Chapter 4 mates:)
Cid In The City
Chapter Four
It was like time paused for Cid. The results came back. All Cid had to do was open the envelope and see if a bright future was inside but Cid felt constricted. Something wrapped tight, very tight around his intestines. He was nervous, and rightly so; his parents spent some money on him, not to mention everyone expected good of him. He didn't want to let them down and he couldn't let himself down.
The letter was still in his hand and he had yet to open it. Cid thought something was missing but then it came to him. It wasn't something that was missing it was more like someone. "Mum. Dad. Where are you?" he said out loud. No answer. He said so again but only a bit louder. Still no answer. "Where the hell are those people?" Cid wondered but at that moment he heard something. Wait! He heard it again. He pricked his ears and had his hearing to its most sensitive. "Ohhhhhhh. Right there..." It was a woman moaning. Cid felt the colour drain from his face. "Please tell me they're not doing -" He started off but was cut off by rough grunting. It was a man's voice. Cid slowly began to back away, ready to burst through the back door of his house when he heard a big SPLASH!
"Oh Ryan, you clumsy man *giggle*" Cid's mother said girlishly "All the water's gone. We are sooo exposed, ha ha ha!"
"Oh well. I was getting sick and tired of water anyway. I prefer doing it dry!" Ryan exclaimed.
Exactly what he did after is unknown as Cid ran through the back door and straight outside. He had enough "noises" for one day.
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Cid decided to visit his best friend Law who he had not seen before the day of the exam. Law and Cid knew each other since they were ten years old. They met in a bathroom at a Scottish middle school (Writer's note - Weird coincidence ;)). As they grew up together, they realized they had the same likings for almost everything but there was always one thing they had a deep and unwavering passion for: Art. While their passion was a tie, they're skills were not. Law just being the natural, talented little artist he is, while Cid... well, Cid tried xD.
Cid crossed the road and walked through a tiny gap leading up north from his farm's direction. He then turned left and walked straight ahead until he saw a little cabin by a lake. It was there his friend lived. Not as fortunate as his friend, Law lived this way for pretty much most of his life. His father, the breadwinner of the family lost his life in a car accident some twelve years before. After that, everything went downhill for Law and his mother. Eventually, Law's mother became an excessive drinker. To feed her addiction and because she had no job, she became a sex worker. Law, while he has not proud of his mother, he is fond of her and helps her out when he can. He does side-jobs and balances his school work in-between. Cid continued to walk up to the wooden cabin. When he got close enough, he saw what seemed a young man with what seemed like a sketch pad in his hand. "Definitely Law," Cid chuckled.
"Law!" Cid shouted. The figure, which was in a chair sitting down jumped. When he looked behind him, he grinned.
"Cid matey. How are ya? How the exam went?" Law asked excitedly, walking up to meet Cid. When they met up they hugged each other and kissed on the cheeks (Writer's note - ...Okaaaaaaay xD)
"The exam went fine," Cid said "Got back my results today."
"What!? Did you passed!?" Law obviously excited for his best friend seemed as though he was going to wet his pants.
"Ok. Hold it there buddy," Cid said in an effort to calm down his friend "I haven't opened it yet. I wanted to do it when, when err, my parents were less busy."
"Oh. I get you," Law getting the drift of what Cid was saying "Well, they should be done now." Law grabbed Cid's hand "Let's go!"
Cid held up Law "Wait. It can wait. After all, I did come to see you. What were you drawing?"
Law looked at Cid. He really wanted to know the results but after all, just like his friend said, he came down to see him. He even requested to see his drawing. He couldn't disappoint.
"I was drawing a picture of the lake. Been trying all week. I think I got it just about right," Law said confidently. They walked up to where Law was sitting. Cid took up the drawing and what he saw made him gasp. The drawing was brilliant. Law had in the detail of the lake's ceaseless surface. It had such flow that it seemed animated. The shading was superb. Cid found it hard to believe that his friend drew it but then Cid double take; this was Law he was talking about.
"This is abso****ing-tastic!" Cid exclaimed (Writer's note - I got this word from the series Dexter. Dexter's sister uses this word almost all the time.)
"Really?" Law asked.
"Yea. It's great. You're sweet!"
All of a sudden Law flushed a deep red and bowed his head to the ground, twiddling with his fingers (Writer's note - Sorry to keep interrupting but this is really weird - Hinata?) Cid, now realizing exactly what he said started to flush a bit as well. Cid meant something completely different than what Law interpreted.
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A long silence followed and none of them had move, not until a voice shouted out in the distance.
"You two look like lovers, behave yourselves and snap out of it!" A woman said.
