Part° 7

(Feliciano's(1) POV)

Eight years ago

After months and months of tedious studying, ever since Senior Year started, because Ludwig(2) didn't think we should waste one day, we'd finally arrived at the dreadfullness to defeat all dreadfullness; Final Exam!

Which was to start in just an hour. (Ludwig had dragged me out of bed, so I wouldn't be late, and despite being dragged out of bed so early, I hadn't minded his strong arms encircling me, or to feel his muscled, well-defined, sculptured body last night...).

I was very, very nervous and worried that I hadn't brought enough food and drink.

To distract myself, I looked at the others whom had suffered through Ludwig's rigorous study sessions (I prefer him being rigorous under other circumstances) with me and were now succumbed to his inspection.

Noah(3), Iong(4) and Edouard(5), all dressed in pinstriped suits in different cuts that suited their body figures and their personalities, all had pencils, pens, erasers, pencil sharpeners, plus this weird briefcase that was stylish in its simplicity (too simple for my taste). They also had a plastic bag each with what smelt like not good food and looked to be of a small quantity that couldn't possibly last half an hour, let alone four hours.

They got an okay each.

Mercedes(6) also got an okay from Ludwig (he didn't say it loud, he's so cute and shy around girls like that), even if even I could see that she didn't have everything that the first three had had. Knowing Luddy(7) as I did, I guessed that it wasn't because she was a pretty girl, as it would've been for me, but because she had enough to get her through Finals. She was wearing the colours of her flag, with the coat of arms stylishly placed on the left side of her chest; on her heart. Although everyone was supposed to wear their uniform, Grandpa(8) didn't mind; unlike Luddy's grandpa(9) whom did, but he always succumbed to my Grandpa. Whom thought we should all emphasize our home away from the States.

Which is why I'd brought a blanket with me, with all the flags of all the cities of Northern Italy on one side, and a drawing, which I'd done myself, and a drawing of pasta on the other.

Mmm, pasta...

-Feli! Sadık's(10) voice cut through my pasta daydreams. You almost dropped your chest(11) (12).

My hands automatically tightened their grips on my chest with food.

-Thank you, Sadık! It would've been a disaster if the chest went down to the floor with a bang, so that my glorious food would've been scrambled, and almost inedible, and that would've been such a waste of good food worthy of a gourmet(13). And then the time which I'd spent preparing it would've been wasted too. And time spent on food should never be wasted. Then I tilted my head as I gof confused. Haven't Ludwig inspected you yet.

-He's done inspecting both Raj(14) and me. We were found to be "passable, but with too much emphasis on music and music-related articles". He told me to tell you that once he's through inspecting himself, he'll be inspecting you and then it's "in formation-time!"

I smiled. It was so typical of Ludwig to go through everything as if he was following a protocol. I hoped I could persuade him not to take everything by the book (and be as flexible as he was last night, and the night before).

-Feliciano! Are you ready?!

Though now was probably not the right time (nor the right place for such thoughts).

-I think so, but I'm not sure I've got enough food.

-Well, go through what you got with me, and I'll be the judge of that.

-Ok, I've got agnolotti, baccalà alla vicentina, bavette, bigoli, biscotti, breadsticks, bresaola, bruschetta, buridda, cacciatore, cacciucco, cappelletti, cappon magro, carne al piatto, carne pizzaiola, chestnut pie, ciabatta, conchiglie, coppia ferrarese, cotechino Modena, crescentine, crostata, crostini, farfalle, farinata, garganelli, gelato, gianduiotto, gianduia, gnocchi, gorgonzola, lasagna, linguine, mascarpone, michetta, mortadella, mozzarella, olives, osso buco, pane toscano, panforte, panini, panna cotta, panzanella, pappardelle, parmigiano reggiano, pasta, pici, piadina, pizza Margherita, ravioli, risotto, rosticciana, salami, semifreddo, soppressata, spaghetti, speck Alto Adige, strozzapreti, tagliatelle, testaroli, tiramisù, tortellini, trenette, trofie, veal alla Milanese, zabaione and Zuppa Inglese.

-What do you got to drink? Luddy asked, much calmer than the first time I told him how much I normally eat.

-Well, let's see; Bicerin, Caffè or Espresso as you call it, Caffè macchiato, Caffè latte, Caffè Marocchino, Cappucino, Espressino, which is different from an Espresso, Ristretto and some Red Bull, ten cans I think.

-Well, in order to not go empty for food; only take one bite for each problem you solve, after you've solved it, and take a sip of drink every five minutes or after you've taken three bites.

Then we were called into the examination room and I was yelled at by the examinator (which sounds like the exterminator, ve, I hope that he won't kill me, maybe I can become a virgin again?) because I was hugging Luddy.

After all the Finals were over, I found out something weird.

And it wasn't that I actually knew what to write, or that I managed to stay awake (though I've problems with stopping my shaking, perhaps I should drink more coffee or red bull?); I still had food left!

Author's notes:

Ah, silly and cute Feli

Footnotes

1= Feliciano Vargas = Italy Veneziano = North Italy

2 = Ludwig Beilschmidt = Germany

3 = Noah Vanderbilt = Luxembourg

4 = Iong (José) Wang = Macau; I felt that as Hong Kong (Li Xiao/Leon) had both an Asian and a European name, Macau should have that too

5 = Edouard von Bock = Estonia

6 = Mercedes Fernandez Carriedo = OC Catalonia

7 = Luddy = Feli's nickname for Ludwig

8 = Grandpa = Julius Vargas = Ancient Rome

9 = Luddy's grandpa = Martin Beilschmidt = Germania

10 = Sadık Adnan = Turkey

11 = like the one Veneziano had during the WWII strips and episodes

12 = a nod to the time Turkey, in modern times, helped North Italy when his camera was taken

13 = as you may remember that Feli is, and that that was the reason he, as Chibitalia, didn't eat the food that Holy Roman Empire had thoughtfully placed on the floor for him

14 = Raj Kamakar = India

This was part° 7 and now there's only 6 parts to go, then; Chapter 30