James already beeped me a couple of times upon Mr Berkeley's arrival and his unceasing request to speak with me. I had no idea what he had to say this time. Our conversations hadn't passed formal greetings and congratulating each other on accomplishments, and the last time we did have a proper conversation was his suggestion to transfer to Oxley, which I politely turned down.
I hated being late, but my faculty had other plans for me; the meeting took longer than was planned. I was part of the Parliament in the students' board, and meetings were usually held on Saturdays. I hurriedly walked towards the parking lot for the dormitories and spotted my brother with the Berkeley's.
" Good day, sir, sorry for making you wait so long." I extended my hand, and he shook it abruptly.
" No problem son, your brother here said you had a little business at your faculty, hope it's sorted out now? "
" Yes, for now it's been sorted, " I hurriedly greeted Mrs Berkeley, Susanne, she would prefer I call her, before he could pry further.
"Oh dear, Nicholas, you look more like ur father every time I see you," she said sweetly. I've been told that a million times now and still counting. I tried my best to return a smile, but I wasn't much of a smiler.
"You had something to say, sir..."
"Yes, my Annabel here..." he turned and saw Annabel busy laughing with James. "ANNABEL" she gave a nervous smile and quickly got to her Dad's side. I knew he wanted to introduce her to me, but I was quite familiar with her since she was my brother's friend, had seen them a couple of times, and I'd never spoken to her either. I've never taken a keen interest in any of my brother's friends. James always complained about how stiff and unfriendly I was towards people, and sometimes joked about how people refer to me as his Dad instead.
I scanned Annabel, or rather Anne, as I hear most people call her. If I recall correctly, she had a softly toned face and a petite, slim physique. She wore a blue floral sundress that stopped mid-thigh, revealing too much skin, I thought to myself. She still does that thing with her eyes whenever she smiles; her almond-shaped hazel eyes are really pretty—I just noticed that.
At first glance, it was clear she was an overachiever. It didn't take long to see that she was the kind of person always striving to prove herself, especially to her dad—or perhaps to others. She had a naive quality about her that didn't appeal to me. My attention shifted as I focused on her dad's voice.
" Yes Nicholas, I'm sure you are already familiar with Annabel, you are one of the reasons my wife was able to convince me to let her school here. She still has a lot of things to figure out, and I would like you to help her settle in. I trust she'll be in good hands with you. I hope that isn't too much of a task? "
" No, sir, it's not an issue. She's a friend of James, and she's my priority." I don't tolerate letting people down, especially when they hold high expectations of me. Regardless of the inconvenience, I make it a point to get things done.
"Thank you, son. Just a reminder that the offer for Oxley is still on the table. If you ever decide to reconsider, you know how to reach me," he said, a knowing smile on his face as if he anticipated my response.
" I genuinely appreciate your efforts, sir. I feel much more welcomed here, and with my final year approaching, I believe staying at this school is the best option for me."
"I thought as much," he said, turning to Anne, giving her a signal to say something.
"Hi," she said awkwardly, and I nodded, acknowledging her presence.
" I'll leave you guys to it, ANNABEL I don't need to repeat myself on what you need to do. You chose a health program, so focus and excel at it"
Annabel's mom hugged her and then tapped my shoulder before getting into the car with her husband. James gave her a quick hug before she could enter the vehicle. She turned to smile at us, especially at me, before getting into the car, which then zoomed off.
I recognized immediately that she meant to look after her daughter. At 18, her daughter is perfectly capable of taking care of herself, so why should I be responsible for her? I became part of the agreement she made with her husband, which I just became aware of. I'm the reason she managed to persuade him on this matter. That clarifies everything. Why did she apply here in the first place...
"Hey, bro." James said with a light nudge. Although we were nearly the same height and shared a striking resemblance, our personalities set us apart. James, with his bright eyes and cheerful demeanor, resembles our mother, while I tend to lean towards a more stoic attitude, similar to Dad. Additionally, his messy hair and unique fashion choices highlight our different styles.
" I don't have to babysit your friend. I'll leave you both to catch up, and I think you should take the initiative to show her around since you've been here multiple times than she has. I stated firmly before walking out, leaving no room for discussion.