While everyone had tried to get there in the early morning, the actual result was them arriving just after lunch. Both Aiden and Violet had slept in; they didn't mean to, but Cole still yelled at them anyway. For just under half an hour they both hid from Cole under their covers. Neither wanted to acknowledge the fact that they had to get up. However, as always, Cole remained stubborn. In his mind as long as they stayed under those blankets, he would pester them until they gave in. The only problem was Violet and Aiden were just as strong-willed as himself.

It took a calm and reassuring Mia to calm Cole down. She took him outside, gently pleading him to have breakfast. Violet was still able to hear his disapproving voice from inside of the tent. This left the others with the option to collapse and try to slip into sleep once again, or try and get out of bed to make Cole happy. Violet chose the first. Aiden chose the latter. Following an hour of coaxing by Mia's brother, Violet eventually ventured outside. Sure, she probably looked like she was hung-over from her 18th birthday party, but she was awake and outside. And that was the best you could get.

Violet did admit that one highlight to the trip was Cole not being aware of his phone. Ever since she had returned it he had seemed to leave it lying around without much care, almost as if he knew. Now, just like those endless times before, he had left it lying on the car seat. He trusted the public too much. He trusted Violet too much. She had tried to resist temptation, but the dark screen of the phone seemed to shout at Violet and it didn't take long for her to pick it up and scroll through the messages.

He had replied, somewhat bluntly. But her father had seen the message.

Violet read it once, twice, three times before thinking about a reply. Half of her was considering just ignoring it - she wasn't really expecting a reply. The intention was to get in touch, but Violet didn't think past this point. Scanning around, she noticed that Cole and the rest were setting up the instruments- a few curious onlookers watching nearby. The coast was clear and so the girl typed a reply.

Violet was determined, her mind focused. They needed to meet. And right now, she didn't care when. If she messed up Cole's plan she didn't care.

Family came first. He just should have known that.

-

"Again!"

Cole was back at shouting again. The group - or band as he now thought of them - slumped their shoulders in reply. Mia gave Violet a knowing look, their hands aching and their eyes drooping. There wasn't much they could do without him having a meltdown. Cole was on edge.

For three hours they had tried and failed to attract an audience. The few pedestrians that had the courage to venture up to the group either went away as quickly as they came or gave what Aiden called pity money. Violet had come up with a theory of telling who, out of a group, would step forward to produce the sympathetic cash. She guessed they were paying them to shut up in their own polite way.

The ones that started out keen and intrigued were easy to spot. All of them seemed enthusiastic at first, pointing over to the band of adolescent teenagers in what could only be described as naivety. However, it took merely a couple of seconds - enough time for them to walk up a bit closer - for them to realise exactly how bad they were. Too gallant to just turn away, they would give them a short nod, gingerly reaching in their pockets before depositing the coins into Cole's hat. Following this short exchange, they would always hurry off as fast as they could.

It was the same for all of them. They were constantly on repeat.

Glancing around, Violet traded a pained look with Aiden. While at first they were determined, now all they wanted was a break. Humiliating themselves wasn't something that they had planned. Then again, Cole hadn't planned it either.

"Can we stop now?" Violet shouted, stretching her sore and blistered hand as an attempted to soothe the aching pain. It didn't help, instead shooting a sharp ache right up her right hand.

"No!" Cole shouted, trying to sing as he responded to his sister. He had resorted to screaming out random lyrics, none of them making much sense and probably scaring off anyone within hearing distance. Violet gave Cole one last look before shaking her head and standing up. She had had enough. In her mind, they needed a change of plan. She was not going to let herself become a laughing stock.

"Group meeting," she instructed, walking towards the back of their 'studio'. This was a concrete area behind the back of their car. Mia and Aiden were quick to comply; however, her brother carried on singing. His gravelly voice tore through the air, causing more bad than good to everyone's eardrums.

"Come on Cole," Aiden shouted, standing firmly beside Violet. Mia didn't hide her annoyance, sighing loudly before leaning dramatically against the wall in hope of appearing moody. Violet gave her a small shrug. She knew there was only so much you could force her brother to do. Years of practice taught her that.

