B014 - Salazar-Loveless, Cecil [DECEASED]

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DECEASED

Name: Cecil Salazar-Loveless
Gender: Male
Age: 18
Grade: 12
School: George Hunter High School
Hobbies and Interests: Medical science, jewelry, East Asian pop culture, swimming, piano

Appearance: Cecil is a slender boy with Korean descent. He stands at a height of 6’0 and weighs 145 lbs. He has a swimmer’s body, with his long limbs, broad shoulders and lean but toned frame. He has a pale complexion, a wide forehead, and a pointed chin. He often slicks his short and thick black hair up with hair gel, putting it to a neat side part. His dark almond-shaped eyes are often puffy due to a lack of sleep, and his eyebrows are thin and feathery. He has a round-tipped nose and heart-shaped lips. He has difficulty in growing facial hair, and paired off with a baby face, it results to having a rather androgynous look to him.

Cecil projects an image of a good and obedient student. He holds himself in a self-assured manner when alone, and becomes deferential when with company, but there remains a detached atmosphere between him and the rest of his surroundings. He has a stiff posture, and tends to twitch involuntarily due to caffeine. He plasters the same serene smile to anyone willing to talk to him, his voice just above a whisper and his way of speaking gentle, but his delivery rather theatrical. However, he notably manages to look restless and exhausted at the same time when he thinks nobody is looking.

Cecil is a rich kid, and clearly dresses like one. His wardrobe leans on the preppier side, almost never too casual and always too expensive, with some occasional edgy additions that would fit more to a boy his age. He tends to wear button-up shirts, sweaters, and different jackets, all mostly in darker tones. He wears skinny jeans most of the time, paired with either leather shoes, lace-up boots or sneakers. One thing that clashes with his rather clean-cut style is his heavy accessorizing. He likes to wear several rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings, most of all the latter, rotating daily through a variety of different piercings. He has a total of eleven ear piercings: two lobe piercings on each side, a triple helix piercing and inner conch piercing on the left, and one cartilage piercing and two rook piercings on the right. Also, he’s always seen with a leather messenger bag that are generally filled with books.

On the day of the abduction, Cecil was wearing a black turtleneck sweater, a navy trench coat, dark skinny jeans and black lace-up boots. On each of his fingers are stacked silver rings and bands of various designs. On his ears are silver ear cuff chains and studs on the left, and hoops and a dangling earring on the right.

Biography: Clover Loveless is the CEO of L.L. Medical, a medical equipment supply company that also operates private hospitals. Kalista “Kali” Salazar is a private defense attorney and Filipino immigrant. These two have been best friends since they were first graders and live-in partners since their college graduation despite Clover’s parents’s blatant dislike for Kali. However, it wasn’t until Clover finally took over the family business, when they were both thirty, that they decided to start a family as the next step.

Sia Choi was a pregnant sixteen-year old Korean-American girl who believed that she still had much more to do than suddenly become a mother at her age. She came to a decision that the best thing for her and her child is to put the baby up for adoption. The adoption agency soon found a match with Kali and Clover, and seeing their affluent background and professions convinced Sia that the child would live comfortably with these two women. However, it was a closed adoption, and Sia refused to give out any information about her except her and the father’s medical history, along with their families’.

In the 2nd of July in the year 2000, Sia finally gave birth to a baby boy that deeply resembled her. She held him as the adoption agent called Clover and Kali, but refused to name him. After the 72 hours in hospital confinement were up, Sia signed the relinquishment papers and left the hospital with her loved ones. Meanwhile, Clover and Kali prepared to take home their new son Cecil.

Growing up, Cecil was a dangerously curious child. He would always try to touch or lick anything new he found so his parents always tried to keep a watchful eye on him. However, they also encouraged him to learn and find things out by himself, so as to cultivate a sense of self-reliance early in his years. He had an all-or-nothing approach to things, focusing on one thing until he knew everything there is to know about it. His parents often tried not to coddle him, but despite their demanding work schedules they still managed to shower him with a great deal of affection. Cecil idolized his parents and often tries to emulate them. He pulls off Clover’s serene demeanor in particular, and has been doing it the longest. However, Cecil as a child was more alike to Kali: impulsive and talkative.

