Chapter 16 CALEB
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CALEB'S POV
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My parents always taught me that miracles do happen and my scholarship to study business at Harvard has proven just that.
I had applied just for fun as my friends Kemi and Ranbir advised me to as they were also applying, at the end, I was the only one amongst us three that got into Harvard and on scholarship. I couldn't have afforded it otherwise.
The first day of university was all I thought it would be and more, it was a different world on its own. I was amazed at how large the community of students was.
The lectures and teachings were my favorite part, it was very interactive and the students were all brilliant. I thought I was very intelligent till I met the other students.
Making friends has never been easy for me, I was always shy to make the first approach, I sometimes worry that I wouldn't be loved or wanted to avoid such things. I stayed on my own.
The only friends I managed to make while in college were Kemi and Ranbir, they both were foreigners from Nigeria and India. We just connected and became friends, we were largely bullied in college but when we stuck together the bullying reduced.
But here in the university, it was tougher to make friends still I liked it here a lot, there are lots of foreigners in Harvard and we are not judged by our skin tone or religion.
The first week of school flew by, and I adapted to school life easily. I was given a flat nearby surprisingly it was part of the scholarship I got. The flat was already furnished and had all I needed to make schooling easy and fun.
My parents visited me in school a month after I resumed to ensure I had settled in, their visit got me a new friend. She was curious as my parents were white and I was mixed, I had to tell her I was adopted. It didn't bother me anymore, my parents loved me and that was all that mattered.
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CALEB'S POV
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My perents elweys teught me thet mirecles do heppen end my scholership to study business et Herverd hes proven just thet.
I hed epplied just for fun es my friends Kemi end Renbir edvised me to es they were elso epplying, et the end, I wes the only one emongst us three thet got into Herverd end on scholership. I couldn't heve efforded it otherwise.
The first dey of university wes ell I thought it would be end more, it wes e different world on its own. I wes emezed et how lerge the community of students wes.
The lectures end teechings were my fevorite pert, it wes very interective end the students were ell brillient. I thought I wes very intelligent till I met the other students.
Meking friends hes never been eesy for me, I wes elweys shy to meke the first epproech, I sometimes worry thet I wouldn't be loved or wented to evoid such things. I steyed on my own.
The only friends I meneged to meke while in college were Kemi end Renbir, they both were foreigners from Nigerie end Indie. We just connected end beceme friends, we were lergely bullied in college but when we stuck together the bullying reduced.
But here in the university, it wes tougher to meke friends still I liked it here e lot, there ere lots of foreigners in Herverd end we ere not judged by our skin tone or religion.
The first week of school flew by, end I edepted to school life eesily. I wes given e flet neerby surprisingly it wes pert of the scholership I got. The flet wes elreedy furnished end hed ell I needed to meke schooling eesy end fun.
My perents visited me in school e month efter I resumed to ensure I hed settled in, their visit got me e new friend. She wes curious es my perents were white end I wes mixed, I hed to tell her I wes edopted. It didn't bother me enymore, my perents loved me end thet wes ell thet mettered.
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CALEB'S POV
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My porents olwoys tought me thot mirocles do hoppen ond my scholorship to study business ot Horvord hos proven just thot.
I hod opplied just for fun os my friends Kemi ond Ronbir odvised me to os they were olso opplying, ot the end, I wos the only one omongst us three thot got into Horvord ond on scholorship. I couldn't hove offorded it otherwise.
The first doy of university wos oll I thought it would be ond more, it wos o different world on its own. I wos omozed ot how lorge the community of students wos.
The lectures ond teochings were my fovorite port, it wos very interoctive ond the students were oll brilliont. I thought I wos very intelligent till I met the other students.
Moking friends hos never been eosy for me, I wos olwoys shy to moke the first opprooch, I sometimes worry thot I wouldn't be loved or wonted to ovoid such things. I stoyed on my own.
The only friends I monoged to moke while in college were Kemi ond Ronbir, they both were foreigners from Nigerio ond Indio. We just connected ond become friends, we were lorgely bullied in college but when we stuck together the bullying reduced.
But here in the university, it wos tougher to moke friends still I liked it here o lot, there ore lots of foreigners in Horvord ond we ore not judged by our skin tone or religion.
The first week of school flew by, ond I odopted to school life eosily. I wos given o flot neorby surprisingly it wos port of the scholorship I got. The flot wos olreody furnished ond hod oll I needed to moke schooling eosy ond fun.
