Chapter 4 The Diva

Pan was sent to the medical wing, where Nurse Jane patched him up. “You shouldn’t try to stand out, little guy,” she advised him. “Government regulations give us the right to go to schools and colleges, but we must keep our mouths shut until we graduate.” 

Pan figured she had been a sponsored student as well. But he wasn’t paying much attention to her. Part of him wanted to kill Gergich, while the other part was staring down the nurse’s huge cleavage. He felt guilty for both actions but couldn’t help himself.

‘What’s wrong with me these days?’ he wondered. ‘I’m not able to focus on studies. Something seems to be calling to me.’

“Everybody knows that ultimately we will join the menial labor force,” Jane concluded. “Trying to act smart or attempting to mix with blue bloods will only get you hurt.”

“What about cheek?” he asked, wincing. Jane smiled and gave him a peck on his injured cheek. “You’re a handsome, healthy boy. The injury will heal soon.”

***

When Pan returned to class, it was already lunchtime. The classroom was almost empty. Someone had thrown his tiffin box into the garbage can. He recovered it and opened the box. 

Pan sighed. His lunch was just stale leftovers from last night’s dinner. His cheek stung, and his head throbbed. But he had to eat somehow. Getting bullied on an empty stomach was the worst.

Cloyster was the most prosperous city globally to produce a quality workforce. There were top-tier schools, colleges, universities, training institutes, industrial units, and so on, which churned out hundreds of thousands of human resources per year.

Cloyster Academy Technology was one of the five elite technology colleges in the world. Because of recent non-discrimination legislation, all students had to attend the same schools regardless of social class. It was a nightmare for poor students, who were treated like scum by teachers and upper-class students. 

Most of them got kicked out of the Academy if they could not secure an apprenticeship, to be accomplished by the end of the first semester.

Pan gobbled up the stale bread and curry and wondered what others were doing during the break. Students often hung out as couples during lunchtime, making out and fooling around. A few bold couples did not shy away from sex in secrecy. 

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Someone approached him from behind. The sound of heels? Who was it?

“Hey, what is your name?” an alluring voice asked.

Pan got to his feet and turned around. The first thing he noticed was the expensive uniform. It was the first time a wealthy girl spoke to him in a kind way. Usually, they came to hurt or humiliate.

The voice belonged to a slim, blonde girl with perky breasts poking through the white uniform. Pan was transfixed on her bust for more than a few seconds.

‘I am a gentleman usually…’ he told himself. ‘But I can’t help it today…’

Pan recognized the stranger. She was Jessica, the undisputed diva of the class. She was the hottest, prettiest girl, whose shadow Pan would be lucky to touch. But why was she speaking to him?

“Hello?” the girl posed. “Are you okay?”

Pan was uprooted from his fantasy and his prolonged observation of her breasts. “I- I am Pan…” he blurted out.

“Pan… Hi, I am Jessica.” 

“I- I- know….”

The girl smiled. “I was sorry to see what happened to you earlier. Gergich is a monster, isn’t he? I’ll file a complaint with the Headmaster about this.”

Pan waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, no, it’s fine. Teachers punished me all the time in high school for being a know-it-all. Here, it was my fault for trying to show off what I knew. I guess I was too excited on my first day at the Academy.”

Jessica frowned. “I am still so sorry. You are smart, and that needs to be appreciated. I hope you get an apprenticeship in Engineering.” 

She touched his shoulder affectionately.

Pan almost got a partial erection. ‘What’s wrong with me?’ He took a deep breath, calming his nerves, and said, “Thank you. That means a lot.”

Jessica smiled at him again, and his heart fluttered. 

‘Ah, she is so pretty!’ Pan thought. ‘I could look at this face forever!’

“Come with me,” Jessica said, walking towards the hall door. “I have something to show you.”