"Mum!" Law shouted out and he went out to greet to his mother. Judging from how she looked, Cid deduced that she came back from a night job. When she got with Cid, she greeted him. Cid did the same but when she got close enough Cid saw that she must have had a rough night. The heel on her right stiletto was broken in half; her shirt was all torn and a piece of her bra was ripped and it smelled dingy; she was wearing no undergarment and her short skirt had tear on the left side, and to top it all of, she had red bruising on the side of her face, and it was as Cid concluded "Very, very recent." She and the two boys entered the cabin. Law's mother sat down on a wooden chair and felt her face. She then asked Law to go and get the ointment for her face. When Law scurried off to the medicinal cabinet, she looked at Cid with a strange look that made Cid really uncomfortable.
"Sooo, you did the exam," she started off "How did it go?"
"It went smoothly. Actually, I got back my results today and decided to bring back Law to open the letter with me," Cid replied. He noticed that the woman's jaw was set and her eyes were twitching: She was showing contempt.
"Okay. That's good," She said. She put on a smile but her eyes was contrasting. The eyes were absolutely cold. Cid noticed and raised his eyebrows. He was confused at why Law's mother was behaving so towards him now. She always had a good-natured attitude towards Cid, often joking that her son and Cid are closet lovers.
Law's mother looked Cid. She studied his face and picked up the hints that he showing. Cid demanded to know what was going on and she had no choice but to answer it. She took a deep breath.
"I really envy you Cid, You and your family." She said "But I'm so glad that Law has a friend like you." Obviously not wanting to continue the conversation, she shouted out for Law and asked if he found the ointment yet. Law came out with it and handed it over to his mother. She applied it to her bruise and then told Law to fix her up a spot of breakfast. Law readily obliged: He really adored the woman.
"I'm sorry Cid, but I'll have to borrow L for a while," She said. The hard feelings were no longer there "Hope you don't mind Cid,"
"No no. Not at all. I'll come back later," Cid said and he walked out the cabin.
Cid walked back the same path he walked earlier to reach Law's home. While walking through the tiny gap, Cid began thinking about what Law's mother said about envying his family, and himself. It left Cid to wonder how much people were jealous of him and his achievements when they say they wished well for him. He didn't like the thought of it but it was possible truth and he'll have to face it later. To take his mind off such thoughts, he focused on the results of the exam. He jogged the rest of the distance home.
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When Cid got home he saw his parents sitting at the table kitchen, staring intently at the letter. They motioned at Cid to hurry up and open the letter. Cid readily obliged. He took a deep breath and opened the envelope. Cid read the purple, emblazoned words on the letter out loud.
"Dear Student,
This letter contains the results of the entrance examination into the Unlimited Talent of Arts College. The pass mark is eighty per cent overall. Have you gained or pass this mark, you will gain entrance into the facility. Your results are as follows:
Cid Kevin Jules
English Language - 91%
Mathematics - 94%
English Literature - 74%
In the fourth section, you were allowed to choose one of the following questions: Computer Analysis; Mechanical Engineering; Art. You chose: Computer Analysis.
Computer Analysis - 100%
Overall percentage - 89.8%
Congratulations, you have been entered into the college of Unlimited Talent of Arts! Enclosed in a separate letter are validation..."
Cid read no more. He couldn't believe it. He passed! He glanced at his parents; his mother eyes were teary while his father had his chest buffed out and smiled proudly at his son. He was going to college. And without a doubt, Cid thought, that this was one of his happiest moments in his life.
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"Okay Cid, tell me what you want." Cid's mother was smiled at him.
"What?" Cid said non-pulsed. Cid was sitting in a couch reading a book his father gave him as a present. His mother was standing over him in an apron. She was baking a pie.
"You did great in your exam, you must want something."
"Well..." Cid was thinking about having a chance to talk with Nina but what could his dear Mum do about that.
"How about a big party?" His mother proposed "We'll have it the night before you leave so that it sticks with ya."
"Ok. That'd be swell mother!" Cid would've been happy about prospect of saying one last goodbye to all the people he grew up with but he really didn't care about most of them except for some, but even they couldn't compare to the want of telling Nina how he felt.
As if she read his mind his mother said nonchantly "If I were you, I'd use this chance to confess to Nina."
Cid jumped up and kissed his mother. Trust her to know what I need was what Cid thought. His mother was happy to see her son so enthusiastic and decided to pop in some extra advice.
"Remember your curse Cid. Do. Not. Eat!" She said in a fake, ominous voice.
"Ha, ha. Very funny Mum but I think I'll be taking your advice this time." Cid replied. This was going to be his last chance of confessing to Nina and he was not going to let anyone or his 'curse' screw it up. It was all or nothing and Cid knew it. "Nina, just wait a bit longer..."
Hope you enjoy it:)