CHAPTER SIX
2313 Words
Principal Henry was enjoying dinner with his family when his phone rang. When he saw the name that flashed on the phone, he hurriedly left the table for his study.
“Hello! Get me enrolled at Royals High School by tomorrow!” was the first thing he heard.
“Good evening, Mr. Miller”
“Evening, Principal Henry, I'm not going to repeat myself. I hope you understand what I'm talking about”
“Of course, Mr. Miller” he didn't understand but he wouldn't tell him that.
“You obviously don't want to use your real name, Mr. Miller?“ He asked tentatively.
“Obviously, Henry”
“Good night, Mr. Miller, I understand”
“Good night”
The next morning at the company, he was waiting for Leonard to be back from his trip. He had a lot of things to tell him, to catch him up on but it'd have to wait for now. He had to catch that Bella girl and her gang by himself.
“I heard you have been looking for me” Leonard burst in, cutting short his thoughts.
“My man Leo” Ryan stood up to welcome him.
“I missed you man, get in here” They hugged briefly.
“How was the trip?”
“All business, my man, no time to sight-see”
“I don't trust you Leo, all that beauty and you want me to believe it's all business?”
“You know me so well, Ryan” He sighed “I'll submit the paperworks later”
“I have something important to talk to you about”
“Yes, my PA mentioned that you want to see me the minute I step in. What is it?”
“I want to take a self-imposed leave. I haven't had a proper rest ever since the company started. I want to leave everything to you. Decisions, finances, the board of directors, everything related to the company. I leave it to you”
Leonard was speechless.
“Did something happen while I was away?”
“A lot happened. I'll tell you when I return”
“What bought this about?”
“I'll tell you when I get back?”
“When will you be back?”
“I don't know yet. I won't be leaving any contact so you won't be forced to contact me. Any decisions you make, I'll respect it when I get back because I know you have my best interests at heart”
“Of course. But I feel betrayed”
“Why?”
“You obviously don't trust me enough to tell me what is going on”
“What I am going to be doing on this leave is related to something that happened while you were away. I promise to tell you everything when it's resolved”
“Promise?”
“I promise”
“How is Adele doing? It's been long I saw that little angel”
“She's fine. She knows how to throw tantrums now” he sighed, remembering her last actions.
“Welcome to fatherhood, man”
“Not that you know anything about it” Leonard laughed
“You got me there, man”
“It's high time you settle down. Find a nice girl and wife her. You have plenty to choose from”
“I know. I'm just not ready to commit to one woman. Plenty to choose from”
“You're not serious”
“I agree”
“You take over tomorrow”
“Tomorrow?”
“Why, you're not ready?”
“It's just so soon, that's all”
“Whatever. I'll miss you”
“Me too”
“By the way, that s**t you pulled with the bodyguards before you left, that was not cool man”
“I just think you don't take your security seriously. You know I would never defy you”
“Ok, I have something to take care of. I won't be coming back to the company for sometimes.”
“I guess this is it, then”
“Yes, don't come by the mansion or I'll be forced to ask about work”
“Whoa! You're cutting me off entirely”
“Don't be dramatic, Leo” He laughed then left.
Anna was waiting for him at home looking all right. Ryan actually called the Doctor last night who checked her up and gave her some medications.
He would have asked her to meet him at the company but he didn't want to risk her getting found out or seen with him.
"You're ready?" He asked when he drove in. She was already waiting for him outside the door.
"Yes"
“How are you feeling now? Have you taken your prescribed medications?”
“Yes, Mr. Miller. Thanks for caring”
"Are you nervous?" He asked. It was obvious. Of course she was.
"No" She took a while before answering.
"Liar"
"Of course I am” She burst “I've never done this before. I never imagined that I'd be doing this so soon. I never thought that I'd ever get married. I mean who'd want me? I have nothing to offer anyone except a sick Grandmother" By the time she was done with her tirade, they had reached the court.
"I'm sorry"
"Don't be"
"We're here"
"Oh, she quickly exited the car not wanting to face him.
Two officials were waiting to receive him and his bride.
"Good Morning, Mr. Miller"
"Good morning" He shook their hand before nodding for them to go inside.
"Come here" He took her hand "There's no reason to be scared. I'm here"
"Thank you" Anna was truly grateful for his words.
"Just make sure you read before you sign anything"
"Ok" They walked inside hand-in- hand.
It was a simple affair. There was a priest and two witnesses.
"Do you, Anna Bliss, take Ryan Miller as your husband in health and in sickness, in wealth and in poverty?
She hesitated before answering him "Yes, I do"
"Do you, Ryan Miller, take Anna Bliss as your wife in health and in sickness, in wealth and in poverty?"
"Yes, I do" There was no hesitation on his part.
They both signed the certificate.
"You may kiss the bride" the priest declared.
Anna began feeling uneasy and uncomfortable. In an attempt to avoid getting kissed by Ryan, she started backing away slowly.
Ryan subtly followed until she ended up resting her back against the walls. When he finally got within arm’s reach of her, he impulsively kissed her cheeks—the only part of her that he can reach without getting consent from her first
"No need to be scared, Mrs. Miller, I won't take your first kiss" he whispered in her ear and she blushed furiously. He gave her a kiss on the neck which sent shivers down to her spine.
