"Golden Melody" is a tale of love, dreams, and resilience, exploring the power of music and memory as Zatariel fights to bring back the melody of their hearts amidst the challenges they face.
Will their shared passion for music be enough to bridge...
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It feels like just yesterday I was graduating from elementary, and now, here I am on my first day of high school.
Seriously, who fast-forward my life?
I didn't even get to enjoy my vacation properly, two months of glorious nothingness gone in a blink.
Now I'm stuck here in this overly air-conditioned multi-purpose hall, surrounded by a bunch of overly excited freshmen, while all I want is to be at home playing Call on Duty.
The air conditioning hummed, making me feel weighed down.
The scent of perfumes and nervous sweat hung heavy in the air, reminds me that a hundred of people crammed into the hall. Honestly, I'd rather be anywhere else. School events are a total drag.
The stage is full of people giving speeches, principals, teachers, and some senior students.
"Blah, blah, welcome to Wayne Academy, blah." I zone out, imagining strategies for my next game. My fingers twitched, yearning for the feel of the keyboard, the click of the mouse, the satisfying rush of a well-executed combo.
I could already feel the pressure building. Another year of forced socialization, of pretending to care about things that didn't matter. Why couldn't I just stay home and play?
I glanced around the hall, scanning the faces of the other freshmen. They were all so eager, so full of hope, so oblivious to the trials that lay ahead.
I knew that high school was just another level in the game of life, a game I wasn't sure I wanted to play.
Then, out of nowhere, I hear it: "And now, from the Top 1 of this batch, Zatariel Wov!"
Wait. What?
"Shit," I muttered under my breath.
The people around me started clapping.
Great.
I awkwardly stood up, tapped my seatmate, and squeezed through the row. My palms were slick with sweat. I felt a tightness in my chest, the feeling of being trapped in a spotlight that was too bright. I hated public speaking. I hated being the center of attention.
As I reached the podium, the Emcee handed me the mic. I didn't prepare a single word. Impromptu speech? Okay, here goes nothing. This is so embarrassing.
I'm just trying to get through this without making a fool of myself.
I stood there, gripping the mic like it might magically give me the right words to say.
The crowd stared at me, expectant. A few heads tilted, eyebrows raised in surprise. A couple of students stifled giggles. Even Mrs. Sebastian, the stern Principal, seemed to crack a tiny smile. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks.
"To our Beloved Director, Mrs. Cienna Verra, Principal Jenna Sebastian, Deans, Teachers, Guests, and... well, all 128 of us freshmen, good morning and welcome to Wayne Academy."
I cleared my throat again, trying to steady my voice. Why did I have to be top 1 again? Maybe I should just confess that I'm a total slacker.
"Today marks the beginning of our high school journey that will help shape our future. It's a moment we're all supposed to remember fondly, like the start of some grand adventure. In the next four years, we're gonna have moments where we feel... well, exhilarated, overwhelmed, maybe even napping through exams, I mean, studying hard for exams."
I could feel the room growing quiet, everyone's attention locked on me. My gaze darted across the crowd, searching for a familiar face. I needed to focus, to find my voice.
"Look, I could stand here and tell you that we should embrace the challenges, join clubs, and fully immerse ourselves in the mission of this Academy to foster knowledge and respect... but let's be real. Most of us are probably thinking about what games to play later or how to survive the next math test without losing our sanity. But anyway, despite everything, we're here. And we'll get through it, one way or another. So, let's make the most of it or, you know, at least survive without too many breakdowns. Thank you, and good luck, everyone."
I handed the mic back to the Emcee and slouched my way off the stage. Blah, blah, mission accomplished. Time to zone out again. Honestly, I never expected to be the top student. If I'd known this would happen, I probably would've left all my answers blank on the entrance exam just to avoid speaking in front of everyone.
