Array
(
[text] =>
A/N: Noel in the picture above.
*****************************************
The days rolled over one another with little to no incidents. There had been little trouble from Charles and his gang mostly due to Jayden’s subtle threats. Samuel, as usual, had continued to pester the hell out of Jayden and Noel just buried his nose further into his books.
Before anyone could realize, the visiting day had suddenly arrived and the students of Lumière heralded the long-awaited day with excitement.
It was a windy Saturday morning and just after breakfast, limousines and many other fancy cars could be sighted making their way along the long winding drive to the houses.
Before noon, the car parks were full to bursting, and some cars had spilled over to the yards and forecourts of the school.
Students milled about the school campus with their family as they regaled them with tales of their stay whiles others sat in the shady covers of trees and gazebos as they ate with their family and listened to the tidings from home.
Jayden was holed up in his room with his earphones firmly plugged in and the music turned to full volume when a pounding resounded from his closed door. The knock came again and when there was no response from him, the door simply swung open to reveal an annoyed Noel.
Jayden looked up and pulled his earphones out.
‘There’s a uniformed man at the door for you,’ Noel grumbled before stomping off.
Jayden watched him go as he wondered what the hell was up with him. He sat there for a moment before getting up with a sigh.
He glanced at Noel as he passed by. ‘When are your folks coming?’
‘They’re not,’ Noel muttered shortly, not turning his face from the thick tome underneath it.
He stared at him for a moment before walking to the door. He stepped out and came face to face with Henry, his mother’s chauffeur.
‘Good afternoon, sir. I’ve been instructed to take you downstairs, your mother is waiting.’
Jayden nodded and followed him along the corridor and into the elevators. They rode the elevators in silence for a while before Henry spoke up.
‘If I may ask sir, how are you finding the school?’
Jayden shrugged. ‘It’s fine.’
Henry nodded and the elevator pinged open. They strode across the lounge, out the lobby, and into the sunlit courtyard. Henry led them beyond the courtyard and pass a row of trees. They walked along a wooded path coming to stop before a row of open huts.
‘Thank you, Henry.’ Jayden’s mother said. She sat in one of the open huts and in her black designer suit and perfectly coiffed hair, she seemed to have come directly from a high-level executive meeting.
Jayden took a seat in front of her. ‘Hello, mother.’
‘How have you been, darling? You look thin, have you been eating properly?’
He rolled his eyes. ‘I can ask the same about you.’
‘Don’t be coy, Jayden. It’s unbecoming.’
Jayden rolled his eyes again but before he could retort, a team of waiters swooped in and began to set the table moving smoothly and quickly. They finished as suddenly as they appeared and stood to the side to await further orders.
‘Really, mother?’
‘What?’ his mother replied, placing a napkin daintily on her lap. ‘I thought we could have a small picnic and catch up.’
Jayden eyed the fine china and exorbitant meal before them remarking dryly, ‘There’s nothing small about this.’
‘François insisted. He paid particular attention to the pâté as he knows it’s your favourite though he especially recommends the foie gras.’
‘How is our head chef?’
‘Doing well considering Sergio’s been under his skin lately,’ His mother replied, sticking a grape into her mouth.
‘That’s what you get when you place a Frenchman and an Italian in the same office. Whatever possessed you to make them both head chef?’
His mother stuck another grape into her mouth. ‘To generate competition to improve quality.’
Jayden shook his head. ‘You are a crazy person.’
She shrugged. ‘It worked, didn’t it?’
Jayden rolled his eyes. ‘For now.’
‘Don’t be so pessimistic.’ She waved a waiter to fill her wine glass. ‘Don’t just stare at the food, dig in.’
Jayden ignored her.
‘How is school?’ his mother inquired.
‘Fine.’
‘How are your teachers?’
‘Okay.’
‘Made any new friends?’
‘No.’
His mother sighed in frustration. ‘Jayden…’
‘Mother…’
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ‘Your father’s been worried about you.’
Jayden’s features immediately became stone cold. ‘Stop lying.’
‘Jayden-‘ his mother began but he cut her off.
‘Don’t.’
His mother looked as if she was going to pursue the subject but she later decided against it.
‘Fine.’
They sat in silence in the cool hut as they studied their surroundings. The trees had already begun to shed their leaves for the changing season allowing the sunlight to fill up the wood, lighting it up in its golden glow.
From their spot, they had a clear view of the houses and the common lawn where they observed the activities going on as they sat in a silence, punctuated by the twittering of birds as they hopped from one branch to another.
‘I need a favour.’
His mother turned to him curiously. ‘Oh?’
‘Do you remember the couple we met in my room on the first day? Redhead, freckles, and white skin?’
‘The Darwins?’
Jayden shrugged. ‘I don’t know, could be. Whoever they are, their business is failing.’
His mother nodded and turned back. ‘They’re the ones. Their business has been failing for a long time. The shipping industry is not in its best form and it doesn’t help that Richard and Tiana are mediocre business owners at best.’
Jayden turned to face her. ‘I need you to save their business and settle their debts.’
