This is a gift to a fellow writer in the archive. Not that he's much active now, but consider this a gift I bestow upon you, little non-brother. I have attempted to tailor this to your request, may you be satisfied. Voilà.
University of Altera
'I shall grow and I shall shine'
"Settle down, class. There's still—(he glances at the clock)—two minutes before dismissal. I could carry onto the next session if we want." He jokes…? Professor Edan isn't cut out for humour, period. Evangeline is the only one that is attentive towards the very end, patiently listening to the last scraps of the lecture.
But Edan is generous today. Or maybe he realized that no one was going to pay attention in the last two—now one and a half—minutes of class. "All right, just this time. Dismissed; see you all Thursday. Those who didn't pick up their midterms from last week can get them right now." He gestures to the paper pile on his desk. "Assignments are due Sunday 11:59 p.m. Late submissions will not be accepted."
What's impressive about Evangeline (amongst other things) is her dignity. She quietly packs her notes and pencils into her bag and walks out. She doesn't allow herself to be pushed and shoved by the eager masses; it's not her style of decency. Then there's him, who smashes into a cluster of girls as he races to the teacher's desk—he still hasn't gotten his midterm—and trips over his untied shoelaces that people had suggested multiple times to fix to prevent these sort of things from happening.
"Sorry, sorry!" He smiles good-naturedly. He's lucky to have an attractive smile, or maybe it's just his looks, because everyone he bumps into usually lets him go with a chuckle and a shrug. "I'll tie up my shoelaces later, I swear…"
"You have said that so many times, I wonder if anyone believes you anymore."
He laughs, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "Maybe you can make a robot to tie them up for me, Eve?"
She jabs an elbow straight to his ribs, smirking slightly as he cringes in pain. "Just because I'm in Digital Architecture does not mean I'm going to make servants for you. How was your midterm?"
"Oh…that." He attempts to hide his paper. "I passed…?"
"One wonders why you even take this course." She scolds. He passed—she admits that his intellect is average—but it's clear he doesn't apply himself.
"It's Rune Divination! I thought it would be cool, okay? Why're you taking it, then?"
"As an elective, obviously. We have breadth requirements to fulfill."
A student in the Digital Architecture Co-op Program, honour rolls, taking a third-level Divination course for an elective; it was Evangeline, after all. That was why she was called…
"4.0! You are the true 4.0 of 4.0s!" He's referring to the ultimate grade point average one can get in college, which is…4.0. Evangeline's not actually a full A+ student—she admits to slacking off now and then; she's human after all–but she does work hard and gets good grades. Anyway, she hates that nickname, and he knows it. She shoots him a murderous glare, to which he grins. "Come on, we're supposed to meet them at the Student Centre. Let's go!" He evades her kick, but not another jab to the side. "That doesn't hurt." He taunts playfully.
"There you are!"
"Aisha." She smiles slightly. "How was class?"
"A bit difficult, Chemistry's never easy. The element combinations are hard to master. And you? How was Runes?"
"Better now that it's over." He chimes in. "Let's go get food!"
"Fine, meathead." Aisha sighs. "That's where they're going to be anyway…"
The walk from the Science Wing to the Student Centre is a long one. It's made even longer by his incessant jokes and Aisha's rebuttals; ultimately Evangeline stuffs in her earphones, tuning their voices out in the melodies of music. The thrum of the song is stirring; one of the rare tunes that is simultaneously mainstream and emotive.
…And so they scatter far in the expanse of sky
"Teach me the great secrets of the elements, oh master, so that I may pass when I have to take it next semester—"
"Don't you remember the cheating scandal where Chloe got suspended for copying? I don't want to be like her!"
As dark smoke, dissipating
"Oh, I see them! That's them, right? Over here!" He starts waving as if heralding a rescue ship.
Drop to my—
"Eve! Guys! Come, come!" They've already saved a table, which is good; lunchtime always meant people crowding around at the Student Centre. Plucking her earphones and slipping them in her pocket, she nods and waves.
As per custom, the eldest girl stands up and gives all three of them a hug, wrapping her arms around each of them. Aisha hugs back, cheered by the embrace. Eve hesitates only a moment before patting her back in return, careful not to show how (secretly) pleased she is by the affection. He attempts to wriggle out, impishly complaining that he was being squeezed to death by a "blonde boa constrictor." But he never rejects it outright. None of them do.
"Oh Elsword." She laughs, "It's my last day! After I'll never hug you again."