The next set of events caused her to fall silent in amazement. Turning around, Violet watched Aiden grasp her brother's dirty t-shirt and drag him over to the group. His chiselled face was set into stone, his eyes firm. Cole complied, not really caring anymore.

"Look," Violet said as soon as they were both in hearing distance. She did have a plan. She just hoped it worked. "Let's change it up a bit. Make it a bit more," she paused yet again, "different."

Mia cut in. "Like what?"

"Like," Violet stopped herself, clearly having no clue what she was on about. Truth was, she needed a break and pretending to have a better idea was the only reason she could give for one. Her mind was blank. Luckily Aiden's wasn't.

"It doesn't matter if we're crap, as long as w-"

"We're not crap," Cole stated but was quickly silenced from the look the group gave him. He was outnumbered.

A strong wind brushed past Violet's hand, making her shiver and look down at her cold palm. Suddenly she noticed the minimal amount of space between her hand and Aiden's. She pulled it back. "Carry on."

"We're crap," he said again, "But that doesn't necessarily matter. We just need to put more effort into it. Standing around while tapping the drums or strumming the guitar here and there isn't enough. We need full on crazy mother-fucking teenagers. That should attract attention."

"Crazy mother-fucking teenagers? I think we can do that." Violet's encouraging words made Mia laugh, nodding her head in agreement. Turning to Cole in unison, everyone waited for his reaction. At first he was frowning, shaking himself off Aiden's tight grip. Folding his arms he only shrugged. The group still waited, needing clarification. They needed actual words from Cole, otherwise who knew what his opinion was. Finally, he spoke. "Let's get this over with."

Following a brief brainstorm session led by Mia, the group made their way to performing once again. A new group of people were loitering by, curious of what was going on as the 'band' made their way to their places.

Taking in a shaky breath, Violet looked down at her chipped black nails that gripped the drumsticks. The rough edges were slightly cracked, the slight danger of splinters lurking in the material, so she had to be careful where and how to hold it. Glancing up, she gave a small smile to Aiden who was patiently waiting for her cue.

Without thinking she faced forward, the cobbled street of the town welcoming her as she tried not to falter in her performance. She probably didn't have much time left, the message she sent still lingering in her mind. Maybe that was why she went through with it. Violet smiled. Fuck it.

Slamming the stick down on the drum, she sounded the first note. Aiden, Mia and Cole started clapping in unison, creating another deep beat for the song. But it didn't stop there - all of them slammed the heels of their feet into the ground. A loud thump filled the air and people wandering by stopped to see what the commotion was about. They did it again. A drum beat. A foot slam. A clap.

And that was when Cole sang.

He may have taken the phrase of crazy mother-fucking teenagers too seriously. Cole's large hand cradled the microphone, his mouth close enough so his lips were almost touching the cool metal. His body, on the other hand, seemed to go a little crazy. Jumping, twirling and spinning were just a handful of what he did to attract whatever attention he could.

A few shoppers paused in their tracks.

For the chorus everyone joined in. Aiden and Mia raised their hands above their heads to clap, clearly not caring when a few people began to get their phones out for filming. Their loud level of noise carried out across the air, stretching out further and further as the group got deeper and deeper into the song.

Chorus over, Cole went solo once more. He stretched his hand out to point out individuals on the street; he was trying to make the most of the moment. His sister couldn't help but laugh. From behind the drum set Violet couldn't see much, but she guessed Cole's face was as serious as his dancing, especially when he started doing the rock star walk.

Singing in unison yet again, Violet could feel the vibrations of the music channelling through the soles of her feet. She didn't look up, too afraid to look at the now growing crowd. All she could focus on without freaking out was her drums. She had guessed that dramatic was what Aiden was looking for, and she was going to try her best to accomplish it.

As Cole began to sing on his own, she tried to let loose. This was probably all she was going to get with Cole, so she thought she might as well use it. Her short dark hair shook around her head and itched her neck slightly. Violet's palms were clammy, her face flushed, but she only hit the drums harder, a huge grin on her face.

