Chapter 17 - The Meeting

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We went to a nearby restaurant to eat first. Angelica seemed noble as she ordered a steak and some carbonara. Funny enough, that was the same thing I ordered, except mine was cooked medium, while hers is cooked medium rare.

Ari, also called Cassandra, ordered some chicken wings.

"You're a noble man, I didn't know you liked steaks. Although, I was hoping you enjoyed it medium rare." She commented.

"I just like it extra cooked on the inside, is it bad?" I asked while continuing to eat my steak.

"Not really, you're just missing out on medium rare steaks, tho… It's just so good! It has been my preference for years." She was proud of herself enjoying medium-rare steaks... So it's her preference… Same preference as Jessie's when it comes to steaks…

"I see… Why doesn't Ari eat steaks?" I looked at Ari eating chicken and she looked at Angelica to explain to me why.

"You see… Beef isn't what I'd exactly call her favorite…" She spoke in behalf of Ari. Not her taste in the food she'd like to eat, I see.

"Then what's her favorite?" Angelica looked at Ari and she pointed at the exact food she was eating. Chicken.

"So she likes to eat chicken more than other meats…" I said and Ari nods.

"Anyway, I'm curious about something… For months I've known Ari is mute. But I never knew why she is mute." She hasn't spoken a word ever since she got to Emerald Houston at all.

"She couldn't speak and was diagnosed… It was horrible… She needed to learn how to communicate with sign language because she can't speak. Luckily, she can hear. We're all good with communicating to her by talking." Ari nodded to Angelica. If ever her defect became hearing, we'd have a problem here.

"But I just want to say thank you for putting her under your care while she stayed with you." Angelica once again spoke on behalf of Ari and she bowed to me.

Wait, I did what?

"Me? Oh no, I don't think I did much when it came to Ari… She did just fine on her own." I smiled and shook my hands. If anything, Angelica SHOULDN'T be thanking me.

"But she has learned along with you, and you're one of the smartest students over there! Credit where credit is due, I can't just disregard that…" She has a point.

"I-I really did nothing, but I appreciate your gratitude towards me. I hope that I won't disappoint you both." I bowed as I continued eating my steak.

"With pleasure! Now enjoy yourself, Renn!" I finished my steak as they both finished their respective foods. Being treated like this hasn't happened in a long time.

Actually no, it never happened. No one has treated me to anything in life until today.

What did you expect? I'm a loner.

"Thanks for the treat, you two. I think we spent our time here quite enough right now. And I don't have much time. I'll need to head home before my brother gets worried about me." It's now 6 pm. I have 3 hours, so I have no time to waste.

"Don't worry, there is still so much time. We're heading to our hotel right now. Let's go." They're staying at a hotel?

I quickly followed behind them.

"Is school that far?" I asked Angelica.

"Yes, unfortunately… One time, I had to get stuck in traffic for TWO HOURS! I already got 4 late records! Don't you hate it when you get a late record?!" Angelica really must be sick of being late.

Meanwhile I'm the exact opposite.

"I understand being late gives you a big punishment, but to call you early all the time is even worse…" The curse has recently stopped. But the moment I end up early again is just definitely gonna get annoying to the point I want to tear my ears apart and not hear anymore.

Imagine if Ari heard about me being early, she'd punch me to the center of the earth.

"Eh?! Being called early?! I don't know what's up with you, but I feel like that's just strange to me!" I was unpleasantly surprised. Did she call my curse strange? Granted that it is strange to begin with… But really?!

"Being early is just annoying to the ears…" It's just way too repetitive… I'm really annoyed by it.

"So is community service!"

"You only do that for an hour! I always hear that I'm early every day!"

"YOU REAP MORE REWARDS, HOW IS THAT FAIR?!"

We were arguing back-to-back and before anything else was said, Ari cut off both of us by holding our shoulders and pointed to the direction of the street that the hotel is in.

"Ah! Sorry… We're close to our place!" She took the lead and Ari and I followed.

We eventually entered a grand hotel. Its décor is literally modernized. It's not just made for tourists, IT'S MADE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS! I'M AMAZED AT THIS PLACE!

"Welcome to Hotel Gigante! Literally translated to Giant Hotel, The grandest 5-star hotel with a rooftop pool AND free Wi-Fi once you rent a room!" A HOTEL THAT DELIVERS A FREE WI-FI ALONG WITH THE ROOM YOU RENT?! GOOD LORD THIS IS A HECK OF A FEVER DREAM!

IF THIS IS A DREAM, PLEASE DON'T EVER WAKE ME UP!

"I feel like you're already interested in renting in this place one day, Renn." Angelica read my mind.

"This is just WAY over the budget I'm gonna have in a few months…" I got worried about even thinking of renting a room here someday... Even with the budget dad will give me, it's not gonna be enough to pay for the room THIS PLACE offers.

"Oh, right… Did I forget to mention that the room rent per month is… $3000?" Wait what…

"That's literally the cheapest rent…" I was getting lost in my own excitement.

"Water and Electricity included. Many college students come here to rent a room for college! A day's rent is actually $200!" WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Calm down, Alrose… Calm down… You're not going to stay here, you have a house. And it's a walking distance from there to school… Don't surrender to temptations by staying here…

Contrary to what Serra described to me…

I AM NOT A WEAKLING TO SURRENDER IN THIS FEVER DREAM!!!

