Chapter Three
I'M NOT CHEAP.
The Vice-Chancellor could not lift his face to look at the youngsters who were on the floor. He had failed to protect them and make their wishes come true.
The disgruntled Heads of the Departments who were trying to protect their heads excused themselves and left. They met the two boys walking majestically back to their lecture halls as though nothing happened.
"Hope you have not missed any lecture?"
"I pray we don't. If we do, those fools would pay dearly for them."
What they did was pleasant to the Heads of the Departments, but they did not wish to stoop so low like the Vice-Chancellor. To remedy the situation, they accompanied them to their halls and informed the lecturers that they were with the Vice-Chancellor. They were able to continue their lectures unhindered for the day.
The two of them and their friend Sidney Tremblay, a citizen of Toronto, got to the car park after school and met Shirley waiting with a swollen face. She tried to smile and be friendly as she spoke with wounded teeth.
"Guys, we can be friends."
"We promised that whenever we see, we will beat you up, now that we have seen you, we will beat you up."
Leon began to walk towards her, but she ran away.
"What happened?"
Sidney, who did not know Leon's and Jeff's background, asked. They laughed and explained what happened. Sidney was sympathetic and advised.
"Next time, stay away from their trouble. Cherry Fields is not a company you toil with, besides, you are foreigners."
"Thank you, Sidney, for your concern. We would always remember that."
Sidney had turned eighteen and had a car now. He does not have to wait for his driver, he got in and drove off as well as Jeff and Leon. This time, Leon was driving. Mr. Morris, Jeff's grandfather, insisted that they only need one car.
"There is no need for two cars to leave the same house to the same destination, it does not make sense."
Jeff got home and sent a mail to the Vice-Chancellor as the Chairman of the Cherry Fields Oil and Gas Group. The mail read:
Greetings, Prof. Philip Miller. Regarding your previous mails, it came to our knowledge today that some children of our staff are in your school. Could you please supply us with the details of the students and their parents? This will be of help to us as we plan to donate to your School Endowment Fund. Thank you. Chairman, Cherry Fields Oil, and Gas Group.
The Vice-Chancellor needed this to cool his nerves after the despicable incident that he witnessed today. He stirred the ice cubes in his tea before sipping it after he got a message alert. The sound was sometimes disturbing, but he liked it so. It was the sound he had chosen since several years ago that he began sending frequent messages to the Cherry Fields Oil and Gas Group requesting for an audience. Today was no exception. He hopefully picked up his phone and glanced at it. A beam of smile registered on his stressed face when he saw the sender. He sipped his tea again before he joyously punched on the message. He replaced the smile on his face with an angry glower as he read the message the first time. Not only that, but he read through again and smiled.
'This would not be a hurdle. With the five students in the school, their donation would be encouraging.'
He thought as he sent messages to Bernard Guy and Shirley Brandon to come along with the rest of their friends to his office tomorrow morning.
At the Morris Ancestral Manor
Jeff was happy after he sent the message. He had his lunch with Leon and rested. They woke up and discovered that Mr. Morris was back from work and was in his study. He walked to him to keep him company.
"Welcome back dad. How was work?"
"Work was fine. And your school?"
He asked as he fixed his guess on his forehead searchingly.
"My school was fine."
He knew his father knew all that had happened, but he would not want to involve him. At least not now. Mr. Morris waited for him to say more. When he did not, he asked.
"Is there anything you want us to discuss?"
"Yes, dad but not now. Currently, I can handle it."
"It is all right, and how are you spending the rest of your day?"
"Leon and I are going to have our taekwondo training at the park."
"It is all right. I will join you guys."
"All right father."
The next day after the fight at the park.
Mr. Benjamin Noah, Jeff's lecturer, was in the hall that morning for his course. He stole a glance at Jeff the moment he got into the class. Jeff was calm and unscathed. The news about the fight at the VC's office had spread among the lecturers, and they were all against him. It was not a secret that Jeff was the best student in the school, but he manipulated the results and published that Shirley was the best. Since the offended did not appeal for the verification of the result, everyone pretended not to see.
That was the reason his subordinate wanted him out of the way, so he can redeem the tarnished prestige of the school. Mr. Benjamin Noah threw a general question to the class.
"How are you preparing for your Mini Projects?"
As usual, they would not respond unless they were appointed to do so. Mr. Noah decided to be personal.
"Jeff, tell us. How are you preparing for your project?"
"I'm cool. Thanks for your concern."
Jeff's voice was unwavering, and that was undoubtedly what he wanted. He asked others too to disguise his quest. He teased the class before he left.
"I'm sure some of you will make Cherry Fields or Endless Love Arcadia your case studies?"
The class cackled with laughter as they gave their different responses.
"How is that possible?
"Those are out of our leagues."
"Mission impossible."
Jeff also smiled. He had already made up his mind that his Case Study would be Endless Love Arcadia.
After the first lecture, Jeff requested Sidney.
"I want to check on my brother. Inform Mr. Brown that I will be a bit late."
"It is all right. I will do that."
Jeff stood up, and the class became quiet. They were ranting about the question from Mr. Noah, but as soon as Jeff stood up, they all kept mute. They have heard how he humiliated the terrors of the campus. Furthermore, they talked among themselves after he walked out.
"I learned that he beat up Shirley, the most beautiful girl on the campus when she made love advances to him."
"He must be a gay, then?"
"I think so."
Mr. Brown met him at the staircase as he walked down.
"Good morning, Mr. Brown. Good to see you. I want to check on my brother. I will be back soon."
"It is all right. Be brief about it, please. Meanwhile, you look good today."
Jeff smiled and acknowledged the compliment.
"Thank you, Mr. Brown, I will be back soon."
He walked quickly to Leon's lecture hall, ignoring the eyes leering at him from the windows. He picked Leon from his class, and they proceeded to the Vice Chancellor's Office with one mission, to ensure that the gangsters leave the school.
Unfortunately for the Vice-Chancellor, the gangsters were in his office in response to his summons. When the secretary saw them, he allowed them in too, thinking that the VC summoned them as well.
"Good morning, Prof. Miller."
They greeted when they walked into his office. The gangsters were startled as well as the VC when they heard their voices.
"Hi."
Shirley greeted as she gave Jeff a seductive look which everyone noticed, including her boyfriend. Jeff, who was already aggrieved when he met them, reduced her to nothing with his next move.
"I'm not as cheap as your boyfriend, so don't look at me that way again."
They were all shocked at such a disrespectful and irreverent chap. Leon went straight to the point.