I Will Hold Your Hand Gently

Prologue

SMACK!

Blood trickled down from the back of my leg. My parent hired a piano teacher Mrs. Hackel to hone my piano skills. Whenever I would play a wrong note or defy her way of teaching, she would discipline me like this. She would move the piano chair, have me roll up my pants, and make me stand when I play the piano.

"How many times must I tell you to play this part faster? Again!" she yelled in my ears.

"Yes, Mrs. Hackel," I obeyed her and started playing the piano again.

SMACK!

"Again!"

SMACK!

"AGAIN!"

The punishment went on until the end of our session together. At the end of our session, she would constantly berate me while telling me it was for my good. I could not tell my parents about this abuse or confine them to my sister, Tera. Mrs. Hackel was known for molding world pianist champions from all over the world. My parents had even higher expectations for me after hiring her. I didn't want to disappoint them. My sister Tera had her troubles with marriage. I didn't want to add more to her plate.

My session with Mrs. Hackel was once every two day days. I always dreaded the day it was our session together, but I could never tell my parents. If I did, they would ask me why I didn't want to go. My parents must never find out. I can't let them, not even my sister.

On the day of the competition, I couldn't eat anything. The pain where Mrs. Hackel hit me on my leg was worse than usual stun badly. I couldn't play the piece right until my legs were painted in blood. She didn't allow me to treat my wound and told me that it was my punishment for taking so long to play the piece right. Mrs. Hackel told me to wear a red dress since my leg was still bleeding. I did as she told me and dressed up in a long, sleeveless red dress.

As I walked towards the piano, my vision started to turn blurry. Fortunately, I reached the piano and tried to smile at the crowd. My parents were in the front row sitting beside Mrs. Hackel. My sister was nowhere to be seen. She did text me good luck, and sorry for not attending. She told me she didn't want to be in the same room as our parents. I understood what she meant and thanked her.

I placed my hand on the piano and started playing. Each time I got to the portion where Mrs. Hackel would strike my leg for playing it wrong sweat would pour out from my forehead. The wounds on my leg were screeching at me to play it right, or I would get hit again. When I did play it right, a sense of relief, like getting bathed in warm water, would wash over me. I was able to finish it on a clean note.

I could hear the audience clapping at my performance. I turned around and saw the biggest smile on my parent's lips. Mrs. Hackel however, was not happy, and I knew why. Since I had played this piece repeatedly with her, she knew exactly where I messed up. My hand shook terribly. I tried to stand up as slowly as possible so the audience wouldn't notice the tremble. However, the moment I stood up, icy cold water washed over me. The world around me started to spin, and everything turned dark.

When I opened my eyes, I saw my sister Tera holding my hand while she was asleep. The smell of medicine and the IV in my arm told me I was in either a clinic or a hospital. As I slowly tried to get up, Tera opened her sleepy eyes with a yawn. When she saw me wide awake, she held my hand tighter, "Are you feeling alright...?"

I couldn't meet her eyes, "I'm sorry..."

"That's not what I asked..." said Tera as she tried to calm herself from using any harsh tone, "Why didn't you tell anyone Mrs. Hackel was abusing you...?"

My body tensed up just hearing Mrs. Hackel's name. It came back flooding to me that I had fainted during the performance. I tightly grip the blanket, "...Does Mom and Dad know?"