A/N: I own nothing, naturally, except for perhaps the imagined architecture of the Academy, and even that probably belongs in part to many other beautiful campuses that I put together in my mind.


Chapter 1

At the moment, it seemed perfectly natural for Mitchie to plaster a smile on her face. It seemed perfectly normal for her to play the understanding daughter and say, "Yes mom, I totally get it, and it's okay." She wasn't expected to be an actress, and wasn't surprised at all to see mom stifle a sigh - but at least Mitchie tried. She didn't stick around the breakfast table for much longer than that, however. A mumbled excuse about being late for school, and Mitchie stole out of the house.

"No luck convincing your family to let you go to that music school in New York, huh?" Sierra caught up with Mitchie at their lockers, her arms full of books, as always. Mitchie sighed and shook her head.

"I know it's way expensive, but part of me keeps hoping there'll be a way for me to go."

"You applied for that songwriter's scholarship, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but it's been weeks since they got back to me. Besides, the scholarship only covers the classes... I'd still have to hope on my parents being able to afford the room and board there."

Sierra hmm'd and ahh'd as a best friend should, while Mitchie dragged her feet to her first class.

"I know it's our last day until summer vacation," Mitchie groaned to Sierra, "but I can't help but think the day is going to drag on."


First period seemed like it way never going to end. All of Mitchie's distracted thoughts channeled themselves into music scratches on her notebook and second period flew by.

"What if you did get the scholarship, Mitchie? And what if you did go to New York? You'd get discovered, and meet all of these celebrities, and we could finally go shopping on Fifth Avenue... even if I don't like shopping!" Once Sierra got started, it was hard to stop her. Mitchie smiled in spite of herself; her best friend's enthusiasm was infectious. However, her mom's words from breakfast that morning brought her crashing back down to reality.

"I don't think it would happen either way, Sierra," the brunette sighed, fiddling with the pop tab of her soda can. "Mom's already made it pretty clear that funds are tight for the summer, and she's been trying to get into that culinary school for ages too."

"Oh right, right," Sierra mused. It was always entertaining for Mitchie to watch Sierra during the lunch hour; her best friend always made reading and eating seem like an acrobatic exercise. Today, Sierra managed to balance an apple, a sandwich, her juice and her book without getting anything on the book's pages. "Well, if your mom is off to culinary school then it's just you and your dad for the whole summer. Since he works all the time you're pretty much free to do whatever you want, right?" Without even waiting for an answer, Sierra continued onto another tangent. "Where exactly is this culinary school?"

"She never told me," Mitchie answered after a contemplative pause. Now that she thought about it more, she never actually asked where it was either. She never really asked her mother too much about it at all, really; everything Mitchie knew about the school she heard from overhearing conversations her mom had with her dad, or other various people. Connie had found out about the culinary school the same time Mitchie worked up the guts to apply for the songwriter's scholarship, and since then, the younger Torres was completely preoccupied with the music school. As Mitchie finally snapped the tab off of her soda can, she couldn't help but feel a stab of guilt for being so self-absorbed the past few months about her mom's plans. Sierra gave her friend a dubious look as Mitchie continued to stare into space thoughtfully. The reverie was shattered by the bell.

"Well, only two more periods to go," Sierra announced, stuffing her apple into her mouth so she could carry her books and all her things. She muttered something else and waited until Mitchie got up before leaving the cafeteria.


The rest of the day flew by in a whirlwind for Mitchie. Sierra's imagination had gotten through to her, and she sat for the next several hours doodling in her notebook. She thought of going to New York and meeting everyone who was anyone in the business. The thought of it almost made Mitchie dizzy, and once again, her rational side kicked her mentally, while her mom's words dug into the back of her mind.

The bell finally rang, signaling pandemonium as the entire school fought their way to two months of freedom. By that point, after some mental arguing with the dreamer and the rationalist in her, Mitchie was resolved to try and just have a relaxing summer, music school or not.

"So what're your plans then," Sierra seemed to get what Mitchie was thinking; all their talk of music school and fantasizing about New York never happened.

"I guess I'll go back to flipping burgers," Mitchie mused. Sierra made a face.


"Mom, I'm home!" Mitchie called out as she slung her bag onto the table. It'd be two months before she'd have to use it again... maybe less if by some miracle her dreams were fulfilled and she was going to New York. She banished that thought out of her mind quickly.

"We're making burgers, Mitchie! Out back!" Mitchie could actually smell them before her dad could finish what he was saying. The younger Torres groaned inwardly. All those nights at Barney's had given her a healthy dislike for burgers. As if her parents could read her mind, her mom called out.

