Chapter Text
My fingers fly across the black and white keys, making a beautiful symphony of rhythmical music. I sit before my grand piano, and the song finished with a breathtaking crescendo. La Campanella by Franz Liszt has always been a challenge- and a favorite. Your fingers have to be nimble and precise, or you risk messing up the entire piece, which is not to be attempted by the faint of heart. I take a deep breath and look out to the sunset through the full-wall window in my arts department. The sky is still blue, fading into yellow where the sun makes its grave on the horizon. The light makes the clouds appear to be orange and pink poofs of cotton candy. I practically begged my parents for this window renovation, and since I’ve never asked for anything in my life, they consented. This room is my safe space, where I can let my forced passions loose and just… think. Yes, my parents forced me to learn the piano, electric guitar, violin, pottery, and painting, and no, I will never admit to them how much I’ve grown to love these hobbies. Especially the piano. At first, I hated that they made me learn all of these instruments and learn each technique in these arts, but eventually, they became part of my personality. I love them all. Besides, they wouldn’t let me quit any of the activities if I wanted to (they don’t care what I think), and they have the money to afford every grand piano and pottery instructor they want. My parents are rich, but they never spoiled me. Instead, they put all of the pressure of being their perfect daughter and future heir to the company on to a child. I hadn’t realized I had spaced out until there was a knock on the door, and a familiar voice calls my name.
“Scarlett? Your parents are requesting your presence for dinner.” I sigh. This should be interesting. “Coming,” I say, and walk to the door. When I open it, I see my personal maid-best friend standing, waiting patiently to escort me to the dinning room. I’ve known Lucy since I was 10, when her mom came to be a maid for my parents, and little 12 year old Lucy had to come along. Since I’ve been homeschooled my whole life and am not allowed to have any fun, Lucy and I grew close, being the only children in my giant mansion. We would hang out in my room, playing dress up with Gucci and Prada high-heels and handbags. Sometimes I would take her to my arts department and attempt to teach her even the basics of piano. Our little lessons would always end early due to the fact that Lucy couldn’t play a single hand exercise for the life of her. But once Lucy turned 14 and was able to work, she and I convinced my parents to let her be my personal maid. Although that’s the official title we’ve given her, I don’t let Lucy do a grand majority of my chores. She tries to let me let her do them, but I don’t want to look like a spoiled brat, having my best friend do my laundry for me, when I’m perfectly capable of doing it myself. I link my arm through hers as we walk, and I say, “So, when you say they, requested, my presence, what do you mean exactly?”
“Well,” Lucy starts, “their exact words were, ‘Get that disgrace of a daughter down for dinner before we consider her a complete failure and waste of money.’”
Lucy gives me a concerned look. She’s the only one who knows about how my parents mentally abuse and manipulate me. I would go to bed crying sometimes after disappointing my parents, sometimes hoping that one of them would come up to comfort or console me in any way, but it was always Lucy, and I love her for it. And it does hurt, knowing that’s how mother and father feel about their only child. But I brush it off, like I always do. At least, I brush it off during the day, when I can pretend I’m fine. “Well, I’m glad they’re expanding their vocabulary.” Lucy knows I’m deflecting, and so do I, by she humors me, just for today by smiling ever so slightly. But it returns to a solemn look in an instant. “I’m going to miss you,” she says softly. We’ve never been apart before. I’ve always been close by, but now Lucy will be alone, and will probably be transferred to the regular staff-maids. “I’m going to miss you too, Lucy,” I respond.
We’ve made it to the dining room. A long mahogany table stretches out nearly to the end of the room, lined up with around a dozen matching chairs. A crystal chandelier hangs above the middle of the table, reflecting light across the whole room. The floor is made up of perfectly polished marble, which adds to the brightness of the vicinity. Usually, the whole table would be filled with entire chickens, many bowls of salad, bread rolls, and more extravagant foods (seeing as this is the business dining room, where mother and father eat with their business partners to try and win them over), but today, there are only 3 plates; father and mother have chose one end of the table with theirs, and my plate seems to be on the opposite end. So this is a business meeting, I think. They have always been so formal, so strict. So… them.
“Sit,” my mother orders, and I obey immediately. Old habits are about to die a very cruel death in this room. I’ve never disobeyed before. Always done what I was told, always was their perfect daughter. But this is my life, not theirs. You can’t control me anymore. I begin to eat as my mother talks, her voice tense. “So. Your last night.” I hum in agreement with my mouth full. “Just know that we will not be compensating your travel expenses.” “Or any other expenses, for that matter,” my father adds. “You are choosing to leave your perfect life-“ I almost choke from laughter. “-so all of your privileges will be taken away.” I have been expecting this, so it doesn’t faze me. But I act indifferent, just to annoy them a little bit more. “Ok,” I say, unbothered, and quite cheerfully. My parents look at me, unimpressed, as if I don’t recognize the full consequences of my actions. But little do they know that I have been saving money for this moment my entire life, for the moment when I could leave my “perfect” life and live happily on my own, not waiting for anyone’s approval.
My mother continues. “Grandfather left you that plot of land in Stardew Valley, and we told you to sell it off. Joja Corp. would have taken it for whatever price tag you placed. They were desperate. Why didn’t you do what we asked?” I stare at my mother, my expression cleared of emotion. “Because, it’s my land that I can do what I please with. This is my choice. I don’t see why you two can’t accept that.” “We gave you everything,” my father says, “and now you’re leaving us. We gave you everything, and this is how you’re repaying us?” My eye twitches. I can’t help it. They did indeed give me everything, except their love.
The dinner-meeting ends when I’ve cleaned my plate, and as I walk out back to my room to finish some last minute packing, my mother calls me. “Scarlett.” I turn, expecting some unoriginal insults to be thrown my way, but instead, my mother says, “Don’t expect us to be very forgiving when you decide to come to your senses and return, because I know this won’t last very long- this little rebellion you have. See to it that when you do return, you give up any dreams of leaving again. Your father and I have worked our way up to build you this company that you will be inheriting, and we are not going to let all of our work on you go to waste.” I shake my head. “You don’t get it, do you? I’m not coming back, and I don’t want your stupid company. Give it to a stranger for all I care. I don’t ever want to return to this life ever again.”
I have never spoken out so boldly to one of my parents, and it feels good. I leave the dinning room with my mother’s face stunned and jaw hanging. When I make it back to my room, I collapse face-first onto my bed. That was the most intense interaction I’ve ever had with my parents. I hope I made them see that I’m not their little puppet anymore, but Yoba knows they don’t give up that easily, and they’ll probably find a way to ruin my life while I’m away. But living a new life in fear is no way to live, so I sit up, and start my last-minute packing. The next morning, I’ll be shipping my luggage and myself to Pelican Town in Stardew Valley, to fulfill my grandfathers dream as well as my own- to start a farm in a small village, and to get as far away from my parents as possible.