Mallory's Melody

Chapter 9

STARLIGHT ACADEMY WAS one of the tallest buildings in Los Angeles, and it was one of the brightest, too. At night, it shone like a literal star, emanating a luminous white light that blinded all those who looked at it for too long. Mallory had heard that it had over forty floors and housed about a thousand musicians and instrumentalists and that five hundred of them got expelled from the academy each year. Before now, she had no way of confirming if these rumours were true or not. Now she could, because she was going to be in the Academy. 

The limousine drove past the lofty golden gates of the starlight Academy and veered to the right to claim a parking space. Mallory slowly came out of the limousine and took in her surroundings. An Immaculately white water fountain in the middle of the parking lot spewed pristine water in a never-ending cycle. She looked at the horde of people teeming the premises and knew that the rumours were true. Starlight Academy was home to many musicians and instrumentalists. Some of them held harps, others violins, and most of them, guitars. Mallory guessed the other ones who weren't attached to instruments were singers, and the ones in sparkling leotards, dancers. She was here, actually here. Perhaps it was a dream. She couldn't be in The Starlight Academy. No way. 

"No, you're not dreaming," said Jason Trevor in a knowing tone. He stood beside her and joined her in scrutinising the surroundings, even though she was pretty sure he was well accustomed to it. Two years ago, Jason Trevor was a contestant at Starlight Academy. He had competed in the instrumentalist section, and Mallory still remembered, watching him on the television, how terrifically he'd played his guitar, his graceful voice complimenting the tunes of his instruments. Even before Jason finished playing, everyone knew he would be the star of the year, the only contestant, among thousands of others, that won himself a spot at the Academy.

Mallory, still awe-struck, stared at him momentarily, before averting her gaze back to the Starlight's magnificence. "It's hard for me to believe I'm here."

Jason nodded, understanding. "I remember being speechless when I first came to the Starlight," he said, then folded his arms and stared into the void, as though he was recalling some old memories Mallory was oblivious to. "Those were good times y'know?"

"I can only imagine," Mallory agreed, trying to meet up with Jason's long strides as he proceeded for the entrance of the Academy. 

A strong gust of cold air surged for Mallory the moment they pried the entrance door open and marched into the flower-scented reception. For a densely populated environment, the reception was really dry, with the only sound being the sweet, mesmerizing cadence of one of Mallory's favourite jazz songs by Jaja Danny, a deceased singer. Before she rose to prominence, she was a student at Starlight Academy. 

"Why is the reception so—"

Jason cut in. "Isolated?"

Mallory nodded, yes.

"This is the Vip section of the building. Only members of the Academy and contestants like you, are allowed here. The reception for visitors is on the other side of the building is quite an ugly sight," Jason explained.

They ambled to a petite receptionist, who had quite a grim and unwelcoming demeanour for someone of her position. She smacked her gum cavalierly, eliciting exasperating sounds that almost made Mallory slap her. 

"Member," Jason said to her, retrieving a card right out of his back pocket and wriggling it in the receptionist's face.

Without bothering to stare into Jason's face, as she was already aware of who he was, she clicked some keys on her monitor and said, "Welcome to the Starlight Academy Jason Trevor and—"

She looked up at Mallory, puzzled. "Who's this?"

"Mallory Trent," Mallory introduced herself with awkward diffidence.

Almost amused, the receptionist leaned in closer, as if to get a better hearing of what Mallory spoke of, but to Mallory, it was just another, less offensive way of mocking her. She didn't fit in here, she knew, with her floor-length church skirt, and oversized glasses.

The receptionist glanced at Jason, as if for approval, then looked back at Mallory. "Never seen you around here before."

"She's a contestant," Jason cut in. "William wants her join this summer's contest."

Her mouth rounded into an 'o', but to Mallory, it was just another contemptuous way of saying. She? Around here? She doesn't stand a flimsy chance of making it here. Ok, maybe she was overthinking.

"I have to affirm that from Mr. Orlando" She clicked away at the keyboard.

Seeming agitated, Jason rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Be quick about it. "

But the problem was that being quick wasn't her forte, because five minutes later, she was still busy tattling purposelessly on the phone to William, giving him a narration far lengthier than the truth. For a receptionist, brevity wasn't her strongest suit.

Idle, Mallory glanced around the surrounding, perusing the frames fastened to the wall. All of the stars she could recognize like Demitri Orlando, Bola Yinka—Well maybe not all, because to the right was a picture frame, of a star perhaps who she'd never sighted before, which was weird, as she was an avid follower of the Starlight, knew the stars like the back of her hand. But this particular star, Jane, (1973-2000), She'd never heard before. But there was something disconcertingly familiar about this one star. If she could only place her fingers on—

"Yep Mr. Orlando says she's free to enter the premises," the receptionist's voice jolted her out of her deep thoughts.

Jason sighed. "Finally. Mallory let's go."

Reluctant at first, Mallory made no move to leave, as she was still mentally trying to decipher who the mysterious star was, but seeing the exasperation coming onto Jason's face, she dismissed that, and followed him into a silent hallway, entering the elevator on the right.

As the elevator proceeded upwards, Mallory felt an inkling, maybe just a twinge that something was about to change the course of her life forever.