Chloe & Chleo

Chapter 5: Subdued

SUBDUED

Ink on Canvas (24in x 18in)

  This painting depicts a dimly lit room where a solitary man is in the bed.

The fourth and last grading period of the school year had just started. Everyone was excited because of the approaching prom. Some of the boys in the class had already invited girls to accompany them in the prom.

  To tell you the truth, I didn’t care about prom. My mind was set on the approaching results of our College Admission Test in one of the country’s premiere universities I had taken seven months ago. Chloe, Clayton, and many of our classmates like Leroy had taken the exam too.

  I was hoping to get a slot in their College of Fine Arts, while Chloe was in the College of Medicine. Despite his parent’s disapproval, Clayton still had enlisted Fine Arts as his prospected course in the admission test. I didn’t know what course my seatmate Leroy wanted to take in college. In any case, I didn’t care. At least, unlike me, he was certain that he would pass the admission test. If that nerd could just share his brain cells, I would definitely steal all of them.

  The examination was really traumatizing. I had literally looked for a medicine for headache when I’d got home. Because of the rule of 25% deduction of the wrong answers from the correct ones, I had left most of the items unanswered not taking the risk of guessing the answers. After that day, I had realized that it was a dumb move. I should at least have tried to answer. Nevertheless, I was still holding a little hope.

  The day finally came. One morning, the moment we entered the classroom, Chloe’s friends started to crowd around her.

  “Congratulations, Chloe,” said one of the girls.

  “The results of the College Admission Test have been posted on their website,” said another girl.

  “And our names are in the list of passers,” said another.

  I was waiting for them to congratulate me, too… but it didn’t happen.

  “Thank you,” said my sister. “But how about my brother? Did you see his name in the list?”

  My strength diffused out of my body, as I walked away and slumped in my seat. I knew I should be happy for my sister, but I couldn’t celebrate knowing that I’d failed.

  “I don’t know. I didn’t know that your brother had also taken up the college admission test,” said the one who had congratulated her. The other girls seconded.

  What? Chloe and I were always together. I couldn’t believe that these girls didn’t know that the twin brother of their friend had also taken the admission test.

  I couldn’t focus on the lectures the whole day. I was anxious to know whether I had passed the College Admission Test or not. Leroy himself had seen his name in the list of passers over the internet. I asked him if he’d seen my name, but he retorted “Why would I know?” I should not have asked him in the first place.

  Right after our last class, Chloe and I went to a computer shop outside the school. I searched for the website of the university over the internet and clicked the link to the list of the College Admission Test’s passers of the year. After typing my full name, my hand refused to press the enter key. And it was my sister who pressed it for me.

  No result found.

“You can start inquiring in other universities, Chleo,” said Chloe when we reached our house from school. “There’s a lot of colleges out there that offer Fine Arts.”