ARRAN’S JOURNAL - 88TH DAY OF 263AL

It’s a great opportunity. Everyone says its the best move for me, I guess. I really miss Mid Region Academy though. The halls. The orange uniforms. My age mates. I had a good class, we all got along. I keep remembering my last day there — everyone made me a banner and wished me luck. Even my maths teacher, Mrs. Miel, shed a tear. That was great. I should feel lucky though. Not many Korainians can transfer in their last cycle of school, but my parents made the donations they had to just to get me in the door — all so that I could play harp.

I guess it’s worth it. It’s worth it. City Korai Academy has amazing facilities. Their auditorium is massive. It really is better than the little music room at my old school, can’t lie about that. And the orchestra club gets a lot of attention from the school administration. My parents said they only agreed to let me into the academy because I’m “a horizontal harp playing child prodigy”. But truth is, everyone in the orchestra club is better than I am.

They’re all insanely skilled. Bassists, percussionists, horn-players. Most of them are fourteen cycles like me, but some of them are even younger. It’s intimidating. Still, when I train with Marsh, the assistant coach, it makes everything worthwhile. I wish she could be our regular coach, but she only comes in a couple times an eight to help out. She’s busy. She’s a world-class horizontal harpist. And of course, she’s the actual granddaughter of the most guided Korainian on Uji.

But she’s so humble, Marsh. She never brings it up. Some Korainians wouldn’t stop going on about how The Chief is their grandmother — my sister is one of them. Marsh though, deep as the bottom of the sea. What a woman. Clever. Witty. She picked up on how lonely I was feeling, even though I thought I was hiding it well. But then she asked to talk to me after club and said to me straight, “you look sad, Arran.”

I’m glad she did, though. I’m glad she pulled me aside. I’m glad I told her how I was feeling. She came to help coach orchestra club five times this eight, just to make sure I didn’t feel alone. It’s only a couple hours at the end of the school day but at least it’s something to look forward to. That’s it, I think - I really do look forward to seeing her. It helps me get through the day. I think I even play better when she’s around.

Today, after everyone else had left, she hung back to talk to me. She mentioned my grades. The orchestra coach must’ve told her they were slipping. I am trying, but the classes are so hard. Way harder than Mid Region Academy. Marsh made me laugh about it though. She said the Head Lecturer, Hugh Mono, was a “hardened blowhole that liked sucking the fun out of school”. The joke was so inappropriate coming from The Chief’s granddaughter. I didn’t expect it, I think that’s why it made me laugh so hard.

I’m thankful to Marsh for that. Giving me a laugh. Seems so dumb but, it felt the first time I’ve laughed since moving school. She feels like more of a friend than an assistant coach. Maybe that’s because I haven’t seen her play yet — but to be fair Korainians do pay a lot to watch her in action, so who am I to ask for a free performance. But I can tell she’s really skilled. The advice she gives is always on point:
— Lift your elbow.
— Grease your strings.
— Stroke don’t pluck.
— Feel what you play.

She knows what she’s talking about. I don’t want to let her down. She’s done so much to help me already, if I didn’t become the prodigy everyone expects me to be then it would’ve been a waste of her time. That would suck. I’ll keep doing my best at school and harp. I’ll get smarter. Play better. It’s a great opportunity to be enrolled at the academy. Marsh graduated only two cycles ago. The place makes legends. Maybe I could be a legend too - along with Marsh. If I work hard enough, maybe one day we’ll even share a stage.