Even a Scream Has A Musical Scale - Chapter 20

The tension in the room was unbearable, a suffocating feeling that made her want to vanish, even if it meant hurting herself just to escape. Her father continued speaking with a calm, detached expression, his voice unnervingly steady.

“A while ago, some brazen kid sent a short video to the campaign office. It was just a casual cheek kiss, but it was shocking. You’re not the kind of girl who acts so recklessly, are you?”

Her voice trembled as she tried to explain. “I… it was… just a dare.”

“Remember this,” her father said, tapping his wine glass twice with his ring. “Someone is always watching, and carelessness is something I cannot tolerate.”

Katie, the maid, stepped forward to refill his glass, moving as if on cue. The air in the room grew thicker, almost unbearable. She felt panic rising, unsure of how angry he truly was. Across the table, her older brother, Maxwell, hid a smirk while her grandmother watched her closely through her glasses, a sharp, discerning gaze that made her feel sick with anxiety.

Her hands trembled uncontrollably under the table as she stammered out her excuse. “It was just a game… a dare at the girls’ dorm. It didn’t mean anything, I swear… I won’t do it again.”

Her father interrupted his tone still maddeningly composed. “Graham, that insolent boy, called me this morning.”

“What?” Her mind blanked for a moment, completely thrown off by the shift in conversation.

“He requested that you spend the summer at Nolbeach.”

A bitter laugh escaped her before she could stop it. “What?!”

She wanted to scream, grab Duncan by the collar, and demand what the hell he thought he was doing. How dare he! Did he even know what kind of trouble he’d caused? Her words tumbled out in a rush, desperate to undo whatever damage had been done.

“Ignore him! He’s insane! I never said I wanted to go! I told him I didn’t! He’s arrogant, pushy, and just—”

“Go,” her father said calmly, cutting her off.

She stared at him in disbelief, her mind struggling to catch up. “What did you just say?”

“I said, go,” he repeated, still sipping his wine as if he hadn’t just flipped her world upside down. “A month at Nolbeach might do you some good, help you clear your head. And Graham seems to have taken quite the interest in you. It would be a shame to waste that opportunity. Plus, Lester is hosting—it’s not a bad match.”

“But… I…”

“Go pack your things with Anna. Greg will take care of the rest. You leave tomorrow. There’s no point in delaying.”

She stared at her father, speechless. Even Maxwell, who had been so amused moments ago, was now watching their father with a mix of confusion and concern. He didn’t question the decision, but the strangeness of it all was impossible to ignore. Something about this didn’t sit right.

Under normal circumstances, her father would have never let her off so easily. A kiss on the cheek with a boy, no less—and in front of an audience! She had even left behind the careless evidence of a video, yet here she was, unscathed.

No yelling, no punishment. She hadn’t been dragged off or locked away. Instead, she was going to Nolbeach tomorrow, standing under the sun as if nothing had happened, as if she had been forgiven for every wrong she’d committed.

Was she being tested?

“Am I allowed to go?” she asked cautiously as she rose from her seat, still unsure if this was all some sort of trap. Her father smiled, his expression unexpectedly warm. It had been a long time since she’d seen him smile like that.

“At your age, mistakes are expected. Just make sure to message Anna regularly and take your medication.”

“…Thank you!” Without thinking, she ran over and hugged him tightly, her arms wrapping around his neck. He let out a short, staccato laugh, gently patting her back. Finally, she felt a sense of relief, like all her sins had been washed away.

As she followed Anna upstairs to pack, she couldn’t shake the feeling of disbelief. Several times, she found herself glancing back down at the dining room.

From the landing, her family appeared ghostly pale, almost like specters sitting at the table. And when she turned back to the portraits on the staircase wall, they seemed darker and redder than before, as if they were about to swallow her whole.

She glanced down once more and met her sister Beau’s gaze. Beau was watching her with worry etched across her face. Her lips moved silently, but the message was clear.

“Don’t go.”

Before leaving for Nolbeach, she had sought out Beau, but her sister seemed to have no recollection of what she’d said. Why couldn’t she remember? Had the scolding been so harsh that it wiped her memory?

Maxwell had once been found banging his head against a wall until he bled. Their father had that kind of power over them—he made his children feel like they had to purge something from within themselves to endure his presence.

Shoving aside the discomfort, she boarded the plane to Nolbeach.

“Dani! Welcome!”

When she arrived at the lavish estate, the first to greet her was Eleanor.

She stood there in a hot pink skater dress, her makeup heavy and her heels high, making her appear older than her years. Though the sun was still high in the sky, Eleanor’s face was already alight with excitement.