The next morning at Royals High School was an eventful one.
“Whoa, who is that cutie?”
“Cutie? More like a demi-god”
“What's he looking for in our school?”
“Must be a rich heir looking for a change of scene”
“Or his father is forcing him to finish school or forget about his inheritance” All the students who saw Ryan that morning tried to guess the reason he was in their school.
Ryan didn't notice any of them. He went straight to the principal's office. To collect his fake document and everything he'd need for his stay in his school.
“Good morning, students of Grade 3”
“Good morning, Principal Henry” They chorused.
“A new student will be joining your class today. He's here on transfer and will be spending the rest of the year with us. Let us welcome him and make him feel at ease in Royals”
“Yes, Principal”
“Introduce yourself to your new classmates”
“Good morning all, my name is Ryan Stone and I'll be finishing the rest of the year with you”
The girls cheered and the boys had mixed feelings. They had real competition with all the girls now. He looked rich and handsome. Jon didn't like that one bit. He saw Bella smiling and fluffing her hair to get his attention.
Ryan’s tall and slender body structure deceived them all. He looked younger in his school uniforms.
“You can pick a seat now. My secretary will bring the things you'll need before the end of your first lesson”
This confirmed it. He was wealthy. Why else would the principal personally see to his welfare? The students thought to themselves.
Everyone wanted to sit with him but he headed straight for Anna's seat. He commanded the boy beside her to look for another. The boy looked to the principal for help but he ignored him.
“Hello, wifey” he said to her quietly.
“What are you doing here?” She whispered furiously.
“You know, this and that” he shrugged nonchalantly
“You just made me a public enemy” she hissed
“Don't worry. I'll be here to protect you” he teased and ruffled her hair. The whole class watched them in envy. She simply slapped his hands away which made him laugh. His wife was so cute. She wondered what he meant by he will protect her.
“She is so going to pay for daring to lay his hands on him” Bella hissed quietly. How dare that street rat put her hand on the only guy that she's interested in.
During break, Anna quickly left the class to lock herself in the restroom. She didn't feel like getting bullied. Not in Ryan's presence.
Girls quickly flooded Ryan's seat.
“Where are you from?”
“What company do your parents own?”
“Are you from America?”
“How old are you?”
“Girls” Bella spoke up “This is hardly the welcome Principal Henry spoke about. Let us give him space”
Bella tried not to act desperate like the other girls. This would set her apart from the other girls. Make him notice her.
“Do you want me to show you around?” Bella spoke sweetly, batting her eyes gently.
“No” he said curtly. He stood up and she followed him.
“Where are you going? You don't want to get lost in this school. It's a pretty big school. It's the best in New York, after all”
“Don't I know it?”
“Right?” She smiled proudly when he replied her. No man or boy could resist her.
“Stop following me” He said.
“Pardon?”
“Are you simple in the head?”
“Yes, I mean No” Bella was shocked. This was a first for her.
“Then stop following me” He left her and walked to the principal's office.
Was this because of that pathetic Anna? Did she not learn from last time?
Anna was checking to see if it was safe for her to leave the restroom yet. She was still waiting for the bell. Or she could go to the Principal's office for her weekly assessment. That was better.
“Ryan is so hot”
“I know right?”
“Such a shame Bella called dibs on him”
“And what's the deal with that Anna girl?” Anna jumped when she heard the girls outside the stall mention her name.
“I wonder what kind of tactic she used to seduce him”
“She has that helpless look going for her”
“Look at me. I'm Anna. I'm poor. My grandmother takes care of me. I'm a scholarship student” the other girl did a poor imitation of her voice.
“You got it right” They laughed before exiting the restroom.
“Guys like that. The feeling of helping a weak female”
“Bella is so going to deal with her” They laughed again.
She was right. Ryan was going to put her in trouble with the girls in her class. What was Ryan doing in school anyway? She would ask him later at night. She dared not approach him in school.
Later in the mansion after she had tucked Adele in. She decided to go ask Ryan why he was disguising as an high school student. There had to be a relationship between Principal Henry and her husband. She was going to find out what the relationship between them was.
As she tiptoed to the study, her suspicions were confirmed. He was on a call
“Principal Henry, what are you doing concerning the teacher's nonchalant attitude and the students' indiscipline? What happened to the disciplinary committee I asked you to set up, aren't you working on it?”
It was obvious he noticed the students and teachers nonchalant attitude just on his first day at Royals.
He didn't even wait for a response before continuing.
“Are you not capable of doing your job properly?”
Anna cleared her throat to get his attention. She wasn't going to let anyone, wealthy or not, talk to Principal Henry like that. Immediately he saw that it was Anna, he hung up.
“Why are you being so rude to the principal? Surely, you can't know better than him in handling his school's affairs?”
“His school?” He raised a brow in amusement.
“Yes”
“ Do you know the difference between a principal and a proprietor?“
“Yes”
“So am I supposed to watch as my school gains bad reputation while I'm still alive? Am I not supposed to do anything about it?” He asked calmly.
- Writer
