The Music system

CHAPTER ONE: THE SONG THAT WAS STOLEN

Jamal's fingers moved quickly across the old keyboard sitting on his small wooden table.

He stopped for a moment, listened to the melody playing from his laptop, and slowly nodded his head.

"That's it."

A wide smile spread across his face.

After three weeks of sleepless nights, countless cups of coffee, and several failed attempts, he had finally done it.

He had written a song.

Not just any song, but something he believed could change his life forever.

He leaned closer to his laptop and played the melody again. His lips moved along with the lyrics as he imagined himself standing on a huge stage, holding a microphone while thousands of people sang along with him.

For a moment, the small, poorly furnished apartment disappeared from his mind.

He could almost hear the crowd screaming his name.

JAMAL!

JAMAL!

He chuckled,"One day, you will all know my name."

His phone suddenly vibrated on the table. He picked it up and checked the message.

Ranita: Are you coming home tonight?

Jamal smiled and he quickly typed a reply.

Jamal: Of course. I have something special to show you.

He placed the phone down and looked at his laptop again.

Ranita was going to be the first person to hear his new song.

They had been together for almost three years, and although their relationship had not been perfect, she had always claimed to believe in his dreams.

At least, that was what he thought.

*******************

"You're late again."

Jamal looked up as he entered the apartment.

Ranita was sitting on the couch, scrolling through her phone. She wore an expensive-looking dress, and her hair was perfectly styled.

"Sorry, baby. I had to stop somewhere."

"Somewhere?" She raised her eyes. "You mean another one of those useless bars?"

Jamal's smile weakened.

"It wasn't useless. The manager promised to pay me next week."

"Next week?" She dropped her phone on the couch and stared at him. "Jamal, do you hear yourself?"

He sighed and placed his bag on the floor.

"Can we not start this tonight?"

"Then when? Tomorrow? Next week? Or perhaps when you finally become a famous singer?"

"Ranita..."

"Do you know how embarrassing it is when people ask me what my boyfriend does for a living?"

Jamal rubbed his forehead.

"I am working on something. I told you that."

"You have been working on something for three years!"

Her voice rose.

"Look at your friends. Some are married, some have businesses, and some are already buying houses. Meanwhile, you're still running around with that stupid microphone."

Jamal clenched his jaw.

He wanted to remind her that he had been the one paying most of their bills whenever he got money from his performances.

But what was the point?

He had heard these words too many times. Instead, he reached for her hand.

"Listen, I know things have been difficult, but I promise you that everything is about to change."

Ranita pulled her hand away.

"You always say that."

"This time is different."

He suddenly remembered his laptop. A smile returned to his face as he reached for his bag.

"Actually, I have something to show you."

Ranita looked at him suspiciously. Her brows arched.

"What?"

"My new song."

She rolled her eyes, "Another song?"

"Just listen to it first."

Jamal opened his laptop, connected it to the small speaker beside the television, and played the instrumental.

The room slowly filled with a beautiful melody.

Then his voice followed. It was smooth, emotional and powerful.

The song spoke about love, betrayal, poverty, hope and the desire to become somebody in a world that constantly looked down on you.

Ranita's expression changed slightly. She stopped scrolling through her phone.

For the first time that evening, she listened without interrupting.

When the song ended, Jamal turned towards her.

"Well?"

She remained quiet.

"Ranita?"

She blinked.

"It's... nice."

Jamal laughed.

"Just nice?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"I thought you would like it."

"It's okay, Jamal."

He shook his head playfully.

"You don't understand. This song is different. I have already started looking for a producer. Once we record it properly, I know it will be a hit."

Ranita forced a smile.

"Good for you."

Jamal leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"Just wait. Very soon, I will take you somewhere beautiful. No more worrying about rent or bills."

She nodded but her eyes had already returned to her phone and she was typing aggressively.

******************

[ Two days later. ]

Jamal sat inside a small restaurant, waiting for a man who had promised to connect him with a music producer.

His stomach growled.

He looked at the menu but quickly dropped it. He had only twelve dollars left in his wallet.

