Avoiding The Bad Boy

Chapter Three

Archer’s POV

I sank back into my office chair, looking around at the space that had once belonged to my predecessor but was now all mine. I reached forward and snagged the name plate off the edge of my desk, Mr A Jones – Financial Advisor. I smiled as I ran my thumb over the lettering before placing it back onto its spot facing the door.

I had been back for a week now, coming in before the new students arrived to get settled and sort out the remaining crap left behind by professor Conrad. My roommates had been thrilled to learn that I was staying for another year meaning they didn’t have to find somewhere else to live for their last year of study.

I’d had to check with the Dean about Ace as he was there on a scholarship but he’d assured me that as long I didn’t deal with my friend’s financial aid personally that it would be fine, so I’d passed his file over to be given to one of the new interns when they started.

Outside of my window, I could hear the steady stream of engines and loud excited voices that came with the first day on campus. The new students finding their way to their dorms and settling in, the returners throwing everything in their rooms and heading to the nearest bar. That had been me last year but now I was a member of the faculty, a serious college advisor, someone who led by example.

‘How are you settling in?’ came a voice from my door, looking up I smiled widely at Janet, a year younger than me, she had joined the intern team last year working in the administration office and just like me, had kept turning up after her six months ended. We had hit it off within a week of her starting and had remained firm friends ever since. She was a great person to hang with even if she was constantly trying to set me up with her friends as she had decided early on that I needed female companionship, Twelve months later I was still dodging calls from some of her more persistent female friends.

‘Pretty good’ I replied, waving toward the chair opposite me as the red head sashayed into my office and sat down, smoothing her skirt as she crossed her legs.

‘You need a plant or something Arch, it looks like a under funded morgue in here’ she surmised as she ran her gaze over the bare walls and empty shelves.

I grimaced, ‘I’d only kill it Jan’ I replied, ‘you remember the cactus that Gloria gave me? It died! I killed a cactus, those things live in the desert! It shouldn’t be possible to achieve such a feat, but I did!’

The woman across from me laughed as she shook her head in amusement, ‘even the grounds keeper couldn’t revive that thing’ she agreed, ‘maybe get some plastic ones? All the decoration, none of the maintenance.’

Laughing I shook my head, ‘I’m pretty sure I’d find a way to kill that too’ I replied sheepishly.

Janet rolled her eyes at me, ‘well at least buy some pictures or something, the newbies are supposed to feel at home when they come here not like they are on prison visitation.’

I sighed, knowing she was right, the whole office looked like I was moving out and had already packed away all my stuff in anticipation. I really didn’t want the scholarship kids thinking I was in a hurry to leave when that couldn’t be further from the truth.

A solemn expression ghosted my friend’s face as she leaned closer, ‘so’ she asked purposefully, ‘how did your dad take the news that you weren’t coming home to take over the corporate world with him?’

I groaned loudly, closing my eyes, that had not been a fun conversation and the disappointment in my father’s voice still rang in my ears.

‘It wasn’t terrible’ I started reluctantly, meeting her gaze as she frowned.

‘So he told you what you wanted to hear but in a tone that confirmed it was not what he wanted’ she guessed correctly.

I nodded, this girl knew me too well, ‘there was a lot of, I understands, and, if you think it’s what’s best for you’ I agreed glumly, ‘but there was also, I was really looking forward to working with my son and it just wont be the same without you’ I added.

The woman across from me shrugged, ‘it’s not his life Arch, if you are not ready to take over a multibillion dollar company, you are not ready and your dad will realise that soon enough.’

I smiled weakly at her, I knew she was right, my dad only wanted what was best for both Wade and I. We knew he loved us both fiercely, he had just had his heart set on at least one of his sons joining him in the office and with Wade being in the hell no category it fell to me to be the prodigal son.

Standing up, Janet grinned down at me, ‘I’ll get you a coffee’ she said, ‘that’s where I was heading when I popped my head in, that’ll perk you right up.’

‘Vanilla creamer?’ I asked hopefully, my tastebuds and mood perking up at the promise of caffeine.

My friend laughed as she nodded, ‘heaven forbid I give you normal creamer Archer Jones’ she fake gasped, placing a hand to her chest, ‘do you not remember the great chocolate éclair meltdown of last semester?!’

