He arrived home that day with all the goods he had bought. His hands full, his pockets empty, and his heart full of shame, thinking about what had happened and how he could have been so stupid and careless.
He remembered the face he saw on Marie as the Cashier told her everything. She was not just disappointed, she was also embarrassed.
He made way to his room and crashed on the bed like a meteorite crashing into the depths of an ocean. He could feel the stress at that point in time dissipating out of his body. He had sweat all getting drenched out of him and being soaked by the bed sheet.
One move of his head to the side and he saw the so-called premium card lying just right next to him. His head spun around as he thought about the problem he had gotten into just for forgetting it
He got up, picked it up, stood up from the bed, grabbed his bag and shoved it into one of its many pockets.
"That would do it,” he said to himself. "I would never let this out of my sight again." He had learnt a lesson that he did not intend to learn again somewhere else.
He looked outside once more to take in the brilliant lights that trailed the city and smiled despite himself. "Atleast, I got to see her again," he said to himself.
His phone rang from the bed where he had kept it. He picked it up knowing who was calling before he even saw the name on the phone.
"Hey man, where the hell are you?" Denis' voice rang from the other end of the phone. "The party is almost about to begin and I haven't heard from you since Saturday. What's going on?"
"I'm sorry, I had a little business to attend to." Vincent replied calmly. "How are you though?"
"Oh. I'm okay. Don't worry about me. Is that why you aren't at your home? I'm standing right outside there and I haven't seen you. Your landlord told me you moved out."
"Yeah, I forgot to tell you that I moved out not too long ago. And don't worry I'll be at school pretty soon."
"You did not tell me that. I'm surprised."
After a few more words from the both of them, they ended the call and Vincent prepared himself for school, taking one of the clothes he had bought from the boutique.
Once again he left the house in his bicycle and reached the school in no time. He made a call to Denis to have them meet up right at the gate of the school.
Denis came along wearing clothes that was easy to tell was for the party; a green shirt with an angel designed into it. On his waste down was a black jean that was slightly ripped. On his feet were a pair of Nikes.
"You look good bro," Denis said to him, acknowledging the look he had as well, although moderately, it was an upgrade from his previous wears: a dark hoodie, cargo pants, and an adidas for a pair of shoes. Denis was positively surprised and was now sure more than anything that something totally positive had changed in the life of his friend. He could not articulate it, but he knew something had happened.
His face looked brighter, he was more reserved, and he smelled different too. Different from how he smelled before now.
"Do you know the way to Henri's house?" Asked Vincent with a straight look on his face.
"Yeah I do," Denis said, putting his hands in his pocket, about to bring out money to pay for a taxi to the place. But before he could, Vincent's hand was already raised to the road. A taxi dropped by.
"Don't worry I'll pay for it." Vincent said with a smile drawn across his lips.
If Denis was suspicious before, he was now sure of it: Vincent was now totally a changed person.
They both got in the taxi and it took them to Henri's house which was very noticable as right there before it was a swamming mass of students all crowded up waiting.
The taxi alighted Vincent and Denis just right before the students. The sound of the car going prompted the students to look behind them where they saw Vincent and Denis standing.
"Oh look, there they are; the starcrossed lovers," one of the students teased as soon as he saw the two friends staring across to them from the road that they stood.
Henri was inside with Rory by the poolside. He was on nothing but an underwear designed with pictures of flowers. Rory was inhalf inside the pool. Her breasts were couped inside a black bra that held it as she smiled when one of the students; a member of Henri's gang made it to them.
"Guess what, Henri! They are here. The two bastards finally made it to the party," he said.
Henri smiled, eyeing Rory who smiled back at him in the most mischievous way possible.
"So he's finally here," Henri snarled. "Now I can finally have my revenge."
He had been planning on what exactly he would do to Vincent when he would come, and now he had the chance. He stood up and proceeded to walk towards the gate of his house where he was certain he would see them. Rory followed him.
"Welcome Vincent," he said as he got there, in a mocking tone at Vincent who looked at him in a manner that showed neither surprise or fear. He just wanted to get things over with. "I can see you're wearing new clothes today, now who did you beg or steal from this time?"
The crowd of students laughed, but with the silence on the part of Vincent, the noise died down as soon as it was born.
"I have no time for this, Henri,” Vincent said, moving along past him with Denis. "Let's just get this fucking over with."