Nonetheless, Cecil was a delight to his teachers during his days in daycare. His rather calm and collected way of speaking balanced his insistent questions and rapid-fire talking. There was one instance when he got praised by the teacher when he picked up scattered toys on the floor, and since then, he has been trying to be helpful numerous times to hear that he was a very good boy from his teachers. When his parents came to pick him up and Cecil saw his mothers’ faces fondly light up when they heard that he’d been well-behaved, it was the start of a signature trait.

Cecil was three years old when Clover decided to reconnect with her parents. Cecil first met his adoptive grandparents at a tense family dinner in the elder Lovelesses’ house. Both families live in the same gated community, but couldn’t be any further apart. Clover’s parents were affable to Clover but only tolerant of Kali and Cecil. A child who was too used to being paid attention, Cecil then started talking to Kali while Clover and her parents were talking. However, he was two words in before his adoptive grandparents shushed him, telling him that a child shouldn’t speak while the adults are. Kali ignored them and urged Cecil to talk, but Cecil was shaken enough by the first actual scolding he got to just keep quiet. More dinners with them passed, and their hostile relationship soon turned to begrudging civility, which led to Clover and Kali trusting Clover’s parents enough to leave Cecil in Clover’s parents care when the nanny was unavailable.

Cecil was determined to get his adoptive grandparents’ approval. They told him not to speak unless told to, and Cecil tried his best not to anger them. They taught him good manners and proper etiquette, and Cecil was obedient and on his best behavior. Cecil’s grandfather was a stoic man who never fails to remind Cecil how lucky he was to be adopted by Clover, although Cecil only started to understand this as he gets older. Nonetheless, Cecil latched onto him as a male role model figure. His grandmother would usually be the one to talk to him, and he would know if he was doing right or wrong based on whether she was admonishing him for a mistake or a decisive nod when he did well. Cecil’s experiences with his adoptive grandparents always left him more rigid and more mindful of himself. He became a lot more sensitive, both with his own emotions and others. He became less talkative as time passed, but not so much as to invoke alarm.

Cecil became the golden boy in their neighborhood. His parents never missed the opportunity to brag about their son’s achievements in social gatherings. He was well-mannered, stayed still, and always looked good. He specifically made sure he was always presentable, a trait that he got from Clover and solidified by his grandparents. It developed to vanity as he grew older, as he was taught that it’s important to always give a good first impression. Considering that his parents would always dress him up like an expensive man in the most expensive clothes, he’d soon grow up as someone who would stop by a reflection to check his appearance.

By the time he was four, two things happened simultaneously: Clover and Kali started contemplating about adopting another kid, and Cecil was gradually realizing his physical differences with his parents. Cecil had seen his fellow kindergarteners with their parents looking alike and having the same skin color, but Cecil bore no such resemblance with Clover and Kali, except for having black hair in common with the latter. Once he brought this up with his parents, they were quick to assure him that it was nothing to be ashamed about. They explained the concept of adoption to him in a positive light, and Cecil was satisfied with it, at least at first. When his parents started talking to him about having a baby brother, he was curious and excited, and was back to relentlessly asking every question he could think of. However, during a family dinner with the grandparents, when Clover brought this up, it was Clover’s father who said he’d prefer it if the child would resemble them this time. As months passed by, Cecil noticed that his parents have been preoccupied discussing about his upcoming sibling rather than him. Insecurity started to form, and when he tried to seek comfort from his grandparents, instead of comforting him, they stated that the new child could be better to deal with than him. To his grandparents, a child that could physically pass as Clover and Kali’s son will be a better option to groom as the successor to the Loveless family.

