There was a loud chittering and chattering amongst the crowd in the school premises.
"My arms are tired from carrying these books around," a fair blondie whined to her friend."Sorry Poppy..... Oh look it's errand boy, he'll help you for a few bucks." The other girl replied."Hey errand boy!" Poppy yelled out, calling the attention of not only Ivan but some other students.Ivan jolted to the direction where Poppy stood and some other students laughed and mocked him. "You called?" he said without a feeling of shame.Poppy giggled. "Yes, carry my books for me and I'll pay you a hundred dollars." She commanded in her tiny voice."Right away." Ivan instantly collected the books with a hearty smile on his face.Poppy arrived at her dorm and collected her things from him. "Here you go," she threw a fifty dollar note at him."But you promised a hundred!" Ivan panicked."I changed my mind." The lady replied."But..""Go away you ragged imbecile! Your stench is ruining the air." She yelled out angrily."Smells like poverty." Poppy's friend giggled.Poppy slammed the door at his face and Ivan walked away sighing.The college of Imperial Blue-blood in England, IBB for short was one of—if not the best—prestigious higher institutions in the world. Only the children of well respected and powerful people in the world had the chance of enrolling.Ivan Shay felt so lucky to be within such walls. Ivan always dreamt of going to college, becoming a billionaire and taking care of his parents and loved ones so he worked hard day and night so that dream could be achieved. He scores himself a scholarship at IBB and then gets a part time job at the schools canteen.Of all of his amazing qualities, handsome physical features and charismatic mannerisms, Ivan was still lacking. He had no more than two shirts and two pants, and only a pair of shoe that had been a gift from his mother.Things only got worse for him when his parents were diagnosed with stage two lung cancer.Ivan had to work extra to pay the hospital bills and a never ending list of IOU's.Ivan was nearly done with his chores for the day. Although he was slightly tired now, he aimed his target to getting one last job before he called it a day. His eyes scanned around, hoping one of the students would need an errand boy."Stinky boy!" A familiar voice yelled out from behind, and Ivan rolled his eyes in frustration. It was none other than his bully, Charlie the richest kid in school.He was the high-and-mighty of IBB, in his own words, he considered himself higher than the others since his father was the sponsor of the school. The only thing Ivan feared more than death was loosing his job so he always played Charlie's games."Good afternoon to you, Charlie." Ivan found himself saying, with a half smile plastered on his face."Is there anything good about this afternoon?" Charlie frowned. He was tall and handsome with blonde hair. He was the ladies charm too."I'm sorry–""You son of a ...." Charlie muttered as he punched Ivan in the face.Ivan winced in pain, his hand not leaving his now bleeding nose."Charlie don't touch him, don't let his poorness rub off on you!" One of Charlie's minions said and they all laughed.Ivan fell to the ground groaning in pain while they laughed at him.Charlie kicked him repeatedly. "Why are you on this earth, you don't deserve to be alive!" He yelled out."Charlie, wait stop. Were not trying to kill him, not now at least." Another member of Charlie's cliche said as he pulled Charlie away from Ivan who was already bleeding through his nostrils."Arghh! He's just so freaking annoying!" Charlie fumed."Deep breaths now." The other guy said."Get up!" Charlie commanded, and he obeyed. "Look at me." Ivan hesitated before obeying but as soon as he raised his head to look at Charlie, Charlie spat at his face "You were actually going to look?" He said in disbelief. "You don't deserve to catch even a glimpse of what wealth looks like."Ivan clenched his fist in rage but did nothing. What could he possibly do? He saw the frustration on Charlie's face, and terror lunged at his throat."Oh look, my shoe is stained with filthy water." Charlie said in disgust. "This is your fault stinky, what shall we do now?""This isn't really my fault, you spilled the water." Ivan finally responded."Oh you speak now, okay but that's not what happened is it guys?" He asked his minions and they all shook their heads disagreeing with Ivan. "You spilled that water on innocent me and they all saw it.""What! No...""At least that's what I'll tell your boss," Charlie said, cutting Ivan off."What shall I do then?" Ivan asked, bowing his head."Good boy," Charlie replied, patting