His Dark Melodies

As the cold breeze blew through the coffee shop, people crowded the chairs, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air.

Laughter, mumbles, and some country music filled the store, bringing in a cozy atmosphere as we bid summer farewell and welcomed fall.

Carefully holding the tray of steaming espressos, Amira moved it to the appropriate location on the table. Her gaze kept returning to the enormous wall clock, which was nearly at her closing time.

Her petite oval face broke into a wide smile that showed off the dimple on her left cheek. Upon observing this, her friend Greta winked at her.

"Happy birthday." Amira smiled back in appreciation as Greta gently reminded her repeatedly.

Her 18th birthday was today, and this was the start of her journey to freedom.

Freedom to move away from her family and begin a new life, not to mention the fact that she was awarded a scholarship to study at Yale University, one of the top universities in the world.

But she had not told her parents because she knew they did not want the best for her and would beat her up if she said anything about continuing her education.

"Let high school be the final phase of your education." Her father would say this while punching her, but this time she intends to keep it a secret until she finds a new place to live.

But something else surprised her: her stepsister Claudia had texted her that a party was being planned for her while she awaited her arrival, which was strange. This got Amira very excited.

"Today is the best day of my life, Greta. Not only did I receive a scholarship from my dream school, but my parents also hosted a party for me; is not that surprising?" Amira chuckled as she removed her apron and wiped the sweat from her forehead, despite the slight chill.

"I am surprised as well; your parents never throw you a birthday party or give you a present. Perhaps it is because you have reached adulthood and they simply wanted to do something for you." Greta responded.

Amira pursed her lips, thinking back to the last time her parents had done her a favor rather than having her do it herself.

And they would been doing nice things for Claudia. Since Amira's mother left, her father has changed, bringing in a woman who already had a grown child, which is now her family's hatred for her mere existence.

Going to the changing room, Amira changed out of her uniform into her own clothes and said goodbye to Jane, figuring that would give her an idea of what to expect.

"I am coming, I will see you at your party!" Jane yelled as she ran to her destination, leaving Amira on her own to find her way home.

Her phone beeped, and she read the new messages sent by Claudia.

"Mom and dad threw your party at A.M Avenue on Clifford Street; lots of guests are waiting; bring your stupid legs here, loser."

Amira took a deep breath and shoved the phone into her bags, debating whether she should go for a walk or take the bus for a few pennies.

She had felt followed or watched while walking home for the past few weeks, but she assumed it was all in her head at the end of the day. She made up her mind and boarded a bus down Clifford Street, where the avenue was.

She wondered why her parents would throw a party for her in a strange mansion rather than her home; was it a grand party? What motivated them to do that?

Many questions raced through her mind as she quickened her pace and saw lights through the mansion. Despite her father's average wealth, they had never hosted a party at an event center for Claudia before, so why hers?

To avoid spoiling the fun, she noticed Claudia standing outside with a phone in her hands, her face drenched in tears, her lips twisted in anger, and throwing daggers at Amira as she approached.