Page 43 of The Sins of Noelle

Rubbing at her eyes, she peered around, spotting the countless drafts she'd discarded in her search for the perfect sound. And slowly, the information started to trickle inside her sluggish brain.

The school contest was at the end of the week. And Noelle felt far from prepared even though objectively she wasoverprepared.

Each student was supposed to present two personal compositions, each following a specific theme.

Noelle's first piece was done. She'd worked on it for months, and technically it was the best she'd done so far. Yet it was the second piece that called to her more. The one she'd only recently come up with but had struggled to find an ending for.

She'd finally managed to complete it, but the seeds of doubt had been planted.

Usually, though she continuously worked to perfect her compositions, she always had an inkling of what the final product would look like. It was instinct that drove her just as much as her vast knowledge of musical theory.

But for this second piece nothing had worked as usual.

She'd written the first part in a frenzy, almost as if her creativity had a mind of its own, longing to burst through the surface through the tip of her pencil. It had erupted like a bubbling volcano until the magma had dried out, as had her inspiration.

Though she'd finished it, she still felt something was off.

Sighing, she rose from her seat, stretching as she went to the window. The drops of rain stuck to the glass before they trailed down. Her fingers absentmindedly traced their advance.

Noelle needed to win.

She might have had a mini mental breakdown the other day regarding her future and the futility of her dreams. But as she'd calmed down, she had realized her success was the key toeverything. And Elena's vanity would be Noelle's way out.

Though she was certain her mother couldn't wait to use her in a much awaited arranged marriage to benefit the family name, Elena also loved to brag about her daughter's talent and encouraged Noelle to challenge herself with competitions, recitals and concerts.

By setting Noelle up for success, Elena was also setting her up for freedom.

So what if her family would eventually require her to marry someone of their choosing? It didn't mean Noelle had to do it. If she became successful enough to make a living off her talent she would not have to depend on her family.

As such, she'd realized that her best bet was to give her absolute best and make herself known in the music world. If she became famous enough, no one would be able to force her to do anything.

She would be master of her own fate.

And so, with her mind clear, Noelle had set about making a detailed plan. Not only would she win the school contest and perform at Carnegie Hall, but she would take advantage of the opportunity to network with important people in the field in order to pave her way further.

Everyone had praised her asthepianist of her generation. It was high time she lived up to that name.

Looking out the window, she spotted her brother exiting his car, followed by his wife and their son, Val. Noelle decided to take a break and as she arranged her materials neatly on the piano, she went downstairs to greet them.

"Cisco," she called from the top of the stairs as she ran down.

Cisco stopped in his tracks, a smile tugging at his lips as he opened his arms for her to jump into.

"And here's my little Clara," he chuckled affectionately as he gave her a big hug.

Oftentimes, he liked to tease her like that, calling her Clara for Clara Schumann, one of the most famous pianists and composers of her time.

"How long are you staying?" She asked, hoping they could make the time to come watch her competition. Though Cisco and Yuyu still lived in the city, they were often away for business and had a busy schedule.

Noelle had no friends, and she didn't consider anyone else in her family remotely close, but Cisco and his wife were different.

They were the only ones to have ever taken her side.

Of course, there were her other two brothers, Thadeo and Amo, but they were even more absent from home. Thadeo had married some years before and he'd moved with his wife on the West Coast, while Amo was a self-confessed nomad. She supposed she got along better with Amo, since he had a more youthful temperament while Thadeo had always been the most serious of siblings.

Still, no one had been as good to her as Cisco, who'd made it his mission to help her navigate life and social relationships. Then there was Yuyu, his wife, who'd been more of a mother figure than her own mother. In her, Noelle had always found warmth and words of praise instead of the constant criticism she'd come to associate with Elena.

"A couple days," he winced. "I know you have your contest at the end of the week, but maybe you'll welcome us to the rehearsal instead?"

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