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 encounter with my employers, the La Mecs, and they like you. There are the ones who instructed me to bring you to them."
Vincent remembered them but he did not exactly know what the big deal was about fixing a car that would have then freeing him from jail. He certainly did not. One look outside of the windows and he saw that there were at a part of town that he was not familiar with. He wondered what it would take to jump down from the car if by any chance Frank turned out to be a total wacko.
"Where are we?" He asked in a resigned tone after scanning the world outside of the car, trying his best to mark out the angle he would jump out of that would cause him less wounds.
"We are at the outskirts of Paris," Frank said calmly.
"Why are we at the outskirts of Paris?"
"Because that's where the La Mec mansion is. As a matter of fact, we are here already."
And that was when Vincent saw the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his 25 years. And that was quite a lot as Paris is quite a beautiful place.
"What is this place?" He asked in total awe.
"Like I told you; the La Mec mansion."
The gate was high up and it shone, endowed by gems of several colors all embroidered into its bars that had the look of gold. Behind the gate one could see the mansion, a large expanse of architecture, beautiful and graceful, and almost seemed to be touching the stars at its most highest point.
What Vincent saw was a place that had both the beauty of modernity with technology, combined with the serenity of the classics.
His fears, his tensions; everything seemed to have dissolved away from his mind like molten ice.
"Life's beautiful," he finally said out loud, staring and thinking about the series of events that had taken him here.
Frank chuckled as he saw the look in his face.
The got in the gate and reached the mansion soon enough. There was a little party going on outside with the La Mecs and some of their associates.
The car stopped and both of them got out. Mr. La Mec was standing with his wife just right there at a podium that led directly to the interior of the mansion talking to some few important looking men. Once he caught a glimpse of Vincent and Frank he tapped his wife on the shoulder, pointed at them, and started walking to their direction, the both of them.
"Nice to meet you, kiddo." Mr. La Mec greeted at first, welcoming him in with a handshake. Mrs. La Mec did the same.
Vincent did not know how to react. His words fell out of his mouth in gibberish at first, and decided for himself that it would be better if he just kept quiet, but it seemed even that would not save him for long as Mr. La Mec pulled him by the arm softly.
"Come here, let me show you to some people?" He said. Vincent turned red immediately as he got him in front of the men who all looked at him rather seriously with faces that seemed to radiate expectations.
"This is Vincent," Mr. La Mec began, his voice in a happy tone filled with so much cheerfulness. "He has really good hands I'm telling you. He was able to fix our car with just a mere touch from his fingers.
They were all amazed and soon enough began to laugh in the tone of what he would call the typical rich man's laughter. The laugh of people who were shielded by the daily hustle and bustle that engulfed normal every day life.
"Well nice to meet you, Vincent," they all greeted back one by one. He presumed that they knew that Mr. La Mec did not by any chance mean that he really had magic hands, but that he was capable of fixing things in a very quick pace.
"We should go inside, I believe that you have a really nice story to tell us about yourself." Mrs La Mec said, holding his hand and once again staring into his eyes. To her there was something very familiar about it. Something she could not possibly place her hands on.
"Of course," agreed Mr. La Mec.
They got inside. The mansion was even more beautiful inside than it was outside. Vincent was seated on a comfortable couch and given a drink by a maid who walked gracefully away as soon as she gave it to him.
The La Mecs sat opposite to him and began with the questioning. "So tell us about you, Vincent. Why were you being carried by security guards away and why were you thrown in jail?"
He thought at first if to narrate everything that had happened would cause them to see him as a nuisance, but he decided that it would be better if he told the truth and so he began telling them everything.
"I was raised in an orphanage home," he said. "I don't know my parents, I have never had them. When I was too old to be there I got kicked out and ever since, I have been struggling on my own. I struggled to get everything I have now, including my education, but now, I no longer have even that anymore. I got expelled by the VC for fighting with his son, and got thrown in jail for that also."
The La Mecs listened with great pity in their hearts for him and after he was done speaking they hugged him.
"From now on," Mr. La Mec said, "All of that is over. You are too gifted to be living such a sad life. We'll be changing your life."
"Frank bring it in." Mrs La Mec called out and Frank came in not so long after with a tray covered with a red veil on his hand.
Vincent looked in curiousity as the tray was unveiled revealing a silver card with some inscriptions on it, three keys, two a car key, and another, a regular looking key.
"Take it. It's all yours," said Mr. La Mec. "There you have a premium card with an access to a bank account of 40 million Dollars, two keys to cars of 1.4 million dollars each, and a brand new two bedroom penthouse apartment worth 12 million dollars."
Vincent had his jaw drop the whole time as he heard the words flow of Mr. La Mec's mouth. He immediately went forth to kneel before them in total gratitude.
"No, don't do that." Mrs. La Mec urged. "We aren't done yet." Immediately she called the VC of his school Mattise University de Paris and told him to revoke the decisions he had made towards Vincent. He agreed immediately much to Vincent's surprise.
He was awe struck. That day, Vincent became a changed man, leaving the La Mec's mansion not just surprised but rich.
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
The forced invitation was a problem as Vincent had thought it to be, but there was another equal issue that he had to face if he really was going to go to the party. On the day before the party, he was standing in front of a mirror again when he found out this one thing, and even felt gobsmacked and stupid that he had never thought of it before: he had absolutely no clothes to wear to a party. The clothes he has bought on the day he was supposed to be on a date with Rory were worn out and spoilt from the fight he got into with Henri and the subsequent events that happened."I have to get myself new clothes," he finally said to himself as he looked on his reflection. With that thought he ran across the house, grabbed a bag and his trustee bicycle, and off he went. There were several boutiques in Paris that were well said to be of impeccable quality, but one, only one of them did he fancy in entering. The large boutique de Gentry. It was the most beautiful according to him, and the onl
In the boutique once again Vincent was greeted with condescending eyes. He could not only see it, he could also feel it; deep resentment resting in the heart of the staff as they saw him strolling behind Marie."Hey, who let you in here?" One internal security guard hallowed in a thunderous tone at Vincent who paused like a man frozen in time. "He's with me." Marie said, touching Vincent by the shoulder. A mere touch from her was enough to make him melt inside. "But Madame, look at his dressing. He looks like a street urchin. Why would you let him here?" The security guard's eyes were still focused on Vincent."Because this is a boutique and I can bring anyone I want inside here," she said, her tone like a fiery sword made from the coldness of ice."No, you don't—”"If you have further complaints you should take it up with my mother."The security guard kept quite and decided to leave, but he gave one look at Vincent that made his blood freeze. Vincent has decided in his mind that
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 itHe 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 l
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