She resumes her seat, next to Raven. His name's not really Raven; it's a pseudonym. If you are not intimidated by the scar on his right cheek or the fiery glare that is his default expression and ask what his real name is, he would just scowl further and tell you off saying it's no business of yours. Even the professors call him Raven. The only one who knows him by something else is probably Renata, or Rena—the one that's sitting beside him right now.
"So where are you going again?" Aisha asks, already starting to look wistful. "Will you visit us?"
They laugh. Sander—the place Renata had been selected from hundreds of candidates to teach abroad—is oceans and continents away from Altera University. Visiting is out of the question. But Renata indulges her. "Sure, if I can scrape up enough cash for weekend visits. You're chipping in too, right?" They laugh again.
"I'm happy for you. Really. You did well, Rena." Evangeline gets up. "I'm going to get lunch, I will be back."
"You going to get souvenirs for us, Rena?" Elsword props his chin on his hands. "Take photos and videos for us, okay?"
She smiles fondly and tousles the fine crop of red hair. Elsword, the little boy she had befriended by pure chance. Of course, she was only a couple years older, but he was like a child, revelling in attention and lightening the mood. If everyone here was considered as close as family, than he was surely her little brother. "And what is it you want, Elsword?"
"Whatever, anything better than Aisha's."
"Hey!"
"Fine. Anything bigger and shinier."
"Hey! !"
"Just make mine the biggest." Raven loudly whispers to Renata. "You're my girl, after all."
"Hey! ! !"
"Just don't go flirting with other girls when I'm gone." The long-suffering elder teases. "I hear that Serine still has her eye on you."
He shrugs at the mention of his ex. "She's dead to me. You know that." Elsword makes a gagging motion with his hand to Aisha, who slaps at him.
"All right, no cheesiness in front of the kids." She laughs. "You two must be hungry. Go get food, we'll be here." Renata almost always packs a lunch; the others either lack the time or care. Eve usually packs a lunch as well, but every Friday they serve the BBQ Pork Lunchbox, which is her favourite. She approaches the table now with said lunchbox in her hands. Elsword reaches to take a piece…and gets his hand stabbed by a pair of chopsticks. Nobody touches Eve's lunchbox.
"We'll be back." Elsword and Aisha wander off. They walk around, but it's obvious as to what they'll get.
Evangeline sits, waiting. So is Rena. Back home, it is tradition to wait till every member of the family is gathered at the table. Even Raven had found it strange, but after a few tries he understood. So they wait. And wait…
"Eve." Raven jerks his head toward the left. "The guy's been staring at you. Know him?"
She glances towards the direction, a familiar figure darkening her eyes. After swallowing a mouthful of pork, she responds, "My…ex." She spits out the last word with disdain, as if it is poison. Annoyance flares to a boiling hatred, which angers her further because she had considered herself above and beyond such petty rages.
A soothing hand is placed on her shoulder, easing her turmoil. While Renata pacifies Evangeline, Raven stares the 'ex' down. Even with a prosthetic arm, his status as a former member of the gang only makes his sneer more intimidating. The figure retreats.
"Thank you." Eve mumbles. Mercifully, they return, the male with a hamburger combo, Aisha with a bowl of olive pasta. It's the last lunch they're going to have together as a team, so all of them savour it to the last bite. Renata never stops beaming; her cheerful aura is too contagious. Even Raven cracks a smile several times, even laughs when Elsword retells a joke by Professor Edan that is so lame it is actually amusing. They are the loudest table in the Student Centre. They always have been.
Elsword and Aisha will miss Renata deeply. She is the first upper-year they had met who treated them kindly, equally. She has a posture that radiates confidence, but not arrogance. That was why she was endearing to everyone, even the withdrawn like Evangeline and the reckless and brash, like Raven. Aisha actually looks as if she might tear up, but puts on a brave front for her dear friend. Elsword is flippant to the end, mock-grudgingly accepting Rena's last embrace before she departs with Raven to the International Cobo Airport. Aisha keeps waving until she cannot see their car anymore.
The remaining three turn back, already feeling queer with the absence of their friends. But Evangeline knows there will be time to reminiscence later. Her Web Design lecture is in fifteen minutes, and she knows that the other two share an Ethics tutorial in…
"…three minutes."
"Huh?" They turn to Eve.
"You two have three minutes to go to your tutorial. It's in the far other side of campus, is it not?"
Elsword shrugs. "We hardly learn anything. Lentils just repeats the textbook—"
"Do not call Mr. Lento 'Lentils'! We're going to be late!" Aisha yanks Elsword by his collar and begins a strained dash. "We'll see you later, Eve!"
