A Year at the World Academy…
Chapter 20:
Goodbye (English, DUH),
Adiós (Spanish),
Au revoir (French),
Auf Wiedersehen (German),
Arrivederci (Italian),
Vaarwel (Dutch),
再见 (simplified Chinese),
Да спаткання (Belarusian),
Hüvasti (Estonian),
Näkemiin (Finnish),
Сбогом (Bulgarian),
Farvel (Danish),
Αντίο (Greek),
Afscheid (Dutch),
Kveðja (Icelandic),
さようなら (Japanese),
안녕히 계세요 (Korean),
Ardievas (Latvian),
Sudie (Lithuanian),
Pożegnanie (Polish),
До свидания (Russian),
Elveda (Turkish),
до побачення (Ukrainian),
tạm biệt (Vietnamese)
búcsú (Hungarian)…so many ways to say goodbye…
Well, here comes the last, final, tear-jerking chapter of my story at the World Academy. Although I came here with such low expectations,…my one year here is by far, the best of my short fifteen years. It was a few days before the Sophomore Dance when the Headmaster had sent over some staff members to take most of my stuff from my dorm to sort out all of the crap that would be waiting for me at the airport.
In the meantime, I had just been dreading this day. To think that they're gonna ship me out the day right after the Sophomore Dance, they couldn't give me another day or two to hang out with my friends or any of the sort? It was depressing, to say the least...
Waking up that last morning felt…weird. My dorm room was almost literally empty with most of my luggage already on its way back to New York. Rubbing my eyes and jumping out of my bed, there was no time to waste! Just for old time's sake, I proudly wore my uniform one last time today, seeing how the staff will be pissed if I didn't anyway. On my way out of my dorm room, I also picked up my carry-on backpack for the plane and took one last look at the place. It seems that it looked almost exactly as it was when I first came: …empty, bare,…- Well, I don't need to reminisce on a freaking room for five minutes! Taking the keys with me, I locked the door for 379 for the very last time as I walked down the stairs to the desk in the dorm building lobby.
"Last day?," the secretary asked me.
"Yep, can you believe it?," I asked, trying to start some small talk.
"Ah, I'm stuck with these nut cases for another two years.," she sighed. "Either way, it was nice having you at the World Academy, and have a safe trip home."
"Thank you, goodbye.," I said, turning to the door. God, I can't believe that my first goodbye was to the freaking secretary, though…
Stretching my arms out as I walked out, I was tackled by Seychelles and the other girls.
"What the-?," I exclaimed, surprised.
"Oh my gosh, I can't believe your actually going!," I heard from them.
"Me too!," I replied, on the brink of crying.
We were all on the brink of crying, and the girls didn't give a damn when they started getting hysteric. I mean, it's not everyday that these nations could get so close to an ordinary human, couldn't blame them...
"Do you think we'll ever see each other again?," Seychelles asked as we all were calming down a bit from our cry-fest.
"Listen, I live in New York, maybe I'll drop by the next time there's some World Meeting or something down at the United Nations.," I suggested.
"Yeah!"
"Our bosses will definitely let us see you if we say that there's some meeting!"
I felt great in having found a loophole in trying to see my nation-friends. However, I have to remember that I'm just an ordinary human, what're the chances that their bosses will let me even approach them after I leave the World Academy. However, I had a feeling that fate, despite the bitch that it is, will find a way for us to see each other again, no matter how many years it may take.
Well, enough with that, I owe some goodbyes to quite a lot of people.
Now how could I forget Toris, Raivis, and Eduard, practically my first three acquaintances/friends at the World Academy? We had crammed for tests and hung out together, I wouldn't mind shedding a couple of tears saying goodbye to them.
"H-Hello?," Toris quietly opened his dorm room door. "Oh, hi!"
"Yeah, hi Toris.," I weakly waved. A prolonged silence hung in the air before I broke it, "Well, I guess this is it, right? I leave, you get to stay at here-"
"Oh, it's been nice knowing you, you know that?," Toris was the first to break down crying, then I followed.
"Thanks...," I said in between sobs. "I'll miss you-"
"We'll all miss you!-"
"Wha-? Why're you two crying?," Eduard stepped out of Toris' room along with Raivis.
