The Music Within

fingers hovered over the trackpad heart thumping as she refreshed her inbox for what had to be the hundredth time tha

it app

s Angeles Ac

our Applic

led sharply, then exhaled through her nose,

Maya

Angeles Academy of Music. After careful

rds bl

hen her vision cleared, the rejection would

floor had disappeared from beneath her. A sharp inhale got caught in her

o

how it was s

was her dream. The one she had spent years working toward. The one she had sacri

generic, heartless email

d like it had burned her. She pressed her palms agai

it d

She sniffled, shaking her head as if she could physically reject the rejection. As

settled in her

dn't m

n't goo

han anything else. Not talen

nd. The room felt suffocating-too small, too quiet, too fill

trings absentmindedly, thinking about the songs she would write at the academy. The ones she'd per

t it made her

to fists, nails dig

ted it, thinking it would be some kind of keepsake-and crumpled it in her fist. Then, with a sharp, f

rfe

wiped the back of her

aybe you should have a backup plan. That was what her teachers had said. Even her paren

elieved in he

where tha

mirror. Her reflection stared back at her, hollow-eyed and pale, like a

or jolted her out

ay

in

eks quickly, forcing a

I com

robably make up an excuse, pretend she was f

ark eyes immediately softened when s

posure, but the concern in Shine's expressi

rp, shaky exhale.

words. She just stepped forward

resistance. But then, something inside her cracked, a

lized how much

e circles on her b

I thought..." She shook her head, pressing her forehead a

kno

e in silence fo

nds on Maya's shoulders. "But you

humorless laugh

One stupid decision made by a committee who doesn't

I don't think that

nd I'm telling you right now, you don't n

but the weight on her chest

pled rejection letter, and smoothed it out. Then

sped. "

" She ripped it again, the pieces fluttering

breathy laugh escaped her. It wa

proud of herself. "Se

ting of rejection was still there, deep and raw

y had been her whole plan. Without it, she

d beside her, nudging her shoulder

't alone

t maybe-this w