Chapter 1- It started with a lecture...
A 6'4, blond hair man was reading a book while sitting on a chair in front of hundreds of students. More students were coming in through the door.
He flipped another page, and then calmly looked at his watch.
The students were talking at a mild volume as they settled themselves in their seats.
The man slammed his book closed.
The noise of the action silenced the entire room.
"I expect better from students attempting to acquire a degree in biology. Just because this isn't your first year, it doesn't mean you can talk. I respect you all. I hope I can continue to respect you until you get your degree, but you have to respect me as well by listening attentively and working hard."
He walked around the small area he had in front of the now attentive students.
"Some of you may have had me in one of your chemistry or biology lectures, and some of you don't. So...let me introduce myself. I am Garfield Logan, that's G-A-R-F-I-E-L-D space L-O-G-A-N. I have a Master's degree, but is currently working towards a PhD, hence why I am here."
He talked with a slow pace, yet it caught the attention of the students. He then rubbed his hands together.
"So...shall we?"
He turned to face the board where a projector.
"Welcome to the incredibly interesting world of biomedical science, but before that I'm going to you a diagnostic test on one of your previous beloved subjects, Organic Chemistry."
Many groans could be heard amongst the students. For many of them, Biochemistry was the hardest subject they had to take, the average GPA the previous year was 2.1, which translated to a university average of around 70%, a below requirement mark for most courses.
But this was one of Garfield's favorite subjects, he was going to have fun watching his students suffer.
At 10:00 P.M, Garfield packed the last stack of papers into his messenger bag. He walked up the stairs and through the exit, he gave the keys to the room to another professor who worked night shifts.
As he stepped out of Jump City university, he noticed the night sky was clear and pretty, he smiled.
"I think run home today."
He began jogging the entire 13 km to his home.
As he got to his apartment door, he fumbled a bit with his keys before successfully opening the door.
He switched on the lights ad threw his bag onto the couch.
It was a Friday night, so Garfield knew he can take a few liberties. A long time ago, he'd be the kind of person who'd party every chance he'd get, but now, he seems content in being alone. He walked up to his phone and noticed that he had 2 voice-mail messages.
He reluctantly clicked the button.
"Hello, this is the owner of your apartment, just here to remind you that rent's due in a week. Just saying so that you don't forget like last time."
Garfield wasn't in a position to payoff his rent soon, he had to take $100,000 in loans to apply for his Master's degree and his PhD. He had practice, unpaid, lectures on Thursday and Friday, and worked two jobs from Sunday to Wednesday. He was one of the many graduate students who are barely making enough money for a shelter.
Then the last message was said, this one was far more important than the other.
"Hey, Gar, it's me Vic, I'm visiting Jump for a while, and I know you don't have classes tomorrow. I'm inviting you for some ball, unless of course you're afraid you'll lose. Tomorrow at the Hudson park, at 9 in the morning, be there!"
Garfield smiled. He hasn't seen Victor Stone in 6 months as he was busy with an internship in S.T.A.R. labs.
"No matter what time it is, Vic's always up for ball."
He walked up to a picture frame with him, and 4 other men in formal military uniform. One was a very tall African-American, two others had orange/red hair, and another one who had black hair who gave a faint smile.
He sat back down on his couch, and placed the frame beside him. He then turned on the T.V and started watching a NFL game on it. His stomach growled and he looked down on it.
"Gotta get me some grub!"
The doorbell rang.
"What the?"
Garfield walked up to the door and opened it. To his surprise, it was his adoptive parents.
"Rita...Steve...what a wonderful surprise."
Garfield tried to say it with fake enthusiasm, but everyone was aware of his unenthusiastic thoughts.
Steve, a middle-aged man with a stern look on his face, looked around his apartment.
"Is this where you live in at age 27. You went to the most prestigious military academy, West Point, but you got your sorry ex-military ass fired and now you live in this dump."
Rita looked at Steve with concern.
"Steve!"
"I'll have you know that I'm working towards a PhD, I'm already finished and edited 6 pages of my original thesis."
Steve rolled his eyes.
"Great another enterprise that you'll be dishonorably discharged from."
