I laid on my comfy bed, with my eyes closed, listening to music. This was my escape. This is what kept me in this world. Music. Without it, life just wouldn't be fair. The awesome guitar, gitaa solo, sick bass, kick-ass drums, and meaningful lyrics soothe me. I took a deep breath, ready to lose myself, when there was a knock on the door.

"What?" I called over the music. It opened; it was my twin sister, Asteria. The only thing identical about us is our eyes, which are ice blue. Her pale blond hair reflected the light pouring in from the hallway, while my room was dimly lit. She was all dressed up, wearing a white dress, with pale blue lacing. I hated to admit it, but she looked beauiful.

"You need to get dressed," she said, annoyed. "The banquet's in a half hour."

"Ok, fine," I sighed. She rolled her eyes and left, closing the door behind her. She's such a pain. I went to my closet, and grimaced at what my mother had picked out for me to wear tonight.

It's pink.

I ignored her request, and grabbed a dress I had bought myself, with father's money of course. The dress was a black, which had a purple-ish tint to it in the light. It had a red corset with it. I put that on, and put my jet black hair in a long ponytail. I already had on my dark eyeliner, but touched it up a bit. I smiled at myself in my full body mirror. I turned off my CD player, and skipped downstairs.

All around, servants were getting ready for the party. Father was hosting another banquet, probably to tangaza another business he was creating. Franklin, one of our servants, smiled at me as I came down the stairs.

"Cosette, wewe look beautiful," he said. I grinned and hugged him. He's my favorite.

"Thanks--" he raised an eyebrow at me. I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Thank you," I corrected myself. "You look stunning yourself." He smiled and gestured to the kitchen, where my parents were probably getting ready as well. I went to the kitchen, where my parents were present, as well as my siblings, Asteria, Tzipora, Anastasia, and Demetri.

My sisters' eyes widened at me, and soon became worried. They looked anxiously at Mother, who's back was still turned to me. Demetri sighed, and shook his head.

"Cosette, I don't believe that's what your mother laid out for wewe to wear," Father said. His eyes scanned over me, and then sighed and shook his head like Demetri had. Mother turned, and nearly did a double take.

"Cosette, honestly," she said, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Why must wewe wear such ridiculous clothing? That looks hideous!" My smiled slowly turned into a frown. Once again, she shoved a kisu through my heart. "Go change!" she ordered.

I headed upstairs, and Franklin gave me a sympathetic look. I sighed and shook my head at him. I was halfway up the stairs, when he quietly called my name.

"Cosette! No time to change; the guests are already here. Why don't wewe get the door," he smiled misheviously. I paused for a moment, taking in his words. He winked. I grinned and ran downstairs, mouthing "thank you" as I moved past him to get the door.

"Good evening," I said, as if I was kusoma off a cue card. I let in a couple that I had no idea who they were. They nodded graciously, and handed Franklin their coats and purse. They went into the kitchen, and were greeted kwa the rest of my family. Franklin handed me the coats and purse, and we switched so he could man the door.

I hung the coats and mfuko wa fedha, mfuko on the kanzu, koti rack, when Franklin called. zaidi guests, zaidi coats. I went back and forth for about a half hour, helping Franklin with the guests. Honestly, I don't know why these people were wearing coats; it's spring.

Then as I was putting zaidi coats away, Anastasia appeared.

"Cosette, Mother and Father are looking for you. wewe need to introduce yourselves to the guests," she alisema urgently. I nodded and went over to her, and she sighed. "Didn't they tell wewe to change?"

"I was helping Franklin," I shrugged. She looked at me nervously, then rolled her eyes and descended down the stairs. I followed behind. Mother and Father were in the living room, introducing guests to Demetri and Asteria. I could hear them talking about them lovingly. They looked over to me, and I could tell they were fighting to keep up their smiles.