Ivan's head, "let me think.""Oh I know, let him lick it off," One of Charlie's minions voiced out."Good idea." Charlie answered smiling."I won't do it!" Ivan yelled."Hmm okay, that won't be a problem. Pack your things and leave then cause you'll be fired by tomorrow.""No I... I'll do it." Ivan submitted.Charlie placed his foot out and Ivan bent to lick it but before he could, a lecturer walked by, eyeing Charlie suspiciously. He saw the observant glare of the lecturer and quickly left Ivan alone."Come on, boys." He muttered and the battalion of friends left did according to his commands.Ivan's hand pressed firmly to his stomach, accessing the damage done. He felt a person standing behind him, so he turned to find out."Are you okay?" A tall slender girl I soon recognized as Tara, asked."Yea Yea, I'm fine." Ivan said without raising his head up. He was embarrassed but tried not to show his feelings.She came closer trying to confirm if he had indeed been fine. Ivan pushed her away, surprised by the sudden closeness."I'm fine, Tara." He said again, then turned to leave. She wasn't supposed to see him like that. He was a coward, and that trait of his was not one he wanted her to see.As he turned away to leave, he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket. He brought it up to see the caller, and he felt his heart beat suddenly come to a stop.Fear gripped his insides tight.With a hand firmly gripped on his mopping stick, Ivan stared directly at the vibrating handset in his other hand, trying to figure out the number even though a part of him kept telling him it was from the hospital. The phone kept ringing but he was too scared to answer it. He froze still, as if one sudden movement would create some sort of havoc, and when he feared his heart would jump right out of his skin. He decided to pick up the call, but it cut off instantly. He sighed, breathing in a deep breath he didn't know he had in him seconds ago. Then came the call again. To his surprise, he brought the phone to his face and saw that it was a familiar number. Without hesitating, he answered it. "Hello Abigail," "Ivan, I hate to tell you this", he heard the doctor's thin voice chirped in from over the phone, "but your parents' results are out." There was a sigh, but he couldn't tell whether it came from him or the doctor. Then he heard her continue, "it's really not looking good,
She had asked him to meet at a famous garden. As he got there, he waited anxiously for her arrival. Some students were present and he could feel eyes all over him. But he didn't care. "Hey errand boy!" A manly voice called out snapping Ivan out of his thoughts. He looked in the direction of the caller only to realize it was Charlie. "Yeah?" He answered, frowning. Charlie placed his arm around Tara's shoulder "Get my girlfriend a drink will you?" He ordered, throwing money at Ivan. Tara, unable to look Ivan in the face, just stared at the ground. Ivan immediately became flushed with anger like his blood cells were replaced by it. "What did you just say?" He asked, his whole body shaking in anger. His eyes still wouldn't leave Tara's. "You heard me, or is there something wrong with your hearing?" Charlie asked as he broke into laughter and some other students joined him. "But…" he swallowed hard. There was a rigidness in his chest as he fought for the right words to use. Tara
Ivan felt his heart stop for a moment before it started pounding again. The men were huge and muscular, they could break him in half if he tried anything stupid. He scanned the area but no one seemed to be taking that path at the moment, he wanted to just give in to them but he felt it would be better to escape with a few bruises than to leave his parents to die in the hospital. "You guys don't want to kidnap me, my parents are poor and they won't be able to pay the ransom." Ivan explained. "Just get in the car, sir." One of the men said with a husky voice. He knew he couldn't overpower either of them so what he needed was to be smart and not strength. Before he could think of his next move, one of the men brought out a spray can, and some liquid escaped from the container straight to his face, and everywhere around him suddenly turned black. ****When his eyes opened, he saw one of the suited men was making a phone call. "Boss, we got him." he announced subtly, then hung up. He
