Chapter 19: Chapter 19

On his way to the Uni, Nick was busy thinking about how to start his conversation with Kelly later tonight.

"How can I make her agree or at least understand without difficulty?" he mindlessly blabbered.

"Mom, I like Kate so much. Can I woo her?" Nick recited as if Kelly was right in front of him.

"Ohhhh, that sounds cocky! She might not even give me a thought before a resounding no flops on my face!" Nick grunted at the possible negative result of his idea.

"But what is the right word to say in this kind of situation?" he argued.

Until he arrived at his destination, Nick was still bothered with the thoughts of how to speak with Kate's mom and also his stepmom.

"Ugghhhh, why is it too complicated?!" Nick groaned.

"Hey, Nick!" a girly, flirtatious voice startled a busily thinking Nick on his way to his first lecture.

Nick looked up the stairs to find who had called his name. And he saw a familiar face, but he could not recall the name. His face frowned. Not because he dislikes her, but because he couldn't remember her name.

"Hey!" unable to recall what to call her back, he simply greeted back.

"Can I invite you to join our group study? We're having dinner tonight," the girl stated excitedly.

Nick was taken aback. This girl speaks like they were so close, but he cannot even recall who she is. Yet, as a gentleman, he politely excused himself, declined her invitation, and walked ahead of her.

"Sorry, I am busy. See you around," Nick walked with speed away from the girl.

"No worries," the girl still smiled as she saw how Nick vanished from her sight instantly.

Nick forgot about his problem as he got busy greeting people back as they greeted him on his way to his class.

"Hey, Nick!"

"Hi!"

Lots of random greetings were thrown at Nick as he walked the hallways, corridors, stairs, and almost everywhere. They have all been his schoolmates from freshmen years, so it wasn't shocking to have almost everyone know him. Besides, he is every girl's dream and every men's friend. Nick is kind and friendly. Although he is not the type to walk over to someone and shake hands to create a connection, he is not a snob to anyone who would come to befriend him, boys or girls. There is no gender equality. He is kind to everyone. He is not much of a talker, but when he does, they are no foolish words. He is mostly looked up to as a leader, although he isn't into politics. His academic excellence is respectable. His attitude and behavior are admirable. He is not a show-off despite his status in life. And above all, he is a dashing young man, standing so tall with his noticeable height.

"Yow, man, what's up? You've been too busy lately, huh?"

A man to his left row patted Nick by the back of his left shoulder when he took his seat. Nick turned his head to see and check whose voice it was.

"Hey, Aldin! What's up?" Nick greeted back.

Aldin is one of his closest buddies. They have been going to the same schools ever since junior high.

"I barely see you these days!" Aldin smirked. He thought Nick was busy doing nasty things just like he is doing nowadays.

Nick saw the mischievous message of Aldin's words, and so he chuckled.

"Not with the same reasons you have for yourself. I can bet on that!" He replied.

Aldin wanted to retort, but he saw the professor walking in, passing by their spots as he walked to the lectern up front.

Soon the lecture started.

Halfway through, Nick received a call. It was an unknown number, a local phone number. It wasn't Kate's school, but Nick felt an indescribable fear from the pit of his heart. He showed Aldin about his phone ringing. Just in case the professor looks for Nick, Aldin could tell where he went. Then he quickly walked out of the auditorium.

"Nicholas Eudovic?" the professor called for attendance. This professor has rules that if a student misses his class five times a semester, they can stop coming for the whole semester because they already failed and will see them in the next sem. So he makes it a point to check attendance every session, before or after or in the midst of his class. No one knows when he will check if they're in or out, so students will need to attend his class from the start to the end.

"He is taking a call from the city hospital," Aldin answered without hesitation. He knew that number so well. His dad is one of the residents there, after all.

After a while, Nick came rushing back inside the room to get his things.

"I'm sorry, sir, it's an emergency," Nick hurriedly grabbed his sling bag, and like a bullet, he was out of the room before the professor could even say anything. Then he proceeded with his class.

Kate, on the other hand, was feeling so restless about something she could not define. She was absent-minded even before her first class period ended. At first, she thought it was because of Nick. But as time passed by, she realized it was more than that. Yet, she could not point out what exactly was bothering her. She could not focus on her lessons either.

"Kate Taylor, is anything wrong?" asked her Physics teacher, Clara Smith. "You're dazed. Are you ill?"

The teacher sounded concerned, but the students around replied instead of Kate with Andrew taking the lead.

"She must have had a wild party last night," a voice was heard from the class.

Kate covered her face and bowed flat on her desk to hide her flushed face. What Andrew said hit a nerve in Kate. Something wild did happen last night, but she wasn't even thinking about it.

The roar of laughter filled the whole room. The teacher was practically screaming to make the students quiet. But a loud knock on the door made everyone take a seat and muffled their sounds of laughter.

"Kate Taylor, get your things. You have somewhere to be right now!"

The Principal walked into the classroom, and without so much speech, he informed Kate to go. Kate felt like her silent prayers were answered. She actually wished she could vanish in thin air with how the majority of her class were mocking her, even with the teacher inside the room. It is one of the disappointing facts that teachers cannot control the students when they act all together about anything, good or bad. The teacher may not tolerate the situation, but her power isn't enough to scare such proud students like Andrew Kindberg.

The Principal waited until Kate was gone before he sternly looked around. He intimidated everyone in the class who dared disrespect their teacher, who was now holding her very pregnant belly as she tried to calm herself.

"Teacher Smith, please give me a list of whoever started all this noise," Principal Johnston spoke with his eyes roaming around the room. "And I mean, everyone. I want to know who to call accountable if you get too stressed and deliver your baby in no time because of these misbehaved students. Are we clear, Teacher Smith?"

"Yes, sir. I can write them down even with my eyes closed," Clara Smith answered.

"And let me tell all of you as to why Kate Taylor was pulled out of her class today," the Principal continued. "Her mom had an accident on her way to work and is now in critical condition at the city hospital. I do hope you find it in your selfish hearts to consider how others would feel when you make fun of them without even knowing their situation," Francis Johnston glared at Andrew and his friends before he left the classroom.

Nick called Francis on his way out of the University right after receiving that call from the hospital. He asked the Principal's consent to get Kate out of her class and bring her to the hospital with him right away. He was still contemplating to call Kate or not, but his worried mind won over him and did not want Kate to feel cheated of such a serious matter regarding her mom. The person who called Nick said Kelly needed to undergo surgery right away and required a sign of her next of kin to proceed with the procedures. He is also considered as Kelly's next of kin, and he can sign those papers for legality with or without Kate, but he did not want to rob Kate of her rights to know what is going on with her mom.

And when Francis heard what happened to Kate's mom, he did not dally and walked to Kate's class personally. He was going to make sure the message was delivered right away, and Kate was sent to the school gates as soon as she got informed. Nick will be waiting for her there as Francis and he have agreed on their conversation earlier.