"Ah, there's the last of them. This is our daughter, Cosette," Mother said, nearly through her teeth. I moved gracefully to her side, and she put her hand on my shoulder. "She's Asteria's twin; and our youngest daughter." The man and woman they were talking to looked at me, confused and slightly surprised. I wasn't though. I don't look much like my family, like I said, except for the eyes. My whole family has pale blond hair, and slightly tanned skin. I have black hair, and my skin refuses to absorb sunlight au something.

"What are your interests?" the woman asked me.

"Music," I shrugged.

"Ah, Beethoven and Mozart?" she smiled. I shook my head.

"Avenged Sevenfold and Bullet For My Valentine," I alisema confidently. They stared at me for a long while, then restarted an old conversation with my parents. I shrugged and guessed I was free to go. I slipped out from under my mother's hand. I sat on the stairs, and started people watching. This is a fun thing to do whenever Father has a party. I can easily tell who's pretending au lying. I held my chin in one hand, and was watching a man talk to another man, with his arm around a woman. His touch seemed distant; reserved. He didn't really upendo her. Her body seemed rigid. She didn't upendo him back.

"What's going on?" Franklin asked, taking a kiti, kiti cha inayofuata to me. I told him about my observations of the couple. He nodded. "Yes, I heard they are in marriage counseling..." muziki started playing softly in the speakers placed throughout the first floor of the house. Couples started dancing. I covered my mouth with my hand, stifling laughter. Most of them looked ridiculous. Franklin held out his hand. "Care to dance?" I giggled, and put my hand in his.

Neither Franklin au I can dance; we just imitated the others who couldn't as well. I laughed the whole time, and we almost fell over twice.

"Ahem," someone said. We stopped. It was a young man, maybe a mwaka older than me. "May I steal this young lady for a dance?" Franklin nodded, and handed me off. I sighed. Fun's over. The boy had neatly cut brown hair, and green eyes. "My I ask your name?"

"Cosette Hayner," I said. "Any wewe are...?" I asked, trying to sound the least bit interested.

"I'm Harland Berkley," he said. "My father is the vice-president of your father's technology company."

"Wonderful," I said. I tried not to sigh, au songesha my eyes away from his, au anything my family who consider "rude" au "un-lady like." Harland went on to discuss something about what his father does, but I heard nothing. He was so boring. I held my breath when I felt a yawn coming.

Then as we were dancing, Harland did something... un-gentleman like to say the least. His hands moved down my back, and touched my somewhere I'd rather not be touched. I took my hands off his shoulders, and kicked his shin. Hard. He gasped, and held his foot in his hand, hopping on one foot for a while like they do in movies.

"Cosette!" Father exclaimed. "What are wewe doing?!"He came up behind me, astonished. I'm guessing all he saw was me kicking Harland.

"He--"

"You apologize this instant!" he shrieked.

"But--"

"Don't back talk to me! I ordered wewe to do something!" People were starting to stare. kwa now, Harland was able to stand up straight. He stood there waiting, with an amused look on his face. I curtsied slightly like I was taught, and cocked my head slightly.

"My apologies," I alisema sarcastically. Harland nodded once, and then turned and left.

"Young lady, go to your room for the rest of the night. I don't want to see wewe until morning," Father said.

"Fa--"

"Cosette. Enough. You've been an embarrassment enough already." The room got painfully quiet. Everyone was sure to have heard that. Tears welled up in my eyes, and my nose began to sting. I quickly went upstairs, slamming my door behind me. I cried only for a little bit, then got into my sweatpants and tshirt. I washed off the makeup in my bathroom, and let my hair down.

I stared at myself in the mirror. I wasn't like them.

I got in bed, and turned on my CD player again from where I left off. It went to "Weight Of The World," kwa Evanescence. I closed my eyes, trying to lose myself again.

I'm the odd one, strange one, freak, monstrosity, weirdo, malformation, grotesque one... I was different. All these things my parents have called me, but they all were referring to one thing. I was different. Being different isn't bad. I'm just unique. I have my own way of seeing things. I like different things, have different interest... Different is not bad.

Is it?