Eduard's POV
"He needs a lawyer."
"Yes, the PAO (Public Attorney's Office) will handle Floyd," I said.
Floyd took a deep breath and started talking. I was looking at him, and I noticed his trembling fingers, which indicated anxiety or fear, so to stop the trembling, he rubbed his hands together (self-massaging or "pacifying"). When things are bad, humans usually adopt this behavior. However, I let the man confess.
Floyd's Confession
Floyd, carrying his folder, makes his way down the corridor. It took him a while, but he finally received the scholarship. Floyd waited a long time, became hungry, and remained awake all night. He's crossing his fingers that this will be the way for his family. If he pursues academic success, his parents can avoid taking on more hours at work. They can afford college without working almost an entire workweek each month. He clutches the folder that will provide him with the full scholarship he seeks. For two months, he worked overtime at his side gig and subsisted on biscuits and water to save up the money to have all the documents needed to apply for the scholarship due that same day.
But he turned around when he realized he was about to run into Joel, known for being a bully on campus. That day, he was the bully's target, but he knew he wasn't alone; many other students were his victims. Joel and his friends chased him hard, so he dashed back to the main building. The restroom, the table's underside, and the foliage provided enough hiding places. While he was in mid-stride, a flashback of the historic hall's events came to mind. There were so many other students that he reasoned that Joel and his friends would take a while to see him from there, giving him time to duck out of sight. After entering the corridor, his first instinct was to find a hiding spot. Before ducking over to one side of the stage, he glanced around. As he clung to the folder, he continued to scan the room. However, as the main building's giant clock chimed, he emerged from his hiding place. That marked the completion of the scholarship requirements. The registrar was closing, and he had to get there. He will persist in pursuit, even if it means begging. The scholarship is his sole opportunity for a better future. However, as he exited the exceptional hall, he unexpectedly encountered Joel. Joel immediately grabbed the folder he was holding and hurriedly ran after his friends. They laughed and waved at him. He immediately followed the group to retrieve the folder, but they kept tossing it back and forth. When they reached the bridge between the two buildings, the group halted. After it rains, the area around the bridge becomes musty because of the stream below it.
"Joel, I beg you, return it to me. Please let me know what you want, and I will do everything but that. I need to take that to the registrar. I'm begging you to give it back to me."
Joel noticed the expression on Floyd's face, which is why he was curious about what was inside the folder. He opened it and skimmed it. After reading the contents, he burst out laughing.
"This will not work, and I'm telling you why. You will not receive a scholarship."
Joel's friends shared his humor and roared with laughter.
"Joel, please give it to me. I'm begging you," Floyd said.
He kneeled in front of Joel's group. Their laughter grew even louder. Instead of feeling sorry for him, Joel smiled mischievously and tossed the folder into the water.
Floyd wept at that very moment. "Joel, please don't do that."
Joel, though, is a stubborn old soul. Suddenly, he threw the folder into the water and rushed off the bridge. Floyd made a beeline toward the bridge. He could see his file folder as it floated in the murky stream of water. He squeezed his palm tightly as he fought to suppress his sobs. He remained on the bridge until the magnificent hall announced the final vote total and the newly elected official's inauguration. Floyd's emotions were heavy and full of anger. He immediately left the bridge.
Joel and his girlfriend, holding hands, made their way out of the excellent hall while Floyd stood outside. He hastily zipped up his jacket, approached the plants, grabbed a big rock, and followed the two to the other building.
End of Confession
Floyd acknowledged his guilt but asserted that his young age (17) would shield him from prosecution or incarceration. He would go to "boy's town" to punish his wrongdoings. However, he refused to go home and requested to stay in the local precinct prison.
Floyd was sitting on the edge of the cell, still sobbing, and I was standing in front of it, watching him.
"Did he tell us everything? Should I inquire whether he was telling the truth?" I asked.
Benedict stated, "He did reveal the information. Floyd isn't a wicked guy. He acted out of frustration and fury. He turned himself in so that his family's troubles wouldn't worsen, and he does so because Floyd understands he did wrong and is accountable for the crime he committed. Because the suspect has confessed guilt, the case may go forward more swiftly. According to the people we talked to earlier, Floyd has many friends, and they almost always say the same thing, so I'm sure he did it out of anger, but killing Joel was not his plan."
"Do you believe he would have received the scholarship if Joel hadn't spotted him then?"
"However, destiny has already determined his fate. Sadly, he does not qualify for the scholarship he seeks."
"The world is too unfair for people like Floyd. The person who works hard and has a dream is the one who falls and becomes a victim of fate."
I said nothing. Instead, I turned my back on Benedict and went straight to my office. I simply stood inside and gazed out the window, unable to shake the image of Zero staring at Naomi. I grabbed my chin and suddenly felt worried.
'Zero, what are you thinking?'