A/N: This is just an idea I had while trying to fall asleep and I originally was thinking of making it with OCs or something but I decided on PruCan instead. Anyways, review please and DM if you have any thoughts on it. I'll do my best to update weekly but the Parcc test is horrible and I have track four days a week with dance on the fifth. Enjoy!
The Junior World Leader's Conference was a place where teenagers from around the world would go to try their hand at being an international leader. Every year, each country would send two girls and two boys to Belgium to interact with kids from other countries and get a feel for being a politician or peacemaker. It was a huge honor for any kid to get to go, and this year, Matthew Williams got picked to be one of the Canadian representatives.
Day 1: 208 Hours to Departure
Belgium's Liege Airport was huge. People bustled about from every place imaginable. Matthew stood outside of the gate more scared than he had ever been in his life. He was from a relatively small town in Canada, so he had never seen this many people in his life. It was exhilarating. One of the other Canadian representatives nudged him along and Matthew followed the other teenagers to the luggage pickup. He racked his brain trying to remember what his suitcase looked like.
It was black, he thought, and it had a silver handle and oh! There it was. Matthew raced to grab his heavy suitcase before the carousel carried it off again. He reached out to grab the bag when it was suddenly pulled out of his reach. A dark skinned hand pulled out the suitcase and started to take it away. "H-Hey, wait!" Matthew raced after the boy that couldn't have been much older than him. "T-That's my…" Mathew trailed off as he finally stood face to face with the man. He had dark, frizzy hair and was smoking a cigar. The man's charcoal eyes seemed to pierce into the boy before him as he slowly looked Matthew over.
"What do you want, boy?" The man asked. Matthew almost seemed to have lost his voice. What was he supposed to say?
"Um, sir, uh, I think that's my suitcase, actually." The blonde rubbed the back of his neck and stared at his shoes. The man- no wait-boy standing above him let out a hearty laugh that could've been heard across the terminal.
"Is that all? Here. Take it." The boy handed the black bag over to Matthew but before he could mutter out a thanks, the man started to talk again. "You an American? You look like it but you seem much tamer. Man, I hate Americans. Always so loud and extravagant. Full of themselves, if you ask me." Matthew figeted nervously and just sort of nodded along. Sensing the boy's uncomfort, the raven -haired teen tried to lighten up the mood. "So um, you here for the Leader's Conference?"
Matthew picked up his head and nodded. "I'm actually one of the Canadian representatives." He laughed a bit as he saw the other boy's face shift.
"Oh! I get it now. You sure don't act like an American. I'm a Cuban rep." The Cuban stuck out his hand towards the Canadian and Matthew took it, giving it a firm shake. "The name's Ericemdo." Ericemdo's hands were rough and well-worn but they were warm and seemed almost welcoming.
"I'm Matthew Williams." He confirmed with a bright smile. It was good that he was making friends early on. If he didn't do it now, he wasn't sure he ever would.
"Well, Matthew," The Cuban boy said, "You better get off to your group before they leave you behind. I'll see you around." - gave Matthew a strong pat on the back before walking off to join the other Cuban representatives.
Matthew stumbled along through the airport, struggling to catch up with his group that seemed to have forgotten him. The Canadians took a cab to the hotel where the teens stayed before one of them pulled out a paper explaining their housing arrangements. They would be divided into four groups and then assigned to hotel rooms by geographical location. Not being able to understand the instructions very well, Matthew just pulled out the card with his room number and key before splitting off.
The entire hotel was like a gleaming palace. The floors shined and ornate chandeliers glimmered overhead. Matthew had no idea how many stories were in the hotel, but there had to be at least fifteen. In the center of the building was a grand atrium. Lush plants lined the walls and a skylight cast mystical rays of light upon the polished tiles. The young boy gaped at the sight. He had no idea places like this even existed. It was beautiful.
Matthew had grown up in a little town that probably wasn't even on the map. His parents had sheltered him so he hadn't traveled much at all. Without many friends, Matthew was left to read and do schoolwork all on his own. He had a standing 4.0 GPA ever since middle school and he was happy with it. But when he heard that he was nominated for the Junior World Leader's Conference, he couldn't hold back. It was an essay contest from which two boys and two girls would be picked even though thousands had been nominated. Matthew stayed up night after night refining and rephrasing everything to get it just right. The day that he received the letter saying he was chosen was probably the best day of his life.
His parents didn't want him to go through with the trip though. Ever since he was born, his parents seemed to have the idea that their son was just going to stay at home and run the family bakery with them. But ever since he was born, Matthew knew that he was destined for bigger things. And this trip was exactly what he needed to prove it.
