The Invitation

The letter sat on the table, its wax seal half-peeled, gold edges faintly gleaming in the dim light.
The elegant handwriting—neat and formal—made it feel almost unreal.

Invitation to Aria Luna Music Academy.

Catherine raised an eyebrow.
“Okay, seriously? Is this a prank? Where’s the camera?”

Evelyn leaned forward, studying it.
“It’s addressed to us. All three of us.”

Catherine scoffed, folding her arms.
“Yeah, but don’t you think a prestigious academy like Aria Luna would, I don’t know, hold auditions?”

The room went still.

“…They don’t do auditions,” Eluera said quietly.

“What?” Catherine blinked.

“Eluera’s right,” Evelyn added softly, brushing a lock of yellow hair behind her ear.
“They only send invitations.”

“That’s why it’s... genuine.”
“They chose... us.” Eluera’s hands trembled slightly.

Catherine flopped onto the couch, arms thrown wide.
“Why? We’re just some garage band from nowhere. Cheap gear, late-night noodle runs..."

The room fell silent again.

—

Sunset rays streamed through the curtains, casting soft gold across the floor.
Outside, life carried on.
Inside, time seemed to pause.

“Oh, by the way,” Evelyn said after a long moment, her voice quiet but certain.
“We’re almost done with high school. Graduation’s next week.”

“Don’t remind me,” Catherine groaned.
“Everyone keeps asking about college, careers, the future… like I’ve already got my whole life figured out.”

Eluera smiled softly, the warmth of her expression gentle in the quiet room.
“...Haven’t you?”

“Only if ‘try not to burn down the kitchen’ counts.”

They laughed together, and for a moment, it felt easy.

—

That night, Eluera sat on her bed, the letter resting on her lap.
Her fingers traced the words, thoughts drifting.
She thought of the Aria Luna Academy poster—distant dreams and unrealized hopes. It made her heart ache in a way she couldn’t explain.

She wasn’t asking for much.
“I want to... sing without fear,” she whispered to herself.

By the window, Evelyn stood with her arms folded, moonlight brushing softly against her face.

“What do I even want?” she asked herself.
“Where am I supposed to go?”

Music was her anchor.
But was it enough?

Catherine lay on the living room couch, tossing a stress ball into the air.
The invitation sat on the table like a challenge.

She hated feeling lost in life,
like everyone else had it figured out while she was just... drifting.

“What do I do after graduation…” she whispered to herself.

—

A week passed.

High school graduation came and went. Caps flew. Smiles were forced.
Diplomas handed out like consolation prizes.

And still—Something was missing.

No more alarms. No more rushing to school.
Just long mornings and longer silences.

The letter stayed on the table, untouched but never ignored.

They fell into lazy routines. Breakfasts half-eaten. It wasn’t the same.

—

Then one afternoon, Eluera walked into the room, the letter in her hands.

“We should call...” she said simply, her voice quiet but sure.

Catherine froze, halfway through a bite of toast.
“You’re serious?”

Eluera nodded, her golden eyes steady.
“Yes.”

Evelyn paused, hands still in the sink.
“We’ve been thinking about it too.”

Silence filled the room again.

Then Catherine groaned, dragging her hands down her face.
“Okay. But if we end up in a creepy white van, I’m blaming you.”

—

They dialed the number.

A woman answered. Her voice was calm, graceful, every word polished like glass.
She confirmed the invitation, said they had been noticed.

And then she asked:
“Do you accept?”

Eluera glanced at Evelyn.
Evelyn turned to Catherine.
Catherine let out a soft sigh—then smiled.

“…Yeah,” Eluera whispered, her heart pounding in her chest.

“We accept.” The trio spoke together, their voices steady with quiet resolve.

—

The morning of their departure came quietly.

They stood outside their small shared house, bags at their feet. It wasn’t much of a house—but filled with memories.

Catherine swung her backpack over one shoulder.
“So long, weird little house. Hope the next people like finding guitar picks everywhere.”

Evelyn smiled up at the sky, clouds drifting slow and soft.
“We’re really doing this.”

Eluera’s white hair caught the breeze.
“This is... where it begins...”

A silver car waited at the curb. They climbed in, side by side. None of them looked back.

“Let’s show the world our music.”