She turned back to face him in surprise. ‘Save their business? Do you know how much that will cost? Turning the business around alone will cost almost a billion cedis and they owe more than half a million in debts.’
‘Please?’
She fixed him with a long stare. ‘Why do you have this sudden interest to help them?’
‘I gave my word.’
She arched an elegant eyebrow. ‘And why did you give your word?’
Jayden shrugged and turned away. ‘What’s the point in telling you? You would no doubt snoop the answer out on your own.’
‘Yes,’ she agreed contemplatively. ‘But it would be nice not to go through all that trouble after all I am spending an exorbitant amount of money for it.’
Jayden glanced at her. ‘So you’ll do it?’
She gave him a small smile. ‘Do I have a choice?’
‘Thanks. You know, to offset the cost, you can call in outstanding debts and favours. You can also adopt-‘
‘Darling,’ she cut him off. ‘Don’t try to educate a professional.’
He raised his hands in surrender. ‘Sorry.’
His mother nodded to the waiters and they swooped in once more to clear the table.
‘Anything else?’ she asked after they were alone.
Jayden shook his head and stood up. His mother followed suit and they walked in silence towards the car.
‘François and Sergio packaged some food and they insisted I give it to you. Bernie, Matilda, and the rest of the staff send their best wishes.’
Henry stood by patiently as he held the door open for her. A waiter stepped over and handed him a picnic basket laden with food.
His mother turned to him, hesitating before speaking. ‘About what we discussed, are you keeping your particular… proclivities to yourself?’
Jayden narrowed his eyes and turned away. ‘Goodbye, mother.’
‘Jayden, wait.’ His mother sighed before continuing. ‘Be careful.’
Jayden didn’t turn around to acknowledge her but kept his back firmly to her as he walked away.
His hands clenched the handle of the basket tightly as he made his way back to his dorm. He passed Samuel and his family, the latter who threw him a friendly wave that he ignored, as per usual.
He entered his dormitory, throwing the basket over to Noel who jumped as it landed on his lap.
‘What’s this?’ he asked curiously, letting out a small gasp as he opened it and saw its contents.
‘That’s a lot of food,’ he commented after a while. ‘How are you going to eat all of it?’
Jayden threw himself onto the couch. ‘It’s yours.’
Noel’s eyes widened. ‘All this? Why… thank you.’
Jayden studied him closely. ‘Sad that your parents couldn’t come.’
He shrugged. ‘It’s fine, I’m used to it.’
‘I’m guessing that’s not the only reason.’
Noel hummed noncommittedly. ‘Why do you say that?’
‘You’ve been like this for the past few weeks.’
‘Hmm.’
Jayden stretched out on the couch. ‘So what’s been going on?’
‘Nothing.’
‘It’s not nothing if it’s got you like this. Come on, tell me what’s bothering you. I mean, friends tell each other everything right?’ He grinned as he said the last part.
Noel’s head whipped up in surprise. ‘You mean…’
Jayden nodded. He was about to say something but had the breath knocked right out of him as Noel leaped on him and locked him in a fierce hug.
‘Oh my god, I can’t believe it!’ Noel shrieked as he hugged him tighter. Jayden’s body stiffened and his arms hung by his side as he endured the awkward hug.
After a time, Noel pulled away. ‘Why not best friends though?’ he asked with an adorable pout.
‘Baby steps.’
Noel nodded eagerly. ‘Oh, ok then. I can do that.’
‘In the meantime, would you mind getting off me?’
‘Oh, right.’ Noel said, blushing as he scrambled quickly from Jayden’s torso.
Jayden sat up with a groan. ‘So that’s what’s been bothering you.’
Noel rubbed his neck sheepishly. ‘Well, yeah. It hurt that you didn’t want to be my friend. Hey, hold on, if you knew something was bothering me, why didn’t you say anything?’
Jayden shrugged as he lay back down. ‘I was hoping it would just go away.’
Noel hit his arm. ‘That’s not what friends do! You don’t leave your friend to figure out his problem on his own. You should know this, don’t you have any friends?’
‘No.’
That gave Noel pause. ‘Oh. Well, you have one now,’ he stated firmly. ‘What are we gonna do for our first day? We should have a party! Maybe, a get-together. What about game night? Ooh, what about all three? We could have-‘
‘Baby steps.’
Noel slumped down. ‘Oh, right.’ He was soon back up again. ‘Something small then. Wanna watch a movie?’
‘No.’
‘Play charades?’
‘No.’
‘Bake?’
‘No.’
‘Read a book?’
‘No.’
‘What do wanna do?’
‘Sleep.’
Noel sighed. ‘You are not making this easy you know. Being your friend isn’t going to be easy, is it? Ooh, that gives me an idea. We could…’
Jayden sighed and turned over on the couch as Noel continued to chatter into the night. He was already beginning to regret his decision.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: I know this is an early update but this is because I have a new reader. I just hope he doesn’t get bored and leave, lol 😅.
This chapter is therefore dedicated to cursedUwU69
Hope you all enjoy this chapter. Don’t forget to vote if you do. Lemme know what you think in the comments.
[text_hash] => 9cb7db20
)