Cecil’s little brother Angel finally arrived home when Cecil was five years old. As expected, his parents and grandparents were all focusing on the newly adopted child, whom Cecil noted to have the same skin color as Clover and dark hair like Kali. Cecil felt ignored, but instead of acting out, he instead became more withdrawn. It was the first time he felt truly adopted. He started avoiding eye or physical contact with anyone else, but would cast longing looks at the baby Angel. He was jealous at the attention and love given by his parents, and the preference to the baby’s features by his grandparents. His sullen behavior soon became so noticeable that Clover and Kali decided to finally do something about it.

Clover and Kali figured out that there was jealousy involved and started putting in more effort to have one-on-one sessions with Cecil instead of leaving him with his grandparents. Being surrounded with affection and having his emotional needs taken care of brought Cecil out of his shell enough to be reassured that his parents still loved him and that he was still good enough for them. A very fond memory for Cecil during this period is the time when Clover bought a toy piano and an actual piano for him, and started teaching him how to play, revealing that Clover used to play the piano as a kid as well. When Cecil shared this with his grandparents, it was the first time he saw them smile at him, and so the piano became something Cecil very much treasured. Kali then started getting Cecil involved in taking care of Angel, and soon, Cecil managed to get past through the jealousy to bond with Angel. However, the insecurity remained at the back of his head.

Having a little brother around he could play with resulted in Cecil visiting less frequently with his grandparents. Instead of when he’d usually run to his grandparent’s house when he had nothing to do, he tried to assist his parents in dealing with the baby and genuinely preferred being with his younger brother. This period when he’d been away from his grandparents’ usually strict hold led to his return to being the straightforward kid that he is. He began to open up little by little again, and without his grandparents discouraging him from asking questions or speaking up against others, this allowed his dreamy but logical inquisitiveness to escalate with being plain argumentative, particularly with his parents. As Angel grew up to be even more mischievous than Cecil, this made up for playful banter between parents and children. Cecil would sometimes rein in Angel if they were actually going to get in serious trouble, but mostly would be satisfied with watching over him. Having Angel helped the Salazar-Loveless household become closer, and Cecil grew to be a more family-oriented person. Clover’s parents would come to visit every once in awhile, and as Angel proved to be a bigger headache for them, they returned their attention to Cecil. Cecil and his grandparents’ conversations grew harsher, as they consistently made their point perfectly clear that he should always be grateful for the opportunity of being adopted to an affluent family like the Lovelesses, and that he had to properly carry out the responsibilities that come with it in turn. As the official eldest and therefore heir to the current CEO of the family business, Cecil had to only achieve and never fail in academics and competition, maintain a good image and reputation for the family, never show weakness to associates and rivals alike, be seen as perfect and immovable, and someday be competent enough to take on the reins of managing L.L. Medical. They became more critical and pushy, and Cecil tried his best to please them, and prove that his parents’ choice of him was right.

One particular summer when Cecil was ten and Angel was five, Cecil’s friends seemed to have other things to do than play together with him, which left him with nothing much to do. Clover and Kali decided to sign the two of them up to swimming lessons. Cecil actually found himself enjoying being in the water, and he started looking forward to more swimming lessons during that summer. Seeing that it was the birth of a new hobby, Clover and Kali had a pool installed in their home, which delighted Cecil very much but had Clover’s parents bothered whether Clover and Kali were spoiling their son too much. Hearing the argument, Cecil swore that he was grateful and that the pool wouldn’t be a waste as it was also for the family. However, despite knowing that, Cecil also felt like he should be taking swimming seriously, so as to prove that he was grateful and wouldn’t waste it like his grandparents said. Not just swimming, but everything else, from academics to his extracurricular activities.