"Oh, it's her last day here...," Raivis said in a despondent tone.
"Get over here, you two!," I interjected, bringing Eduard and Raivis into my little cry-and-hug-fest. Luckily, the two were complaint and in seconds we were in a weeping little huddle in the middle of the hallway.
"You'll keep in touch online, won't you?," Eduard managed to say among our collective weeping.
"Sure, anything for you guys.," I said, a sort-of cliche, in-the-moment kind of statement. "I won't be leaving for another few hours, but I wanted to make sure I properly thanked you three, for everything. "
There was no time to dawdle when I haven't even seen three certain you-know-whos...
Alfred F.-ing Jones...where the frick could that American idiot be? Out of all the days of the school year, he just had to disappear to God-knows-where when I'm leaving. As in, like, for good, too! Ugh, I hope that I'll run into him sometime later-
"There you are!," well, here comes a certain nation that I don't have any trouble finding. For once, I actually welcomed Denmark's crushing embrace.
"Hi...!," I managed to choke out.
"Why do you have to gooooooo?," Denmark whined, beginning to tear a little.
"Because...," I started. "...I have to return to the malicious hierarchy of an American high school, what else?"
"But you can't leave your King-"
"O.K., you keep calling yourself the 'King,' then what the hell am I?," I retorted.
Looking down at me, he merely blinked for a moment before saying cheerfully, "Well, just what sort of King would I be without a Queen?"
Alright, now just how could my face not turn bright red like a tomato? I couldn't tell if my emotions were flattered, embarrassed, or whatever... but boy did I feel... happy? Is that the word?
"UHH...," my brain immediately shut down preparing a smart-ass reply.
"I mean, I'm not happy about you leaving me-," O.K., there he goes again about the abandonment thing. Crossing his arms, looking all stern at me, just who does he think he is?
Ready with a cold retort, he stopped my rebuttal in its tracks,"But I know that the chances of you betraying your King are like, a one in a million chance, am I right?"
Sighing, I just said, "Yeah, yeah, whatever- Mmm!"
O.K., what gave this guy the idea of kissing right out in the open campus? Thank God that no one was around for the moment-
"Denmark, stop assaulting the poor girl, I thought we already talked this over.," Norway came in, commanding his fellow nation as usual. Thank God that this guy hung around with Denmark, otherwise no one would be able to restrain him.
"Aw, you guys are no fun.," Denmark let go of me. The rest of the Scandinavian countries that were glaring looks that screamed, "Get a room, you two."
"Seriously, way to embarrass me in front of your friends again, Den-," I shook my head jokingly.
"Wha-? You're so cold and cruel to the very end, you know that?," Denmark whined before whispering, "I like that-"
"Now, whoa, whoa, whoa...," I immediately backed a little away from him. "Let's not get carried away here, O.K.?"
"Say, you're not leaving right now, right?," Tino interrupted, breaking into the conversation.
"Hm? No, the cab coming for me should be here in a few hours, like in the early afternoon.," I replied. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, it's nothing.," Tino replied before turning to Berwald saying, "We should get going, Su-san."
"Y's(Yes).," he replied, followed by the other Nordics.
As they walked away, I just couldn't believe how much my outlook on the five of them in such a few short months. All the way back in November-December-ish, I was absolutely terrified to have them catch me on campus. Well, that was because of the whole sleepover crap that one weekend at Hungary's dorm. [insert mental shudder]
One thing that my classmates back home always used to say about me is that I'm dramatic, so I should be an actress or something of the sort. "No, no, I like music better.," I would say in my defense, despite my rather unknown love of drama and the arts. Who would've known that I could pursue this interest at the World Academy? Needless to say, for me there was drama onstage and 'backstage...' Yeah, mentally perceive that last statement however you may please because I feel that I don't need to explain of what I mean by 'backstage.' Whatever happens backstage, stays backstage...
Walking down the aisle of seats, I approached the empty-looking stage. However, knowing my luck, a certain somebody probably sensed my presence. Climbing onto the stage, I suddenly felt the almost blinding stage lights like they were on the night of the musical. I couldn't believe that I, a mere understudy finally had a foot in the limelight, even if it only was for a few scenes. Now matter how cliche it is, and as much as I hate to say it, my situation was like a real-life experience from The Phantom of the Opera. But of course, I couldn't have gotten there alone.
