Music Splintered Journey Chapter 1

Novel- Chapter 1
I sat by the doorway just waiting, waiting for the postman to slip the letter right through the letterbox and into my hands. Frankie lay at my feet looking at me with his twinkling eyes. His soft coat glinting in the sunlight, he gave a light whimper as “CLUMP” into my hands fell a letter among bills and leaflets. It had been smoothly slipped into a pure white envelope. On it’s front in small block writing read:

ELLIOT . M . HANNAFORD
TRÀIGH COTTAGE
THE CROFT
PORT CHARLOTTE
ISLE OF ISLAY
ARGYLL
SCOTLAND
PA39 2UH

I glanced at the edge of the envelope

SENDER- CPAA, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, USA

“CPAA? California Performing Arts Academy. This is it,” I whispered. Yes before you comment, I have a boy’s name. Well I think it’s also a girls name actually, but I was teased a bout in the past. My mind was now in a world of its own. My emotions and nerves were preventing me from opening it. I placed the letter in front of me on the table, the tartan cloth slid slightly to the left of me as Merlin, my black and white, long haired, moggy cat, leaped through the wedged open gap between the window and the sill and onto the table. I ran my fingers through his thick fur as he glanced at Frankie and I could tell he was sighing inside “How’s the collie here before me.”

I slowly walked into the sitting room, followed by Frankie and Merlin. I sat in the grey armchair in the far corner. I began to tear the top of the envelope open, and out slid the letter. I unfolded it and the lettering spilled into my head:

NEW SCHOLAR CERTIFICATE CPAA

ELLIOT MONICA HANNAFORD

Has Passed Her Audition and Shall Be Attending California Performing Arts Academy from-

MONDAY 29th AUGUST 2010

Your Move In Date is-

FRIDAY 18TH JUNE 2010

APARTMENT 6G, BLOCK 21, (EAST OF THE ACADEMY)

I was ecstatic but silent. I heard my parents awakening my 8-year-old sister Ria and telling her to get ready for school. I quickly tiptoed into the kitchen and began pretending to read the letter. Mum and Dad walked in and Mum said “What’s that you got there Elliot?”
I took a breath. “Oh nothing, just a letter from the California Performing Arts Academy, to say that Elliot Monica Hannaford has past her audition and will be attending the academy on Monday 21st of June 2010,” I said with sarcasm.
“Oh cool,” Dad said, joining in with my little sarcastic game. Mum walked over, pulled me out of my seat and wrapped her arms round me.
“Oh my talented wee lass,” she exclaimed. Dad stared at her with a confused face.
“Talented big lass,” he corrected. Now I gave him a stare.
“You sayin’ I’m chubby?” I tormented him. He gave a cheeky glance and said, “No Elliot, you’re just older now and you’re taller, now I bet you’re annoyed with yourself for being wrong.”
“Will you two stop your blethering and let me see this letter of yours Elliot,” Mum said in her annoyed voice. I handed her the letter and jumped up onto the worktop waiting for her reaction. Merlin wandered in and leaped up beside me.
“You enjoying us being distracted and letting you do whatever you like, monster?” Dad spoke to Merlin like he was a human being a lot of the time. I bundled the ball of fluff onto my lap and protested, “Look he’s on my lap so he’s not actually on the surface itself.”
“You sure you want to be a musician and not a lawyer?" Dad asked.
“Nope… “Coz music is ma thing”” I sang. There was a bit of quiet until Mum broke it and said, “This is wonderful Elliot!” She let out a short sigh. I smiled, and Dad took the letter to read it for himself.
“Go on you, get ready for school. You’ll want to be on time so you can tell everyone at register,” Mum said.
“Mum, I told you it’s called REGI in the modern world not register and anyway it’s only the timing of the bus that can make me late or early,” I corrected her with comedy.
“Fine then, REGI,” she sighed.