Sasha was still laughing her head off, as if the situation were the funniest thing in the world.
Alex gave Tabitha a cool look. "Yes, that's exactly the car I mean. The car for the principal of Oak Ridge High School. It is going to come pick me up, because I am the principal of Oak Ridge. I don't know how to make this any clearer."
He dialed for his driver and told him the address he was currently waiting at.
"Well, well!" Tabitha said in mock surprise to Joe. "How competitive. You two only finished university recently, and he's already claiming to be the principal of one of the most important schools in the city! I'd like to see who comes to pick him up."
"Yes!" Sasha cried. "We'll wait and see. You don't mind us waiting, do you, Alex?"
Joe wasn't sure what to think. He had never known Alex to boast before. But it had been some time since the two of them had seen each other. Maybe Alex had picked up some bad habits. But even if he had, he wished Tabitha wouldn't make such a big deal about it.
"Actually, it's been so good to see you," Joe said, thinking quickly. "Alex, I'd like to invite you to stay the night. We can talk more in the morning, really catch up."
"Thank you, but no," Alex said firmly. "My car will be here soon."
He felt he had been very patient all evening. It was annoying to have to wait around for the car, but now he wanted to prove that he wasn't a liar.
"Yes! Let's have a look at the principal's special car," someone new cried.
Alex looked over at them in amusement. "What? Who are you? Why is this so interesting to everybody? I didn't know I was such a fascinating guy."
"Well, if it's fancy then we want to be able to say that we've seen it, right?" The person laughed. "Maybe it'll be the next big new story. I'd love to be at the start of a chain of gossip for once!"
The people standing around had nothing better to do, so they decided to see how the drama between Alex and Tabitha played out.
Alex didn't want to cause trouble for his old roommate, so he smiled and didn't let anyone see how angry the situation was making him. There was no reason he couldn't be gentle with people who were acting foolish because they didn't know any better.
Neil's expression had become quite gloomy. He thought it was incredibly poor manners to make fun of the poor. He had struggled with money himself growing up, and still remembered the way people used to treat him when they thought they could get away with it. But while he wanted to help Alex, the young man just seemed to be digging himself deeper and deeper. Neil was beginning to worry that his son Joe was making poor choices in friends.
Suzan was also upset. She had wanted to throw a nice party, and she didn't like how Alex and Tabitha's needling of each other kept ruining the mood. She stamped her foot with frustration. "Alex! You're just embarrassing yourself! Its such a ridiculous lie. You're the same age as us, how can you have become the principal of any school in such a short period of time?"
She was regretting letting him come to the party. She felt embarrassed to be tied to him just from knowing him at school.
Alex turned and shrugged. "I don't know how many times I have to say it, but I'm not lying. I'm the principal of Oak Ridge. I use the office. I oversee what happens there. The former principal acts as my deputy. It's the truth. Why is that a problem?"
Suzan turned away angrily.
The others began to laugh again at the new information Alex had just revealed. "The old principal is still working? And he reports to you, does he? So which one of you is actually the principal? This is getting ridiculous!"
Neil shook his head and refused to look at Alex.
Alex glanced at his phone. "Not much longer now."
Neil snorted. "I don't know how to help you anymore."
"What a nightmare," Tabitha said, lips curling wickedly. "I had no idea anyone could be so shameless."
Neil took a deep breath and decided to try to help Alex one more time. After all, he didn't know anything about the young man. "I'm about to head out. Let me take you at least part-way to your destination. Maybe your driver could meet us somewhere?"
"Oh, stop trying to spoil it, Neil!" Sasha cried.
"We just want to see his special car," another person called out in a mockingly innocent voice. "We don't mind waiting!"
"By the way," Tabitha smirked, "I know a family trying to get their child into Oak Ridge. Won't you help? If you're the principal, I'm sure you can make it happen easily!"
"I could," Alex said blandly, "but I don't believe in cheating. They'll have to apply the same way as everyone else."
"This is childish!" Neil finally snapped. He turned his anger on Tabitha and her lackeys. "Why are you so intent on bullying some poor young man who works an honest job? Security guards are humans too!"
"Of course they are!" cried Tabitha. "But Alex says he is much more than that. Is it my fault that he's promised a big show? I just want to see this car, that's all!"
The others chimed in.
"It's not bullying! We just want him to keep his word!"
"Yeah, you can't really blame any of us for that."
"Don't be angry at us! Maybe he'll learn a valuable lesson?"
Alex shook his head and smiled. He could tell the situation was frustrating Neil, who clearly had a lot of beliefs about honesty and honor. But he was confident the man would understand just as soon as the car arrived.
But the car was taking a long time to get there. Nearly twenty minutes passed without anyone showing up.
"Well, what's going on?" One person demanded. "We've been pretty patient!"
"Maybe it broke down on the way here," another person chuckled.
"No way! I bet the driver came across a pregnant woman in a broken-down car who was about to give birth. So of course he had to stop and help her!" The person sniggered. "It happens all the time, right? In movies, anyway."
"Maybe the driver was drinking," someone at the back suggested sweetly. "That's too bad! I was so excited to see this very special car."
Neil sighed and said to Alex quietly, "You've dragged this out long enough. Just apologize. It will be all right."
He was disappointed in Alex, but he hoped that an honest apology could smooth the whole thing over.
But suddenly, an engine roared in the distance.
Lights flooded the entryway of the villa, as bright as a spotlight.
The people who had just been laughing and making up reasons for the driver's nonappearance blinked at the light in astonishment.
But Tabitha shook her head, smirking. "I recognize that model of car. It's very expensive. Obviously, my husband sent it here to pick me up."