When we start off in this world we are brand spanking new, our parents, family, friends, lovers, and the good and the bad will shape us into the adults we become. Me, on the other hand, I was surrounded more by my mother, my best friend, and the piano nothing less and nothing more, just us.

But today, rather than standing in a room with people surrounding me with sympathy and consoling me on my lost wasn't what I wanted but my father wanted me here, and morbidly I didn't take interest in the funeral arrangement or entertaining guest. Instead, I have set myself in the only room that has found me solace which has been left in the dark since the hospitalization, collecting dust with music notes laying along the floor reminding me of the temper my father carried from hearing about my mother's passing.

I relieve myself by sitting at the bench, tracing my finger along the music rack removing the dust that has been collecting over the past four weeks. I was being careful not touch the fall that covers the keys I haven't come close to touching the keys or the fall ever since Mother was hospitalized. Tears started to collect in my eyes, as I've been attempting to not shred anymore today so I begin to think about different colors in my head. I read up that thinking about colors a repeating them can stop the tears, but sadly they haven't helped.

Then slowly the door begins to open, letting in visible light, I was no longer placed in the shadows. "Rayna, everyone is leaving now," Anna speaks softly, holding herself at the door not stepping another foot into the room.

Anna was my best friend and everything I wanted to be, her perspective in life was something my Mother would called reckless but she too me was so elegant and confident in herself something I could never retain. Her voice was rugged and soft and the way she killed the hippie vibe made me admire her but today she wasn't in her regular get up, she was in a lacy black dress hugging her in every which way.

"You okay?" She asks, before widening the door allowing the light to seep into the room more.

I shuffle my body removing myself from the bench, wiping the tears away with my finger then adjusting my dress, "Yeah, I'm good." I mumble, proceeding to close the door glaring back at the piano.

"Okay?" Anna utters before placing her hand on my back, her eyes brows knitted together. Her phone begins to ring as she apologizes for the interruption, removing herself from the hallway out the door to the fresh Florida air that was left open for the wake.

I felt a warm stern hand rest upon my shoulder, knowing the scent of rich oak cologne telling me it was my Father afraid to turn and look into his eyes I continue to stare at Anna talking on the phone. Distracting me from how small the doorway entrance was now, with my father six-foot structure.

"You missed the wake, people were wondering where you were Rayna." My father's stern voice hitting me like bricks, he wasn't mad he was disappointed. Disappointed that I didn't talk to a single family member and the fact that I locked myself in any room possible, to escape this distress of the wake.

I exhale slouching my shoulders forward; knowing what was going to come next. "I know, but Dad I just couldn't face seeing her. Seeing her just lay there, motionless Dad I just couldn't." I draw my arms around myself, knowing that he wouldn't push me any further into answering him.

He grips my shoulder tightly, attempting to console me but soon his presence is gone. That's how it was between my Father and I we didn't talk but we are just comfortable with being beside each other, and Mother was totally opposite she was comforting and could talk for ages on end. When I was little I always thought that we lived the life of Mama Mia, and Mother didn't know who my father was and Father was just one-third of the equation.

Anna appears in the doorway, taking me away from my thoughts, she was trying to keep her self-mellow instead of being her high-strung attitude it was probably her Minnesota boyfriend Nathan who was air quote "pro basketball player".

She met him online and hasn't been able to stop talking about him 94 to him since pre-tinder days, but she's head over heels for him, and I wish I could have someone like that but on the other hand I don't want no heart break. All good things come to an end.

"Nathan?" I asked her, knowing that with saying his name a huge grin would appear on her face and I wasn't wrong either.

"Yeah," She says with a grin, tucking her perfectly straighten hair behind her ear acting shy. "He wants to come visit me." She wants to jump with glee, tucking her phone into her over the shoulder quilted bag.

Forcing myself to smile, "That's terrific Anna," She looks at me with a hint of reassurance, as my forced smile slowly fades away.

Her smile leads into a sympathy smile, "Do you need help cleaning up?" She begins clearing the empty cups of the entry table. Her face held a stern look as she goes to pass me as I continue to stare at her wanting to tell her to stop, but couldn't bring myself to do it instead I followed her to the kitchen.

The light streams through the skylight as my Father is seen outside on the balcony talking on a then phone, with whiskey on the rocks in the palm of his hand. God, if Mother was here to see Father on the balcony she would laugh he's has never even set a foot outside the back door let alone sitting in a chair.

As Anna stood in front of me blocking my view from the porch,"Hey," She places her hand on my arm, "Are you really okay? We can go for a walk."

I shake my head in agreement; I needed to get out of this house away from the atmosphere and the coldness of my father. I knew that in a few hours, Father would leave on the next plane to New York and I'll be stuck at home attempting to apply myself to college the next following week.

We walk out the door, entering the sidewalk heading toward the public beach. I breathe in the salt air, "God," I finally let my voice ring free, "God Anna, that was so depressing." I say morbidly, turning towards her.

We both stare at each other, attempting to hide our smiles before bursting into laughter, holding on to our stomach and bubbling over with giddiness. To someone on the outside, we would look like crazy people, but this was how we've always been.

Finally settling down, tears start to brim my eyes soon rolling down like a river. "How miraculously sad that was?"

My mother was so much more than a wake; her life should've been celebrated not humiliated. While everyone stared at her lifeless body, she couldn't move, couldn't talk but lay there in her casket and I just couldn't stand it!

Anna knows not to console me when I'm in this state so she stand's there a looking out at the ocean, taking in the scenic view as kids played along the sand, laughing because being a kid was so happy and why couldn't I be that happy? I know I didn't have the ideal childhood, but I had my mom and that was good enough for me.