“Isn’t it amazing? You have no idea how hard my father worked to buy this place!” she gushed, proudly showcasing the sprawling mansion. It was large enough to host a party every day of the year. The beach was like something out of a painting, and the most striking feature was the bold, vibrant colors that covered the entire estate.

The roof, the walls, the columns—even the benches—were drenched in fiery reds, yellows, and oranges, all at their highest saturation, as if the mansion itself were the heart of the sun.

In contrast, Dani, dressed in a simple white dress with a white hairpin, felt like a blank canvas drained of all color as if this place had stolen every hue from her.

“The colors are bold… It feels like something out of a Mark Rothko painting.”

“Of course! You’ve got an eye for art, just like your father,” Eleanor clapped, laughing in delight. Dani knew by now that her words weren’t meant as mockery, but they still echoed with something bittersweet.

Dani wandered around the estate, initially trailing behind Eleanor before deciding to explore on her own. The place was buzzing with people—some enjoying a swim, others raising their wine glasses in lively conversation, and a few stretched out on sunbeds, soaking up the sun. Every face she passed was unfamiliar, a crowd of strangers.

As her dark eyes scanned the sea of vibrant, colorful ones, she felt a pang of disappointment.

He wasn’t here.

She wouldn’t admit to herself who she had been hoping to see. It was too embarrassing to even acknowledge.

Just as Dani turned to find Eleanor again, a large hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder, spinning her around.

“Been waiting for you, babe.”

Dani startled, her breath catching. “You scared me.”

It was Duncan, of course. As expected, he was shirtless, a basketball in one hand. His body, bronzed and toned, gleamed in the sunlight, and his muscles moved with a casual grace as he swayed slightly to the music. He wore nothing but a pair of shorts, his expression as carefree as his demeanor.

“Come dance with me,” he said with a grin. “I’ll introduce you to some fun people. The kind of friends you wouldn’t meet in a dull place like Eratum.”

“No thanks. I’m good.”

“Why not? You’ll have a blast,” Duncan insisted, tugging her hand. His bare chest was suddenly too close for comfort, and Dani quickly pulled away. She looked around for Eleanor, hoping the host might intervene, but Eleanor was caught up with her guests, too busy to notice.

After a brief hesitation, Dani grabbed Duncan’s waistband and tugged him toward the stone wall, pulling him away from the crowd.

“…Come here for a second.”

They stopped beneath a secluded spot where thick ivy clung to the stone wall, lavender blooming brightly at the base. Duncan followed her with an amused grin.

“Where are we going? You pull me any harder, and these shorts are coming off, babe.”

Dani ignored his comment, her tone serious as she turned to him. “Why did you call my father?”

Duncan bounced the basketball lazily against the ground, smirking. “Because you weren’t answering me. So I called your guardian. Seemed like the next best thing.”

Her head throbbed with frustration. “I appreciate the invite, but don’t ever call him again.”

“You know I sent you over a hundred messages, right? And you ghosted every single one of them.”

“I asked you not to contact me during the break.”

“Yeah, but how could I do that? Breaks are when I miss you the most.”

Dani’s frustration boiled over. “Do you know that video of me kissing your cheek made it to my father’s campaign office? I could have—” She stopped herself, swallowing the words.

“Could have what?”

“…Could’ve made him angry,” she muttered.

Duncan’s laugh echoed through the quiet space, loud and careless. The basketball spun on his finger as if the entire situation was a joke to him.

“Come on. Dads get mad at their kids all the time. If he’s pissed, just flash him a bit of charm. He’ll get over it.”

His casual attitude matched the mood of the estate—the heat, the leisurely atmosphere.

Of course, Duncan wouldn’t understand. He couldn’t possibly know what it felt like to be suffocated by the weight of someone’s expectations.

“…I don’t know what kind of household you grew up in, but mine is nothing like yours. My family is really strict.”

“Okay, okay, I get it! I’m sorry!” Duncan quickly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a sudden embrace. His warmth engulfed her instantly, his body radiating heat that seeped through her.

“Just hang out with me for a bit, will you? You keep ignoring me, and that’s why I’m acting like this. I get bored easily, you know? Spend a little time with me, and I’ll leave you alone. Deal?”

“Get off me!”

She could feel his firm body pressing against her through the thin fabric of her dress. Her face flushed, the heat rushing to her cheeks as she struggled, but Duncan’s hold was unyielding, like trying to push against a wall of armor.

“I’ll let you go if you promise to accept my apology.”

“Fine, okay, just—!”