"They have some matters to attend to, "- I replied curtly, somewhat ignoring him, my gaze fixed on a couple of men entering and heading towards the center. They appeared quite refined.
"What kind of matters?"
"That's no longer our concern "- I waved it off, but he persisted. My patience finally wore thin, and I blurted out, - "Karen, Marchelo seems to be hungry. Do you have anything for him?"
"Hey, what are you doing? "- he hissed.
"Of course, I do," - the brunette chimed in happily, and she practically shoved a cookie into his mouth. The Fashion Queen didn't stop there; she started chatting animatedly about how this cookie was from her favorite private chef, and she even managed to get the recipe from her.
"Popularity can be your downfall," - I muttered cynically into his ear and smirked. However, now, with Walson feeding the brunet cookies, it became considerably quieter. Finally, I could focus on the men in their stylish black suits. There were three of them, each of different heights. I was genuinely curious about why they had come here. If they needed to deliver a speech, they could have done so in the hall.
And then, the doors swung open slowly, and a well-dressed principal entered the room. His suit seemed more fitting for a clown, but what could one do? It was black, with purple and green patterns on the fabric and a chain. But why? He didn't appear to be limping, did he?
"I am delighted to welcome you all..." - I only caught a couple of words from the principal before everything began to blur before my eyes. Forgetting everything in the world, I dozed off at my desk.
I only woke up towards the end when I heard a very familiar phrase. I blinked at them, and then, surprisingly to myself, I nudged Marchelo and asked.
"Do you know who they are?"
"Of course, "- the brunet snorted, giving me a brief, insolent glance before returning his attention to his phone. - "They're the Josephani brothers - the finest specialists in business, marketing, sponsorship, and more."
I cursed myself and sprang into action when I saw them heading for the exit. I'd spent enough time nudging Marchelo out of the way and running after them, clutching my blue folder containing all my calculations, plans, and diagrams. I knew how highly regarded these professors were in their fields. Gaining their support in the future would be fantastic. I sprinted out of the classroom and began searching for them. My heart was racing, and my eyes darted around, attempting to locate even a fraction of the people I needed. Inside, there was a sense of desperation and regret. I had nearly lost all hope. And then, after a few more steps, I spotted them. The Josephani brothers stood right in front of me, in conversation with a guy who was presenting his plan with some diagrams.
That's excellent, young man, - the larger one commended him and made a subtle gesture that could signify a sign of camaraderie. It felt like my heart, once crystal-like, was snatched and violently thrown onto the ground, then mercilessly trampled into even smaller fragments. I sighed heavily and rubbed my neck nervously. This sight disturbed me, and I didn't want to witness it. My fingers began to bend the cover of my papers in frustration, not wanting to see my dream slipping away from me. I turned around and started moving away. My thoughts were indecipherable; they seemed to pile up into one jumbled heap, pressing on me like an irritated creature. The realization that I still had to conduct a mini-lesson with Lisa finally broke me. I yelled and angrily pushed through the first door I came across. I leaned my forehead against the cold surface and closed my eyes. A couple of deep breaths in and out began to settle me.
'And so, the stronger one wins,' I thought as I headed to the library. I always used this phrase when a rival crossed my path. I still had a chance to prove myself.
"You took quite a while, -" Lisa said with a sweet smile as she began to retrieve and open her notebooks, picking up a pen with a blue, fluffy tip.
"I had some business to attend to," - I replied, taking a seat across from her and observing her waving that pen around.
"There's no mafia today, so what other business could you have had? "- the blonde asked.
"Lisa, I don't revolve around the mafia. I have my own life and plans that I don't intend to share with you," - I said, opening a book. -" So, what topic didn't you understand?"
"Why are you being so rude? What did I do to upset you?" - she pouted.
"You didn't upset me. Let's just get started."
"I don't want to start without clearing things up!" - she insisted, and I relented, saying,
"Listen, your impression that we practically live with the Morts is incorrect. Just because we're good friends doesn't mean I'm going to adapt to them and follow them around. I understand that you're only going by appearances, but we all have brains too, you know," - I sighed and continued, -" And Lisa, I don't see the point in these lessons or the unnecessary attention because I know you quite well. I know that these ridiculous displays of affection are just a game. I don't want to get involved in that, so please, stop."
"What... what do you mean?" - she stammered. I exhaled loudly and rubbed my neck nervously.
"I promised I would finish this," I thought, remembering Charlie's words. He was her brother and even a bit of a friend to me.
"I know you have a boyfriend. Please be faithful to him," - a look of anguish crossed her face. - And now, let's start.
I spent nearly half an hour going through the lessons with Weston. First, I took away her phone, which often distracted her, and then I began explaining everything in detail. The tension that had been hanging in the air for a couple of minutes slowly dissipated.
"That's all you needed to know," - I said, packing my backpack. -" I hope you understood."
"Of course, I understood. I was even interested. Next time, let's..."
"I think next time, you won't ask me, but rather hire a higher-class tutor, "- I interrupted, closing my bag and checking the time.
"But... why... what happened? I enjoyed studying with you... I would like to..."
"Lisa, you have enough money to get yourself good lessons. Don't forget what I told you before, "- I said, and with these words, I left the library and headed to the cafeteria, where Marchelo ruled. I ignored him and grabbed a quick snack. Unexpectedly, a couple of guys from the football team I played on approached me and invited me over. I was surprised, but I agreed. We had a great time, and by the time lunch ended, there were only about 10 miserable minutes left. I rushed to the exit.
Suddenly, my bag buzzed. I scrambled to find my phone, thinking the mafia's boss had sent a lengthy message, ranting about his dislike for his cooks and their soups (I had endured a two-hour lecture on this topic). But to my surprise, I found a new model phone with a delicately cute case adorned with sparkles and white writing. I immediately remembered that I had taken Weston's phone during our lesson.