The almost quivering sound of Mia's guitar hovered in the air, starting off quiet and hesitant. Violet couldn't help but cringe. The music did bounce around a bit, constantly going from one note to the other, but she was controlling it well enough. The harsh music of her guitar rampaged through the small town square, startling a few of the elderly people that were hanging around. Giving a quick look to Mia, Violet saw she was in her element, practically soaking up the attention the crowd were giving her.

Cole had stopped singing, the music carrying the song through. Instead, he had chosen to let his dancing take over, much to Violet's embarrassment. She wasn't quite sure where he got the new found enthusiasm and good mood from, but she was happy he was back. In that moment, Violet was as happy as she had ever been.

However, someone always had to ruin it. And in that moment, it was herself.

No one really noticed at first. It wasn't dramatic, like a big bang that exploded on their peace. Instead the woman just stood there, looking on through the small but encouraging crowd as if she was in hiding. Although one thing did separate her from the cheering people she was with - Violet's mother had her lips pursed in silence. Her glassed gaze watched over Cole, almost as if he was a stranger.

To her, he almost was.

Violet heard a shout from beside her, Aiden's confused voice muffled by the amount of thoughts flying around in her mind. He was the second to notice. His washed out grey eyes followed Violet's stare and onto her mum. Aiden missed a chord. Mia looked over. She was the third to notice. Then it was like a small chain, one inevitable person left over to notice. Violet guessed one highlight was that Cole only managed to understand what was going on when the song was over, the crowd dispersing slightly before things took a turn for the worse.

"Mum," she said, but mainly to make sure she was right. Violet needed confirmation that the woman who stood in front of her was in fact her mother, especially when she was expecting someone else. Sure enough, it was her mum's soft brown eyes that connected with her own. The group's eyes locked onto Violet, unsure as to why she was being targeted. It took one short look at Cole for her to quickly step forward and block him, stopping him from being irrational. His eyebrows were drawn, lips set tightly and eyes almost glaring at his sister. Cole hadn't even said anything - he didn't even know what was going on, but he had laid the blame on Violet. Just like he done so many times before.

She shouted her brother's name, holding his arm in warning. She was partly frightened he would change right in front of her. That he would transform before her eyes and shoot off like he always did in these types of situation. Running away was Cole's coping mechanism. Same with their father.

"Just wait," Violet pleaded with him, her own hands digging tighter into his arms. Cole tried to wriggle free but she only clung onto him harder. "For fuck's sake, let's at least find out why she's here," she blurted out and sighed when her brother stopped squirming, his body rigged but still.

Without the two realising, Aiden had chosen to intervene; taking a firm stand beside Cole he didn't look Violet in the eyes. Quiet but sure of himself, the copper haired boy stood his ground as the woman approached. He only knew little about his friend's relationship with his mum. For Aiden, that was enough.

"What's going on?" Violet's question was one that was going through everyone's minds. Her mum's eyes widened, lips smiling, and before she knew it Violet was being crushed in an emotional hug. Warm hands rubbing Violet's cold shoulders, the woman let a few muffled whimpers underneath the fabric of her scarf.

"You told me you had gone to your dad's," she finally said, still holding her daughter by the shoulders. "I thought you had gone to your dad's." Violet froze, confused. Maybe her mother was wrong. Sometimes she did get things muddled. However, with the open concern in her eyes and the fact that Cole was hiding his face from her made Violet realise who was telling the truth. And why she resented her brother in the first place.

Violet tried to speak. Her mouth opened, her lips moved, but nothing came out. All she could muster was a sore, almost choking, gulp of air. Following a moment of being frozen in place, unmoving and silent, Violet managed to shake her head. Wisps of tangled hair scratched her cheeks, her slightly quivering hand moving to brush them aside.

Warm hands rubbed her shoulders, making Violet nearly collapse into the comforting gesture. Hesitantly, she focused her eyes on her mother's. Even their eyes were identical, a reflection into how infuriatingly similar they both were. It also showed how they could never escape one another. You can't hide from your own reflection.