"They're better than Barney's! Homemade by yours truly!"

Mitchie had to smile at that.

"I'll be right there!"

She ran up to her room to check her messages. Strangely, there was a letter lying on her keyboard, addressed from Brown's Academy of Music. Mitchie's heart started to pound in her chest.

Brown's Academy of Music had been a place that Mitchie aspired to go to ever since she was in elementary school. Ever since her parents had given her a keyboard as a gift, and ever since she learned how to use the Internet, Mitchie harbored a silent obsession about attending the music school. She followed all media coverage on the school, especially when Connect 3 formed. The leader singer of Connect 3, Shane Gray, was Brown's nephew, and after the band formed, Brown's school took off. Every summer teenagers from all over America, provided they had the money, attended the school with hopes that one day they might become the next leader singer of a top 40 band. In fact, all the members of Connect 3 had one time or another attended the academy, be it during the summer term, or for a short 2-week boot camp during the winter holiday.

Mitchie couldn't stop her fingers from shaking as she picked up the envelope. It had to be from the scholarship department; that was the only department she had any contact with. Quite honestly, she had expected them to contact her via e-mail since that was the method by which she submitted her application. She passed the envelope from hand to hand, feeling its weight, and wondering what it might have been. It felt heavier than just a single piece of paper, unless the academy wrote stories in rejection letters.

"Mitchie! Burger's getting cold!" Her mom's voice made her jump.

"I-I'll be right there!" she stammered in reply. Taking a deep breath, she quickly ripped open the envelope. Her eyes remained closed though, even as she unfolded a single piece of paper. Her fingers rang along the edges of the paper, feeling the letterhead of Brown's Academy of Music embossed delicately at the top.


Miss Torres,

After careful review of all applicants to our scholarship program, we are pleased to inform you that you are one of the recipients of our scholarship prize – full tuition for our summer term. We have included for your convenience the brochure for the summer term at Brown's Academy of Music in order to give you an idea of some of the programs that we will be offering during these two months.

Enclosed you will find your application for the school which will require the signature of your parent or guardian. Please take the time to review all the details and do not hesitate to contact us directly should any of these details have changed. Students are not required to stay on campus for the duration of the summer term, though it is recommended. Should you wish to be placed with a roommate, simply contact us and we will make the arrangements for you directly.

We thank you for your winning submission, and look forward to having your talent with us this summer at Brown's Academy of Music.

Yours truly,

Brown Cessario


Mitchie stared at the letter, and turned the envelope upside down, sending the brochure cascading to the ground. She didn't even need to look at the brochure; she had been hiding them all over her house for the past four weeks hoping to give her parents a not-so-subtle hint. Over and over again she read the letter to make sure that she wasn't dreaming. The shriek of joy that fell from her mouth was cut short however, thanks to her rationalist.

"Mitchie, are you alright?" As if on cue, her mother was at her bedroom door. The letter fell from Mitchie's hand as the door to her bedroom opened. "Mitchie," her mother looked warily at her. "What's wrong?"

Without a word, Mitchie handed the letter to her mom. Her mother scanned the contents of the letter quickly, and took longer to regard her daughter. As Mitchie had her eyes cast to the ground, she completely missed the smile that spread over her mom's face.

"Come and have some dinner with us, Mitchie." Connie put her hand on Mitchie's back and guided her out to the patio.


"Honey, we have more reason to celebrate," Connie moved to her husband's side. Very quickly, Mitchie grew confused.

"What do you mean, celebrate?" The teenager gave her parents a suspicious look. "Mom, what are you hiding behind your back?"

Connie revealed a second envelope from behind her back. "Your father and I were planning on celebrating for me," she paused dramatically, "since I got accepted into the culinary school in New York!" For the second time that day, Mitchie's heart began to accelerate.

"That's amazing, Mom!" Mitchie was genuinely happy for her mom, even if her own acceptance letter didn't mean much. Connie could tell that Mitchie wasn't getting the point.

"So I guess that means we'll be having a mother-daughter road trip this summer to the Big Apple!" It was taking all of Connie's self control to not just tell her daughter flat out that she would be attending Brown's Academy of Music after all.

"What do you…" Mitchie let her sentence trail off as her mom's work sunk in slowly, far more slowly than the conversation she had with her in the morning. "Do you mean…" another pause as Mitchie tried to collect her thoughts. Finally she managed to whisper, "Are you serious?" The broad smiles on her parents' faces answered that question plainly for her.

The teenager finally let her shriek of joy forth, uninterrupted.