"Hey! IT-...nevermind."
"You can't make excuses Garfield, you dropped the ball on your military career, I'm just here to make sure you don't drop the ball on this one."
Then it was Garfield's turn to roll his eyes.
"What do you got?"
"I'm offering a paid internship where you will be managing one of my pharmacy."
Garfield was expecting an offer involving finance, but this one aligned with his interests.
"How much do I-"
"12K a month with 6% commission. So what do you say?"
Garfield rubbed his chin and then looked up at Steve.
"When do I start?"
Steve smiled at him.
"This coming summer and it'll last for a year. I'm glad you came to this conclusion."
Steve extended his hand towards him. Garfield firmly shook it.
"Me too."
"Oh well, me and your mother have to go, we have a business meeting with an oil tycoon in Milan. And before I forget..."
Steve reached for something in his wallet.
"Here's a cheque for $200, 000, use it wisely Garfield."
As he handed it to him, Garfield couldn't believe his eyes.
"I-I don't know what to say."
"It's not what you say, but what you do that matters to me, pay off your loans Garfield, and be sure to pay off your rent."
"Will do, Steve."
"Well, I have a business meeting in Milan, and Rita has an Art convention to visit in Messina, we have to get going. Good bye."
"G'bye!"
Garfield waved back at them. He smiled. As he closed the door, he looked closely at the cheque. All 6 digits were there, a 2 followed by 5 zeroes.
"Maybe things are starting to work out."
The next day, he was seen with track pants and an addidas jacket on while dribbling a basketball. First though, he walked into a bank to cash in the cheque.
The female bank clerk asked for his credit card.
He gave it to her. She scanned and transferred the funds to his account.
"Thank you and have a nice day."
He nodded his head.
"You too."
As he neared the park, he saw the tall African-American man in the photo dunk on the person in front of him.
"And-one! WHOO!"
"Hey Vic!"
Victor turned around. And instinctively caught a ball in his hands.
"Hey man! You made it! Did you see me go Michael Jordan on this poor guy?"
"I wouldn't consider it Jordanesque, it's more D-League at best."
Victor passed the ball back to Garfield.
"You ready to test that theory."
"I'm all about theories."
"Check."
Garfield gave a bounce pass to Victor, who gave a bounce pass back.
"Hey, Garfield I didn't come here to lose, if that's what you're thinking.
Garfield dribbled the ball between his legs several times.
"Ah Vic, always trying to distract."
"Nah man, this is serious."
Garfield smirked back.
"So is this!"
He faked a drive to his left and instead went to his right, Victor was still guarding him. Garfield spun around him and attempted a fadeaway jump-shot.
'SWAT!'
Victor sent the ball across the court with his block.
"No fair! You're a solid 6 inches taller than me!"
"Then don't go to the paint next time."
Garfield ran to the ball and picked it up.
He stood just in outside the 3 point line with Victor just 6 feet away.
"You swatted it out. My possession."
He gave bounce pass to Vic and he bounced it back.
"C'mon big guy, you got size, but do you have AGILITY?"
He ran in a curve towards the net, but instead of going in for a lay-up, he stops and attempts another jump shot. Victor anticipated this and tried to block it, but by the time he got there, he blocked nothing but air.
"SWISH BABY!"
"Lucky shot, Gar."
"You pronounced skilled wrong."
"Yo, how 'bout we make this interesting, we bet."
"Woah, Vic, I don't want to make you bankrupt, but if you insist..."
"It's you who's got financial troubles."
Garfield smiled. He remembered his cheque and the internship he got into thanks to his adoptive.
"I guess...anyways...5 dollars?"
"50."
"Pretty confident there."
"I'm not confident, I'm just right."
"Let's find out."
WELL, AT FIRST I WASN'T CONSIDERING STARTING ANOTHER STORY, BUT IN TURNS OUT THAT MOST AUTHORS IN FANFICTION AND WRITING MULTIPLE DIFFERENT STORIES AT A TIME, EVEN THE GREAT ONES. SO, INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR WEEKS FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER OF ONE STORY, WHY NOT READ ANOTHER ONE?
RIGHT?...
