It's been seven years since my world fell apart. I barely ate, barely slept, and it seemed all I did was cry. I was so torn apart by Danielle's betrayal that Mom didn't even make me go to school or audition for anything anymore. I thought they might try to put me in a mental hospital, like that show I had a part in once, but they never did. I guess I should have known better looking at my brother. They'd rather hide us in their home than face the fact that we weren't normal.
I get out of bed, throw something on to wear, and walk to the bathroom. After I splash water on my face, I look at myself in the mirror, and my hair falls around my shoulders. Red velvet, like the curtains that day. I'm not sure why I decided to dye my hair like this, but it suits me. I think it's because it was the last color I saw before the world became duller. Everything now just seems a little bit gray.
I wipe off my face, then walk downstairs to the kitchen. Mom and Dad were talking before, but they immediately stop once I enter the room. I grab a breakfast bar and leave. I sit by the front door to put on my shoes, and I can hear my parents start talking again.
"She's sixteen years old, and just watching her life go by. I wonder how much longer she intends to mope around."
"Don't say that!" Mom scolds. "It's my fault she got this way. She just needs time to heal."
"But seven years, Laura?"
I don't stick around to hear the rest of the conversation. I don't know where I'm headed, but I need to get out of that house. I wander the park, the streets, just looking for something, I don't know what. I look up at the buildings and see her face. Danielle Murano. She's on a giant billboard because she's starring in a new film. She's been successful lately. I try to ignore it.
After a while, I get hungry, and I end up at Q's Bar & Grill. It's one of my usual places. Luckily Todd is on bartending duty, so I sit with him at the bar. He's always looking out for me. Like the uncle I never had. I like him because he doesn't talk much, and he doesn't expect me to talk much either. It's a comfortable silence.
"Hey Cat. The usual?"
"Yes please."
After a moment he hands me an Arnold Palmer. Half iced tea, half lemonade. It's really refreshing.
"Hey miss." I feel someone slide on the stool next to me, and another guy stands over where I'm sitting. I don't look up and just stare at my drink. "Are you alone? How about school? You look like you're in high school."
I take a sip of my drink, hoping they'll go away. They don't.
"Do you want to come somewhere with us? Hey, did you hear me? Hey." He moves closer to me and I'm prepared to splash my drink in his face when Todd's voice stops me.
"Excuse me sirs, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave. We don't allow guys to pick up girls here."
They grumble, swearing as they leave.
"Thanks Todd." I hear myself say.
"No problem." He turns his back to me and keeps working. After a while my burger arrives, and everything falls back into its normal routine. No surprises, no hidden tricks. Just how I like it.
I finish my meal and pay. After I exit the grill, I'm back to wandering the city. I don't get very far when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I jump and turn around. There's a man standing there, dressed in a mishmash of patterned, baggy clothes, and he's not wearing any shoes. His head is nearly bald, but the hair he does have that's ringing his scalp is sticking out in crazy directions. The weirdest part is, he's drinking out of a coconut. This guy must be a crazy homeless person.
"I saw your unfortunate encounter in there. I hope those hooligans don't bother you again."
Oh. He must have some money to go out to eat. So he's not homeless. Just crazy.
"Well," he continues. "You're not in school now? Have you received your mandatory education?"
I just stand there. I'm not quite sure how to respond.
"There's a great place pretty close to here. Why don't you come and take a look at it with me?"
"I'm not like that." I respond. "If you want to play around with some girl, go find someone else."
He stares at me, into my eyes with such intensity, I feel frozen where I stand. He finally speaks. "You have the eyes of an elementary schooler."
What?
"If you don't like what you see, you're free to leave. Why don't you just look at it?"
He turns and walks away. I watch him through the crowd, and my feet start to follow. Something must be wrong with me, because I'm fighting not to lose him.
He turns his head. "It's called Hollywood Arts. I think you'll fit right in."
If he shows any weird behavior, I can just run away. I don't know how far I've followed him but he stops and turns around, flinging out his arms.
"Here it is! This is Hollywood Arts."
I stare at the large building in front of me.
"It's… a school?"
"Not just any school!" He exclaims. "It's a free school. Students who don't go to regular school for whatever reason can come here. It's a place to discover your passion! As long as you are passionate about something, it is art."
I look around at the "students". There's a kid lying on a bench, another plucking a guitar in the field, and others doing equally non-studious activities. The only one who looks like a student is sitting at a lunch table reading a book.
"So what do you think? Would you like to attend? We have a pretty good library, so you can even look up whatever you need or just relax in the grass to read."
I can't take this place seriously.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not so messed up that I belong in an institution that makes no sense."
His face turns serious. "This is not an institution. This is like a home away from home. Do you have a place you feel you belong right now?"
Who does this guy think he is? "You… how would you…!"
"Morning Sikowitz. Who's this?" I look over to see the boy who was reading the book earlier. He's tall with olive skin and dark hair. I can't help but notice how handsome he is. "Wait, I recognize you. You're… Cat, right? Cat, who lost her voice. You look so different with the red hair. I went to see your show, opening day."
That's right. Cat Who Lost Her Voice. It made the news. For fifteen minutes until the curtains closed, I was under full spotlight, still as a statue in the middle of the stage.
"So you're going to start coming here?" The boy kept talking.
I didn't know what to do. I ran. I ran and ran until I came to the park by my house. I was completely out of breath, and completely confused. What was that place? Is my failure still that well known? I grabbed one of the swings and rocked back and forth, while thoughts swirled in my head. I don't understand!
"Hey." I shoot my head up. There's a boy with curly hair and glasses standing behind two little girls. "I think these girls want to use the swings. Do you mind moving? Please?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah." I get up and walk over to the benches as the girls jump on the swings. They say their "thank you"s to the boy, and I watch them play for a bit. The boy sits next to me on the bench.
"Cat, right? You haven't changed. You were always spacing out in elementary school. Well, your hair is different. But it looks good on you."
I turn to him. "Elementary school…?" is all I manage to get out.
"You don't remember? I'm Robbie. Robbie Shapiro."
A/N: Yes, yes, I know, Cat is kinda depressing. But this is her journey of finding love and life after going so long without them! Review and let me know what you think. I have a feeling I'm gonna have fun with this story :)