The Taste of Silver | Fortune's Fool #2

29 | cry me rivers

[ c r y   m e   r i v e r s ]

♥ talisa ♥

*disclaimer: sensitive topics, please see note at the start of the book for more info! (also, major revelations so keep me updated on your reactions with comments pls...)*

EVENTUALLY, THE SHOW kicked off with my uncle harping on about the special bond between Ivan and my mother, who were 'simply meant for each other and destined to find each other in their lifetime'. Gabriel elbowed me sharply when I started silent gagging during his heartfelt speech. 

A few acts followed, which almost bored me to sleep, before my uncle reappeared and alerted the audience of a special performance.

Shortly after this, my two half-siblings performed a rendition of some classical song. Dmitri, my seven year old brother, confidently played the violin whilst Svetlana was at the piano. Everyone thought she was a child prodigy pianist. After all, how often did one meet a four year old who could play so many Beethoven without sheet music?

But truthfully, I knew it was much more than that.

Nobody saw how hard that child worked. My grandparents had barely given her a damn chance to leave the hospital as an baby before allocating her daily music tuitions with some famous musician. I forced my lips into a straight-line when they began to curve upwards thinking about her. I could still remember her giving me a headache playing 'twinkle twinkle little star' on repeat when I was sitting my GCSE's. There was honestly nothing more torturous.

I began shifting in my seat uncomfortably at the thought of my childhood musical endeavours.

Half-term holidays at my grandparent's house during primary school, where I'd been refused dinner unless I could play Tchaikovsky pieces without a misplaced key.

At the start of my childhood, this acted as motivation for musical perfection yet as I got older, it became an incentive to make a plethora of multiple errors, just to irk them. Especially when they knew I could play the pieces like the back of my hand.

I always grew skinnier during the school holidays and my peers loved me for it. Each term started with a tiny waist and long legs, until it became a norm.

When my father found out just how I'd managed to achieve grade 8 piano under the age of ten, he went ballistic.

I could still remember when he sat me down, asking if I actually enjoyed playing music. I could almost hear my reply in my head. 'Yes, but I'd prefer karate any day' followed by a rendition of my moves I'd learnt at the last practice session. The result? The number of karate classes I attended bumped up in number and I never touched the piano again.

Svetlana and Dmitri were more protected than I was. With Ivan's beautiful blonde hair and pearly white skin, my grandparent's had seemingly grown a heart towards them. They were simply angels, whilst I was quite literally the black sheep of the family. A few years ago, I used to despise them for the affection they were given, but now I was dare-I-say thankful that they would never have to experience the things I did.

"That was absolutely incredible," Gabriel commented, with more energy than I anticipated. Clearly, the five champagne flutes were finally kicking in. He angled his head to the side, dark curls falling onto his face slightly and quirked a half-smile. "Clearly, the musical genes seems to have skipped a sibling."

"Yeah, you have no idea," I raised my eyebrows ironically. "Ivan must have some musicality running in his blood, because I certainly do not."

The evening ended with a ballet piece by Zhenya. She had been the youngest ever girl to gain acceptance into The Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Russia and I could see why.  Zhenya didn't look human when she danced. It was almost an alien kind of beauty, too perfect to be real, floating around the stage like a swan gliding through the clouds.