By: Mad-Angel-Gal
Hey guys, I'm back! After tormenting myself, I came up with a longer chapter! (hehe, I'm slow sometimes…) I hope you guys will like it, and plz review!
6:45am...
A young woman wakes up and makes the bed in an apartment. She looks at the clock, and suddenly rushes to the kitchen and begins to cook. Later on, she comes out of the building with a backpack and starts to walk away...
"Ahhhhhh! Papa, I set the alarm to 6 o'clock, why did it ring at 7?" Mama screamed out, after making a loud thud when falling off the bed.
"Eh, I didn't do it, maybe you did…" A head popped out of the comforter and then stares at the extremely angry Mama.
"What are you talking about? Today is our ShanCai's first day of school, and you dare to be sleeping at a time like this? How could you? Get up you dumbass!" Instantaneously, another thudding sound is heard throughout the suit. The two parents quickly dressed and ran up to their daughter's bedroom door, squeezing through the hallway.
"ShanCai, dear it's time to wake up! Time for school! Hello? ShanCai?" Mama knocked the door repeatedly, displaying a curiously funny expression.
"Eh ShanCai, it's Papa, time to get up! Eh--- school!" Papa also leaned against the door. After a few seconds, Mama decided that ShanCai is still sleeping, she abruptly opens the door and along with Papa, dumps to the ground due to theirs' over weighted body.
"Hey, where's ShanCai?" Says Papa, seeing that there was nobody in the room. "ShanCai? Hello?"
"Ugh! Stop being stupid, there's no one in the room, and what are you yelling for? Such an idiot!" she whacks papa's poor head, followed by a sigh of disappointment.
"Eh, maybe she didn't come home yesterday, working in that pastry shop." Papa suggested
"Right! And she happens to forget to come home? You idiot, you are really stupid aren't you? Yesterday, we helped her pack for school and told her the family strategies, how could she have not come home? Where else would she have gone? Huh??? We slept after she did!" Determined to persuade her husband, Mama listed out all the impossible possibilities and made Papa pause to think for a minute. But nothing is strong enough to do that for a longer period of time.
"Or maybe she l-"
"She did not leave after we went to sleep, why would she do that. Huh? Only you would think of such an idea in this whole world!"
"But that proves me to be smart, if others can't think of something like that!" Gleefully was he, Papa happily looks back at the horrified woman, thinking that he was actually correct.
"You really are impossibly unbelievable… it's because you are the only one with that kind of brain, just shut up!" Mama scolded, then spots a piece of paper on the desk, addressing to her.
Dear Mama, Papa
I know you are both very tired after yesterday's lecture, so I left without waking you up. Please don't worry about me, I already ate breakfast and left plenty for both of you. See you after school!
P.S. The name is YingDe Private University, in case you don't know.ShanCai
"Aww, our baby's gone to university, she's finally there, after so many years…wahhhh—wahhh-wahhhhhh…" Our daughter's grown up, she is grown up…" Papa cried out, then wipes his nose on mama's shirt.
"Yes, she really is…but if even our daughter has grown up, I think we should too, lets not play now. Let be good, responsible parents."
"Right that's what we should do." Cried Papa, using Mama's sleeve to dry his tears once more.
"Well, if we are going to grow up too, I should think that you must use your own cloth to dry your tears and such!" suddenly being horrified at her wet sleeves.
"Eh…Sorry?"
"Papa! Especially you, look at this place, it's so small! You, thinking you are the moneymaker should be giving us money so we can live a better live but no! Our ShanCai even has to earn her own schooling fees, what kind of moneymaker are you?!?"
"Well, if you look at what we eat everyday, you'd know how hard I'm trying! We are able to spend at least 60 dollars per day on meals, what do you call that?"
"Nothing you dumbass! All you really do care is your food, eating everything and not leaving much for the two of us females!"
"Well, I thought you ought to loss weight, you look a little fat recently and ShanCai is young, she wants to be thin just like all those models!"
"I'm fat? I think you are more over weight! And even if ShanCai wants to be fat like you, she can't because she has nothing to eat other than carrots and beans!"
"Ok, ok, I'll work hard, starting from now, I will be the perfect papa and husband!"
"Great! That's great! Then can you go and get some oil from next door? We don't have enough for lunch. Ok?"
"Huh? Now? But-but-but-bu—"
"JUST GOOO!"
The young woman we saw before is in view, strolling down the deserted path that would take her to her new school. Sighting, she has a troubled look on and the fact that she had to wake up two hours earlier did not seem to ease any pain. She was ShanCai; I am ShanCai.
Usually I don't mind going to school at all, unlike most people I think it's important for anyone to get an education they will need for the rest of their life. But who will think like that nowadays? It's probably just me; and although I keep it to myself. Today is one of those unfortunate days when I don't have that feeling, I sense that school will never be the same again, for me.
To tell you the truth, I didn't exactly want to enroll in this university. But mom became so excited about how I could get rich so dad and her can "Nest under your wings." that eventually I gave in. YingDe University is a high society Institution that only the wealthy and well-to-do people can afford, instead of the best of the best scholars. I don't know why mom so desperately wants me to study there, considering our family's financial situation; it is usual why I'd be studying there. You are probably confused with everything so allow me to explain:
My name is ShanCai; as I have told you, and it simply means a weed. Even if it doesn't sound very elegant, I think that it's actually part of who I became. Since "ShanCai" is a type of vegetable that never dies no matter how many times you step on it, I never stop to help out someone in trouble; I am everyone's ShanCai.