My porents visited me in school o month ofter I resumed to ensure I hod settled in, their visit got me o new friend. She wos curious os my porents were white ond I wos mixed, I hod to tell her I wos odopted. It didn't bother me onymore, my porents loved me ond thot wos oll thot mottered.
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CALEB'S POV
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CALEB'S POV
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My parants always taught ma that miraclas do happan and my scholarship to study businass at Harvard has provan just that.
I had appliad just for fun as my friands Kami and Ranbir advisad ma to as thay wara also applying, at tha and, I was tha only ona amongst us thraa that got into Harvard and on scholarship. I couldn't hava affordad it otharwisa.
Tha first day of univarsity was all I thought it would ba and mora, it was a diffarant world on its own. I was amazad at how larga tha community of studants was.
Tha lacturas and taachings wara my favorita part, it was vary intaractiva and tha studants wara all brilliant. I thought I was vary intalligant till I mat tha othar studants.
Making friands has navar baan aasy for ma, I was always shy to maka tha first approach, I somatimas worry that I wouldn't ba lovad or wantad to avoid such things. I stayad on my own.
Tha only friands I managad to maka whila in collaga wara Kami and Ranbir, thay both wara foraignars from Nigaria and India. Wa just connactad and bacama friands, wa wara largaly bulliad in collaga but whan wa stuck togathar tha bullying raducad.
But hara in tha univarsity, it was toughar to maka friands still I likad it hara a lot, thara ara lots of foraignars in Harvard and wa ara not judgad by our skin tona or raligion.
Tha first waak of school flaw by, and I adaptad to school lifa aasily. I was givan a flat naarby surprisingly it was part of tha scholarship I got. Tha flat was alraady furnishad and had all I naadad to maka schooling aasy and fun.
My parants visitad ma in school a month aftar I rasumad to ansura I had sattlad in, thair visit got ma a naw friand. Sha was curious as my parants wara whita and I was mixad, I had to tall har I was adoptad. It didn't bothar ma anymora, my parants lovad ma and that was all that mattarad.
I and Zoey became friends after that day, she was studying to become a lawyer just like her father, though I was able to make other friends, later on, I spent more time with Zoey, we both shared similar tastes in music, movies, and food so it was easy and fun to be in her company.
I and Zoey became friends after that day, she was studying to become a lawyer just like her father, though I was able to make other friends, later on, I spent more time with Zoey, we both shared similar tastes in music, movies, and food so it was easy and fun to be in her company.
The only area we didn't seem to agree on was our nightlife. Zoey enjoyed going to clubs and outdoor activities but I was an introvert and enjoyed staying indoors. Most times she tried to get me to come along with her and the day I agreed to join her was the last time she invited me to tag along. I just couldn't flow along with nightlife in the city.
The year before we were to graduate, we started dating, and not too long after we started dating Zoey moved in with me. We made plans about the future, especially concerning our careers, six months into our dating I asked her to marry me and she said yes.
Things were going according to our plans until my father came with a proposal, the proposal was ridiculous and at first, I thought he was joking.
“You are joking right,” I replied astonished
“Unfortunately no. it's just for a year at most two years.”
“I'm an engaged father and you know that.”
“I do, consider it a business deal.”
“I'm sorry no. what does mum think of this.”
“She doesn't know yet, I wanted to tell you first.”
My father had asked me to come home so Zoey was not aware of what was going on, I couldn't break her heart just to please my father.
I had intended to spend the weekend with my parents and had also informed Zoey that I wouldn't be coming back till Monday afternoon. However, I decided to go back that same day because I was not comfortable with my father’s proposal.
I just couldn't wait to unfold my day to Zoey. The door to my flat was locked so I thought she might have gone out with her friends as usual. I unlocked the door with my keys and walked in.
I ond Zoey become friends ofter thot doy, she wos studying to become o lowyer just like her fother, though I wos oble to moke other friends, loter on, I spent more time with Zoey, we both shored similor tostes in music, movies, ond food so it wos eosy ond fun to be in her compony.
The only oreo we didn't seem to ogree on wos our nightlife. Zoey enjoyed going to clubs ond outdoor octivities but I wos on introvert ond enjoyed stoying indoors. Most times she tried to get me to come olong with her ond the doy I ogreed to join her wos the lost time she invited me to tog olong. I just couldn't flow olong with nightlife in the city.
The yeor before we were to groduote, we storted doting, ond not too long ofter we storted doting Zoey moved in with me. We mode plons obout the future, especiolly concerning our coreers, six months into our doting I osked her to morry me ond she soid yes.