Clover and Kali decided to adopt a third child, this time a girl. An eleven-year old Cecil knew what was coming this time, and proceeded to actually teach Angel about what was to happen before and after the arrival of their new baby sister. Cecil and Angel tried to help with all the preparations, which led to Cecil being more invested with the new sibling than he was with Angel. When the baby girl, who was named Drew, arrived, the first thing Cecil noticed was that Drew seemed to be of the same ethnicity as Kali before he joined the rest of the family cooing over their new addition. Cecil and Angel were immediately protective of Drew, but a part of Cecil was doubting whether his parents started thinking that having children similar to them was better than having him. He started taking his role as the eldest more seriously, but when he watched Angel with Clover and Drew with Kali, he felt like an outsider which made him hate himself even more as he does not want to seem ungrateful, as his adoptive grandparents would always say. He resolved to being a better son for his parents, a dependable brother for his siblings, and a good enough grandson for his grandparents to get rid of the feelings of self-doubt.

He was already a good student, but then he concluded that he should be the perfect student. He focused on being the top in every single one of his classes, played piano recitals, entered quiz bees and even swimming competitions. He wasn’t even a naturally talented child, so he had to work harder to get to the top. There were times when he would barely pass a test or lose a competition or make a mistake while playing the piano, and in those times, Cecil was ready to beat himself up over it. He would lose sleep over what he could’ve done better, while his parents would comfort him until he gave in and try for a next time. It was a perfectionist streak that he got from his grandparents, but fueled by his desire to be the best he can be for his family.

He was a sensitive boy and often let his emotions pour out, even if he wasn’t saying anything. When he believed that he had been wronged, he will try to have a very long-winded explanation as to why and wouldn’t let a matter drop unless he felt that he had succeeded in making everyone understand his point. He can be very dramatic, especially. He could start tearing up if he got the mere impression of disappointing someone he respects or have an explosion of enthusiasm that can lead to spontaneous and not very well-thought out actions. Once he decided that he wanted something, he would act recklessly without thinking of consequences. He had rarely controlled himself from doing something he wanted to do, whether it was right or wrong. He was not very good at hiding his emotions either, no matter how much he tried to control his facial expressions, it was easy for anyone to tell what he was feeling. While his parents thought it was fine for him to be more in touch with his emotions, Kali thought he shouldn’t grow up to be an overly-emotional person. Kali told Cecil that it was fine to feel emotions, but that he should never let his emotions cloud his judgement in making the best decision. Cecil tried to act on those words and would succeed for the most part, but he was still at an age where he could be impulsive, especially with things he really cared about. Nonetheless, when Cecil made a decision, he would usually stick by it until the very end.

A time came when Cecil finally had to ask the question of where exactly babies come from. Clover and Kali had him sat down and finally gave him the explanation about pregnancy and sexual intercourse, in which Cecil, who was twelve-years old, pointed out that neither of them have a penis, which extended the conversation. Cecil connected the pieces together and finally understood why he was adopted by Clover and Kali instead of conceived, which got him wondering on who the couple were who conceived him. He asked his adoptive parents why he was not with his birth parents anymore, and his adoptive parents offered plausible excuses that were spun in an understanding light. However, Cecil sensed something wrong and asked them, at which point Kali admitted that they really didn’t know the reason why his birth parents put him up for adoption. He thought of his East-Asian descent contrasting with his adoptive parents’ Caucasian and Southeast-Asian ones, and tried to have them spill information about his ethnicity. They revealed that they only had their medical history and nothing more, except that at least one of his parents must be East-Asian. Cecil was excited about knowing his heritage and a place he was sure he belonged to, but when he found out that the exact information is uncertain, a fear of forever feeling like an outsider surfaced. Clover tried to reassure him that it didn’t matter, but Kali was empathic to Cecil’s hunger for his own origin. Cecil felt that he should know about his heritage, even a little bit, and he didn’t hold back on searching things by himself. He considered the possibility of hurting his adoptive parents’ feelings by searching for his birth parents, and he even feared for the rejection that may come if they considered his search as a son’s betrayal, but he still wanted to find out his origin.

