DAMIEN'S POV

"Dad please I do not want to go there." I pleaded with my dad but he wasn't listening to my pleas. He is bent on making me go there.

"Honey, let's make an exception for Damien." Mom said.

"No! My decision is final and he is going there." Dad replied.

"But he's too young and our last child." Mom interjected.

"Then what." Dad added. He took a sip from his coffee as he continued talking. "All those who will be admitted there are all his mates Lucinda."

Dad calling mum by her name signifies his angry but doesn't want to show it. I couldn't take it any longer as I blurted out. "Dad, the school is fucking filled with gays."

Dad stopped reading the newspaper in his hands as he looked up at me displeased with what I said and also for using vulgar words (the f word) as he tried to select his words.

"What nonsense Diego, CriddleFord Boys High School is a school tested and tried for it's excellence in academics, character building and nation development. Your brothers went there and turned out just fine." Dad said looking displeased.

"Dad." I said.

"Diego." He called giving me the stern look signifying the discussion is over. I stormed out the dining room towards my room anger visible on my face.

           *                  *              *

I made sure Damien was out of ear shot to try pacify his dad and convince him about his school.

"Hugo." I called.

"Yes." He answered still not looking up from the papers he was reading.

"You know Damien is soft and not as tough as the others and will not last there." I said.

"That's the main reason I want him to go there, to toughen and man up." Hugo replied.

I knew this argument was not yielding any result and decided to drop it.

          *                *              *

During dinner, everybody was seated present as we ate our food in silence. The only sound heard was the clinking of fork on plates. The unusual silence continued until Darren spoke up.

"Dad." He called as all eyes stared at him waiting to hear what he has to say. "I want Damien to join me in California." He continued.

"Why? I see no need of you taking him there." Dad replied.

"I want him to school there at least try a new environment, meet new people and maybe he can crawl out of his shell." He added.

"Yeah, honey I think it will be good for Damien to go California with Darren." Mum said.

"I know you all are ganging up against me to prevent him from going to CriddleFord Boys High School but it's not happening." Dad said.

"But —" Darren said but was cut off by dad saying. "Enough of this."

"Yes dad." He replied as we all continued eating in silence as we did before.

Darren tried other times to convince dad but he seems not to bulge about the issue. Then did I Know that my fate is sealed.

Seconds turned to minutes, minutes to hours, hours to days and days to weeks as the day of the entrance examination drew near. I never prepared for the exam and I made up my mind to flaunt the exam. During the exams, I was shocked to see that the questions were not easy at all. I thanked my stars because I knew that I failed. I was surprised to see also that lots of people came for the exam. The school is quite expensive actually and one of the best in the country but I do not see myself going there.