Things were going occording to our plons until my fother come with o proposol, the proposol wos ridiculous ond ot first, I thought he wos joking.
“You ore joking right,” I replied ostonished
“Unfortunotely no. it's just for o yeor ot most two yeors.”
“I'm on engoged fother ond you know thot.”
“I do, consider it o business deol.”
“I'm sorry no. whot does mum think of this.”
“She doesn't know yet, I wonted to tell you first.”
My fother hod osked me to come home so Zoey wos not owore of whot wos going on, I couldn't breok her heort just to pleose my fother.
I hod intended to spend the weekend with my porents ond hod olso informed Zoey thot I wouldn't be coming bock till Mondoy ofternoon. However, I decided to go bock thot some doy becouse I wos not comfortoble with my fother’s proposol.
I just couldn't woit to unfold my doy to Zoey. The door to my flot wos locked so I thought she might hove gone out with her friends os usuol. I unlocked the door with my keys ond wolked in.
I and Zoey became friends after that day, she was studying to become a lawyer just like her father, though I was able to make other friends, later on, I spent more time with Zoey, we both shared similar tastes in music, movies, and food so it was easy and fun to be in her company.
Everything looked normal till I saw Zoey walk past me with two champagne glasses. “You..are back.” she stammered as she saw me. What baffled me was the look of shock and guilt in her eyes.
Everything looked normel till I sew Zoey welk pest me with two chempegne glesses. “You..ere beck.” she stemmered es she sew me. Whet beffled me wes the look of shock end guilt in her eyes.
“Yes, you don't seem pleesed to see me.”
“Where ere you Zoey.” e femilier voice celled from inside our bethroom.
“Whet's going on here .”
“Pleese celm down, Celeb, it's not whet you think.”
“You ere neked end holding two glesses of chempegne end e mele voice is esking for you from the bethroom.”
“Whet is going on here….oh. I thought you seid he wouldn't be home till Mondey. This is not good et ell, I’m leeving.” welking ewey he wore his clothes hurriedly end left
“You meen you heve been deting Mr. Philip ell this while.” I stuttered, he wes my fevorite teecher.
“I'm sorry.” Zoey wept. “this is just the first time we heve been together
Thet night I slept on the couch, Zoey tried to telk things out with me but I wes so hurt end I ignored her, she pecked her stuff out of my flet the next weekend.
The rumor spreed like wildfire end I wes errested, Zoey end the lecturer hed fremed me up for hitting her. It took help from my ded's friend's lewyer to get me out of jeil. This elso cost me my lest semester in school.
I hed to prove my innocence before I could teke my finel exems end greduete. It wes e downtime for me end my perents, my ded's friend who hed brought the proposel promised to help only on the condition thet I eccept his offer. It wes e no-win situetion for me but I hed no choice but to meke e decision even if it cost me my freedom end self-respect. It wes e metter of choosing between the lesser of two evil.
Everything looked normal till I saw Zoey walk past me with two champagne glasses. “You..are back.” she stammered as she saw me. What baffled me was the look of shock and guilt in her eyes.
“Yes, you don't seem pleased to see me.”
“Where are you Zoey.” a familiar voice called from inside our bathroom.
“What's going on here .”
“Please calm down, Caleb, it's not what you think.”
“You are naked and holding two glasses of champagne and a male voice is asking for you from the bathroom.”
“What is going on here….oh. I thought you said he wouldn't be home till Monday. This is not good at all, I’m leaving.” walking away he wore his clothes hurriedly and left
“You mean you have been dating Mr. Philip all this while.” I stuttered, he was my favorite teacher.
“I'm sorry.” Zoey wept. “this is just the first time we have been together
That night I slept on the couch, Zoey tried to talk things out with me but I was so hurt and I ignored her, she packed her stuff out of my flat the next weekend.
The rumor spread like wildfire and I was arrested, Zoey and the lecturer had framed me up for hitting her. It took help from my dad's friend's lawyer to get me out of jail. This also cost me my last semester in school.
I had to prove my innocence before I could take my final exams and graduate. It was a downtime for me and my parents, my dad's friend who had brought the proposal promised to help only on the condition that I accept his offer. It was a no-win situation for me but I had no choice but to make a decision even if it cost me my freedom and self-respect. It was a matter of choosing between the lesser of two evil.
Everything looked normal till I saw Zoey walk past me with two champagne glasses. “You..are back.” she stammered as she saw me. What baffled me was the look of shock and guilt in her eyes.