Chapter 2

Can I borrow a hundred thousand dollars?

Everything was getting clearer to Zachary. He stood transfixed at the duo who was making mockery of him.

They were the cause of his misfortune and were laughing at him. His eyes had become red as he struggled not to shed a tear before his adversaries. He didn't want them to see him as a weak person.

Emily suddenly came closer and touched his cheek. Zachary calmly took off her hands and she smiled.

"Well, as courtesy demands, I've come to introduce my boyfriend to you and I would be going to the same College with him."

Emily went closer to Duncan and held him by the waist as she completed her statement.

".....and ofcourse, with your scholarship."

"Emily, you knew how I needed that scholarship. You knew that without it, it would be hard for me to further my Education. What wrong did I ever do to you that you chose to betray me like this?" Zachary lamented.

With the unfolding incident, Zachary had forgotten about the flower and box of chocolates he got for her. He had wanted to ask her to be his girlfriend and was even to go to the same college as Emily's.

"You're such a loser." Duncan who hadn't said anything spoke for the first time.

"You don't deserve to go to college. People like you are meant to be servants to us. Emily came from a rich family and likewise me. So a poor orphan like you doesn't belong to our class.

"So beat it jerk."

They both walked away, leaving Zachary standing there dejected. 

Just as the duo left after insulting and humiliating him, some of his friends came to sympathize with him while some mocked him.

Some were seen in groups gossiping about him.

Walking out of the auditorium in a somber mood, Zachary was approached by Emily's father. He ignored him and started towards the door, but heard his name.

"Zachary Gabriel."

"Yes." Zachary answered with a frown.

'What could he possibly want from him.' He thought.

"Hmm. You're a smart one, I must say." He said, letting out a smirk.

"...but no one could ever be smarter than my daughter. There was no way I would let you be the best and my daughter second best. You cannot compete with my Emily, so know your place." Mr. John further humiliated him.

Zachary felt a lump in his throat as he clenched his feet. It took a lot of self control to prevent himself from punching Emily's Dad.

It would be a sign of disrespect and further escalate things as the table would be turned against him. Moreover, Mr. John was a rich man that could easily pull some strings and make him rot in jail.

Zachary got home to find his grandfather waiting at the door of their apartment. Nathan saw how moody his grandson's face was and pulled him to a hug. Leading him inside the house, he interrogated him.

"Is everything alright? You don't look good."

Zachary sniffled. "I… I have just been robbed of my position. Emily's father paid the principal for my result and he gave me hers. How would I pay for my college fees without the scholarship, Grandpa?"

Nathan shook his head and said to him, "Don't worry son, it's not the end of the road for you. Everything will be alright and you will go to college when the time is right." Nathan tried to console him but it didn't go well with him.

"But grandpa, that certainly means all my mates would graduate and I don't even know how to pay for my fee." Zachary lamented.

"Is there no way we could get back my scholarship?"

Nathan gave no response to his questions as they both knew the answers.

Taking up a lot of menial jobs, Nathan had taken over the parenting of Zachary since he was two. His mother had died of a strange illness and he never knew who his father was. The two had only each other since Zachary was was an infant

Standing to his feet, Zachary dashed off to his room in a fit of rage.

***

Five years had already passed with Zachary saving up some money for his college fees. He was looking forward to the next academic session.

He really wanted to go to college.

Obviously, his mates had already graduated but he still hoped to get enrolled soonest. Taking up different jobs, he had been able to take care of his aged grandfather and himself, and as well saved enough that would see him through school.

Unfortunately, his grandfather took ill of a serious ailment causing Zachary to spend all he had saved for the past years. Even with all the money spent, his grandfather still did not get better as the cancer had eaten deep into him. On this note, he would have to undergo a surgery that would cost a lot of money.

Zachary was in a hopeless situation.

He wondered how to raise the money with no support. He couldn't possibly go to the bank as no one would even give him an audience especially without a collateral. He decided to talk to the manager of the restaurant where he works.

Standing before his office with a mixed feeling, Zachary hesitated before knocking on the door.

"Come in." 

Zachary let himself and the manager beckoned on him to have a seat.

"So Zachary, what can I do for me?"

"I...Uhm…. " Zachary Stammered.

Fixing his gaze on Zachary, the manager gave him his undivided attention.

"I would like to borrow some money." Zachary said, lowering his gaze.

The manager stared at him confusingly before saying. "I'm listening."

"Can I borrow a hundred thousand dollars?" He finally muttered the courage to say.

"A hundred thousand what?" The manager yelled. "How do you intend to pay back such a huge amount of money? Knowing who you are, there's no way you would be able to pay back such an amount of money even in five years.

"I'm sorry, the company cannot help you because you won't be able to pay back."

Leaving the Manager's office in a more hopeless situation, Zachary's phone rang with a strange number calling. Staring at his phone for a while, he decided to pick the call.

"This is Zachary speaking."

"Hello Zachary, My name is Kelvin Paddington, and I'm here at St. Michael's emergency care. There's an emergency that requires your presence.

"Your grandfather has just been rushed to the hospital."