MP3 Academy

Track 2: Academy

Here she stood, in front of the Academy's massive gray gate. The color reminded Abiona Heinz of someone—a name she hadn't been able to forget.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady the nerves that swirled within her.

"This is it. There's no turning back now," she muttered under her breath.

She had come this far—run away from home, evaded her father's men—and she wasn't about to retreat. Not now. Not after everything she had sacrificed.

Abiona exhaled sharply, then took her first step forward toward the entrance. A security guard stationed at the imposing gate greeted her with a nod. Without a word, she handed him her gate pass. He scanned it and raised an eyebrow as he read her name aloud.

"Abiona Heinz," he said, glancing from the pass to the computer.

Abiona gave him an awkward smile, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as he typed something into the system. A few moments later, he handed her a student ID.

"Wow, that was fast," she blurted out, covering her mouth immediately afterward, mortified by her lack of control.

The guard chuckled, amused. "The IDs were already prepared in advance, miss." He smiled, clearly unbothered by her slip.

"Ahh, okay," she said, nodding her head as she looked at the ID in her hand.

Abiona Heinz. Year 3, Class 2.

The guard handed her a piece of paper next. Abiona hesitated before taking it, then scanned its contents. It contained instructions from Miss Tiffany, directing her to the head office, located on the right side of the gate.

"Thank you," Abiona muttered, clutching the paper. She gave the guard a small nod before heading toward the building.

Inside the head office lobby, Abiona approached the front desk, nerves prickling at her skin.

"Excuse me, I'm here to see Miss Tiffany," she said, her voice trembling slightly as she addressed the girl at the reception.

The receptionist gave her a once-over. "You are?" she asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

Abiona swallowed, feeling a lump in her throat. "I-I'm Abiona Heinz," she replied softly.

"Oh, the transfer student," the receptionist said, her eyebrow arching slightly in recognition. "One moment, Miss Heinz. Could you please wait there?" She pointed to a nearby seat.

Abiona sat down, tapping her fingers against her thigh, feeling the weight of the moment.

"Hello? Yes, Ma'am. Okay, I'll send her right away," the receptionist said into the phone.

That must be Miss Tiffany, Abiona thought, trying to keep calm.

A few minutes later, her name was called.

"Miss Heinz?"

Abiona stood quickly. "Y-Yes?"

"You can now proceed to Miss Tiffany's office. Go straight, then turn left. Her office is the third room."

Abiona thanked her with a smile and walked toward the hallway. Following the directions, she soon found herself standing before a door with a familiar nameplate. Miss Tiffany. She knocked, feeling her heart race.

The door opened, revealing a slim woman with long black hair.

"Abi!" Miss Tiffany exclaimed as she pulled Abiona into a hug. "It's so good to see you again."

"Yeah, I'm glad to see you too," Abiona replied, smiling as they both sat down.

Abiona had first met Miss Tiffany in London during a school musical play, where Miss Tiffany had been one of the organizers. It wasn't long before Abiona discovered that Miss Tiffany had been a close friend of her late mother. Learning that her mother had once attended this academy filled a gap in Abiona's heart—one that had been there ever since her mother passed away shortly after her birth. It was through Miss Tiffany that Abiona had learned more about her mother's life, and she had also been the one to help Abiona get into the academy.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble, Miss," Abiona said, feeling guilty for involving her in her personal mission.

Miss Tiffany waved it off with a gentle smile. "Don't worry about it. You're here for a reason, and maybe you'll succeed in changing his mind. Maybe you can help him play music again."

Abiona smiled faintly. She appreciated Miss Tiffany's faith in her.

"I think you should rest for now. You can start with your lessons tomorrow. I'm sure you're exhausted after your journey," Miss Tiffany said kindly, leading her to the dormitory.

"Call me if you need anything," Miss Tiffany said before leaving Abiona in her dorm room.

Abiona collapsed onto the bed and instantly drifted off into a deep sleep.

When she woke up, it was already 10:00 PM. Her stomach growled loudly.

"Gosh, I'm hungry," she muttered as she stepped out of her room.

Is the cafeteria even open this late? she wondered, walking through the quiet halls of the academy. She found her way to the cafeteria, but as expected, it was closed. Of course, it's past meal time.

She sighed and wandered around, hoping she'd find a vending machine or some food. But there was nothing.

I'm hopeless, she thought, plopping down on a bench between the boys' and girls' dorms. A few students were still wandering around, some strumming guitars under the soft glow of the streetlights. The night sky was littered with stars, and despite her hunger, Abiona felt a strange sense of peace.

She swayed her legs and began humming a tune softly, letting the melody distract her from her rumbling stomach.

"Na na nanana na nana nana..."

Suddenly, a figure appeared before her, startling her mid-hum. She froze, her breath caught in her throat. She couldn't move, as if she had been glued to the bench.

The person standing in front of her was the last person she expected to see.

"Gray?"