The party was on full swing as the students flooded into every room in the house. Neon lights fluttered through the air in their luminescence as heavy music boomed out of the speakers.Vincent and Denis were seated on a table. Both of them were silent, watching each other's back, totally convinced that somewhere somehow, Henri must have made up a plan to embarrass the both of them."So what are we going to do now?" Asked Denis to Vincent who had his palms clasped together right before his face as though he was deep in thought."We just have to wait it out here till whenever the blasted party stops," said Vincent. "I'm tired already."Henri came around with Rory holding drinks on their hands. They dropped a cup each with Vincent and Denis while laughing silently as though there was some inside joke that they were not telling anybody else. To Vincent there was an inside joke. He was the joke. But he did not want to give the impression that he cared. His eyes danced downwards to the tab
Once more, Vincent dipped his hands into his pockets as though by chance or by some magical luck he would be able to grace some cash in it. Cash that he knew for sure he did not have. But again. Again and again. He shoved his skinny fingers returning back up with nothing but air and dust. A cry almost escaped from his lips as he looked right up to the ceiling.His eyes flickered down, casting a gaze on the mirror that stood before him. His reflection looked at him accusingly."What on earth are you looking for?" He asked, speaking to himself. His hand slid up covering his face in a face palm. "This is stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"No it's not," he said once again to himself with a mouth full of conviction, clearing his palm off his face to stare at it with much scrutiny. "You look good. Remember you're going on a date. A date with the most beautiful girl in school. You're dating a total baddie for god'sakes. Be proud. Stand tall. Don't disappoint her. She is, after all, Rory McIlroy. The R
The VC of Matisse University de Paris was an old man. Vincent and nobody that he knew could ever confidently say that they knew his real name. Everybody referred to him as Vice Chancellor Mattise, and if Vincent did not know any better, he might have thought for certain that even his son, Henri, did not know the name of his father. That would have been a terribly comedic thing if it were really true, Vincent thought within himself, having once again one of those inner monologues that he usually had as he was held on both arms to the office of the VC by two security guards.He nearly let out a chuckle as he got thrown into the office immediately, with the view of the old VC staring at him with a face full of scorn; his son just standing beside him, quiet, his lips and parts of his face still swollen.Vice Chancellor Mattise was said to be in his fifties, but his head was already so crowded with white hair, his face, always with a frown reeking of wrinkles, had people guessing that he
Vincent did not offer to fight back. He promptly let himself swing on the hands of the security guards as they strolled out of the premises.With one final swing of his head backwards, he was able to steal for what he felt was the last time, the view of the University. ‘So just like that,’ he thought within himself, he was about to lose the only shot he had at gaining an education and making it out of the pitiful penniless life that he had been leading right untill now.He fought back tooth and nail against the tears that were about falling right across his face. He wished for a second that his eyes had the suction power possessed by his nose to pull back on whatever it had excreted. He has worked hard in getting an admission there. He had to work twelve hours doing multiple jobs everyday in order to pay for his bills. Now everything had gone down the drain and all for what? All for nothing but a girl who was ready to betray him at the mere sound of money.Again, he let his head dan
On a windy evening the next day around the school premises, another luxurious car came parking just close to the school's gate. A Rolls Royce. It brought forth the attention of students who all crowded around it with their eyes all lit up in awe of its beauty.The door was flung open and a bald man with pitch black glasses, well framed cheekbones and jaw line and a muscular build, stepped outside of it wearing a white suit.He looked around, as if selecting for a student. His demeanor was nothing short of intimidating, but this did not stop the students from admiring from the distance that they were perched on."Hey you," he called out, pointing at one of the students, a tall lanky boy with glasses and a bulb haircut. The boy walked foreward although his eyes were filled with uncertainty."Take me to the Vice Chancellor of this school," the man demanded, his voice was hoarse and as intimidating as his looks were."Y-yes." The boy replied, his tone shaking.In a few minutes there were
It took them thirty minutes to get to their destination. At that time, Vincent finally broke out of the surprise bubble that he had found himself. He was finally back in the real world, in a car with a one-eyed bald stranger that had just paid a huge amount of money to the VC like some sort of trade to get him.His chest vibrated with the thumping of his heart. For all he knew the man in question could be some sort of organ trafficker that he had just been sold to. Sweat dripped down his face as he bit his lip."I'm sorry, Monsieur driver, sir—""The name is Frank." Frank cut his sentence short, his eyes still focused on the road attentively. "Frank Guillaume. But just call me Frank.""Okay, Frank. I'm genuinely happy to have met you. You took me away from jail so I infact am very happy. But where are we going to?" Vincent sounded unsure and nervous. He had every reason to. Frank was still very much just a stranger to him."Well, no need to panic. It seems you have had a little encoun
Monsieur Dubois stood waiting with a scowl on his face in front of Vincent's apartment waiting for him. He finally saw him with a look of happiness on his face. His eyes possessed what Monsieur Dubois would casually call a fool's glimmer.Today was the day the rent was supposed to be due, why on earth did he look so happy? Monsieur Dubois asked, his hand grasping hard to the walking stick that he held, shaking with tremendous annoyance at the young fool's behavior, prancing into the hall way like he owned the place.Once he got closer, Monsieur Dubois fired off with his question. "Where is my money?" It caught Vincent off guard, but in no time, he returned the scowling look on Monsieur Dubois with a smile.His behavior was shocking, but not any more than it was annoying and provoking to the man's anger. But before he could say any other word, Vincent was with a wad of cash that Monsieur Dubois' eyes were not fast enough to see from where it was that he pulled the money."Take," Vince
For the next few days the entire school had been covered by wallpapers and fliers all depicting the so called party by Henri."I heard there is going to be a pool party there too," Denis said, inspecting the flier as it perched just right there on his locker, "I get it's going to be all big and boujee by the "infamous and rich" Henri Matisse, what I don't get is why they have to put it on our faces. Why are they trying to get us to go by all means?"He ripped off the flier from his locker, his face ridden with an annoying disgusted look."Because they want us to come. It's that simple," Vincent said, tearing the flier off his locker too, "So they will be able to embarrass and make fun of us there. That's his plan. And it's low."Speaking of the devil, there were approached by Judee, a very huge man with a considerable muscular frame. He was known as the most fearsome student in Mattise University de Paris."Oh great." Denis retorted, about to leave with Vincent when Judee blocked them