Somewhere in California.
In a diner. It's a small one but the location in which it is, made it have a lot of hungry customers. Workers stop there to have their lunch or dinner after their long tiring work even though it would have been easier and cheaper to eat at home but whatever.
"thank you… please come again" One worker said as the customer walked away. He turned to his fellow worker "Damn, Ibrahim, Look at that ass… I'll kill to have my face buried in it"
Curly brown hair, brown skin, and bright blue eyes, gawking at a lady's ass (which is a form of sexual harassment by the way). He's just your regular 5ft '10in college junior.
His partner whose name was Ibrahim slapped him on the back of his head. "Ouch…"
"You need to stop doin' that every time a customer comes in Pablo… you don' wanna get your ass kicked outta here eh?"
Pablo sighed and walked into a room in the back of the diner. He knew his behavior was unacceptable - which Ibrahim has said is a result of him spending too much time watching porn - but for some reason, he couldn't quite stop it. "You're right… I'm broke as fuck as it is… I've worked six jobs and none pay as much as this one…" He took off the apron he had on and toss it on a nearby table.
"And I need the money to pay my freaking tuition. I can't even concentrate in classes anymore, I'm probably gonna get kicked out if I don't get better… And then Reema will never go out with me…"
His friend raised his brow. "Sorry, the only thing I got was Reema… who's that??"
Pablo shakes his head disappointedly at his friend who was more interested in his love life than his life crisis "Remind me why we are friends again?"
"I don't know what to say to that, who is Reena?"
"She's a girl I met in my biology class, I've talked to her a few times, and turns out she was filling in for a friend of hers... God, she's so damn hot... words can't explain."
"How am I just hearin' this now?…" Ibrahim grabbed his collar annoyed that Pablo haven't told him anything about what he calls 'juicy deets'
"Well… I don't know what you want me to say to that" he unhand himself from his friend's grip and put on his jacket, echoing his friend's words back at him "I'm more worried about getting money for college"
"I'm sorry I can't help ma dude… Holup I though't your tuition was bein' paid by a company… I remember you tellin' me that when you first came in," He asked.
Pablo picked out a sweet from his pocket. It had a couple of threads attached to it. Pablo removes the thread from the sweet before throwing it into his mouth. "Yeah, those asshats went bankrupt, and before you ask, my parents divorced and my 'father' is broke as hell too"
He placed his hand on Pablo's shoulder, feeling sorry for his friend and wishing he could help more but he was barely scraping by himself "I'm sorry dude. You'll find a way outta this mess, I know you will"
"Yeah well… hope so too" He glanced at his watch and let out a sigh of relief. "I've got time, so I'm going to attend this biology club thingy I joined… never attended that shit since I signed in"
They hugged each other. Pablo and Ibrahim had only been friends for a couple of months or so, but they had grown to become really good friends. "See ya next week ma dude"
Cloud college in California.
As Pablo walked into the place where the club activity is being held, internally thanking the Lord that this was just a club activity and not some lecture stuff, he walked in gracefully to find that everyone there was staring at him befuddled. They were all alien faces to him except one face which he quickly recognize as Eric Bell, a senior at the college. And the president of the club.
Why were they looking at him awkwardly? Was it his dressing? His hair? Was there something on his hair? Gargh! He hated anything that made him uncomfortable and insecure and this reception made it very clear that this was going to be the first and last time he ever attended one of these.
The meeting went on with everyone blabbering about things Pablo was not paying attention to. Although he went there to hear about biology facts, he ended up spending the whole time thinking about ways he could get enough money for his tuition. He didn't even know that the meeting had ended until the person next to him asked him to move so he could walk out since Pablo was close to the exit. As the brown-haired boy made his way out of the room, Eric stops him from going and pulls him to the side, away from earshot.
He noticed the senior being extra cautious of his surrounding "Everything okay Eric?" He asked while slipping his hand into his pocket.
Eric doesn't respond for a while, making sure that even the invisible ghosts around were gone. Once he was satisfied enough with the distance from any breathing soul, he smiled. "Yeah, everything's cool. I'm just shocked you attended the club meeting today, cause you know, you've never attended before. Which is strange, why join the club if you're not going to attend?"
"Yeah, about that," Pablo drawled "I've been busy lately. Trying to raise… the point is I've been busy" He explained, not sure whether or not he wanted the senior to know about his money problems.
Eric nods. "I understand. You know you can tell me anything right? Even if it's money you need, I know quick ways you could get a lot of cash. And best of all, it doesn't involve damaging the environment…"
End of the chapter.