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[ShiroiHikari]

Eh, here, have some writing. Please comment.

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Adrian didn't want to take piano lessons. Actually, when he thought about it, the piano part didn't sound half bad. What he really didn't want to do was be at a stranger's house all afternoon. He would much rather have stayed at home in his very small bedroom reading The Secret Garden, perhaps even pretending that he had a secret place of his own.

She was always making him do something he didn't want to do. That was nothing new to him.

Lalinda was a busy social butterfly, flittering from party to party and sucking down champagne like it was nectar. She was no longer a young woman, but often disguised herself as one-- or tried to. She dyed her shoulder-length hair a brassy shade of blonde every month or so. Her clothing always looked as if it were a few sizes too small, and often showed off far too much of her brownish, leathery skin. She applied makeup quite liberally, so that every day she looked like she was getting ready to walk the streets of a red light district.

Her shrill, raspy voice called to him from the living room. "Hurry up! I have other things to do today besides drop you off!"

Adrian sighed, putting on his sunglasses and meeting her in the foyer and following her outside. The sequins on her halter top glistened as they climbed into her brand-new Lexus SUV. She turned the key in the ignition, then lit up a cigarette. Adrian wrinkled up his nose at the acrid smell.

"Oh, why do you always wear such long sleeves?" she sighed, blowing smoke all over him. "It's the middle of summer! You look ridiculous. And soon we must do something with that hair..." She reached out to touch him, and he recoiled. She scoffed and threw the car into reverse, and they were on their way.

First, they stopped at the gas station. Adrian wanted to stay in the car, but Lalinda wouldn't have it. He hated going anywhere with her. She attracted far too much attention to herself, and he felt so out of place by her side.

A young woman stopped Lalinda and they both began chattering like two birds. She looked at Adrian and said, "Is this your little boy? Why, he looks nothing like you!"

Lalinda replied, in her nerve-grating voice, "Oh no, of course he's not my son! I'm just keeping him for now...I may get rid of him in the future."

It was true that Adrian bore no resemblance to her at all, and he was glad of it. In fact, Adrian couldn't have looked less like her. His big eyes were a golden color, like honey. His skin was the color of porcelain, in sharp contrast with Lalinda's unnatural tan. His hair was a light shade of blonde, so light that it was usually mistaken for white. It was clean, but unkempt. He hadn't had a haircut in quite a while. It hung over his ears and often hid his eyes, which was exactly the way he liked it, because he couldn't always hide them behind the sunglasses.

After what seemed like hours, they were back in the car. Adrian stared out the window, watching the landscape streak by and change from city to country. Finally, they arrived at an old-fashioned two-story home, painted creamy yellow with white trim. For a brief moment, Adrian thought he liked it. It looked like a house from a storybook. But then he realized what he was here for, and he started to shake, growing so suddenly nervous that Lalinda practically had to drag him out of the vehicle.

When Lalinda rang the doorbell, a fortyish woman answered. Her hair was brown streaked with gray, and was wavy. That was all Adrian noticed, because he quickly dropped his gaze to the ground.

Lalinda stepped into the house, and Adrian reluctantly followed. Quickly, she turned and took the sunglasses off his face, shoving them in her purse. Adrian hung his head.

"Hello," said the kind voice of the woman. She knelt down in front of him, and said, "You must be Adrian. I'm Marianne, and I'll be giving you lessons."

Adrian blushed and pretended to be very interested in her sand-colored carpet.

He heard Lalinda sigh. "What time should I come back for him?"

Marianne rose to her feet. "Oh, in about an hour and a half, I suppose."

"Alright." She turned and was gone without another word.

Marianne turned to him and smiled. "Shall we get started?"

Adrian nodded weakly, feeling like he had swallowed a whole swarm of butterflies.

They sat down at the smooth black piano. She showed him how to play the scale, encouraging him when he missed a note, praising him when he played it flawlessly. Her soothing voice put him at ease, and he found himself wishing that she would read a book to him. After the lesson was over, she left him and told him to practice for a little while. Adrian did as he was told until his fingers were tired, and he was bored of sitting on the piano bench.

For the first time, he looked around at the spacious living room. The walls were painted a burgundy color, and were decorated with many colorful paintings in gilded frames. Tall windows let in plenty of the afternoon sunlight. There was a fireplace with a mantle of dark wood that was so tall he could hardly see the top. Everywhere were houseplants of all shapes and sizes and varying shades of green. There was a big cream-colored couch that looked like it would be very comfortable to sit on. The air smelled like warm cinnamon and sugar, and it made him hungry for cookies. The corner of his little mouth turned up in a smile.

Soon enough, Marianne came back, and carried in the scent of roses with her. She glanced at the grandfather clock and said, "Well, she should be back for you anytime now. Before you go, would you like anything?"

Adrian very much wanted something to eat, and wanted to see what the rest of this house was like, but he wasn't bold enough to ask. So he said nothing.

"I have some cookies, if you like," she offered.

Adrian's eyes lit up, and he nodded.

So he joined her at her kitchen table and ate the best cookies he'd ever tasted. She called them "snickerdoodles", which made him laugh. As he ate, he gazed out the window at some brightly colored flowers swaying in the summer breeze.

The longer he was here, the longer he wanted to stay. This place made him feel like smiling constantly, made him feel warm and safe and loved. He liked Marianne very much, even though he had just met her. He enjoyed the piano much more than he had expected he would, and found himself looking forward to more lessons.

When the sun began to set, and Lalinda still hadn't come to pick him up, Adrian was not upset at all. He hoped that she wouldn't come back.

But she did.

As they were going out the front door, Marianne said, "I'm glad to meet you, Adrian. I'll be looking forward to next week!"