Even worse, the owner of the bar where he performed had refused to pay him because of an argument they had the previous night.

His phone rang.

It was Ranita.

"Hello, baby."

"Where are you?"

"At a restaurant. I'm meeting someone."

"Can you send me some money?"

Jamal checked his wallet again.

"How much?"

"Two hundred dollars."

Ranita's voice echoed from the steel phone Jamal was holding.

His eyes widened.

"Two hundred?"

"Yes. I need to get something."

"Ranita, I don't have that kind of money right now."

There was silence and she sighed.

"Forget it."

"Baby, don't be like that. I will send you something when I get paid."

"Whatever, Jamal."

The call ended.

He stared at his phone before putting it away.

A few minutes later, the man he was waiting for arrived.

Unfortunately, the meeting lasted less than ten minutes.

The producer was not interested.

According to him, Jamal's music lacked commercial value, and nobody was going to invest money in an unknown singer.

Another rejection.

Jamal walked out of the restaurant with his shoulders lowered.

He was beginning to wonder if he was wasting his life.

But he refused to give up.

He had spent too many years chasing this dream to abandon it now.

*************

[ Three days later. ]

Jamal was walking along one of the busy streets in New York when he heard a familiar melody.

At first, he ignored it.

A taxi was passing by with its windows rolled down, and a popular song was playing from its speakers.

Then he stopped. His steps came to an abrupt halt.

His eyes widened.

"No..."

He turned towards the taxi. The melody was familiar and then the lyrics began playing.

I gave you my heart when I had nothing...

Jamal's lips parted. It was his song.

His song!

He rushed towards the roadside, watching the taxi disappear into traffic.

"Hey! Wait!"

But the driver didn't hear him.

Jamal quickly brought out his phone and searched for the lyrics.

His hands trembled as he typed the first line.

A music video appeared.

ZACK EFFRON RELEASES NEW SINGLE, 'WHEN THE WORLD FORGETS YOU'.

The video had already accumulated millions of views.

Jamal stared at the screen. His heart began pounding.

He clicked on the video.

There he was.

Zack Effron, one of the biggest musical sensations in New York, stood on a beautifully decorated stage, singing the exact song Jamal had written.

The same lyrics and the same melody.

Even the little musical changes Jamal had made after several sleepless nights were there.

Everything was stolen.

"How..."

His voice broke.

"How is this possible?"

He watched the video until it ended and then he checked the comments.

This is Zack's best song ever!

The lyrics are incredible.

Whoever wrote this deserves a Grammy!

Zack Effron never disappoints!

Jamal felt something tighten in his chest.

He wanted to scream. He wanted to break something.

Instead, he stood there, staring at the screen as people celebrated another man's success with his hard work.

Then he noticed something.

A photograph had been attached to the music video's promotional page. Zack was standing beside a beautiful woman.

Jamal zoomed in and his entire body went cold.

"Ranita?"

She was wearing a diamond ring and holding Zack's hand.

Below the picture was a caption.

ZACK EFFRON AND RANITA ANNOUNCE THEIR ENGAGEMENT!

Jamal couldn't breathe properly. He read the caption again.

Then again.

His girlfriend had not only stolen his song. She had given it to another man and gotten engaged to him.

His phone slipped slightly in his hand.

"No... this can't be happening."

He immediately dialed Ranita's number. It rang twice before she answered.

"Hello?"

"Ranita."

There was a brief silence.

"Jamal?"

His fingers tightened around the phone.

"What is going on?"

"What are you talking about?"

He let out a bitter laugh.

"Don't pretend you don't know. I just saw Zack's music video. That's my song, Ranita! My lyrics! My melody! Everything!"

She didn't respond immediately and then she sighed.

"Jamal, lower your voice."

"Lower my voice? You stole my song!"

"Listen, I can explain."

"Then explain!"

Ranita sounded irritated.

"You're making this more difficult than it needs to be."

Jamal's eyes turned red.

"Why would you do this to me?"

"Because I was tired!"

The words hit him like a slap.

