His office, my rules

Eli

I hung around for a few minutes after class and just when I was about to leave the school, someone came up to tap my shoulder from behind.

The boy whispered into my ear “Dean Holloway asked for you?”

“Me?” I turned to the boy who had delivered this message.

He nodded.

“I’ll be there” and he hurried off.

“What? What did he say?” Maya who was next to me questioned.

“Dean Holloway asks for me”

“Yikes. What did you do” she said, earning her a death stare from me.

“I don't know. You tell me”

“Well… you have to go. What if it's urgent”

“Yeah. I will”

“Hurry. I’ll wait here”

“You're sure? You don't have to”

“Whatever” she muttered and I went my way.

On getting to the Dean’s office, I saw him on his way out. He was locking the door with one hand and holding a briefcase in the other.

“Dean Holloway” I called his attention “You asked to see me”

“Ah yes. Uh Eli” he said, his huge frame turning towards me. “I wanted us to have a discussion. Come on”

I followed him out of the school building into the parking lot.

“How is the student support treating you?” he asked. He was the dean so of course he would know about me getting student support.

“It's good so far sir” I asked.

“I see. And you're sure you've been of good behavior?” I gulped at this statement.

Was there anything I could have done? The last thing I wanted was for me to get stripped of student support.

“Yes sir” I answered.

“You’ve got a girlfriend?” he asked

“No”

“Do you take part in any of the sports activities”

“No”

“Why?”

“I don't have interest in any yet” I was sweating at this point and I started to feel threatened.

“Don’t be frightened. You were spotted at the bleachers some time ago. That's only why I asked.”

There was a bit of silence before he went on, “You know, students like you are on the edge. You have to be extremely careful about your behavior in school premises.Any wrong move and it's over” he snapped his fingers as he moved closer to me.

“Yes I understand” my knees started to feel weak under his stern gaze.

“How about your buddy Liam?”

“We uh… er… we..” I wasn't sure exactly what to say to him.

“You what? Young boy” he moved even closer, looking like he would break me into two if I made any attempt to move.

“We…”

“What's going on here” a stone cold familiar voice cut me off, scaring both Dean Holloway and I.

I turned to look at the one who he somewhat rescued me and it was Carter.

“Professor.” The Dean quickly spoke and broke into a fake smile.

“Dean” Carter gave a small nod.

“I was just asking Eli here about how school life is going”

I could tell Carter didn't buy his excuse.

“Eli” he turned to me.

“Yes. Ca… professor Vale. We were just discussing about my student support” I mumbled.

Carter looked a bit surprised. “That's alright. I thought it was something else. Have a wonderful night Dean” Carter waved us off

“A.. And you too Professor” Dean Holloway said. He then turned to me, “You can go. Now”

I noticed Carter seemed to have a higher influence on Dean Holloway, despite the fact that he was a dean.

I walked through the parking lot and getting to the school gate l, I saw Carter black sleek SUV, coming nlto a halt next to me. He rolled the window down. “Do you want a ride?” he asked.

“Sure”

“Get in” he said and I rounded the car to get in from the passengers side.

“Shoot. I forgot” I uttered as soon as I got in. “Maya”

I quickly pulled out my phone and texted Maya to ask if she had waited for me.

A minute later she responded and said that she was waiting for me at another end of school.

“Can we turn around to pick Maya up. Please” I pleaded with Carter.

“Sure. He said unphased, like he didn't care at all.

We turned around and in no time we got to pick up Maya.

“She seemed hesitant at first but when Carter roller down the window tonrefeal my smiling face, she hopped in instantly.

“Where do you live Miss Adeniran?” Carter asked, a few minutes into the ride, breaking the silence.

“A few streets away from Eli’s” she seemed timid.

Within a few minutes. We were in front of Maya’s home.

“What was that about?” Carter faced me when we dropped Maya off.

“What was what?”

“You know what I'm talking about Rivera”

“It was nothing. Really. I'm on student support and..” I trailed off when I saw his expression.

“Continue” he spoke

“I just have to be of best behavior. That's all”

“You got any bad records?”

“No”

He gave me a side eye, “Then why on earth did he need to pull you aside for that. This is college, there's very little you can do to be considered a bad student”

I gently agreed.

“Well, get out” he tilted his head towards the window and that was when I realized he had gotten to my apartment building.

That was fast.

“Goodnight Mr carter” I waved him off but he didn't say it back. He only nodded and drove off.

A part of my heart was hurt a bit by his action.

I only wanted to know why Dean Holloway seemed to fear him even though he was literally the Dean.