Page 17 of Symphony for Lies

Six a.m. The morning had arrived too quickly.

I stood in front of the bathroom mirror. My brown eyes were glassy, with dark shadows beneath them. My skin looked pale, and my lips were slightly swollen from sleep.

I let out a yawn and stretched before splashing cold water onto my face. The events of the previous night pushed their way back into my sluggish mind.

The Cole family. On the outside, they were perfect, wealthy, and untouchable. But behind that flawless facade hid loneliness, control, and unspoken tension.

Simon was afraid of being alone. Mrs. Cole was caught between ambition and bitterness. Mr. Cole just did what he liked. And then... there was Zane.

I squeezed my eyes shut as his gaze resurfaced in my thoughts.“I thought you were taller.”It had been such an odd remark. Casual, yet deliberate.

Why did he…? No. I shouldn’t care. He shouldn’t matter.

With a sigh, I shoved those thoughts away.

After getting dressed in comfortable jeans and a black sweatshirt, I pulled back a few strands of my dark brown hair, pinning them out of myface. The length was too short to tie up properly, but at least it wouldn’t fall into my eyes.

Ready for the day, I quietly snuck downstairs, careful to not wake my grandmother, and slipped out the door without breakfast.

There was a bakery right next to the clinic, and just the thought of getting hot, fresh coffee after the police interview made the morning slightly bearable.

The early morning lights stretched over the rooftops in golden hues, and the neighborhood was quiet, calm, almost peaceful. And motivating. I could hear the birds chirping, the gentle rush of the wind, and the distant hum of cars passing by on the streets.

To wake myself up and mentally prepare for the interrogation, I decided to walk to work instead of taking the bus.

I didn’t have a driver’s license, and honestly, I never wanted one. My family history weighed too heavily on me.

Taking a shortcut through the park, I stepped carefully over the small twigs that snapped beneath my feet.

A few cyclists rode past, speeding down the bike path, and I let the feeling of nature surround and ground me.

And then I heard a soft sound… like wind chimes, delicate and distant.

My steps slowed as the music lingered in the air.

My phone vibrated, and I fished it out of my pocket, glancing at the notifications from my friends’ group chat.

I had missed multiple girls’ nights between work, the investigation, and everything else. But I knew my friends too well. They would never blame me. They knew how much I had going on. And despite everything, we always had each other’s back.

I tapped on the chat. My three friends, Layla, Tiana, and Stacy, were engaged in a heated debate over where to meet next. Every time, it always ended the same way: Cozy Corner.

A small smile spread on my face as I read through their playful bickering until I reached the latest message.

Tiana:

Are you coming this time?

I hesitated. I wasn’t sure if I could make it Thursday. I really wanted to see them again, but I tutored the group after my shift. By the time I got home, my social battery was usually completely drained.

Honestly? It was already empty.

I barely had the energy to go through all the other unread messages, let alone respond.

Still, I typed a quick reply.

Amelia:

I’ll try, but I can’t promise anything.