Just outside the door, there was a light jingle as keys were inserted into the keyhole. A second later, the door creaked open, and Carol walked inside, gripping her purse and wandering her eyes across the hallway and stairs.
"I'm home!" she called out.
Alas, the only response she received was silence. Of course no one responded. No one was ever home.
Carol stretched and yawned as she turned left towards the living room. It was a fine living room, not laden with unnecessary electronics such as TVs or computers. It was very old fashioned actually; bookshelves were littered across the room, filled to the brim with rows of hardcover books, old and new. Paintings were hung up all over the place, perhaps some decorations on shelves such as bases and family photos. A grand piano was placed in the corner of the room, while a grandfather clock was placed at the center of the wall, the pendulum swinging and clock forever ticking.
She fished her phone out of her purse and unlocked it, swiping through several emails she didn't care about to check her reminders for the day. Let's see, there was piano practice, a test she had to study for, some homework assignment, and of course, nothing from Mom or Dad.
Sigh. She rolled her eyes as she locked her phone and shoved it back into her purse. So, both her parents worked. She'd take that any day over a financially unstable situation. They both raked in the dough, and that was what mattered. But would it hurt for them to send a quick message? How hard could it be to spend less than a minute saying "Hi Carol, hope you had a good school day, love you!"
Actually, scratch that. They'd probably say something along the lines of "Keep your grades up!" or "Don't forget to practice piano today!" Thanks, must have missed the memo at tea time. It's not like she wasn't already working all the flippin' time, though they'd probably know that if they actually talked to her once in a while...
That's all they ever cared about, Carol thought as she rolled her eyes and tossed her purse to the side. They were never satisfied. They'd give her a lecture if she was deemed a failure, and they'd always rip apart any semblance of success she had. You got an A? That could have been an A+ if you weren't slacking off on the piano so much! Oh, your performance at carnegie hall had a few blunders, you better work on polishing them! Why aren't you taking all the extra credit, don't you care about your future!?
With a groan, Carol dropped herself down on the couch, putting her arms behind her head and now staring at the ceiling above. Aaaahhhh, finally. A moment to herself in this crazy chaotic world around her. Nothing was more appealing than dropping down and succumbing to the comforting allure of the cushiony goodness below. She didn't have to worry about maintaining proper decorum or paying attention in class. That one hundred word monologue today? Several mugs of coffee went into that project, from when she painstakingly wrote her lines, the hours she spent practicing by herself, and when she absolutely nailed the final product in front of the entire class today. She could still hear that thunderous applause, a magnificent display of her absolute perfection! With that in mind, she could let herself sink further into the couch, resting assured that there was a perfect A+ in her future. She earned it.…
Tick, tick, tick, tick
The grandfather clock on the wall continued making that monotonous noise, giving life to what would otherwise be a room filled with total silence. It was a nice change of pace listening to the consistent beat of the pendulum. Its sole purpose was to repeat the same motion it always did, and keep it up forever. Of course, it wouldn't actually keep going forever, at some point it was gonna stop. But Carol was perfectly content hearing this until the end of time.
Tick, tick, tick, tick
She couldn't help but let her mind wander however as she lied on the couch and stared at the ceiling. There was a consistent pattern across the entire area, a mesh of shapes and designs all interconnecting to create a cohesive artistic display. Off the corner of her eye, she saw the ceiling fan creak and spin slowly, enough to see the dust covering the sides of the blades. When Carol took a moment to appreciate the things around her, she truly realized just how much went on in her world, ranging from the ambient noise to the little aesthetic details she was perpetually surrounded by. There was always something happening in her life.
Tick, tick, tick, tick
Yeah, there was always something happening in her life. The clock was ticking, time was running out, and every second counted. The presentation was just the beginning, the first of several others in the year! She still had a few upcoming tests to worry about, there were a few homework assignments to do today, she had to practice the piano… Life was always abuzz with things to do.
Tick, tick, tick, tick
She always had to plan several steps ahead. For a busy girl like her, there simply wasn't any room for procrastination or slacking off. But alas, as much as she wanted to be, she wasn't perfect. Even she could enjoy a moment to herself on this couch. Everyone deserves a moment to themselves, right? But sooner or later, she'd have to get up and take care of twenty other responsibilities she had in her life.
Tick, tick, tick, tick
She loved her work, she really did! But they were exactly that: work. That was her life in a nutshell, wasn't it? Just work and work with no end in sight. But good things came to those who worked hard for it. She of all people knew that! Look at her, getting top marks on her assignments, enriching herself with her extracurriculars… people loved her work!