Right hand squeezing Violet's left shoulder, her mum pulled her daughter closer towards her before turning her attention to her son. The compassion Violet once glimpsed in her mother's eyes was gone. Instead, the woman's face pictured something that could only really be described as an overpowering wall of pure hatred. Fine lines scrunched up her face, her thin lips subtly pursing like she used to do when she disapproved.

Almost like an artist upon their canvas, Violet analysed every single small crease that had found its way there. The woman Violet was looking at was not who she had seen a mere few seconds ago. No, she was long gone. Her daughter guessed her mum's voice was dry as when she spoke she took harsh gulps of air. "You - you keep away from us. You hear me? Keep away."

"Oh, it's not like I wanted to see you." Cole's reply was brash, but he didn't feel any guilt on the words he let out. His face was barren of any emotion except anger. "I wanted to see my sister. Someone who - if I am so not mistaken - I shared a good deal of my life with." Not stopping there, Cole let out a humourless laugh: "Though I wouldn't expect you to remember. It wasn't as you were even there to notice. Who was it you were busy shagging again?"

Violet cringed at his word. She had thought it was an unwritten rule in her family to never mention the subject. The events that, over time, made the foundations of the family collapse were never spoken of out in the open before now. She hadn't realised there was no such rule. Violet was wrong; everyone was just in denial.

"It wasn't Mum's fault," she said sternly, lifting her chin up as she looked her brother right in the eye. "You know why she did it. You wouldn't have done any better."

The betrayal Violet's words had on Cole was unbearable for her to look at. Turning away, she considered what she had just said out loud. Part of her was surprised she had chosen to side with her mother, someone who, for many years, pushed all her expectations onto her vulnerable daughter. She was a woman who demanded that emotions needed to be kept in check, a person who would not let a single scratch of anger or sadness touch her own face.

Only now did Violet realise why. She was trying to protect her daughter from what emotions made her do. Emotions led her mum and dad to fall out of love, which created the loud discussions. It was emotions that began the string of affairs that ultimately resulted in a father walking out and a mother in tears. It was emotions that destroyed Violet's mother, that destroyed their family.

The realisation pounded in her head. Violet had finally had enough. She had reached breaking point. And there was no going back. In full force, her words tumbled out of her before she could fathom the sheer impact of their meaning. "And I suppose taking me away was just another way to piss off mum, wasn't it. This was never about the stupid car. This was never about me. This was just about siding with Dad." Violet gestured out in front of her, voice strangely calm. "Look around, Cole. He doesn't even care enough to see what you've done. But don't worry; I'm sure he's so proud. "

Violet took a strong step forward, moving closer to Cole in a way of trying to show him the truth. "Cole, he doesn't care. He never cared. He didn't care that I could have been missing. He didn't care about leaving mum during a meltdown. And he certainly didn't give a damn that you were in trouble with money."

Cole couldn't speak. All that Violet had carried over the period he was gone was too much for him to process all at once. He tried to shake her words off; he was unsuccessful.

His sister stood next to their mother, standing strong. Violet knew that what her mum did was wrong. But what she also saw was that it was not fair for the dad of two children to suddenly walk out and never come back again. Nor was it right for Cole, as soon as he finished school, to abandon the people who stuck with him throughout the years for a father who had started a new life away from his old one. He had pretended his old family didn't exist. He had chosen to ignore Violet's existence.

"I suppose it was you that got Mia into it?" she asked, but was surprised when Cole shook his head and the once reassuring voice of her friend spoke up.

"Violet. It was my decision." Out of everything that had just happened, Mia's words came little as a shock. In fact, they hardly even registered in Violet's mind. Shakily breathing out Mia added, "You missed your brother. Don't try and deny it."

Violet was repulsed. In the heat of the moment, she could not stand the sight of these people. These people who she once thought of as friends were now far from it. The boy Violet once thought of as family, a girl who she had once trusted and the copper-haired friend who could have been so much more meant little to nothing now.

"You know what?" Violet's words were soft as she grabbed her mum and steered her away from them. "Fuck you all."