Who would've known that the mysterious brunette with teal eyes that had the male lead actually liked me? Really, it just didn't make any sense to me. From the very beginning, I've nary said a word or even looked in his general direction, yet so much came from just seeing each other from time to time during orchestra/drama rehearsals.
"...I think you're just making this too obvious...," a calm voice came from behind me, making me jump.
"Making what obvious?," I retorted, placing a hand on my hip and flicking a lock of hair behind me.
"...You obviously wanted to see me,... right?," Heracles replied, circling around me.
"As much as I had to admit it, yes.," I laughed a little.
"You're so... stubborn at times... you know that?," Heracles asked.
"Stubborn? What do you mean?," I demanded.
"...In the words of your friends... you've been acting like... 'Ms. I-don't-need-a-relationship-to-be-happy?,'" he chuckled at my little nickname. "...Yet, look at what's happened... nonetheless."
Ugh, I mean, Heracles did have a point. "O.K., I'll admit my denial!~," I rose my hands, as if in defeat. "Happy now?-"
"I won't be... until...," once again, Heracles never fails to catch me by surprise. My hands raised in the air, he entwined his hands in mine and I was stuck. Without protest, I took the initiative in kissing him first.
"O.K., now we're even.," I said.
"What do you mean... 'even?'...," he asked innocently.
"Oh, c'mon, how about cornering me in an ally in the rain a while back?," I retorted. "Did you think that I'll keep letting you have your way?"
"...Well that's just what I like about you best...," he said, leaning in closer. "...I don't mind you just being a little...feisty-"
"Oh, shut up.," my cheeks remained a pinkish tint, much to his enjoyment.
However, I was done fooling around onstage, there were still plenty more people to bid farewell.
Now how could I forget the so-called Axis Powers? Italy, Japan, and Germany were there since the very beginning, my first day nonetheless! Not only that, we were in the same homeroom. Being homeroom buddies had to count for something.
"Ve!~," Feliciano cried. "I don't want you to gooooooo!"
"I don't want to go, either Feliciano, but I have to...," I whined in the grip of his lethally tight hug.
"Feliciano, the least that you could do for her is to release her right now!," Ludwig reprimanded him for practically hugging the life out of me, as always.
"I believe you should do that soon, she looks like she's getting paler by the second from your hug...," Kiku added.
"Sorry, Jackie...," Feliciano released me, still sniffling. "I'll never forget how you helped me in gym class, then came with me to get some PASTA!~"
"Oh, it wasn't all me. It was you that ran that day and passed P.E. for the semester.," I laughed, remembering the physical exam we had in track and field... and how I was chased by a multitude of campus bees. [insert mental shudder]
"Um, Mei and I would like to thank you for... your efforts to help us.," Kiku shyly said. "I would even say that we're both happier than when we were the year before you came."
"Hm? Oh! I could tell that Mei was sooooo into you since the beginning, you two were meant for each other, I didn't set you up.," I said. O.K., maybe that was a bit of a lie... I practically put poor Mei up to the challenge of dating Kiku again. But, all is well that ends well, right?
Ludwig cleared his throat, obviously making the point that he wanted a chance to speak.
"You've certainly been good company to us... and we're going to miss you-," Ludwig began.
"Of course you'll miss her too!~," Feliciano interrupted. "She's the first girl that you've ever kis-"
"What did you say?," Ludwig immediately got poor Feliciano in a headlock, trying to prevent the Italian from even uttering a syllable.
Wait, since when did he kiss me? Oh, there was that hilarious sleepover at Hungary's dorm when I invented "Truth or Seven Minutes in Hell" or something of the sort. It was fun, I had to admit, and he did kiss me even if it was only on the cheeks. Sorry, but to me, cheek kisses don't count.
Walking towards the campus gates, I had received word that my cab is a few minutes away, and ran into Arthur. Yeah, the dude that nearly killed me with his cooking. Peanut butter scones, who would've thought?
"Well, well, well... I guess it's come down to this.," Arthur greeted me sarcastically.
"Yeah, yeah, I know.," I replied. "I gotta get my ass outta here anyway-"
"Wait!," Arthur interjected. "Before you go, I'd like to thank you one last time."
