Axel Hitfield is a young man whose dream is to become a star, with a supernatural talent (despite his persistent laziness to make an effort) and managed to get into Nilo University, the best when it comes to having a chance to stand out in the music...
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Chapter 4: Fine
"The light is on its way, we'll be having a fun time!"
-Lemon Demon
Axel felt the cold night air awakening all his senses as he stepped out of the building, the gentle breeze tickling the tip of his nose and pushing away all the irritation he might have felt earlier. He wasn't the type to hold petty grudges.
*Sweet positive energy*
His eyes roamed over the Nilo campus: the path of polished stones that always led to the central atrium, where an intimidating neoclassical fountain displayed singular elegance. Buildings surrounded the entire area like true urban sculptures, their structures connected by walkways, allowing students to move between disciplines without much trouble.
And all this was framed by the vast Millennium Forest, a prime green blotch in the modern landscape. Legend has it that the forest was at the height of its splendor when the university was founded.
Axel loved that place, loved the music, loved his chance to shine, and loved playing guitar. The scenery refreshed his memory and lifted his mood again, the verses of a forthcoming song playing in his mind as the wind tousled his multicolored hair. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice a new presence embracing him from behind.
"Back from the cave, Batman?" A melodic voice broke the silent night.
Axel knew exactly who was surprising him, but that didn't stop him from being startled by the unexpected appearance.
"Traitor!" The blue-haired boy retorted in a high-pitched tone. "You left me alone with that weirdo!"
"I'm psychic, darling!" Shiva shivered, pretending to feel the "vibe" of the environment. "Not my fault the bleached blond emits negative energy."
"Shivani, you are negative energy."
"I'm a negative influence, don't mix up the roles."
As Shivani delivered the last line, more presences were noticed. Emerging from the darkness, a young man with dyed white hair and a girl in a blood-red jacket approached, arms wrapped around each other, making it clear they were a couple.
"The dynamic duo is at it again?" joked the girl in the jacket.
"We're always at it, Oliver," Axel said, lightly raising his fist, which Shiva bumped in agreement. "But it looks like the lovebirds here are more active than ever, huh?"
Oliver giggled nervously, her round face suddenly turning red, making her look like a tomato. The guy with her also blushed, but turned his face away, hiding his shyness.
"Anyone who doesn't know you two wouldn't imagine what the lovebirds get up to when they think no one's watching."
"SHIVANI!" the couple shouted in unison, but the girl just shrugged, harmless.
Suddenly, Oliver's calm expression turned into a worried grimace.
"Oh no! I shouldn't be up this late, the Horus Projects start tomorrow morning!"
Nilo was famous for its massive projects, the Horus Projects being the most crucial for musicians wanting their careers to take off. Veteran students often referred to them as "Rites of Passage" or "The Bridge Between Two Worlds." Axel found the nicknames ridiculous, but he looked forward to Horus' season more than anyone.
The snow-haired boy whispered something in the girl's ear, his expression sweet, his large brown eyes and slightly drooping eyelids making him look like a St. Bernard puppy, making him seem even more endearing. The girl giggled and nodded.
"Rhode and I are heading back to the dorm," she said finally, snuggling into Rhode's arms. "We'll talk more tomorrow morning!"
"Don't forget that lust is..." Axel began, but Shiva silenced him before he could say anything else.
All the students gathered there, as different as they were from each other, had at least two things in common:
They had an unprecedented talent.
And they wanted more than anything to showcase it to the world.
The starting point was Nilo, the gateway to everything they desired most. They didn't know what the future held, but they knew it would be brilliant and intense, and that was enough.
Axel felt different from when he had left. The eccentric nerd silently studying in the living room didn't intimidate him as much now. He completely ignored Marshall when he entered the dorm, and the latter didn't seem to care about Axel's disregard.
Tomorrow would be an amazing day, and now nothing could shake him. It would be the day he would stand out from all the others, the day all of Nilo would see him as a true star.
