9:00 am: An unfamiliar clock offered the time to Julio, the bed he lay on smelt... different. For one, he's never been in a bed where the blankets were so thick. He got up, grabbed his toothbrush and glasses and made his way over to the washroom. And each stepped he took on the hardwood floor felt so, cold, he had always been used to the carpeted floors of the villa his parents rented back home, though, now, he felt that, it really wasn't home.
He brushed his teeth; it was almost routine to him, he didn't even think about it. Brush, rinse, repeat, mouthwash, exit. But before he could even touch the doorknob, he felt the need to examine himself.
He stared at the mirror, looking into his own brown eyes, his hair in a swept back manner which split at the right side just a little bit. The teenage marks on his face seemed minimal, but they were there. He smiled, and his reflection smiled back at himself. He never really did put any thought into his appearance, but for some reason, he felt a pang of guilt that he was probably getting sucked into the vanity which he tried to avoid in girls, but he wasn't really successful in that. His skin was dark, but then again, most Filipinos were dark skinned, but having been under the Arabian sun, just made it worse.
His stomach grumbled slightly, he had a belly, maybe a little too much of it, but since he always had it, he grew used to it, and for the many times he'd had tried to get rid of it, he always reverted back into his original shape, so he gave up on it.
He left the washroom, and closed the lights, right when his cousin older cousin Areal walked in.
“get dressed” areal said,
Julio looked at him, rather, stared
“why exactly?” he asked, still bewildered.
“school, you gotta enroll, before my mom puts you in some private school, trust me, i went to this school, and i loved it.” ,Areal assured him.
“alright then” , Julio then rushed to his room, opening the suitcase which had his clothes, he took out a
shirt and pants of his liking, baggy pants of course, though he hated to admit it, he'd been influenced greatly by rap music, the way he walked, talked, even to what he wore. This pissed him off for some reason, maybe it was his old “peers” calling him a wannabe. “I'll prove them wrong” his breath seemed to whisper.
He walked out of the room he was in, his cousin was talking to his mom, apparently asking for the documents he needed to enroll.
Documents in hand, Areal went through the back door to where his car was parked, Julio kissed his mom goodbye and raced after his cousin.
-- --- --
They parked on Alverstone St., right in front of a brick building with the words “Daniel McIntyre Collegiate Institute” carved in stone over the front entrance. They entered the building and made their way over to the main office, Julio's cousin, having gone to this school, knew where this was, just as well as he knew the administrators there.
“Hey, is Mrs. Silva here?” he asked the receptionist,
“go right in Areal” she answered, waving Julio and his cousin to the Vice Principals office.
Areal turned to Julio, “Wait here”, he said.
Julio took a seat near the fish tank, and started to observe the fish that inhabited it. A gold fish, two, three. He stared at the little goldfish swim around, till a girl walked in, her body was enough to get his attention, but he looked up to get a better view of the person who entered.
Who, or rather, What Julio saw, was what he could only describe as an angel brighter than what he'd ever seen in his life, her brown hair was streaked with gold, her face, fit her heavenly stature just perfectly, she had that matter-of-fact kinda look on her, even her clothes dictated it, she meant business.
“Can I please see Ms. Silva? I have an appointment...” The yet unnamed angel asked.
“ I'm sorry”, The receptionist said, “She's with someone right now, Take a seat, she'll be available soon.”
“But miss! I have an appointment and i don't think that's fair!” she objected
“Well, I'm Sorry young lady, but you are in no position to demand, so take the seat and wait.” the receptionist said in a cold voice.
Evidently fuming, she took the seat next to Julio, His heart did a series of double somersault at the thought of her being so close to him. An angel's beauty radiating upon him, So close that her scent seemed almost t....
“Can you believe this?” she demanded of Julio, interrupting his thoughts.
“Believe what?” Julio asked back.
“They gave my appointment away to some Jackass!” she fumed, tears were gathering around her eyes.
“Don't worry, he'll be out soon.” He suggested, she looked at me with the cutest look you could ever get from a girl, and the barely noticeable tears in her eyes just magnified the effect a hundred fold.
“Yeah, I'm the jackass” Julio whispered.
The door to the Vice Principals office creaked open, and Areal stepped out,
“let's go, i got your registration stuff here” he said, and Julio followed,
“I'll see you around alright? I'm really really sorry; hey, if I see you again, I'll make it up to you alright?” , he told the “angel”
And she just stared at him as he walked away, the jackass, who tried to redeem himself, but a very attractive jackass at that, she thought.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Chapter 1: The Flight
"get up, we're almost there..."
Julio Vincente's mom nudged him.
He opened his eyes to see that he indeed inside a plane, it wasnt a dream, he was on hi way to Canada. For a moment, he felt puzzled. not knowing if he should feel happy, or sadened that he left his home for 14 years. Julio looked out the window to see the deep black of the night dotted by a scatter of lights in the distance.
"What time is it mom?", Julio asked, the answer, "10 hours since we left Dubai"
It didnt seem that way, he'd ben sleeping all the way, or rather, he silently cried himself to sleep. but cried at what?, he wondered. nothing, he decided.
