Chapter 2

Chapter 2

               Quite a crowd had gathered as Malaise finished her third song on the piano.  A man stepped forward and introduced himself as the owner of a music academy for girls.

               “Would you be interested in joining?”  He finished.

               “I...” Malaise started, and then finished lamely, “I have no money.”

               The man snorted and said, “With your talent, that won’t be necessary.  So, what do you say?”

               “Sure,” Malaise replied, feeling ecstatic.

 

*          *          *

              

               The Sunrise Music Academy for Girls was unlike anything Malaise had ever seen.  A towering structure, it was home to many rich girls who she could see through the big windows, staring at her as she went up the stone steps, past the manicured lawn, the bushes resembling animals, and finally, a huge elephant fountain.

               “Right this way, miss.”  The man, whose name was Edward Sr., said, beckoning her toward a set of huge oak doors.

               The Academy was even more impressive from the inside.  Two massive staircases swept the lengths of the room, each leading to a different side.  The décor was expensive, “not to be touched,” said Edward Sr.  The tinkling of another fountain greeted her as she made her way up the staircase to her right. 

               He led the way through another set of huge oak doors that had a nameplate on it that said Headmaster Smith, and said, “Please, sit.”  As she sat on a chair that was facing a desk that Edward Sr. sat at, she studied the décor once more.  This place just gets weirder and weirder the farther in I go, she thought.

               “So, where do you live?” He asked, pulling her from her reverie.

               “I don’t have a home,” she said sadly.

               “I see,” Edward Sr. said slowly.  Malaise waited for his next words, holding her breath.  “Well, you do now,” He said, his eyes softening and a fatherly look coming into his eyes.

               Malaise smiled shyly, conscious of her dirty face and clothes.

               “Go get changed and showered, honey, and then meet us downstairs for dinner.  Okay?”

 

*          *          *

 

               Edward Sr. had given her specific instructions.  “Go up the stairs, then go all the way down the hall and turn left.  Your room number is thirty-two.”

               So, Malaise went up the marble staircase, cold against her dirty bare feet, and went all the way down the hall.  She passed girls in their spotless uniforms, giggling at her dirty, ragged clothes.

               They don’t know how lucky they are to have a home, Malaise thought angrily as she passed yet another giggling group of girls.  Malaise just glared back defiantly, and they turned away, hurrying down the hallway she had just come in.

               She slowed when she saw door number thirty, and then opened her door.  Inside, it was like a palace.  There was a huge four-poster bed complete with butterfly nets and bed skirts.  To her left was a wooden desk with a laptop already sitting on it.  The entire room was painted creamy beige with dark brown floral prints along the bottom.  Next to the desk was a bookshelf stuffed full of books.  A crystal chandelier hanging down from the ceiling, and, completing the look, an enormous window gave her a view of the perfect and beautiful gardens. 

               Malaise stared openmouthed at the sight before her.  She had never been anywhere this beautiful, before.  Finally, after a few minutes of gawking, her trembling hand felt the edges of the silky sheets of the bed, and the dust-less oak table.

               Since she didn’t have any bag to unpack, she was to come to dinner with the other girls right away.   She looked at the ornate clock hanging on the wall.  It read 6:25.  Malaise’s stomach rumbled and she went out of her beautiful new room, casting one last loving glance over her shoulder as she closed the door.

               When she arrived, showered and changed into clean clothes, to the dining hall, all chatter abruptly ceased.  This room was painted the same as her room, with the same chandelier, but there was a long dining table in the middle of the room.  There was a bouquet of flowers sitting on the middle of the table, and the ceiling was shaped in such a way that noise in the room seemed two times louder than it really was.

               When Malaise finished inspecting the dining hall, she realized that all of the thirty or so girls who were seated at the table were staring at her.  Looking at her polished black shoes, she walked up to the only empty seat, next to a tall girl who stuck her nose up in the air and ignored her the entire time.

               “I just wanted to say,” Edward Sr. began, “everybody, welcome to our newest member, Malaise.”  Everybody clapped politely, and then the food was served.  Pot roast with thick, creamy gravy, Mashed potatoes, creamed corn, milk, and for dessert, warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream.  Malaise hadn’t seen that much food in her life, and restrained herself from shoveling food down her throat, as she would have liked to do.

 

                                             *          *          *

               After two days of living at the Sunrise Music Academy, the other girls still hadn’t become friends with Malaise.  Maybe it was her different upbringing, or the way her shoulders hunched over the keyboard compared to the others’ straight backs.  Or maybe it was because they were jealous.  Because Malaise was a force to be reckoned with.  Every morning, afternoon, and night she took lessons in a small, dusty room with a beautiful grand piano.  Malaise had recently started to compose her own songs because there was no music complicated enough to challenge her.  In between lessons, she usually sat in the private gardens in back of the Academy.  The private gardens were exquisite, and, according to Edward, all hers.

Reviews

[Taylor H.]

Again, no errors. You are a talented writer

[Richy Moon]

Its too fast, I'm having trouble knowing where she is. It seems like you're starting the rise/plot too soon. I have the same problem :(
Its a interesting idea, but the story really needs some more explanaton and backstories before she goes to the acadamy if you ask me. Maybe you know what shes been though and how that affects the plot, but i don't :(
Keep on writing :)

[Safe&sound<3 ♫]

it's amazing, but i feel like the story is rushed. i think you should've gone through, at least a day in her life on the streets, show her slowly warming up to the man, then this. but, remarkable writing all the same!

[gman]

awsome really can't wait to see where the story goes from here )

[AK]

It is amazing, Molly! You have ensnared and trapped a fan! Please keep writing! And may I have an rr when the next chapter is up, please? Thanks a million-
Akanksha Suresh

[etxcp]

This is amazing! Very interesting! I'm subscribing!

[Tomislav Petricevic]

An interesting progress of the plot, you made me want to read more! And good descriptions, too. :D