“OK, Mona. Thanks. And the same goes for you.”
We smile and part. And when I turn around I realize the line has gotten considerably shorter and I have to scoot up to the door before the person in front of me disappears inside.
It still takes another thirty minutes before it’s my turn at the open counter, but eventually I make it.
“Can I help you?” The cashier I have is not anyone I recognize. So she must be new.
“Yes, I’m here to pay tuition for…” I reach into my pocket and pull out my list. “All these students.” I pass the note to her and she looks at it, confused.
“I’m sorry. You want to pay tuition for all these people?”
“Yes. That’s correct.” I’m not going to explain why. But she doesn’t ask, just takes the note and starts typing on her computer.
After several minutes she says, “Hmm.”
“What?”
“They’ve all been paid for with the exception of Ax Olsen and Cadee Hunter.”
“Oh, I’m Cadee Hunter. But… that’s not possible. What about Cooper Valcourt?”
The woman laughs. “Cooper Valcourt? He doesn’t pay tuition, sweetie. He’s the Chairman’s son.”
“I know who he is, obviously. But his father said he wasn’t paying for his tuition this year.”
“I don’t think you understand. He’s a founder. The founders don’t pay.”
“So Isabella Huntington?”
“Same.”
“Lars—”
She doesn’t even let me finish. “Same.”
“But Ax—”
The cashier laughs. “Well. He’s another story, isn’t he? Would you like to pay for him?”
“Yes. And myself, of course. But are you sure none of the others need tuition?”
“I’ve checked them all, sweetie. They’re all paid up.”
“Huh.” I’m confused. None of them said anything about being paid up. Cooper obviously didn’t know his education was free, or we wouldn’t have talked about the payments in the first place.
“That comes to one hundred and fifteen thousand dollars and ninety-six cents.”
“OK,” I say, pulling out my phone. “It’s a wire transfer. Can I get the bank information, please?”
Cooper had to walk me through this last night. So I’m a little worried that this woman will start asking me weird questions about banking and money that I won’t be able to answer, but she doesn’t. Just passes a slip of paper across the counter and waits for me to enter the information into my new platinum member banking app.
When that’s done, she prints me a receipt. I thank her politely, and when I turn around, I realize I’m the only person left in here and everything is quiet.
And when I push open the door to head for the stairs, I realize why.
Dane Valcourt is leaning up against the banister with his arms crossed and a very smug smile on his face.
CHAPTER THREE - COOPER
Capstone orientation is a long, boring introduction to the world of writing academic papers. Which I give zero fucks about, but it’s a necessary evil that must be dealt with.
We don’t talk as we wait in line to grab our Capstone packets, but that’s because we’re on now. On, as in on. The clock has started and the game has begun.
Everything we do from here on out is part of the plan.
By the time Ax and I collect our glossy blue and yellow folders and enter the auditorium, the session is already starting. We pause at the top of the room and look around the stadium-type seating for Lars.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Ax mutters. “He’s in the first row.”
“Yeah. We’re not going there.” I look around and find an empty patch of seats in the last row. “Over here, Ax.”
We push our way past the people on the aisle and walk all the way to the end of the row before sitting. We couldn’t physically get further away from the stage if we tried.
Ax leans over. “What’s your major?” He says it loud enough for everyone around us to hear, which earns us scowls all the way around. Fucking High Court students all have sticks up their asses.
“What?” I also say it loud enough for people to hear. Fuck it. I’m the King, right?
Ax has his folder open and he’s staring intently at the top sheet of paper in his packet. “What’s your major? According to this”—he taps the page and looks at me—“I’m majoring in philosophy.”
I laugh out loud.
“Mr. Valcourt?”
I glance down the long row of seats to the stage where Professor Somebody is looking right at me. “Yes, sir?”
“Are you having an issue that needs attention?”
A couple dozen people turn to look at me.
“Nope. I’m good.”
He continues with whatever the hell the topic of the day is, and I open my folder.
I laugh again when I read what it says.
“Mr. Valcourt!” Professor Whatshisname is definitely about to put me on a list now.
“Sorry,” I yell. “I’ll zip it.”
“Thank you! As I was saying—”
“Dude,” I whisper-yell to Ax. “It says my major is geological engineering.”
Ax guffaws. So loud it echoes off the tall ceiling. And suddenly all sixty-five people in the senior class are turning in their seats to look at us.
“That’s it! Both of you! Out! You can discuss your Capstone with the Chairman, Misters Valcourt and Olsen!”
“Fuck it.” Ax is already getting to his feet. “Let’s go.”
I want to feel bad about this, but I’m still pretty amused that in one year I will be qualified to geologically engineer something. So I just get up and we push our way past all the people on the aisle one more time, then exit the auditorium.
And who do we bump into but my father?
He’s wearing a light gray suit with a blue and gold High Court College tie. His silver hair perfectly coiffed, as per usual. Kinda rocking on his heels as he stares at me.
“Christopher.”
“Dad.”
“Where are you going?”
“We were kicked out.” I don’t even bother to shine this fact up for his consumption. I want him to react.
“So you don’t have any plans to graduate?”
I look at Ax and shoot him eyes that say, I’ll handle this. I don’t want to get kicked out. Cadee is, right now, this very moment, paying for my fall semester’s tuition. I’m not going to waste fifty grand of her Dante money just to get one moment of satisfaction from pissing off my father.
“I do,” I say calmly. “I think Professor… whoever… is just having a bad day. He wants us to plan our Capstone projects with you.”
My father sighs. Like he’s tired. Of me, specifically. “You always did need a lot of attention. Why am I not surprised that you still demand it now?”
“Look—”
“No, Christopher, you look. I’m not playing your games this year. Either you live up to High Court’s standards, or you will be expelled.” His gaze slowly migrates over to Ax. “Alexander, your father would like to see you.”