RYKER
The lights dim and she steps onto the stage. Around her there is nothing but a halo of light. She smiles and waves at the small crowd, but I know she’s nervous. I know her smile is tainted with memories she’d rather forget. But she never will. Neither of us will. They are part of us now, but a part we can face together.
“Thank you all for coming,” she says into the microphone.
Roxy lets out a whoop and the crowd laughs.
“Tonight, I want to sing for no other reason than I have a voice. It’s a song someone here introduced me to. A Metallica song, in fact.” The crowd chuckles at that. “Ryker, this song is for you.”
She lifts her hand to shield her eyes from the glare of the light and scans the crowd. She smiles. And it’s all for me. Her dark hair frames her face and falls over her shoulder. She’s so beautiful under the halo of light that it takes my breath away.
Somehow, for some reason, she chose to forgive me. Somehow, for some reason, she chose me. Every day I am grateful. Every day gives me the chance to earn that love. To make up for the mistakes of my past.
It’s taken her nine months since escaping the clutches of the Attertons to pluck up the courage to sing again. This is the first time and she chose this time, this situation to do it. She sees it as a way to shake her fist at the memory of Sebastian. As a way to reclaim her old life before leaving it forever.
Tomorrow, she and I leave for the city. The trial starts in a few days and we are both required to be there, so we took the opportunity to start over. Start fresh. New memories to overshadow the old.
She’s enrolled in teachers’ college. Roxy’s father has managed to get me a job as security at one of the city’s casinos. It’s not something I want to be doing for the rest of my life, but it’s a start.
As she opens her mouth and the first note floats into the air, the world falls silent. Her voice is so pure and flawless, filled with such emotion. She wavers on one of the notes, the melody so low, and her eyes seek mine through the darkness. I stand, locking my gaze on her and letting her know that I’m here.
I always will be.
Surrounding one of the tables, Abigail and Samuel watch Mia with tears in their eyes. They hold each other’s hands so tightly you can see the white patches on their knuckles. They’re saying goodbye to their baby girl tonight. But it’s only for a while. No doubt there will be countless visits. Everly and Lily sit beside them. My mother looks over at me and smiles.
The Attertons took my family from me. They denied me the life I should have had, in order to feed their selfish desires. Mr Atterton was a collector, but he destroyed things rather than making them whole. He kept them locked up, away from the light they needed to shine.
When the last note graces the air, Mia jumps down from the stage, pushing her way through the people until she reaches me, throwing her arms around my neck and pushing her lips to mine.
The Attertons tried to destroy my family but they didn’t succeed.
And now, I get to choose my own.
I choose Mia.
And she chooses me.
Nothing else matters.