Since Cecil could only base his research on being East-Asian, he started researching everything he could on every East-Asian country he could find about throughout the rest of his middle school. He knew that it was stupid, but he was also hopeful that he might feel some sort of connection if he looked into the cultures of the different countries to have some sort of idea on how much of his identity could be from his biology and nature. However, he didn’t feel any deep connection at that time. He did, however, got swept away by the pop culture in these countries, getting particularly interested in anime, Kpop and drama adaptations. Either way, he continued on this quest of finding himself. He started wondering what it said about himself that his birth parents had him relinquished, why was he given up, and where did he exactly come from, but never receiving the answers. The thoughts gnawed at him, and he was distracted enough to start ignoring his grades and his friends. His usual nightly thoughts about his incompetence got mixed up with thoughts of his identity, exhausting his mind even more and robbing more of his sleep. While his friends left him alone, his teachers were worried and informed his parents about his dwindling performance.

When Clover and Kali decided to talk to Cecil about this, Cecil vented his feelings of rejection and abandonment every time he thought of his birth parents. Kali tried to tell him that whatever reason it was, it must’ve been a good enough reason to think that it was the best decision to give him up, while Clover told him that it didn’t matter since he was with them in the present, but Cecil’s insecurity reared back and he asked them whether they would give him up for a good reason as well. Clover and Kali firmly declared that they wouldn’t, and he was scolded for thinking that way. Cecil’s mind could accept that his adoptive parents would always love him no matter what and that his birth parents’ reason might’ve been what they thought best, but his doubts that he wasn’t good enough the first time and could possibly be not good enough this time as well had him the most conflicted that he had ever been.

However, when his adoptive grandparents heard of what happened, they immediately called for Cecil to visit them. When Cecil arrived, he received a very harsh tongue-lashing from them. As if they knew his fears, they criticized what they say was his gall to be so unhappy with his life that he went trying to find his birth parents, letting his worthless problems affect his academic performance and making it out as if there was an actual problem in the family, and him giving them so many reasons not to deserve everything that he was given. Cecil would go on to say to his parents that his grandparents had finally put some sense to him when he got home, but when Kali went up and offered to help him about learning about his birth parents once he turns twenty-one, the age when an adopted child could request to open sealed adoption papers, he could only say thank you and hate himself for accepting the offer.

Once he started high school, Cecil proceeded to attempt eliminating every reason his parents could have about giving him up. He was still having thoughts about the possibility of his adoptive parents also rejecting him, but he was determined to do everything to make sure it does not happen. He became more disciplined and tried to be more involved with the family business. His parents were surprised at his sudden interest, but chalked it up to Cecil deciding to grow up too fast. Cecil was ready to shoulder all the responsibilities he should have as Clover Loveless’s son, and he’d do anything to meet all the expectations. He was soon asking Clover everything to know about the healthcare business. Just like that, he planned his path to get a business degree, then go to med school, and finally become the president of L.L Medical like Clover. He transferred his interests towards medical science, focusing on biology and learning basic first aid. Due to the nature of his family’s background in the medical field, it was easy for him to get into CPR and first aid training programs and complete his classes until he got his certification. He started it off with only pleasing his family in mind, but he soon grew into appreciating the subject.

Cecil applied to every AP class and involved himself in every club that he thought would look good for his college resume. He immediately went for the Doctors Without Borders, Biology club and the Academic Decathlon. He got past a brief hesitation on trying out for the swimming team and the school band, and then applied for the yearbook committee and volunteering club. The pressure built from both the outside and inside, resulting in sleepless nights, either because of his workloads or his own mind. Everything was too much for Cecil at one point, and it didn’t take long for him to stop finding enjoyment even with his hobbies and interests. Swimming, piano and medical science became something he did for his parents’ and grandparents’ expectations and approval, not his.

Cecil’s mind wound up struggling to keep up with his assignments due to spreading himself too thin, but instantly remedied the situation with coffee. He figured that his focus and productivity rose with caffeine in his system, and the next thing he knew, he’d been slowly depending on a cup of coffee to get through his tasks. His parents were concerned with the long-term effects and tried to monitor his coffee intake, but Cecil would only end up looking for soda or energy drinks or anything else that has caffeine. He recognized their concern and often tried his best to make sure he doesn’t drink too much that he’d give himself an overdose, but it’s notable that he’s miserable if he doesn’t get at the very least a cup for a day. He twitches and trembles when he intakes a little more than four cups, but is in pain and trembles even more when he doesn’t intake any. His insomnia gets even worse as he drinks more coffee throughout a day, but still couldn’t sleep if he doesn’t drink any. He maintains a serene disposition, but he tends to come off unnerving when he smiles while he’s clearly exhausted and twitching restlessly.

