Elena

Elena loved church more than anything. It was not because she was zealously religious, nor did she believe that her prayers to God would bring back her dead mother. But because when she was not working on her business college assignments, she would be at church singing with the choir.

She stood in the middle of the choir loft, singing her heart out. The melodies flowed within her body, and strummed her soul. Miserere Mei Deus... The Latin prayer floated out of her lips, heavenly notes mingling with the ethereal voices of the choir members surrounding her. The sacred song echoed within the chapel, reverberating off the high walls and glass windows.

Elena was lost in the choir, like a butterfly lost within an endless field of daisies.

She did not want it to end. But everything she loved must come to an end. The chant grew softer, the voices lower, until the melodies stopped.

"My Angel, that was truly amazing!" Ashley said as she hugged Elena after the performance. "Just how long will you keep singing for church? You should be doing your own albums. Or at least sing somewhere you could get paid."

Elena laughed. "You know I am never good with auditions. They always ask me to sing pop and I can't help forgetting the lyrics and messing up every time."

"I don't understand how you can memorize complicated Latin chants, but you can't memorize some stupid love songs."

"It's silly, right?" Elena chuckled. "And the one time I was well prepared and managed to sing the whole track perfectly, I was told I looked too cute for the stage, and that they needed someone sexy."

"Oh fuck them!"

"Hush Ashley, we're in church!" Elena giggled and looked around her to make sure no one heard the swear word. "Anyway it was a nightclub and Daisy wouldn't have agreed to me performing there anyway."

"And why should you take permission from Daisy in the first place? You're a nineteen year old adult."

"She's my big sister and she knows what's best for me."

"Ugh stop being such a doormat, she has no right to stand in the way of your dreams. You're old enough to make your own decisions."

Elena wondered if her best friend was right. But was Daisy really standing in the way? It was true that her sister was overprotective of her, and on many occasions it was Daisy who had stopped Elena from travelling for some audition or performing at some pub. But Elena knew that it was all out of fear for her. 'The world is full of monsters, and you are too young and pure for this,' Daisy had often told her.

"Speak of the devil," Ashley said, and Elena crossed herself at once at the mention of the devil. She turned around and gasped.

Daisy walked into the cathedral, dressed in a short magenta skirt that barely covered her thighs. The thighs were not the problem though. It was the generous amount of cleavage revealed by her low cut white blouse, and which was sheer enough to show the black push up bra she wore underneath.

Stares of disapproval followed her as she walked toward Elena.

"Daisy!" Elena gasped. "You can't wear that in church!"

"Oh shit, I forgot my blazer in the car," Daisy rolled her eyes.

"And you can't swear either in church –"

"Oh spare me that nonsense crap. You're only here for the singing so stop acting like you're so pious all of a sudden. We're leaving now anyway, let's go. I have a surprise for you." Daisy smiled as she took Elena's hand and walked towards the exit.

"Why are you even wearing office attire on a Sunday?"

"I had to meet with a super important client who was only available on Sunday," Daisy smirked. "And here's the surprise," she wrapped an arm around her sister and pulled her close, "I closed the deal. Ten thousand dollar commission. Ten fucking thousand dollars!"

"Oh my God!" Elena squealed as she and Daisy locked their arms together and started hopping.

"Congrats," Ashley said as the sisters did their happy dance outside the chapel gate.

"Thanks Ash," Daisy said as their dance came to an end. "We will be celebrating this evening. Fine Dining and wine and tickets to the movies. Care to join us?"

"Thank you, but I have to be home early and – "

"Oh come on Ashley," Elena insisted. "Please come with us, it will be fun. Can we do opera instead of movies?" Elena turned to Daisy.

"Of course we can, whatever my baby girl wants!" Daisy grabbed Elena's cheeks and squeezed them.

"Ouch stop!" Elena giggled as she pulled away from her sister. "Wait, I want ice cream first, and new jeans, and... and can we pass by Sephora before dinner?"

***

Dinner was perfect, though the portions were small, and the bill was outrageous. The opera performance, however, was otherworldly.

Elena sat between Daisy and Ashley, her eyes wide in awe. The violin notes tugged at her heartstrings, and the soprano voice consumed her soul. The choir chants were something. But what she listened to now was something else completely. Elena closed her eyes and flew. She saw herself there on the stage, dressed in an extravagant burgundy dress, her voice resonating within the opera hall. She flew higher and higher as the soprano's pitch went higher and higher. It was all she ever wanted. To stand on that stage and sing until she reached the clouds.

A sudden tug brought her down crashing to the ground.

"Elena, look at this!" Ashley said as she pulled Elena's arm.

Elena turned towards her friend with a frown and a finger to her lips. The one thing she hated most was getting interrupted while she got lost in a good piece of music. But Ashley didn't seem to care and she only continued to speak.

"Look, my friend posted this just now." Ashley brought her phone screen under Elena's nose. "Finally, this is your chance to –"

"Hush!" Elena cut Ashley off, scowling deeply. But not for long. Her eyes caught the words appearing on Ashley's screen, and her frown disappeared.

Serenades of Woe is looking for a lead female vocalist. Auditions next Saturday. Location: Poinciana Town.

That was where Elena lived. And she had no plans next Saturday.

Elena looked up at her friend with wide eyes and sealed lips, her face about to explode with suppressed excitement.

"You're welcome." Ashley smirked knowingly.