The bus squeaks to a stop at Élémentelle Boulevard.
"Have a nice weekend." Aisha chirps.
"Yeah, see you Monday." Elsword replies.
She laughs. "No school on Monday for me, remember?"
"Right." How she managed to arrange her schedule so that she had no classes on Monday…then again, her Tuesdays and Thursdays were packed with classes lined up back-to-back. Juggling that and participating in two clubs and a peer-tutoring program, she leads a hectic school life. "Have fun!"
With a wave, she steps off the bus after thanking the driver. The pack of students on the bus slowly empties with every stop till only a few stragglers and the elderly remain. With Lowell, a fellow student with whom attended the same high school as Elsword, leaving at Ruben Station, Elsword has no one to talk to. Clasping on his headphones, he lets music drown out all coherent thought. Twenty-something stops later; he drags himself out to Bladen Street.
He walks slowly—the cold winds that herald the bitterness of late autumn do not spur him to quicken his pace. But it's still too soon as he arrives before the tall apartment that looms over him.
After fumbling for his keys, he gets in the elevator. They should really fix that crack in the ceiling lighting. It fizzles on and off, like a typical horror movie scene. It has been there for almost two weeks now. Would the superintendent do anything about it?
Ding. Fourth floor. He walks right, to the fifth door on the left. 413. He closes the door behind him, checking to make sure it is locked.
He throws his backpack on the couch, checking to see if it has new voicemails. As per usual, it does not. He considers taking out the home phone; it would save a lot of bills for something he so rarely uses. Of course, it is not as if he must pay for them. She makes sure that all his living expenses are taken care of, even with the bursaries and benefits he has as his financial status and her being his only provider.
It is a typical flat. All the rooms are decently furnished; two bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, a large window in the living room that overlooks the streets. He ought to be grateful that he is living in such a place as this; he knows others aren't so lucky. Aisha is an only child, yet her parents struggle to pay tuition and other fees. He doesn't know much, and he isn't one to pry too deep.
Still, he feels vacant. There is no impish smile as he presses the PLAY button on voicemail, replaying the five-day old message for the umpteenth time:
"Elsword. Hope I've sent you enough money to cover tuition and rent and food. How is school? I might be able to come visit, maybe for Christmas.-Laughs- Tell this sister what you want for Christmas. I think I could get promoted soon, and you can buy…whatever it is that boys want these days. Stay safe, little brother. Bye." -Click-
She sounds older than he had last heard her in person. Of course, that was ages and ages ago, he can't remember exactly when. He was about fifteen, he believes, when she had last stepped in here. That was when the guest room was actually used, when the oven and stoves were burning, and when, for two idyllic days that he believed that he was part of a family…
He saw her several times after that, he knows. Technology granted meetings through webcams, texting, e-mails, and social networks. But it's not the lack of equipment. She is busy. She is always busy; whatever work she does, it keeps them apart as much as covering expenses. That is why she answers texts or e-mails hours later, if she responds at all. That is why they can never talk on the phone, especially with the time zone differences.
I might be able to come visit, maybe for Christmas.-Laughs- Tell this sister what you want for Christmas.
That is why for this Christmas, he wants her to come home. He hangs on to her words like a lifeline. All his friends, they are only together during school. Clubbing and parties are loud and repetitive once the novelty wears off. Elsword, who is never alone in the University of Altera, is lonely in the vacant apartment unit 413.
Nūna, come home, he wills his wish to be made reality. You're the only family I have.
Opening his knapsack, he takes out his Rune Divination midterm and stashes it away. If he wants her to come, he shouldn't show her something as atrocious as that.
Through the right side of his living room, he hears a low murmuring humming through the walls. His elderly neighbour Agatha, also lives alone. She doesn't talk much, but she is nice. Her husband, Amos, died of a heart attack several months ago. Her daughter Aida lives a few miles away, Elsword met her once. Perhaps Agatha is talking to her on the phone, or watching television. Elsword doesn't mind. It is better than cold silence.
As to why the character's names are altered: It's a modern-school, so modern names apply. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Except Elsword. Because re-naming him as 'Bob' doesn't give the same edge.
Please don't ask me about job classes, they do NOT matter. It's a normal university, not some academy to test their 'skills'. I dropped plenty of hints and if I haven't been obvious about some characters, then it's clear that it doesn't matter. Next chapter is coming up in a few.
Song: Vocaloid.