The city of Everhart wasn't a metropolis. It wasn't the kind of place where stars were born or industries rose overnight.
But that was what made it perfect.
It was quiet. Ignored. Stagnant.
And Liam Cross was about to wake it up.
The school bell rang, and Liam moved through the halls like a ghost. No one paid him much attention—just another artsy kid with a sketchpad and headphones.
But his mind?
It was sprinting.
In his notebook, ideas bloomed like wildfire:
A band—something raw and emotional.
A short film—minimal budget, maximum soul.
A platform—a local version of YouTube, even just a prototype.
He had no money. No connections.
Just memory and ambition.
He walked into his final class of the day—Media Arts. A mix of underfunded AV equipment, barely working camcorders, and dusty editing software from 1987. The teacher, Mr. Hollis, wore corduroy pants and a permanent look of defeat.
Perfect.
Liam raised his hand.
"Mr. Hollis, do we have access to the audio lab after school?"
The teacher blinked. "Well… technically yes, but no one really uses it."
"I'd like to."
Mr. Hollis peered over his glasses. "Planning a mixtape?"
Liam grinned. "Something like that."
Later that day, the audio lab smelled like old coffee and wires. The mixer was ancient. The mic was decent, if dusty. But it was enough.
Liam plugged in, adjusted the levels, and hit record.
He didn't have studio magic. He had vision.
His fingers danced across the keyboard, reconstructing one of the most powerful songs in human history—
"Fix You" by Coldplay.
He sang, low and imperfect, but full of emotion. Each note pulled from memory and heartache. He wasn't trying to sound perfect. He was trying to sound real.
By the time he finished, there was a faint knock.
He turned.
Nova stood in the doorway, wide-eyed.
"I heard something… and followed it," she said softly.
Liam gave a half-smile. "What do you think?"
She blinked. "That's… that's not music. That's medicine."
He paused, stunned by the words. She meant it.
"Can you… teach me?" she asked.
He looked at his little sister—artistic, sharp, overlooked by everyone else.
And he nodded.
"Yeah. I think we're gonna change the world."
End of Chapter 3