Tick, tick, tick, tick
At least, most people did. There was Lori, basically spitting in the face of all her hard work. But despite her blatant show of respect, Lori already won at life. The way she so lovingly cared for her siblings, gosh it was so beautiful. There was that kindness and care in every action she took, taking time out of her life to drive them all home, the gentle reminder to put on the seatbelt, helping her little brother with a science project, even that look she gave them as she drove away! From the way the kids looked up to Lori too, from the affectionate hugs to the way they all listened to her, Lori received all the love and appreciation she needed.
Tick, tick, tick, tick
Thinking about that display of affection in the end still made Carol's heart flutter. Did she have anything to show for herself? Sure, people would applaud her for a good presentation, but did they care about her?
Tick, tick, tick, tick
What would happen if she stopped everything she did? Would anyone care about her?
Tick, tick, tick, tick
What was the point of any of this? Why did she even bother?
Suddenly, the clock struck 4:00, and Carol gasped as she was jolted upright by the gonging. Clutching her chest, she turned to actually look at the clock to confirm the time, seeing the pendulum swing all so often. It was what, 2:45 when she got home? Whatever, that wasn't important. She stood up from the couch and shook her head, all these worries out of her mind. There just wasn't enough time. There was never enough time. All this time, spent dwelling on these insignificant thoughts! Pffffft.
Dismissing that with a wave of her hand, she made her way towards the grand piano on the other side of the room. Might as well get piano practice out of the way. Thirty minutes a day, that was the motto.
The grand piano was a Boston Steinway, the absolute best of its kind. There was always a little burst of sentimentality as she pulled the seat out, brushed some dust off, and sat herself down, ready to give yet another heartfelt performance. Feet on floor, knees together, hands on lap, and a deep breath. She always took a minute to just appreciate the sight before her. Carol remembered the first time she laid her eyes upon this magnificent beauty. Something about it called to her from the very beginning. The shine of the lacquer and the glint of the logo, the polish of the keys and the glimmer of the strings! A few specks of dust here and there, but they only served as a reminder of all these years she lovingly cared for it. This was her instrument, and it would sing her song for as long as she lived.
Finally, she lifted her hands and positioned them over the keys, gently lowering them and beginning Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.
The piece began with a triplet configuration played in pianissimo, a soft tune very familiar and dear to herself. There was no need to pull up the sheet music, she knew all the notes by heart and poured her soul into this masterpiece. Playing this piece put her in a trance, the clock was no longer a factor as she became completely engrossed in the moment. There was a delicacy to her touch, peace in her mind, and the room was now filled with a solemn atmosphere represented in song. And Carol was in the center of it all, bringing life and peace to the monotony of the room.
From her younger years to where she was now, this song was always present in her life. There was always room for improvement. From when she took the first step remembering the notes, to the constant scolding from her parents and teachers, countless days were spent painstakingly practicing this song. Even now, she could play purely from memory, yet a part of her was always critical. A little mistake here, not enough emphasis there, despite her years of practice, there was always more to be done.
Still, as the song continued playing, she'd lose herself in the moment, with nothing mattering aside from herself and her beloved instrument. The piano was her voice, the culmination of her innermost thoughts and feelings manifesting itself in the song of choice. She turned to it when there was nowhere else to go.
The last note was played, and Carol held her fingers down, letting it resonate as long as it could. The sound was held for several seconds, incrementally softer and softer, before it eventually faded into nothingness.
Carol slowly opened her eyes, only to be greeted with the same dead atmosphere; the same cold empty and lifeless room, with the ticking grandfather clock providing the only life it had.
Where was applause? Where was the praise? There weren't any parents or friends or classmates to cheer her on. No one was here to hear her pour her heart and soul into this masterpiece.
Not even Lori was here to mock her.
Heh, somehow that girl creeped her way into Carol's thoughts again. If she had the gall to completely diss the perfect presentation, what would she see in a piano performance riddled with flaws? She could hear the scoff and groan echo in her mind, accompanied by an eyeroll and a head on the desk. Some people just couldn't be impressed.
But what else could she do? She's come so far. She's worked hard all this time. For attention, for pride, for reasons she could no longer discern. This was the only life she ever knew. When she wasn't in the classroom, she would forever play for an empty audience.
With a sigh, she put her fingers atop the keys and lowered them once more, playing the same forlorn tune from before. Some day, someone will hear her. Until then, she'd play on and on, pushing the problems aside for another day.