"What do you mean young master?" Ivan asked immediately, trying to clear his clouded thoughts. The man only smiled gently in reply. Then there was silence. It went on for a while until Ivan's eyes caught a pretty object of nature. A beautiful but yet strange flower stole his attention and he couldn't help but to ask. "Hey Alfred, what are those white things over there?" He asked, pointing at the plant. "Oh those, those are kadupul flowers, the Dutchman's pipe cactus, princess of the night or queen of the night. A species of cactus that blooms nocturnally and its flowers wilt before dawn, priceless in nature." Alfred explained, smiling. "Oh and that one over there?" "Juliet roses, a unique flower that took David Austin more than three million euros and fifteen years to complete in the year two thousand and six. A distinctive full cupped rose with beautiful distinctive petals. Its color resembles that of an apricot and it has a pleasing, refreshing and elegant smell… your mother'
"That will be all. Thank you for your cooperation." The director said gesturing towards the door."No! that can't be all! uncle how can you say that right now?" Charlie fumed."That will be all gentleman!" Charlie's uncle instructed in a loud and stern voice.Charlie got up angrily and stormed off,mumbling to him while Ivan walked out elegantly smiling. He turned back and faced the director "thank you Mr Hudgens.""My pleasure as always Mr Shay." Mr Hudgens replied with a smile that lasted only a second.On his way to class, Ivan was stopped by Charlie who was fuming, "I don't know how you managed to bribe my uncle but it won't stop me from doing you as I please dirt face, this is my school and there's no way that I am going to leave for you."Ivan once again, kept quiet and watched Charlie storm off.After class, he was heading to see his parents at the hospital when he noticed Tara with a few of her friends chatting and he went to meet her."Hey can we talk?" He said, ignoring the w
"Who is she?" One girl asked another and the question went round the hall but no one had the answer.All the attention was shifted to Ivan and his date making Charlie turned red with rage but he tried to keep calm and not ruin the dance for everyone."Why is everyone staring at us like that?" Ivan's date, Mia asked."Because everyone is always used to seeing me in ragged clothes." Ivan replied sipping his lemon drop.She nodded in reply and took a sip out of her kombucha.Other students still stared at Ivan and his date who just sat down sipping their drinks.Ivan didn't care about the dance and he was making it obvious though Mia misunderstood."Mr Wayne–""--don't call me that outside okay, just Ivan." Ivan corrected her."Right, Ivan–sir–"Ivan giggled."--do you not feel comfortable being here with me?" She asked looking down at her glass."What? No not at all. Don't get me wrong, you're a very beautiful girl." He instantly said and she smiled."Thank you sir." She replied blushin
Fear overwhelmed Ivan, he felt weak in the knees and his eyes widened with shock. The once roaring hall became silent to him and all he could hear was the sound of his heart pounding."Mr Shay, are you okay?" Mia asked after noticing the sudden change in his mood.Without replying, he started racing towards the exit "Mr —Ivan!" Mia yelled out as she chased after him.Her small legs weren't fast enough compared to his long legs and she had to stop in the middle of the street to catch her breath. Panting loudly, she took out her phone from her purse and called Alfred to report the situation.Ivan ran as fast as he could, every step like a giant leap. Tears rolled down his cheek and he bit hard at his lower lip.He finally arrived at the hospital and he met Abigail pacing down the hallway "Abigail!" He yelled out running towards her."Oh Ivan!" She said running towards him."What happened?" He asked, panting loudly."She passed out, we're trying to revive her, I don't know what her fate
The halls of Wayne were extra busy that morning, men and women formally dressed were either rushing from a meeting or to a meeting. The busy hallway was interrupted by a man running and pushing past the staff causing a commotion.He wasn't neatly dressed like the others, he had on a sweaty ash colored polo with a washed green jacket, tattered black jean trousers and an old pair of flip-flops. His black hair wasn't combed and didn't look washed either. He had a long scar on his face, preceding from his black eyes down to his cheek and his lips were chapped.The security chased after him as he ran up the stairs and straight to the manager's office."Hey stop there!" One of the security called out but he didn't answer.On arriving at the manager's office, he pushed the doors open without knocking, interrupting an ongoing meeting.They all turned towards his direction wondering who had the guts to barge into Mr Andrews office like that.Mr Andrews was short of words at the sight of this