Hm? Sounds interesting.
"Alright, spit it out, Iggy. I'm all ears."
"First, thank you for helping me confess to Seychelles, even if that frog still has her under his arm-"
"Don't worry, Iggy.," I placed a hand on his shoulder. "There are plenty of fish in the sea, and who knows? Maybe she'll come to her senses and realize her feelings for a certain English gentleman."
"W-Why I-!," Arthur interrupted in shock, trying to conceal his blush. "Um, perhaps... But, I'd also like to apologize for nearly killing you, that must've been-"
"Relax, it's all cool.," I casually replied. "Besides, I liked them anyway. They were literally worth 'dying for.'"
We both laughed at my terrible pun, still walking towards the campus gates when I saw a small crowd of my closest friends here at the World Academy. Well, at least all except one...
"OH. MY. GOD.," I was in awe of how many of the student faculty had shown up to bid me a final farewell. "You all, really, shouldn't have!"
"No, we should!," Erin came running up and hugged me tight. "I owe it to you that Alfred and I even hooked up!"
"Alfred, speaking of Alfred, where is he?," I demanded to know, but then I was swarmed with several of my fellow students. I was so caught up in my swarm of friends and acquaintances that I didn't even notice the cab pulling up to the gates.
"Goodbye everyone!," I stuck my torso out the window and watched as the World Academy disappeared into the horizon.
At the airport, I was a nervous wreck. Not only did I not want to go back to New York, I didn't want to go back without even saying good-bye to Alfred.
"Flight 246: Non-stop to New York, now boarding.," the intercom proclaimed.
Ugh, 246 is my flight, too. Why couldn't they just wait a little longer? Maybe he just slept in? Getting me a gift and there was traffic coming back from the mall? Just what was going on?
Reluctantly getting up from my seat at the gate, I dragged my mopey self over to Gate 01 where Flight 246 was docked and ready to fly me back to my misery. In line with a bunch of unpleasant people: a complaining old couple, parents with a crying baby, and some fat dude in front of me... it seems that boarding is going to take a while...
Fifteen minutes later, the fat dude finally walked down the pathway leading to the plane.
"Your boarding pass and passport please, Ma'am.," the flight attendant said.
I reached into my carry-on bag to bring out the necessary paperwork when-
"WAAAAAAAIIIIIIITTTTT!"
"What the hell?," I turned around, and there he was: Alfred F. Jones...running... and being chased by airport security. "ALFRED!"
I literally dropped everything and ran to my 'hero,' who was carrying a bouquet of flowers. "What're you doing here?"
Panting, Alfred said to me, "I came as fast as I can. I was looking for a going-away present, and I wanted to get you flowers!"
He handed over the bouquet of assorted flowers: roses, lilies, carnations, even a sunflower.
"I couldn't tell which one you'd like best, so I got one of each!," he proclaimed proudly.
"Thanks...," I replied, tears welling up in my eyes. "This is a great gift, Alfred..." I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him tight. It's my turn to give the lethal, crushing hug this time.
"I'm glad you like it.," Alfred smiled, then turned to the line at the gate that I had left. "You've gotta go now, right?" His smile ran away from his face.
Gripping my bouquet, I sadly nodded.
"Miss, I'm sorry, but we can't let you bring those on the plane.," the panting security guards had finally caught up to me.
"They're just flowers!," I retorted. "It's not like someone would put a bomb in a flower!"
Some passing by spectators backed me up on that point, embarrassing airport security, making them retreat to their posts in shame.
"Hmph!," I scoffed. "To think that flowers are considered dangerous in an airport..."
"Yeah, it's a shame alright.," Alfred replied.
"So... I guess this is good-bye?," he looked at me with his once cheery, bright blue eyes, now filled with unshed tears.
"Yeah, I guess so.," I said, letting my tears flow first, embracing him again.
We received a couple of "aws" from some sick bystanders. Just who do they think they are, anyway? Gawking at two friends that'll soon be separated? For shame...
"Jack...," Alfred held down my shoulders, making me look at him straight in the eye. "I'll find a way, no matter what it takes, to make sure that your HERO can see you again, O.K.?" His eyes were still wet with tears as he made that bold proclamation.
"And I'll be waiting."