The conversation became warmer. They then finished and returned to class.
On the way, SuiYin walked behind Rafel, who was now talking with Aiyden through text.
Her gaze turned complicated as she thought, 'What are you thinking, SuiYin? Haven't you already accepted your fate? You shouldn't implicate others anymore. Remember, everything is just a transaction.'
SuiYin tried to convince herself.
The class continued. Rusty and Chuck returned in the middle of it. The teacher also changed, and they began learning a new subject.
Compared to Velkan, Ms. Jerrica was far more welcoming. Like Velkan, she didn't care about their backgrounds, but her teaching style was more like that of the normal teachers Rafael was used to.
She started by reviewing the lessons from middle school and then proceeded to tell them the curriculum for the semester.
Her black hair reached her neck while her eyes warmly looked at the students.
"As you all know, my name is Ms. Jerrica. For the next year, we will work together in class. I don't know Mr. Draven's rules, but mine are simple. You just…" Her words trailed off as her eyes turned to her phone.
"Rafael, the Headmistress, is looking for you. Go now."
Rafael's eyes widened. He wondered if this was because of the incident with Aiyden or his conflict with Jeff.
He excused himself and then left the class.
'I made sure the emergency stair doesn't have any cameras. Is this because of the bus hijacking? But even the newspaper didn't know anything about this.'
Rafael's heart started beating faster. He was worried now. What if the Headmistress called his sister about this?
His steps quickened as he wanted to quickly find out the truth.
Knock… knock…
The door opened, showing Mrs. Vivian with a small smile on her face. This made Rafael feel a bit relieved.
'If it's something bad, she wouldn't smile like this,' he thought.
Taking his seat, Rafael sat face to face with her.
"I got news you were involved with the bus hijacking incident. Is this true?"
"Yes, I was on my way back when the incident happened. But I made sure to leave before the police intervened."
"Did you have any reason to do that?" Vivian asked.
Rafael was confused by her question but realized what she meant, "Yes, I was already late home. I didn't want to worry my sister."
"But your sister does know you were involved with the incident?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
"In that case, it should not be a problem for you to take the honor."
"An honor? What do you mean, Mrs. Vivian?"
"I know you and Aiyden are the ones responsible for defeating the gang. Those people have been on the police's wanted list for months.
They are giving out a monetary reward for any information on their capture. So, what both of you did earned you money and public recognition.
The school also pulled some strings to make sure you are given a medal of valor. This will reflect nicely on your future."
Hearing the monetary reward, Rafael's eyes lit up. He didn't care much about the honorary medal.
A medal is just a medal; it's not like he could use it to his advantage, except maybe if he went into the entertainment business.
"How about Aiyden then? Does he agree to accept it?"
"Unfortunately, no. Aiyden's situation is quite unique. Accepting a medal of valor can be a double-edged sword that will be detrimental to his current situation.
So, how about it? Will you accept this? You can keep all the money.
The school's only requirement is for you to promote our prestige when you get interviewed."
"Can you tell me more in detail?"
"It's simple. You will need to go to three interviews the school approves. As for the rest, just ignore them.
The monetary reward is $5,000, but our school will pull some strings to raise it to $10,000."
'10k for going to three interviews? This is not bad. If I accept, this should link my reputation to the school's prestige in the public. Who knows if this will come in handy in the future.'
With that thought, Rafael replied, "Mrs. Vivian, can you give me time? I need to discuss this with my sister."
"Of course, just remember you are free to reject this offer. But honestly, you lose nothing over this.
All the thugs are already captured, so you don't need to worry about their gang's retaliation.
Oh, yeah, there is one more thing. Wait for me." Vivian said as she stood up and left the room, confusing Rafael.
Left alone, he had nothing else to do other than look around the office.
Many pictures were hanging on the wall, but they were all filled with student photos. He then realized there was another photo on the desk.
Curious, Rafael lifted it up, showing a picture of Vivian with her family.
There were three people in the photo: one man who looked like her husband and a daughter who seemed around the same age as him.
'I heard Mrs. Vivian is divorced, but there is no information on her having a daughter. She seems like a nice person. I wonder why Mrs. Vivian didn't put her in this school.'
Putting the picture back, his gaze turned toward a portrait on the wall. It showed a picture of the country's King and Queen, while under it, he could see four pictures of the last headmasters.
'Only the first one is a man. The rest are attractive women like Mrs. Vivian. I wonder if this is on purpose.'
While he thought about this, Mrs. Vivian returned, bringing with her two briefcases. Both were colored black, but Rafael could tell they were made of hard material.
Based on his observation, Rafael thought they were made from carbon sheets.
"This is for you and SuiYin. It's given to our students who get full scholarships.
Inside, you should find everything you need to keep up with the school's studies.
There is also a credit card inside with a $1k limit per month. You can use it to purchase school needs. This also includes clothing, meals, or any other stuff. Just don't use it for anything illegal, and you should be fine.
Also, don't try to trick the system by trying to take the money as cash. You should know the risk."