Belonging

"Again."

It's been over an hour since school ended. I've done my group piano session, and now I'm in my one-on-one with an uptight, short man who has zero patience.

I try to remember what keys to press for "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", but I can't. I forget them and, in hopes that he won't notice, begin to press random keys instead.

"What are you doing?" He asks.

"I forgot how to play it." I whisper. I only learnt it fully twenty minutes ago-what does he expect?

He sighs heavily. "Read the sheet in front of you."

"I can't while I'm doing it." I say quietly.

"Of course you can." He says. "Read it first, then play. If you forget what to do next read it while you're playing."

"It just confuses me." I say meekly.

"Let's go over the keys again." He responds, irritated.

For the next twenty minutes he barks out the names of all the keys on the piano, forcing me to memorise all the ones we've learnt so far. By the time the end of the session comes around I'm relieved. I stand up quickly, throwing my bag over my shoulder. He just leaves the room, so I go my own way and leave the building. I go over to the car park, where Danylo is waiting.

I get into the vehicle hastily, trying to ignore the intense pain spreading through my back. I wince, pulling my seatbelt over me.

The car starts and Danylo drives me back to the house. As I get out I say, "have fun at your sisters engagement party."

He looks in the rearview mirror at me, then nods after a moment. I thank him before getting out of the car, then going into the house and quickly up to the bedroom.

My stomach rumbles with dull hunger. I look down at the empty cookie packet from lunch and frown. There's nothing left.

I glance at the time on my TV. It's eleven p.m. None of them will be awake right now, will they? My mind goes back to when I went to get water and Petro was there, but that was only one time. I'm sure he won't be there again.

I get out of the safety of the bed, then pull a pair of socks on. I leave the room, making my way downstairs quickly. I go into the kitchen, relieved when I find it empty. I rush over to the fridge and grab out a water bottle and a chocolate bar from one of the bottom trays.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

I close my eyes for a moment. A puddle of unease sets in my stomach, paralysing me for a moment before I muster up the courage to turn around. Demian stands there, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I'm just hungry." I whisper.

"Those are mine." He says.

"Oh." I say quietly. "Sorry. I-I didn't know." I hand them out to him.

He looks down at my offered hand in disgust, like the prospect of me wanting to hand him something makes him feel ill. "Put it back in the fridge." He says slowly; patronisingly, as though he's talking to a child.

I turn around and put it back, my eyes stinging from embarrassment, along with regret. I shouldn't have taken my time coming down here. I'd already be halfway back to the bedroom by now.

"You can go now." He says.

I swallow the lump stuck in my throat and quickly rush past him. I glance behind me, furrowing my eyebrows when I feel myself slam into something hard. I fall back, my back hitting the wall as the water slips from my grip, and let out a groan.