Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2015 10:19:48 GMT -5
Part 1: When BB met CéCé
Outbreak Day Minus 1132 days- Northeastern Belgium
Berwout walked around the helicopter; he had gotten an invitation to come view it and attend the reception, as it was the newest acquisition of the civilian flight school where he got his helicopter license, and learned how to fly. How he dreamed about owning one himself, and get into business for himself as a private helicopter pilot. But he had gotten his license at the worst possible moment; as soon as he graduated flight school some big shots up in Wall Street decided for some reason the world had gone into a market crash and all of a sudden there was an economic crisis. BB never understood that. How the hell could people decide that all of a sudden there was a crisis?
But as it were, there was little need of helicopter pilots in the world today. Berwout had been putting out resumes and applying in a lot of countries but always got negative answers, or none at all. The same went for his college degree; Berwout had a Master of Arts in history but couldn't find work in historic museums or schools to teach in anywhere. He had become so frustrated with it. In the world of today Berwout was a store clerk in an outdoor sporting goods store, despite his MA degree in history and him being a licensed helicopter pilot and it frustrated him so badly he just wanted to tear off the head of the first bank big shots in a suit he saw.
He was dreaming away of flying the helicopter in front of him when all of a sudden he was awoken by an angelic voice, who may or may not have called him back into reality.
"Hello there sir." the angelic voice said. "May I offer you a booklet about this helicopter?"
Berwout looked up. With the angelic voice came an even more beautiful apparition. It was one of the hostesses, and one of the most beautiful women Berwout had ever seen. He read her nametag; 'Céline'. She was one of the girls from the hostess agency that the airfield had hired. Berwout had gone to school with her kind of woman; usually stuck up bitches who knew they were pretty and wouldn't give his type of guy the time of day, unless they were paid to do so. But the way she smiled at him made him look past that. She radiated a sort of warmth that made him feel fuzzy inside.
"Uhh sure..." Berwout said. "Thank you, uhh... Céline."
Oh shit. Was that creepy for him to call her by her name? But that's what she wore the nametag for right? Nah, it was probably cool.
"I'm Berwout." Berwout introduced himself. "Berwout Baekelandt. Pleasure to meet you... Céline."
Céline smiled carefully without saying anything back. Berwout doubted himself for a moment. Nothing wrong with introducing yourself is there? Why wasn't she saying anything?
"So how do you like the airfield?" Berwout asked.
"It's nice." Céline answered. "First time ever I'm on one. Are you one of the mechanics or...?
Berwout laughed. Of course she'd think he was a mechanic. Only the pretty boys could be pilots right? Well, she was going to be impressed with him!
"I'm a pilot actually." Berwout answered. "Did my final lessons and exam in the 407GX, the one that came before this model."
"You're a pilot?" Céline asked.
"Yeah, I've got the feeling you're having trouble believing that?"
"No, it's just that uhh..."
"I don't look like one, right?"
"Well... kinda... yeah."
"No one does actually. See the older guy with the beard and beerbelly? That was my instructor actually."
Berwout pointed at the man who taught him how to fly.
"Oh? So... how do you like being a pilot?" Céline asked. "Is there much work out there?"
"No, not really. It's hard out there you know." Berwout answered. "Not much need for helicopter pilots. Wish it was my dayjob, but I work in the AS Adventure normally."
"That seems like a step down, isn't it?"
Berwout was slightly offended by her last remark. It seemed as if she looked down on people who worked in stores. Still, he figured it might've been an honest mistake and she didn't mean to put it that way, so he gave her the benefit of the doubt.
"My dear lady, are you implying us storeclerks are lower lifeforms?" Berwout joked.
Céline didn't answer but gave him a careful smile. A sense of disgust overcame Berwout. Was she really that shallow? Why didn't she say anything in her defense, if only to joke? People laugh at jokes, don't they? It happened in movies all the time, or with other people. Why not with him?
"You know, my boyfriend was talking about learning to fly a while ago." Céline said, trying to change the subject. Berwout sighed deeply within. Of course she had a boyfriend, and like all girls from her type she had to bring him up. Probably some muscular douchebag that spent every day in the gym but had the brain capacity of a bird. And it was probably because of that that she felt the need to kid herself into believing such a guy was able to follow the same course he had done.
"Ah was he now?" Berwout answered. "Plane or helicopter?"
"Uhh... I don't know." Céline answered. "He just wanted to do it at some point."
"Well tell him that by just wishing it, it's never gonna happen. That's how I thought when I started. Worked two jobs while I was in college to be able to pay for it. What does your boyfriend do for a living?"
"He's... currently in between jobs. Like you said, it's hard out there."
Berwout smiled. In his mind he was rolling his eyes. Somehow he felt the need to teach Céline some humility, and give her some payback for her shallowness. Her type had to learn that even if you were considered to be among her kind of 'beautiful people', his kind of 'lower lifeforms' would sometimes be more able and/or smarter than them.
"Yeah, hard economy." Berwout said somewhat smugly. "What did he graduate in? I actually have an MA in History from the University of Leuven."
"He... he had to quit school when he was 18." Céline said. "He... doesn't have a high school diploma. He went to technical school to learn to install refrigerators but he had to quit... family issues you know."
"Yeah, I'll bet. That seems a step down being unemployed huh?"
Berwout used Céline exact words she said when he told her he was a storeclerk, hoping she'd take it as lightly as he did. But she didn't; him saying it threw her off guard and she felt the need to get out of there.
"Excuse me..." Céline said, and then walked away.
Berwout sighed and shook his head. He knew she deserved that, but still felt somewhat guilty about it. Not much, but still... He pondered on whether or not he would have a chance with her had she not had a boyfriend. Maybe he'd see her again someday. Or someone like her. Those girls always fell for assholes right? Maybe what he just did made her want him and that's why she excused herself. Yeah, if he ever saw her again he'd make a move. Even though it seemed like an almost certainty that was the last time ever he'd see her.