Chapter 2
"Are you nervous?" A manly voice startle me from behind, I look to see James in his construction clothes with a yellow helmet on his head. I stare at him for a while, counting all his sacrifices for our family.
After his graduation, he was invited to study at Whitehorn Academy; it's a rare thing for anyone to be personally invited by a professor to study there. But he refused. He never told me the reason why, but I know it's us. He can't leave us, especially with my father's condition. I was only fourteen back then and George was four, he knew that I can't take care of a child and a drunkard at a very young age. Instead of studying at a prestigious school, where foods are free, he stayed with us and faces hunger every day.
It's always been my dream to study at Whitehorn Academy, I bet it is everybody's dream, but only few are accepted. Every year, they conduct an entrance examination. It's divided into two sets; written and practical. Everyone is allowed to take the test; boy, girl, rich, poor, there's no exception as long as you're sixteen and is a citizen of Ezmer. The only problem lies after passing the backbreaking examination - tuition and lodging fee. My family can't afford their high rates unless I pass their scholarship test.
"No" I say, staring back at the window.
"You should prepare yourself for your entrance exam tomorrow." suggests James. He walks towards me, and I hear our wooden floor creeks. He taps my left shoulder and say, "Early sleep would do".
I look at him and smile. I'm expecting him to say that I need to be awake the whole night and study. One thing I really like about James is that he believes in me more than I believe myself. His faith in me is the reason why I am tough. With him believing in me, I am not scared to make mistakes or fail, because I know, by the end of the day, there's one person who will say 'nice job'.
"Do you think I can pass the exam?" I say in a soft voice, not looking at him. I am embarrassed for insisting to take the exams even though they need me here. And the fact that James is in full support even if he needs my help in feeding our family and paying the bills makes it a lot worst. James always puts himself behind for us and I in turn always take advantage of him. A million thank you will never be enough. "I need your honesty."
He's staring at the same direction, "Yes." he says without thinking, "You're my sister, and you should at least get some of our family's brain. You should pass that exam" he continues.
"Or else what...?" I grin at him. He's challenging me, I can sense that.
"Or else I'll kick you out of the house and tell everyone that you like the mayor's son" He grins back. His smile is so wide that I can see his gums. Even James sees Terence only as the mayor's son. I have this feeling that James is jealous at my closeness with Terence. Before mom died, it was always been just me and James, no one else. We did stuff together just the two of us, until Terence came in the picture and James somehow departed from me and made flirting with all the girls around the district.
I breathe in and out, deeply. I can feel the warm air running back and forth on my nose. Today is the day. This is the day that can make my life better. If I pass this exam, I can apply for their scholarship. They grant scholarship for those who can't afford their school fees. Sages have IQ levels of three normal people combined, but we still need to go to school to sharpen our brains better. And every job at Kentron requires diplomas, written proofs that we attained higher education, I think it is their bases of who's fit for the job and who's not.
At eight this morning a bus will come to pick all sixteen year old who desires to change their fates. It's five forty-five; I have plenty of time to prepare. I walk out of my room and find food on the table. White rice, thin cut pork and goat cheese. Where did they get those? I walk closer to the table and touch the food, still hot. I'm wide awake, and the food seems real. I can smell the sweet scent of ham. "What are these?" I ask George, pointing on the foods curiously.
He's placing plates on the table. His eyes meet mine, he's more confuse than I am. "Breakfast" He says, puzzled by what I just asked.
We never had this kind of breakfast before. We don't eat breakfast, most of the time. James and I always wake at six; we read books and study things at the public library until eight thirty. For us Sages, knowledge is our power. After that, we go on our separate ways, he goes to the construction site and I go to the market, where Terence is waiting. Terence doesn't go to the public library, he have his own collection of books in their mansion. His are new, updated editions while the books in the library are ancient.
Terence, the thought of Terence makes my chest hurt a bit. I shake my head; he needs to go away from my mind. I shift my eyes sideways and find my brother at the kitchen wearing a green floral apron, and he's washing the frying pan. That was mom's apron, her favourite. My confusion grows stronger, what's happening? I shut my eyes for a second; maybe if I open them again, the foods are gone.
"Don't just stand there! Help us." James shouts from the kitchen, "Get those." He orders, pointing on the freshly baked French bread.
The sun starts to rise, my mind is muddled, and I went straight to the kitchen and grab the bread. "Can anyone tell me what's going on?" I beg. They stare at each other and laugh. I force to laugh too, but no sounds came out.
"Today is your entrance examination" James starts, "If you go there without anything on your stomach, your brain will not function well" continues my brother. Though he doesn't say it out loud, I know he really loves me.
"So where did you get all of these?" I ask, scratching my right eyebrow with a smile on my face. I can't believe they did all of these just for me.
"The cheese came from Aunt Hillary, she wishes you good luck." Starts George. Aunt Hillary is our neighbour, she's not really related to us, but she's fond of kids that's why when she have something, she gives it to us instead of keeping to herself. She has no one in her life; according to stories, her husband was seduced by a Mermaid when I was four. And her only child, Joanna, became a Royal servant in Diamond Castle and never came back.
"The pork came from the market; James traded them with our old clothes." George continues as we sit in the table, ready for a big feast. Erdas likes normal clothes. They don't care if it's new or not as long as it can cover their body. Maybe they're sick of leaves and twigs as coverings.
"Where's dad?" I ask.
"You know how much he hates Whitehorn Academy, right?" asks James. Of course I know that. He hates it from the inside out. I don't know exactly why, but James and I concluded that it's because it reminds him of our mother. Everything, everyone who reminds him about our mom makes him angry; that's why he scolds George every time.
"He still hates me" says George suddenly, crying. "I can feel that."
"He doesn't hate you" says James convincingly, "You just remind him of mom" He adds. I stare at James. Way to go James! Saying that to George will not make him feel better; he'll just blame himself again. "You look exactly like mom" says James, clearing his throat.
Actually, they both look like mom. Everyone says that. As for me, the only thing I got from mom is her charcoal black hair, nothing more. I don't look like my dad either. But at least I got his toughness. "Yeah!" I butt in, in a strong voice. Finally, George smiles at us again. Poor George. He grew up without a mother and a father that blames him for losing his beloved wife. He's too young to feel such pain.
When I was his age, the only pain I knew was falling from a tree. I hid myself on a tree when my mother asked me to help her bake. All I want to do before was to play and help my father tease James. I was giggling hard enough upon seeing my mom on the backyard, holding a spatula, and her face full of flour. Then I came rushing down the tree. My back ached and I cried loud.
I pull George's arm and hug him tightly. I wrap my arms around his small body; his head is on my chest. He must be feeling the fast beat of my heart right now.
"You still have a test to nail. Go get dress" instructs James firmly.
