Monstercat University I

Chapter 001

[Dilumi's POV]

     I hold my tray of food and look around. Even though I've been at Monstercat University for eight months now, I still feel slightly nauseated every time I look around the room at mealtime and see all the artists I admire. It is such a privilege to get to spend so much time with them. Hmm, I guess I shouldn't sit with my normal group of friends today since Anna is still mad at me for stealing her flashlight (which I didn't do in the first place). Tristam, Braken, Noisestorm, and Aero Chord are sitting together in the middle of the room in deep conversation, which I wouldn't want to interrupt, and Laszlo, WRLD, and Grant Bowtie are sitting in the back. Then I see Veela and some of her friends sitting at a table in the corner, and a smile crosses my face. Maybe I'll sit with them today. Veela, Anna Yvette and I share a dorm, which works out pretty great since we all have the same level of hype and outgoing personalities, and we get along great most of the time. Veela and Anna are semi-popular vocalists, the most popular being Danyka and Laura, who are in the room next to us. Me? Well, I make all kinds of EDM, but I tend to constantly switch genres, my latest obsession being drumstep. I know some of the other girls make EDM too but I don't know that much about it, and they're mosly known for their singing. I sit down next to Rameses B and Veela, who are trying to squeeze details out of Grabbitz about his collaboration with Anna. Grabbitz has been tooting his horn about it so much lately that it's probably known about by half the university by now, but they refuse to let out any secrets.
     "If I tell you anything about this, you have to tell me about your collaboration," Grabbitz says, crossing his arms triumphantly and leaning back in his chair.
     "Oh, no way," Rameses B says, looking helplessly at Veela.
     "Especially since you go around stealing song titles from people," Veela starts in, trying to get a rise out of Grabbitz.
     "I do not!" Grabbitz says, leaning forward again.
     "Then explain this," Veela says, holding up her phone, which shows a Rundfunk song from 009 bearing the same title as Grabbitz' new track from the just-released Endeavour.
     "Oh, come on. That was ten albums ago," Grabbitz defends. "You can't accuse me of that." I look across the room and see the Pegboard Nerds sitting down with Astronaut, Danyka, and Haywyre. The Pegboard Nerds are questionably the most popular guys at Monstercat University; everyone loves their music. And there's a little bit of a rumor that they're collaborating with Excision. My mind is full to the brim of collaborations because there has been so much talk about them lately. Poor Danyka has been recruited by so many artists in recent days and weeks to do vocals for their songs that she pretty much has her hands full.
     "Yeah, it's gonna be great," Grabbitz is saying. He's back to his collaboration with Anna again. "I think we'll call it...Time Bomb."
     "GRABBITZ!!!" Veela yells, her purple hair swaying across her scowling face as she starts to stand up.
     "Alright, alright! I was kidding," Grabbitz grins, throwing his hands up defensively. Everyone at the table has a slight smile on their face, but I grin the hardest. It's so fun being with a bunch of crazy, hyper, insane people like this all the time, and the way we love to mess with each other ignites some kind of spark inside me.