Chapter 2: You madman!

"Baby girl," lovestruck Joe Cole greeted grinning so bright he could light up the entire place, as Emily walked towards him looking all gorgeous, "You're welcome darling. You look stunning."

"What do you expect, am a goddess," Emily responded feeling herself and her beauty, "But thanks anyway."

Joe Cole kept staring at her, seeing more of her so brightly in his mind than what the fancy faded ambiance in the place made visible. He couldn't believe himself, he may be poor but he was dating the most beautiful girl in school.

Not only was she one of the school's beauty goddesses, her father was the founder of the school and the chairman of the school's board of directors. Mr Ravioli Martinez, Emily's father, wasn't as rich as the parents of other students, but he was a multi-millionaire.

"So how did you manage to afford all of this?" Emily, not impressed at the treat Joe Cole had set up seeing that it was nothing compared to what she was used to, but she was surprised that Joe Cole could afford it and this made her wonder.

"What do you mean, Emily?" 

"Come on Cole, out with it. Did you rob a bank? I know for sure no one would be willing to lend you such an amount of money. So tell me."

Her statement reminded Joe Cole of how poor he was and why everyone made him a topic of shameful conversations. But he tried not to show his pains but swallowed it all so as not to ruin the perfect night he had invested in.

"Babe, let's just eat. Forget about how I could afford this."

Emily wasn't satisfied and desired to know,

"No boy, am not eating until you tell me everything. I wouldn't want to end up paying for this. So, if you won't tell me then I'll have to get in my car and go home."

"Don't worry, if I can't pay for it we'll give them your car till I can pay up." Joe Cole answered her jokingly hoping to make her laugh and ease up a bit, but his joke only worsened the situation.

"And what the hell do you mean by that, Joe Cole?" Angry Emily yelled out.

"Calm down babe, I was only joking."

"Don't you ever make such jokes again and don't call me babe." 

Emily's reaction made Joe Cole regret ever making such a joke. His perfect night was quickly becoming chaotic already.

"Okay Emily, I'll tell you. Just calm down and let's eat. I promise you, nothing of such will happen."

Emily had grown angry already and the thoughts of Joe Cole's joke made her even more angrier.

"So I'll have to put down my $250,000 Porche if you can't pay for a cheap dinner. What does that even mean?"

The noise from their isolated corner caught the attention of Joe Cole's worst nightmare, Jake Sullivan. Jake came to the restaurant with his friends and was about to head up to the lounge when he heard a familiar voice, it was Emily's. He looked towards their corner and saw her dining with someone, it was beyond his imagination why a girl like Emily would be dining in such a cheap corner of the restaurant, so he and his friends went there to talk to her.

"Oh…my…God!" Jake let out his uncontrollable laughter with his friends joining him at the sight of who they saw.

"Wait, am I having a nightmare or are my eyes playing me? He rubbed off his eyes with his fingers in shock and disbelief.

"Emily, are you okay? Is he blackmailing you or is he bothering you?” He turned to Emily to ask but she didn't answer him as she turned her face away feeling so embarrassed that Jake of all people and his friends had seen her on a date with someone like Joe Cole.

"Jake, please leave, this has nothing to do with you." Joe Cole stepped in to address Jake.

"Will you shut your stinking mouth, you dung of the earth. How dare you tell me to leave when you're here harassing a girl like Emily?" Jake fired at him.

Joe Cole swallowed and kept his cool, allowing Jake to have his fun.

"Jake, seems he robbed a bank to afford such a date with Emily. Awwwnnn…so pathetic and stupid of him to think he could afford KQU's goddess." Robert, Joe Cole's housemate and a member of Jake's group spoke out.

"You sure he didn't steal from you, Robert? Another member of their group asked, Joe Cole held his breath trying hard not to do anything stupid.

"He wouldn't dare it. I'd have him hung and flogged on Copenhagen’s public square." Robert furthered the humiliation on Joe Cole.

"Come baby girl, let me teach this worthless dust of the earth how to treat a woman like yourself. I'll send you $300,000 right now if you agree to leave his broke ass and come with us to the VVIP exclusive lounge." Jake said to Emily whilst looking at Joe Cole in a show of humiliation and embarrassment. 

“Whoa!”

The sound of the offer made everyone including Joe Cole adjust themselves to what would come next. At this point, Joe Cole feared for what Emily’s decision would be.

“Baby, listen to me, ignore him, and let’s get back to our treat.” Joe Cole tried to hold Emily’s hand looking her in the eyes, “Baby, please don’t listen to him.”

“Hey Jake, back off and leave us allow.” Joe Cole stood up and fired at Jake as he tried to touch Emily.

“Who is ‘us’, Cole? There is no ‘us’ here, and don’t ever call me ‘baby’ again. Am done with this.” Emily finally gave her response, and it broke Joe Cole’s heart to see her get up to go with Jake. 

Another incident to remind him of how worthless he was and how he was never fit in for this environment but this time, he was too angry to just swallow and let it go neither did he have John nor Mercury here to help him. It was time for him to stand up for himself.

“Sorry man, a lady knows what she wants and she doesn’t want a broke—” Jake tried to hit Joe Cole with another wave of insults but was cut short with blows loading on him from Joe Cole.

Joe Cole took on Jake punching him as hard and fast as he could while Jake was on the ground trying to shake him off. Joe Cole’s attack was cut short as Jake’s friends including Robert rushed at him, pulling him away and beating him up.

Emily rushed out to get the security who parted the angry guys from each other.

“What’s going on here guys?” the security chief asked.

“He attacked my boyfriend. He is a lunatic.” Emily quickly responded to him.

How could Emily say such about him? Or was she talking about someone else? Joe Cole stood there frozen in disappointment and betrayal as he watched Emily point at him reporting to the security guys.

“Emily?” The only word that came out of his lips.

“Don’t you ever call my name again, you madman.” She replied him while tending to Jake’s bruised face.

“You’re under arrest sir, please come with us.” the security chief said to him as they cuffed him and took him away.