He has already been unresponsive to social interaction since he started going through an identity crisis during middle school, but paired off with a sudden drive to be perfect, Cecil grew to be an asocial person in favor of studying. His conversations with fellow students are polite enough, and a lot more cheery with teachers, but he doesn’t care anymore about spending time with kids his age. He remains a teacher’s pet though, acting the part of a complete sweetheart and respectful kid to the teachers and school staff. Whenever he sees trouble brewing inside the school, Cecil is usually the one who immediately calls for a teacher, and has gotten a lot of other classmates in trouble by being a tattletale, alienating him even more. He’s almost oblivious with anything unspoken due to being too focused on his workload, and has missed out on developing his social skills. Once a conversation gets past the usual nice but distant stage, his brutal honesty reveals itself. He’s actually almost shameless and not easily fazed by anything. While his sense of humor is droll and self-deprecating, there’s a side to him that’s very fickle and mischievous that could prove to be troublesome if he bothers to let it out. At worst, he’s dismissive and grumpy. His patience gets thinner everyday. While he’s a pleaser to people with authority and has thick skin in regards to insults and mockery, his first instinct is to retaliate immediately twofold in any attack against his family or one that could physically hurt him. He has a high amount of pride when it comes to his decisions, and is unlikely to back down from a challenge. However, most of the time, he runs to a teacher before he does something he might regret.

Even if Cecil had tried to distance himself from distractions such as Asian entertainment content, he found it as a solace to his hectic schedule, but still considered it as a guilty pleasure. Cecil’s vanity hasn’t diminished and was at least amplified by observing the foreign high fashion. He was particularly interested in the heavy accessories like multiple rings, necklaces, bracelets and ear piercings. He didn’t want to ask for any from his parents to buy something like that, but when they walked in on him researching ear piercings, Kali made Cecil admit that he thought it would be cool to have his ears pierced. Clover and Kali were reluctant at first, but preferred this over Cecil going through a rebellious phase. They let him have his ears pierced and have his own collection of jewelry. His grandparents weren’t happy, but Clover and Kali were really enthusiastic for him, so even if he felt really bad about it, he gave into enjoying this small thing.

When a rare occasion comes when Cecil has free time on his hands, he still mostly stays home. He can be seen halfheartedly playing the piano, swimming in the pool, rearranging his jewelry collection, or even reading more medical books. He’d usually play classical pieces, but there are times when he’d also play a Japanese and Korean pop song. In swimming, he could either be practicing or letting himself simply float lying down on the water. If Angel or Drew asks, Cecil also gladly plays with them or helps them with their homework. In terms of going outside the house, Cecil can be pushed by his parents to spend time in the country club, in which he also just either float on the pool or read a book under a shade. He will pay a visit to his grandparents’ house as well, sometimes even with his siblings, although Angel and Drew actively dislike being in the same room as their grandparents. As he spends a lot of time with strict and conservative grandparents, Cecil sometimes tries to attend Sunday Mass, especially on the occasions his parents decide to go. However, he goes to church irregularly, and mostly tunes out the sermons and readings. Kali passed down a skepticism of the accepted interpretations of the Word of God to Cecil, who was encouraged to make his own interpretations of the Catholic ideals.

In terms of romance and dating, Cecil has no prior experience. Besides thinking of it as a distraction, he also doesn’t understand the way romantic love could affect people. Cecil could freely admit that he had crushes. Whether it was a boy or a girl, a celebrity or someone from school, Cecil had experienced the feeling of wanting to kiss them and more, but he believes he likes them because of superficial reasons only and nothing else as he hasn’t initiated deeper conversation with other people. He knows familial love all too well, but he thinks he’s only got teenage hormones to back up what he knows about romantic love and his own feelings.