Adrian waved sadly. It would be hard to wait a whole week to come back here again, but at least he was coming back. He hoped Lalinda wouldn't change her mind and cancel the lessons. He didn't think he'd ever be able to forgive her if she did.

(cont. in next post)

[ShiroiHikari]

It had been a month now. Lalinda was late picking him up every day, but Adrian didn't mind one bit, because this place grew nearer to his heart every time he came. The lessons were going well, and Marianne said he was picking it up very quickly. Today, he had played through his first real song without a single mistake. Marianne rewarded him by taking him out back to see her garden.

He had never seen so many flowers in one place. There were roses of every color everywhere, and daisies, and hundreds of other flowers that he didn't know the name of.

"It's...it's beautiful," he said.

Marianne laughed. "I work at a flower shop, that's why I have so many. That, and...I just love them. Especially the roses. I always hate it when it comes time to cut them and take them to the shop..."

"You cut them?" Adrian said sadly.

"Yes, you have to cut them a little. It helps the bush make more flowers," she explained. Then she said, "You can go look around if you like."

Adrian nodded, and she followed him, answering his questions about how to take care of flowers and what their names were. Toward the back of the yard, there was a vegetable garden and after that there were several evenly spaced trees, some with peaches and apples hanging from them.

On the way back to the house, she said, "How do you like the garden?"

"I like it. I like it very much."

"Well, maybe on the days when we have extra time, I can teach you a little gardening too! Would you like that?"

Adrian nodded enthusiastically.

Soon it was time for Lalinda to come, and Adrian wished more than ever that he could stay. When the sun began to set, and she still hadn't come, Adrian thought, Maybe she'll never come back, and I won't have to go!

However, Marianne seemed very worried.

"I'm very sorry, Adrian. I've tried calling her cell phone, but no one's answering," she said.

Adrian hung his head. "I don't want to go."

"Hmm?"

"I said, I don't want to go."

"But...why not?" Marianne said, with a look of concern.

"I-- I don't like it there. I like it better here." Adrian grew flushed and breathed heavily, as if speaking was physically exhausting for him.

"Well, I-- I'm sorry, honey. But...that's your home, and you have to go home, right?"

Adrian's lower lip began to tremble, and he turned away to hide the sudden stream of tears. That place would never be his home, and Lalinda would never be his mother. Adrian buried his face in his hands and sobbed at the thought of having to go back there and live with her for even one more day. That house was cold and sterile compared to this, and he hated it.

Marianne gently touched his shoulder. "Don't cry," she said softly. "Let's go sit on the couch and read until she comes. Do you like reading?"

Adrian sniffled and nodded.

They moved to the couch, and Marianne took a book down from the shelf and read to him. Soon, his eyes grew heavy and he was asleep.

The next thing Adrian knew, it was dark and he was covered with a thick, downy comforter that smelled like laundry soap. He was about to get up and look for Marianne, then he heard voices in the kitchen.

"Lalinda, I like having Adrian here, but you can't keep showing up so late," Marianne said.

"Well, excuse me if my life is busier than yours. Maybe I should just stop bringing him, then."

He heard the strike of a lighter, then heard Marianne say, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't smoke in my house." Lalinda sighed, and Marianne went on to say, "I never said I wanted you to stop bringing him. Adrian is a wonderful student and he likes coming here. He just told me that today."

"Hnn. I'm surprised he speaks to you at all. He's such a rude little creature...I can barely get a word out of him. When I take him out with me, he hides behind me and won't talk to people."

"That's because he's very shy. I've worked with children like him before, and I'll tell you right now that he needs a little help. Have you thought about sending him to a counselor?"

"Counselor!" she said indignantly. "As if I have time for that. Besides, it's a waste of money. The only thing wrong with him is that he's a brat."

There was a short pause, followed by Marianne saying, "If you dislike him so much, then why do you let him stay with you?"

Lalinda exhaled. "Before he came to stay with me, he was staying with someone else I knew. The man was a worthless drunk. The poor kid had bumps and bruises all over him, and at the time I felt sorry for him. I couldn't just leave him in that place. But it was a mistake to take him into my own home. I never had children of my own for a reason. I don't like children much. They require so much attention, and I have other things to do."

Another pause.

"I could take him in," Marianne said.

"What?"

"He can stay here. I already said that I like having him, and he obviously likes it better here. You don't want to keep him anymore, so why not let me take him?"

The silence that followed was very long. Please let her say yes...

Finally, Lalinda said, "Alright. He can stay. I'll even arrange for his things to be packed and brought here as soon as possible." Her heels clicked briefly on the tile floor, then the front door was slammed shut and she was gone.

Adrian heard Marianne coming, and sat up.

"I have some good news for you, Adrian!" She sat down beside him. "You'll be staying here from now on."

"Really? I can really stay here?"

Marianne smiled and nodded. "That's right. I'm very glad, Adrian! I really think you'll be happy here, and I'm happy to have you. Now we can have lessons as often as you like!"

Adrian couldn't help himself. He leaned over to Marianne and threw his arms around her, and she laughed and hugged him back.

I'm home.

[Yahshua]

Eh good story nice characters development continue post your writing if you pleases.

[Esoteric]

Very well written!

Only thing, Marianne took him in just a little fast. First off, is she married? She seems very wise and as so, would certainly consult a husband before doing something like that. Perhaps, delaying her suggestion by one visit after Adrian's admission of unhappiness would fix it. It would give Marianne more time to probe the situation better, although I do like the conversation she has with Lalinda, it already conveys that intention. I get the feeling Lalinda doesn't have a legal guardianship, and from the way she talks about the drunk...she doesn't seem to indicate that was his father. I'm wondering how many times has this kid been passed off and if he's even in school...and yet he knows how to read. So, there are a few questions still needing answers as the story goes along, but it's a very good start.

[ninjaduckofdoom]

This is really cool, please write more!