Chapter17: Boring College Life
Leo sat in his usual spot in the lecture hall, his elbow propped on the desk as he stared at the professor's slides. The words blurred together in his mind, not because he didn't understand them, but because he had already read every book for this semester weeks ago. Preparation had seemed like a good idea at the time. Now? It just made every lecture feel like an exercise in redundancy.
He sighed, tapping his pen idly against the desk. His mind wandered to Emma. She was probably at the company right now, immersed in training sessions and learning the ropes under Ethan's guidance. Lucky her. Meanwhile, he was stuck here pretending to care about material he could teach better than the professor.
He was pulled out of his daydream by a vivid recollection of the night before.
Flashback
The private dining room was elegantly decorated, the kind of place where everything screamed money. Leo, Emma, and the chairperson of the college board sat at a round table, the soft hum of piano music in the background. The chairperson, a sharp-eyed woman in her late 40s, leaned forward with interest as Emma spoke about their company.
"It's a secure luxury goods delivery system," Emma explained, her voice confident. "We're working on a same-day delivery model, something that guarantees safety and speed for high-value items."
The chairperson nodded. "Impressive. And Leo here, of course, is the financial backbone of this venture. The stories I've heard about your exploits in crypto are quite... legendary."
Leo gave her a small smile, leaning back in his chair. "I wouldn't say legendary. Just practical."
Emma rolled her eyes. "Practical? Please. This man makes money seem like it grows on trees. Do you know how he got me into this?"
Leo's brow furrowed. "Emma—"
But she was already launching into her story. "My father was a gambling addict. He owed money to everyone in town. If Leo hadn't helped me when he did, I don't know where I'd be. Certainly not in college or training to run a company."
The chairperson's expression softened. "That's admirable, Leo."
Leo shrugged. "She had potential. It was a good investment."
Emma smirked. "Sure, let's call it that. But don't let him fool you. He's lazy. All he does at the company is read financial reports and make big decisions. The rest of the time, he's just hanging around because he thinks college is boring."
Leo shot her a glare. "Emma—"
The chairperson raised a brow, a sly smile forming on her lips. "Is that so? Well, Leo, it sounds like you need some discipline."
Before Leo could respond, she pulled out her phone.
"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice tinged with panic.
"Calling your parents."
"Wait! You can't—"
But she could. And she did.
Minutes later, Leo found himself holding his phone as his parents unleashed a barrage of scolding.
"Are you serious, Leo? You're wasting time in class? After everything we've done for you—"
Emma stifled a laugh behind her hand while the chairperson looked on with a satisfied expression.
By the time the call ended, Leo slumped back in his chair, thoroughly chastised.
End of Flashback
Leo groaned inwardly at the memory. He wasn't sure what was worse: the chairperson's smug look or Emma's barely contained laughter.
He was snapped back to reality when a group of students approached his desk. Two boys and three girls, all smiling in a way that suggested they'd rehearsed this interaction.
"Hey, Leo, right?" one of the boys said, sliding into the seat next to him.
"Yeah?" Leo replied, raising a brow.
"We just wanted to say hi," one of the girls chimed in. "You've kind of become famous around here. Everyone's talking about your investment in the college."
Leo blinked. "Famous?"
The second boy grinned. "Yeah, man. Social media blew up when the college announced it. You're like, the rich kid of the class."
Leo sighed. "Great."
The first girl tilted her head. "We were wondering... want to hang out with us? We're planning to catch a movie later. It'd be fun."
Leo considered the offer. Normally, he'd brush something like this off, but the idea of making a few friends didn't seem so bad. Maybe college wouldn't feel so dull if he had people to talk to.
"Sure," he said, surprising even himself.
"Awesome!" the second girl said, her excitement palpable.
As they walked back to their seats, Leo leaned back in his chair, a small smile tugging at his lips. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.