What Cecil lacks in friends, he makes up for in being a reliable and doting older brother for Angel and Drew. He will cover up for Angel getting into trouble and play with Drew whenever she asks to. His two younger siblings end up being the only people Cecil would stop studying for.

Clover unintentionally pressured Cecil into doing well as he got older, while Kali often reminded Cecil to see things through the end with no regrets so he shouldn’t be heard complaining. They could never be any prouder of Cecil, despite his tendency to go overboard. They tried to rein him in when he does, but they were clueless on how deep Cecil’s reasons for striving to be perfect go until the end of Cecil’s junior year in high school.

It was another visit to the grandparents’ house with his siblings, and Cecil had made it a routine to give out a report on his grades and accomplishments. He revealed a test that he got a C on, and his grandparents’ verbal abuse started. Cecil had usually made sure Angel and Drew were out of earshot when he made his reports to their grandparents, but his grandmother seemed to have been in a worse mood and was louder than usual, piquing the curiosity of twelve-year old Angel and six-year old Drew. Seeing their older brother get yelled at and look so defeated was all the motivation they needed for the two to immediately run for their parents and tell them exactly what happened. Clover and Kali immediately went there to defend their son, and it turned to a full-blown screaming match as they tried to figure out how long they’ve been influencing Cecil this way. Clover was disappointed at her parents and herself while Kali shouted abuse back at Cecil’s grandparents. Cecil watched everything in horror, and was still in a state of shock when Clover and Kali dragged him away from the house, vowing to never see them again. Once they got home, the only thing Cecil did was apologize, which only further broke his parents’ hearts. They swore to make up for their mistakes and undo everything that his grandparents had done to him, and while a part of him knew they’re right, Cecil didn’t seem to understand full well what was wrong except him.

Clover and Kali weren’t sure where to start, but the first thing they did was make sure to tell Cecil that they love him no matter what. Cecil was grateful, but it wasn’t all that effective in changing him immediately. He was still a driven perfectionist with inadequacy and identity issues. His family still tries their best, although Cecil declined the idea of professional therapy. His senior year had put him in a more pressured position, and despite his family’s best efforts, he just can’t suddenly change. His plans for the future remained unchanged, having applied to several top colleges in order to pursue a business degree and had been accepted to some of them, but he ultimately decided to stay in Tennessee and go to Vanderbilt University, where most of the Lovelesses’ had also attended in history.

At the very least, Cecil is starting to regain his joy with swimming and piano. Despite knowing that he might just make things worse for himself, he also joined the anime and Kpop club in his senior year. It was something Cecil had always wanted to do, and he’d consider it progress, despite the other things he needs to do that aren’t just fun. His family sometimes tries to remove him from studying to have fun with them, but he mostly declines over and over unless they all make a really insistent effort, and he’s still reluctant about it. He continues to be stressed and with issues, but he tries his best, despite the thoughts in his head that tell him otherwise.

Advantages: Cecil is in pretty good shape due to being a swimmer. He’s smart, knowledgeable about first aid, and a fast learner. He is a logical thinker, and no matter the emotional turmoil, he never lets that get in the way of his decisions. He never stops thinking of ways to solve a problem.
Disadvantages: Because of Cecil’s dependence on caffeine, he is to suffer withdrawal symptoms. Among other symptoms, he’ll be experiencing mild to severe headaches, nausea, tremors and lethargy, which will easily make him vulnerable. Adding insomnia to the list of symptoms and his growing levels of anxiety, he will be more tired than he ever was. Also, being a certified teacher’s pet that’s not the best with social cues, he’s not going to be very popular among the general class population.

Designated Number: Male Student No. 014

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Designated Weapon: Ballistic Knife

Conclusion: You're a stiff breeze from coming apart at the seams, my friend. I don't think you'll last, but why not pare down the competition before you go? You do want to be the very best, after all. - Shamino Warhen

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