Opening his bag, he began to look for his CD Player, and finding it, he stuck the earphones into his ears right before his baby brother, Armando, started crying, and in turn the people who sat across the aisle, started staring. Blaring his music, he pictured himself up on stage. Rapping to Electric Guitars and Disc Scratching backgrounds. another singer screaming out the lyrics that he woould write. Then he thought of the moeny he would have, how the people he left behind in tht school would feel sorry for how they treateed him all those years.
He shook his head, tried to clear his thoughts. a 14-year old probably shouldnt be thinking of these things. not when he's just about to enter a new chapter in life, in a new country. with new people. The scatter of lights drew closer and closer, till he could see the vague shapes of buildings, a river, the streets, then the run way of Winnipeg Int'l Aiport.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please make sure you fasten those seatbelts, we are landing."
Julio grinned, he realised he hadnt taken off the belt since his last trip to the washroom. but then again, the sense of security made him feel safe. The Plane touched down, They walked through the tunnel the extended from the plane to the airport. his first breath in Canada, was of the Plastic the enveloped the tunnel, the second, a burger king.
"Mom! Im Hungry!" whispered Abby, Julio's litle sister.
"Hunny... let's wait till we get to Uncle Vic's place okay? im sure he'll have some food there." mom whispered back.
"But mom!" Abby said, a little louder this time.
"shhhh. promise you wont tell mom that i'll get you food?" Julio whispered, taking his little sister's hand.
Abby shook her head yes.
"okay" he said.
he ran over to the burger king, "whopper junior for a dollar eh?" the thought. he bought it with the 5 dollar bill that his grandmother gave him before leaving dubai. The change he got back, completely bewildered him. Being in the middle eas for so long, he wasw used to only 3 types of coins, 50c. 25c. $1. though in the mideast, cents were "fils" and dollars were "dirhams", but here, the change jsut shocked him. not even bothering to count it, he pocketed it and headed back to his family with the burger. which his little sister ate quickly.
once they cleared customs, they headed down the stairs, to find his two cousins, their girlfriedns, and his aunt and uncle waitign for them.
Hugs and greetings went around, then they went over to the baggage belt, and they left the airport. and Julio, entered a new chapter of his life, more eventful than hehad anticipated, or even planned for.
Julio Vincente's mom nudged him.
He opened his eyes to see that he indeed inside a plane, it wasnt a dream, he was on hi way to Canada. For a moment, he felt puzzled. not knowing if he should feel happy, or sadened that he left his home for 14 years. Julio looked out the window to see the deep black of the night dotted by a scatter of lights in the distance.
"What time is it mom?", Julio asked, the answer, "10 hours since we left Dubai"
It didnt seem that way, he'd ben sleeping all the way, or rather, he silently cried himself to sleep. but cried at what?, he wondered. nothing, he decided.
Opening his bag, he began to look for his CD Player, and finding it, he stuck the earphones into his ears right before his baby brother, Armando, started crying, and in turn the people who sat across the aisle, started staring. Blaring his music, he pictured himself up on stage. Rapping to Electric Guitars and Disc Scratching backgrounds. another singer screaming out the lyrics that he woould write. Then he thought of the moeny he would have, how the people he left behind in tht school would feel sorry for how they treateed him all those years.
He shook his head, tried to clear his thoughts. a 14-year old probably shouldnt be thinking of these things. not when he's just about to enter a new chapter in life, in a new country. with new people. The scatter of lights drew closer and closer, till he could see the vague shapes of buildings, a river, the streets, then the run way of Winnipeg Int'l Aiport.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please make sure you fasten those seatbelts, we are landing."
Julio grinned, he realised he hadnt taken off the belt since his last trip to the washroom. but then again, the sense of security made him feel safe. The Plane touched down, They walked through the tunnel the extended from the plane to the airport. his first breath in Canada, was of the Plastic the enveloped the tunnel, the second, a burger king.
"Mom! Im Hungry!" whispered Abby, Julio's litle sister.
"Hunny... let's wait till we get to Uncle Vic's place okay? im sure he'll have some food there." mom whispered back.
"But mom!" Abby said, a little louder this time.
"shhhh. promise you wont tell mom that i'll get you food?" Julio whispered, taking his little sister's hand.
Abby shook her head yes.
"okay" he said.
he ran over to the burger king, "whopper junior for a dollar eh?" the thought. he bought it with the 5 dollar bill that his grandmother gave him before leaving dubai. The change he got back, completely bewildered him. Being in the middle eas for so long, he wasw used to only 3 types of coins, 50c. 25c. $1. though in the mideast, cents were "fils" and dollars were "dirhams", but here, the change jsut shocked him. not even bothering to count it, he pocketed it and headed back to his family with the burger. which his little sister ate quickly.
once they cleared customs, they headed down the stairs, to find his two cousins, their girlfriedns, and his aunt and uncle waitign for them.
Hugs and greetings went around, then they went over to the baggage belt, and they left the airport. and Julio, entered a new chapter of his life, more eventful than hehad anticipated, or even planned for.
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