Anna's phone begins to ring for the fourth time today; she fiddles for her phone stuck in her purse before answering it mouthing to me it's her mother. Probably trying to force her to watch the kids like she usual did, in exchange for her parents paying for her phone and they even supplying her with a Range Rover. Yet she doesn't like driving it she says it reminds her that some people in this world can't afford things and would rather sell it. But her parents won't allow it, but she gets around by walking.

She finally hangs up the phone, rolling her eyes in annoyance. "Well that was Mom," She sighs, "She wants me to watch their kids while Dad and she go out, you want to come?" She places her hand on her hip and gripping her cell phone tightly with her other one.

"Yeah, sure why not?" I shrug my shoulders; I'm okay with going anywhere as long as it's not at home.

"Great, I really don't want to leave you plus William and Kate haven't seen you in a while." She looks around the beach before nodding her head and we travel the path to her house, one good thing about our living situations we live exactly ten-minute walk from each other.

"Yeah, how are they doing anyways?" I ask her about William and Kate, I seriously feel bad for the kids. Anna's parents are head over heel in love with the Royal Family and can't get enough of them, really her Mom is a Historian and her Dad is an Anthropologist he's the people of the people and whenever I came over I wished that my family was as wholesome as theirs.

"William can finally count to twenty, and Kate is still being the genius in the family." She smiles before we enter her backyard unhinging the door from the lock and I'm so attacked by Will and Kate practically causing me to fall over.

I didn't know what to say to them, but Anna soon cuts in and tells them to scram as they run back inside yelling at their parents about Anna being mean. Which always caused me to smile; I don't know how many times I admired this family and their kindness towards me.

"Sorry about that, they don't know their boundaries." She smiles, grabbing my hand and taking me into the four bedroom mansion. The ceilings looked like they would never end, and the carpet soft against my bare feet.

Her parent's looked at me at me, Anna pulled so much from both her parents it was uncanny and I wish that my Father was more considerate. "Oh Rayna, we missed you at the wake. Your mom looked beautiful."

They both take me into a group hug, they smelled like peppermint and I never wanted them to let me go and with that they released me smiles pressed to their cheeks. "You know we are always here Rayna, don't forget." Anna's Mother says, grabbing my head and lightly kissing me on the forehead.

I shred a light tear, grasping for air. "I know," I utter, "Thank you Mrs. Leslie." Attempting to smile, before I break down again and feeling so much loved over whelmed me.

Anna's parents turn to her, "Make sure they get to bed at eight, and don't force Rayna to babysit." Mr. Leslie says before turning back at me. "You have no obligation to stay Rayna." He smiles at me before placing Mrs. Leslie coat on top of her shoulders.

"Yeah I know Dad it isn't my first time watching them," Anna mumbles towards her parents as she opens the door for them. "Now go and enjoy the night." She ushers them out the door, smiles everywhere as William and Kate run down the stairs hugging onto their parents tightly not wanting to let go.

Anna soon ushers her siblings inside sitting down at the projection screen T.V putting on The Secret Life of Pets, as we head to the kitchen placing the popcorn bag in the microwave. "So, when does school start for you?" Anna asks, ripping open her granola wrapper.

I look at her, hoping I could carry as much grace as she did. Even the way she opened her wrapper and chewed her food oddly made me want to be that person, "Yeah, it starts next week. But I don't think I'm going to go." I answer her, avoiding eye contact because I know the way she's going to react.

"What? Rayna, you can't!" She grips my arm, and I know she's right I received a full ride scholarship to Julliard.

I was dubbed the "Human Metronome" for my near-inhuman mechanical accuracy, a product of my mother's goal she had set for herself a long time ago. My ability to play the piano with unparalleled precision made me one of the highest and most pristine pianist to set foot in young adult hood, I know everyone and anyone would kill to be in my spot.

But I couldn't dream of becoming something my mom always wanted, but now she can't see me play for her. "I don't know, it's a big move and you know with Mother and all, I just-"

"Anna, Anna! Kate won't pause the movie!" William runs into the kitchen crossing his legs, and moving up and down. Anna looks at me, apologizing for the interruption before heading into the theater room her voice booming allowing me to hear her perfectly clear.

I pull the popcorn out of the microwave emptying it into the large bowl; I always wished I had the lifestyle where I had siblings to lean on. Even talking to Anna about everything was a bit hard when she had her own family problems, and I respect that but wished and craved to have someone that close to me.

I go to the door not wanting to impose on Anna anymore today; I slip on my shoes before Anna comes rumbling into the foyer. "Hey, sorry about that William-" She pauses before speaking again, looking at me. "What happened? Why are you leaving?"

"I'm just going to go, you seem to be pretty busy and Dad want's me back home." I point toward my phone; she narrows her eyes on me making me nervous at the stare. I was a terrible liar and I hope this one time she would let it sly.

"Okay," She shrugs her shoulders before embracing me for a hug, "Call me when you get home, okay?"

"Of course," Anna releases me from her grasp, "I'll see you tomorrow." I smile, before heading out the door not wanting to return home I head to our local park.

The swings have always given me solitude when everything wasn't going alright, the swings somehow made everything feel alright that I was only human and things happen for a reason.

As I finally got enough air between me and the ground, when suddenly a figure appears from across the yard. Wide shoulders and a puff of a cigar and he wasn't just passing by but actually coming towards me...

Well guys, first chapter of the second book in the Trilogy The Art Of Loving! I hope you enjoyed and don't be afraid to vote, and comment! Do you think that Rayna will go to Julliard? And who's that mysterious figure coming towards her?

THANK YOU, LOVE BRI