"Anyway, enough mesmerizing. We need to-" As I regained my composure, Angelica and Ari went to the elevator.

"Renn, you've been losing it for 2 minutes. Get in the elevator." Oops. They definitely saw me do an emotional outburst. How embarrassing...

Remind me to stop being such an idiot.

I rode in the elevator with Angelica and Ari.

"What floor are we heading up to?" I asked.

"Topmost floor. Where do you wanna study: The room or the rooftop pool?" Did she really include the rooftop pool as a freaking option to tutor in?! I facepalmed.

"What am I gonna do, swimming? The room, of course." Also, I can't swim.

"Boo… You're no fun. I liked studying there. It's honestly a breath of fresh air every time." Breath of fresh air, huh? Hm... I'm now considering it.

No shit, it's the rooftop pool. Of course you'll feel fresh air because you're outside the hotel.

"Can we pleeeeeease study there?" Angelica begged. The elevator arrived at the topmost floor.

"Fine… But only for an hour." I answered because I don't want others to wait for the elevator back on the ground floor.

"Yey!" She led the way again. Damn, this girl is just probably excited she'll use the pool again. Not that I'll judge, but again… Pool is not the place for studying…

She went into her room first to get her Mathematics and History books. I already fear she's going to be weak in History. Ari went in and took her notepad and friction pen.

Anyway, we made it to the rooftop. There was an area where some smoothies and other beverages were being sold for sale. The pool is also big and wide.

"In case you were wondering, that can go deep up to 6½ feet!" I got shockingly scared. Holy mackerel, that's deep…

"First of all, I didn't even ask… Second of all, IT'S THAT DEEP?!" Has there even anyone who drowned here?!

"There are inflatables over here, if you aren't a good swimmer." She pointed to the inflatables that are on the side whenever needed. We all sat down on a nearby table.

"And if an inflatable somehow got thrown off the rooftop?" I asked, then she fell silent. Did she become mute like Ari?

Okay, I better stop making jokes about Ari before I end up drowning in the pool.

"I honestly don't know, for no one has done that. In fact, it's in the rules of the pool in the elevator." I fell speechless for a moment. There were rules? I never paid any attention to it since I was distracted with Angelica choosing this place or her hotel room as the place to study.

"Anyway, I'll tutor you in History first." I suggested that subject first. She tossed me the History book.

"Boo… You don't want me to enjoy my fresh air here, don't you?" Did she just assume I went for History first to buy time?

"Bold of you to assume that. I just went to History because I thought you're weak in that subject." I opened the book. I happened to see a folded page. So, I have to start from there…

"Try and hit me with a question." I thought this was tutoring, not question and answer.

"Alright… Uhmm…" I browsed the topic, and managed to find a topic worth asking.

"Ah… Here's one. This is the one that took lead in the French-England War-"

"Inopoleon Triloparte." Huh?! Wait… EH?! That took me off-guard.

"Was I wrong?" She asked.

I JUST OPENED THE BOOK. IS SHE SMARTER THAN SHE LOOKED?!

"No… You're correct… Alright, I'll try something different." I browsed further. Instead of the definition, I'll try to mention a name and she'll try to figure out what they're involved in.

"Johannas "Han" Ilani" I confidently told a name. Let's see if she'll answer this.

"That's a name?" She asked. Haha! Got her!

"I don't know, you tell me." I grinned, not revealing any clues to challenge her. Let's see how you get past this, Angelica.

"Well, if memory serves me right… He was the one who… brought independence to Italy?" … I got speechless again. Please tell me I'm dreaming… I'm really shaking my head in denial… SHE GOT THAT RIGHT AS WELL?!

I snapped out of it as I felt a pat on my shoulder, it was Ari.

"In History, she's the strongest in our class. No one can top her."

Ari… If you showed that to me earlier, I would have encountered something she doesn't know. She erased it and began writing something else.

"Not to mention, Johannas Ilani was against the leadership of the American Democrats while they took over Italy 200 years ago."

I feel defeated… This feels all too familiar…

"Next question, teach!" Angelica wanted me to continue.

"O-Okay… Uhmmm… What was the reason why the Chilling Rebellion ended on a good note between China and Russia?" I asked.

"Well, they made a deal or a partnership of setting down the blockade in exchange to bringing a new culture to China. After that, they became allies. China became as powerful as Russia. But that in turn caused a rebellion that caused some of the Chinese citizens to migrate to another Island and named it Taiwan for they hated the alliance. They wanted China to be independent, not reliant." She was spot on when she answered that.

"I'm… Impressed at how you even had every detail memorized. Are you sure you need a tutor?" I asked.

"Yes, of course! Math is not my core… I was hoping you'd explain to me how the quadratic formula worked… Oh, and give me a fresh course on Geometry in terms of the formulas in the book." Well, I am confident teaching about that one.

"Not to worry, I'll help you. Just pay attention and you'll easily get it." I opened the book and went right onto the quadratic formula, explaining every detail to Angelica and Ari. They appear to be following as I explain and demonstrate how it is being applied.

Tutoring late at night was never an idea I thought I'd consider, but after this session, I think I might consider it. I know that I'm already smart so I thought I could use it.

Though I still need to go home at 9.

Time on the clock: 02:30:00

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