Exile

Nos Histoire Romantique - Part One

Author's Note: Allow me to warn you now that this is a long chapter.  It's so long that I've separated it into parts.  Just so you guys know.  Thanks -M.N.

– Four Years Before My Exile –

The first time he met me, he was surprised I discover that I was a girl.

It's because Andrew always called me "El" back then. I don't know why. He just always did. This was back when we first started college. I wasn't so girly then. My go-to out was jeans and a t-shirt. Maybe a pretty shirt now and again, but always jeans. Maybe he hadn't realized that I was girl. Who knows?

So whenever he'd talk to Alex about me, he'd refer to me as "El". The same "El" who was a Drummania expert who played on high speed times five and blew all the other boys away. The same "El" who was the Pop'n Music enthusiast that was crazy enough to import an arcade-style controller from Japan. The same "El" who was the fighting game master who gave all the really good players a run for their money.

Of course, Alex would assume that I was a boy. But he was in for a shock.

Emily and I came out to Nickel City in Northbrook one night to play some games and have fun. Alex didn't want to stay at home studying, so he came out with Andrew and Kenzo. I can't remember where Benji was. He was probably being grumpy or something.

"Andrew!" I called out to him as Emily and I headed over, arm and arm. "We're here!"

"Hey, 'El' and 'Em'!" Andrew waves us over. "Glad you could make it."

"Happy to be here," Emily beams. "Always happy to go out on a Friday night."

"Ummhmm," I concur. I looked over to see the younger brother, staring at me intently. I figured he was a relative of Andrew – same golden skin, same brown hair, albeit long and sticking right up (as it held together by industrial-strength hair gel), and the same almond eyes and distinctly Chinese features. The only thing different was the height – Alex isn't much taller than I am, and I'm a respectable five-foot-six without heels. "Uh, hey Andrew, who is this with you?"

"Huh, oh, this is my little brother Alex. Alex, you know Emily, but I don't think you've ever met El."

I extend my hand. "Hey, I'm Elodie – Elodie Jean-Samuel. It's nice to meet you."

Alex remains silent. Andrew gives him a hard nudge. "What the hell, dude? Say something?"

"You're…a…girl," he finally manages as he shakes my hand.

I can't help but burst into laughter. "You're a bright one, aren't you? No wonder you're in the IB program at Lycee Francais."

Now, my mom is of French ancestry (hence my middle name, Jean, which is my mother's maiden name) and because of her, I know how to say my name and a few other words in a proper French accent. But Alex obviously assumed otherwise because just then, he starts speaking to me in fluent French.

I put up my hand to stop him. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Wait a minute! Stop!"

Now, he looks confused. "Huh?"

"Dude!" Andrew sounds embarrassed. Andrew is fluent in French is well, though he didn't bother to translate for me. "Elodie has a French name, but she doesn't speak French. She's Japanese Immersion!"

"He's right…I don't speak French," I tell him in fluent Japanese. And then, I continue in English, "But I can see why you would."

"Oh." Now, Alex face is flushed in red. "Sorry."

"It's all good. We're just here to have fun, right? No worries. But if it makes you feel any better, your French sounds lovely."