7:37, gosh I have been walking for almost an hour! How far is this school really? I thought it only takes about thirty minutes to get there even if you take the long way, did I passed it already? No, the school is supposed to be the end of the road; it's not possible to pass by. Could it be that I took the wrong road, or maybe even the wrong direction? I thought, mad at myself for being in this state. How can I be late on the first day of school? That is just ridicules. What do I say to the teacher if he asks me? I couldn't find my way here? Haha! Right. Then out of nowhere, a weird sound or ripping very strong fabric could be heard behind me, as the weight on my back slowly disappears. And the next thing I know, my blessed, trustworthy backpack ripped open from the bottom and everything within came out in a rush.
Just as I was blaming myself on random things, a blue Honda speed right passes me then slowed down and pulled up beside me! Clearly, I was dumb folded. The driver's door opens, revealing a girl about my age that is smiling at me, shyly.
"Hi, um I'm Lizhen" the girl stuttered silently, as if I'm a scary monster of some sort.
"Yes?" I answered back in the same tone, unsure of what to say to this stranger.
"I thought you needed help, so I stopped by to see if you're ok." She managed to explain. I was amazed at this, really!
"Wow, thanks. I'm going to this school called YingDe. Today's my first day and I seem to have some unintentional beginner's luck." At this point, I'm just speaking loads of crap, but I thought it made sense, since she gave me a knowing smile.
"What a coincidence! I'm heading there too!" LiZhen.
"Oh you are? Then I could definitely use some help. I have no idea where the school is because after walking 45 minutes, it's still somewhere I'm not. And are the people there easy to talk to? How about the teachers, they must be strict. Is the food there expensive? I don't know anything about this place so would you mind telling me about it?" I blurted out, not minding the number of questions she'll have to answer in sequence.
"Um, to tell you the truth, I'm new too. So, I don't know anything about that place either. But I bet it's better to be with someone than not, do you want a ride? We'll get to know each other better that way." And to that, I obviously accepted. After all, I'm really lost to where exactly I'm supposed to go.
"So you are?" She asked me in the car.
"Huh? Oh, ShanCai" I blushed at the fact that I haven't told her my name yet.
"Nice to meet you, it's been a while since I last had a conversation like this. My parents are overseas, so I'm here alone, trying to get into this school. And now it's finally done."
"Oh really? Same here; except my family is with me. I didn't want to come here at first but I didn't want to upset my parent's hard work; so here I am!"
"What a coincidence? Wow, this is amazing! It's like we are the same!" glancing at the clock, she slowly speed up and soon, they were in front of a beautiful school.
"Oh my gosh, this is so big!" ShanCai muttered, not believing that she'll actually be studying here.
"I know, I've seen it in advertisements and pictures, but I would have never thought I was really like this. Since most pictures are developed in computers to make them look better."
"Right, lets go in, shall we?" ShanCai says, wanting to see the inside as well.
"Lets, can't wait to say the truth."
Inside the school, the two stood still, admiring the simple and yet elegant hallway. (Man, it's just a hallway!!!). They studied their schedule and realized that they have most of their classes together. Contently, they went towards their first class.
"Good morning everyone, I am Prof. Leng. I'll be your Music teacher for this term. I hope you will enjoy your time here and I'm very open. So any appropriate questions relating to what we are studying are welcome. All right, now this week, we will be reviewing the things you learned from last year, based on the result, I could get an idea of your levels in music. OK? Now I want each of you to find a partner and write your opponent's experience in music. It doesn't have to be very detailed but I want you to get the main points. Please begin" A tall, thin man in his fifties instructed to the class. And at that, everybody's set to work.
"ShanCai, do you want to go first?"
"Um sure. OK, when was the first time you were exposed to music?"
"Age five, my dad made my take vocal classes and later on, I was into flutes."
"Alright, and what do you think of each of them? When comparing the two together?"
"I think that when you are sing, you can express more emotion into it mentally, but sometimes it's hard to make it physically. And it is the exact opposite to the flute. I think it is because in some cases, you cannot reach a certain note or effect just depending on your voice, and yet obviously the flute can go much higher than any human sound."
"OK, and which one do you like better, and which of the two can you express your feelings the most?"
"I would say singing, as I've told you. I would never do it in front of people openly though. I like to keep it to myself, because some people find it funny."
"That sucks, it happens to me too. You know how sometimes you're doing something you like that not everyone else likes. Then they think you're weird just because you like something else. It annoys the crap out of me. Anyways, last question- what is your dream in music?"
"To be able to record an album with me singing and playing the flute at the same time, you know record the music first then go along with it."
"Wow, that's great. Ok."
"Now my turn. What was your biggest dream in music when you were younger?"
… … … … … …
The whole day went beautifully, ShanCai and LiZhen are quite happy about their new school. It wasn't the type of rich hang-around place they thought it would be, but a highly sophisticated institution full of clever and intelligent people. Everyone there was friendly and very open about his or her opinions. As expected, LiZhen drove her home and both thought they are off to a great start.