I cringed at the reminder, it hadn’t been a good day, I was hung over, my roommates had thrown a party that didn’t end till four am, and their guests had trashed my apartment. Us interns were all staying behind to do filing after the staff left, and all I wanted was a chocolate éclair. My brain was calling out for a plain pastry with chocolate sauce on top and fresh cream inside. So when one of the other interns suggested a cake trip to sustain us as we worked, I put in my order. He went to the bakery and came back with some salted caramel monstrosity that had artificial cream in it! It was an insult to pastry goods and I may have reacted in a less than favourable fashion to the abomination placed in front of me.

OK, I made the guy cry and I felt really bad about it afterwards when Janet ran out and got me a proper éclair. Had to buy the guy lunch for the next month just to alleviate my conscience, he was still wary of me now even though his internship ended six months ago, and would try to avoid me if at all possible.

‘That was an extenuating circumstance’ I mumbled, suddenly finding intense interest in a small spider that was spinning a web in the corner of my window sill to avoid my friend’s amused gaze.

‘Yes, you were hung over and needy’ Janet replied as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and walked out of my office laughing.

Mentally flipping her the bird, I pulled out my phone and opened up the search engine to look for some suitable wall coverings for my new office. By the time Janet returned, two steaming mugs in her hands, I’d ordered four framed pictures, two with soothing beach designs and two with upbeat inspirational quotes that would have had my brother heckling me relentlessly if he ever found out. I had also bought a couple of plastic plants against my better judgement and some ornaments to adorn the empty shelves to the side of my desk.

Placing my mug in front of me, Janet gave me a smile before leaving the me alone again.

Shuffling papers on my desk, my attention was grabbed by a hesitant knock on the door, looking up I found a freshman stood nervously in my doorway. From his build I would guess at a football or basketball scholarship.

‘Hey’ I called out, waving him in, ‘you here to talk about finances? Come on in and shut the door.’ The eighteen year old did as I asked, slowly shutting the door before walking over to the chair I indicated with my hand and taking a seat.

‘So, I’m Archer Jones, I’m heading up the finance office this year, how about we start off with your name.’ I kept my tone friendly and light, as the anxiety raidiating off this kid was palpable.

‘Uhh, My name is Ray’ the dark haired guy across from me mumbled, ‘Raymond Ellis’ he corrected, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, ‘but I prefer Ray.’

I nodded, grabbing a sheet of paper and jotting down his name, ‘so what can I do for you today Ray?’ I asked.

The lad shoulders dropped, ‘I uh, I need books but . . I can’t . . that is, my mom . .’ he swallowed, his whole body tense. ‘She works two jobs, I got a younger brother still in high school, I can’t . . I don’t want . . ‘ his voice trailed off as he picked at the skin around his nails in agitation.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my desk as I studied the kid, ‘you on a football scholarship?’ I asked curiously.

Ray nodded numbly, keeping his gaze on the floor in front of him.

Reaching over, I pulled open a drawer, extracting a form and sliding it over to him, ‘we offer financial aid to those on a scholarship to purchase the books they need for their course’ I explained, smiling as the kid’s gaze flew to meet mine.

‘It’s only a couple hundred bucks so you’ll have to trawl the second hand bookstores for what you need, but it should cover most if not all of your course books. Also check out the library here as we do stock some course books that you can check out for a few weeks. Other students sometimes donate their old textbooks to the school so we put them there for students to use.’

Ray let out a breath, his body relaxing, ‘thanks man . . uh I mean Professor’ he replied, his eyes widening at his familiar greeting to me.

I chuckled, handing him a pen, ‘it’s just Archer man’ I replied, ‘I was a student here last year, I’m no professor.’

‘Ok, um thanks Archer’ he mumbled reaching for the pen and starting to fill in the form. When he was done, I signed the bottom, authorising the funds before standing up and holding out my hand.

‘Good luck Ray, just take this down the hall to Janet and she’ll sort out the money for you. Any other issues, you know where to find me.’

The jock nodded, smiling gratefully as he stood up, shook my hand and ambled out of the room, much happier than when he had walked in.

Sinking back into my chair, my mood lightened, it felt good, helping people. I’d had everything that money could buy in my life, it was nice to be able to help kids that didn’t have the financial backing that my father had provided me.