"Tired of what?"

"Tired of struggling! Tired of pretending that everything would be fine! Tired of being with a man who can't even afford to take me out for dinner!"

Jamal's mouth fell open.

"So you stole my work?"

"I didn't steal anything. I simply gave Zack something valuable, and he appreciated it."

"Something valuable? That's my song!"

"And what were you going to do with it? Sing it in another dirty bar?"

Jamal went silent. He clenched the steel phone in his hand so tight that the metal cracked.

Ranita continued.

"Look, Zack has given me everything I ever wanted. I don't want you calling me again."

"Ranita..."

"Goodbye, Jamal."

The call ended.

He remained frozen. For several seconds, he couldn't move.

Then a notification appeared on his phone.

It was a live video.

Zack Effron was standing in front of a group of reporters with Ranita beside him.

One reporter asked, "Zack, congratulations on your new single. Who inspired you to write such an emotional song?"

Zack smiled and wrapped his arm around Ranita's waist.

"My beautiful fiancée. She has been my biggest inspiration."

The reporters laughed.

Another asked, "Did you write the song yourself?"

Zack chuckled, "Of course. Every word came from my heart."

Jamal's face twisted.

The bastard was even claiming to be the songwriter!

He looked up at the sky.

For three years, he had struggled.

He had sung in small bars, restaurants and even hospitals just to earn a few dollars.

He had gone hungry.

He had borrowed money.

He had been laughed at.

And now, the person he trusted most had handed his dream to someone else.

"What did I do to deserve this?"

His voice was barely audible.

He lowered his head and began walking. He didn't know where he was going but he didn't care.

For the first time in his life, he felt completely useless.

Then suddenly...

DING!

A strange notification appeared on his phone.

Jamal stopped.

He frowned and looked at the screen. There was no sender's name.

Just a strange blue message.

[WELCOME TO THE MAGIC MUSIC WORLD!]

He blinked.

"What?"

Another message appeared.

[CONGRATULATIONS, HOST!]

[YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO BECOME ONE OF OUR ARTISTS.]

Jamal looked around.

"Is this some kind of joke?"

[PLEASE DO NOT BE ALARMED.]

[THE MAGIC MUSIC WORLD SYSTEM HAS SUCCESSFULLY CONNECTED TO YOUR DEVICE.]

[SING A SONG AND EARN YOUR VERY FIRST DOLLARS!]

His eyebrows rose.

He stared at the message, then slowly scrolled down.

A final notification appeared.

[BEGINNER'S MISSION ACTIVATED!]

[MISSION: PERFORM AN ORIGINAL SONG WITHIN THE NEXT 30 MINUTES.]

[REWARD: $10,000.]

[FAILURE: BEGINNER'S REWARD WILL BE REVOKED.]

Jamal's mouth fell open.

Ten thousand dollars?

For singing a song?

He looked at the screen again, wondering if he was dreaming.

Suddenly, another notification appeared.

[HOST, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHECK YOUR MUSICAL ATTRIBUTES?]

A blue button appeared beneath the message.

[YES]

Jamal swallowed. His thumb slowly moved towards the screen and he pressed it.

The next moment, a blue holographic panel appeared before his eyes.

[MAGIC MUSIC WORLD SYSTEM]

HOST: JAMAL

STATUS: UNKNOWN SINGER

BANK BALANCE: $0.00

VOCAL ABILITY: 68/100

MUSICAL TALENT: 75/100

STAGE CHARISMA: 21/100

SONG CREATION: LOCKED

SPECIAL ABILITY: UNLOCKED

Jamal stared at the panel.

Then his eyes stopped at the last line.

[SPECIAL ABILITY: PERFECT PITCH]

[THE HOST CAN NOW RECOGNIZE, REPRODUCE AND MASTER MUSICAL NOTES WITH PERFECT ACCURACY.]

His breathing became uneven.

Was this real?

Was something actually happening to him?

He looked at the mission again.

Thirty minutes of his time for ten thousand dollars.

Jamal looked around wondering if he was day dreaming.