The room where Matthew was bunked was just as elegant and beautiful as the rest of the building. There were two twin beds each with pristine white sheets and fluffy pillows and one rickety looking rollaway bed. No one had come to claim the room yet, so Matthew set his things down on the bed nearest the window and proceeded to explore the room. There was a small nightstand in between the beds, a wooden desk with a rolling chair, a small coffee maker, a shower/bathtub, a sink, toilet, and a flat screen television.
Matthew was about to sit down on his bed when the door suddenly burst open. A man with sandy blonde hair and golden skin came in, dragging an over-packed suitcase behind him. He had a blue hoodie and headphones on and seemed oblivious to the fact that anyone else was in the room with him. The man danced around a bit before throwing his suitcase onto the other bed with a loud thump. Matthew could hear a bit of the music blasting though the headphones but couldn't quite remember the name of the artist.
The boy pulled his headphones down around his neck. Matthew's face lit up as he remembered it was Michael Jackson. "Ah, geez I gotta take a piss." The louder man exclaimed walking off to the bathroom and leaving Matthew to wince a bit at the vulgar language. He was starting to have second guesses about the trip.
Before the other man could even exit the bathroom, a boy with cinnamon-colored skin poked his head through the open door. He looked a bit confused so Matthew gave him a little wave and a smile. The boy managed a weak little smile in return before walking into the room and sighing in annoyance. "Of course. Leave the rolling bed to the Mexican."
Matthew stuttered a bit. "Oh, I'm sorry. Do you want this bed? I can move-"
"No, no." The Mexican cut him off. "It's fine." He gave another little sigh and ran his hand through his short charcoal locks before introducing himself in what seemed like a practiced and routine manner. "My name is Mariano and I am the Mexican representative."
"Hi, Mariano," Matthew smiled. "I'm Matthew and I'm the Canadian."
"Canadian." Mariano repeated. "Oh great, that means-" Before the boy could finish, the other boy came trotting out of the bathroom.
"Hello, Belgium! It is I, the American rep! Haha." The American flashed a prize-winning smile and looked at the other two through his rectangular glasses. "My name is Alfred F. Jones and now that I'm here, you're all free to have the best time of your little lives." Alfred took each of their hands and shook them roughly.
Mariano rolled his eyes and walked off to where he set his stuff down. He pulled off the sweatshirt he was wearing and stuffed it into his backpack. "Well, a Canadian, an American and a Mexican. I suppose that means we're one of the North American rooms." Matthew nodded his head in agreement. He couldn't quite understand the Mexican boy, but he supposed it was just because they barely knew each other.
The American still had had music blaring through his headphones and he started singing along with it. "You've been hit by, you've been struck by, a smooth criminal." Alfred sang before doing what Matthew recognized as moonwalking. Mariano sighed in annoyance. He pocketed a pack of cigarettes before walking out the hotel room door.
"Hey, wait! Where are you going?" Matthew asked, following the boy out.
"I need a smoke." He replied. Matthew reeled back a little bit, never having met a smoker before.
"Y-You know that's really bad for you, right?"
Mariano looked offended. "Of course I do, I'm not an idiot. But staying in a room with that American is bad for my entire being." The brown-skinned boy walked off, leaving Matthew in the hallway. He turned around to go back into the room.
Alfred sat down on the bed with mock exasperation. "Ugh, what's his problem? Matthew didn't want to be rude to someone he just met so he just shrugged and sat down on the other bed. "Hey." Alfred turned his attention towards the Canadian. "I heard there's a buffet downstairs. Wanna come?"
Matthew shook his head. "I'm not very hungry." In all honesty, he was starving. But he had had enough excitement for one day.
"Suit yourself." Alfred said, sliding his headphones back on and heading downstairs.
Matthew half considered going downstairs just to sit in that atrium with all of the plants. He knew somewhere in the back of his mind that if he never worked up the nerve to go out and talk to people, he was never going to make it in life. Nevertheless, he sat down and pulled out his iPhone, texting his parents, telling them he made it safely, and checking his email. Nothing. He flopped back onto the plush cushions and hoped that tomorrow was going to be a better day. He had eight days to have the time of his life.
A/N: Whoo, that was a long chapter! I know Gil wasn't in this first chapter, but he will be in the next one. Like I said before, I'll do my best to update weekly but I'm horrible at being consistent. This story will be available on Wattpad under the same title if you'd prefer to read it there. Review or DM me and follow!