Author's Notes:
There's a shout-out in here, but it's not a crossover
The Suite Life on Deck is still in the future, so once again, it's being ignored. Just knowing it exists seriously cramps my style. This is set far enough in the future that it shouldn't make a difference.
Standard Disclaimer: Any characters in this story that you've seen on TV are the intellectual property of the Walt Disney Company. Go ahead, try and sue a guy with a negative net worth!
Without further ado…
'Tis Better to Give
By
James Doyle
Chapter One
On a steamy morning in August of 2013, Cody Martin awoke in his motel room. After spending his adolescent years living in a five-star hotel, he actually found the modest accommodations somewhat refreshing. He put himself through a minimum of a morning ritual before checking out.
Once checked out, Cody wasted no time in hitting the road in his rented EconoMove truck. In previous years, he'd made this journey with his mother and brother, but this time, he decided to make the trip solo. After all, it wouldn't do for a young man to show up for his senior year at Middleton Institute of Science and Technology with his mother in tow.
Cody looked at the clock on the dashboard as he merged onto Interstate 70. By his calculations, he would arrive in Colorado in with just enough time to haul the bare essentials up to his apartment before turning in. Cody dreaded the thought of having to round up a team of volunteers to help move his furniture.
Cody quickly swallowed his pride and counted his blessings. Even though Cody's grades, test scores, letters of recommendation, and extra-curricular activities had been excellent, scholarships were extremely competitive. Though he had easily gained admission to MIST, the aid package they offered him covered only about half of the cost of tuition, and this with the least attractive possible room and board options.
Then, an answer came to his prayers. Just as he was about to defer to his fourth choice for reasons of affordability, he received a letter from the bursar's office at MIST informing him that his tuition had been paid, and included a generous room and board allowance. They assured him that it was all perfectly legal, but that his benefactor had asked to remain anonymous, and that their privacy policy required them to honor this request. From then on, he had always found his tuition paid in full, even when he was unable to renew almost half of his scholarships.
Cody arrived in Middleton about an hour after sunset. He dragged an overnight bag and a bedroom up two flights of steps to his apartment. Much to his chagrin, his key seemed not to work. After several more tries, he attempted to let himself in with a credit card. No dice: The deadbolt had been set.
Cody tried calling his landlord several times, each time getting voice-mail. He decided to give up for the evening and headed back toward the truck. He sprawled out across the cab and slept a surprisingly restful sleep, probably from sheer exhaustion, he gathered.
The next morning, Cody awoke to the sound of his cellphone ringing. He checked the caller ID, which identified the caller as Jim Rojas, his landlord. Cody quickly answered.
"Mr. Rojas, thank goodness!" he said.
"Cody, I've been trying to get a hold of you for the past two days!" exclaimed Rojas. "Where have you been?"
"I just drove over the mountains," explained Cody. "I've been in and out of range. What's up?"
"You're three months behind on rent," scolded Rojas. "I had to rent the place to someone else."
"That's absurd!" protested Cody. "I've never missed a payment."
"Yeah, thanks to your mystery payer. Whoever he is, it looks like he dropped the ball this time."
"I've gotta go," said Cody. "I'll get back to you."
"Feel free," said Rojas. "If you can pay back what you owe, I've got some other properties."
Cody revved up the truck and headed straight away to the Bursar's Office. He arrived there about ten minutes later, looking rather conspicuous as the only truck in the visitors' parking lot. He ran for the administration building, only to double back and retrieve his keys and his wallet.
"I think there might be a problem with my tuition," gasped Cody as his turn came around.
"Key in your student ID number," instructed the cashier, pointing to a small USB keypad. Cody did as instructed.
"Cody Martin?" confirmed the cashier.
"That's me," replied Cody.
"Yes, I'm afraid there is a problem. Your financial aid came in, but it only covers about half of your tuition."
"How could that be?" said Cody as he began to panic. "It's always been taken care of."
The cashier typed in a few more commands. "You might want to contact your third-party payer."
"Great, just tell me who that is, and I'll get right on it."
The cashier frowned. "I'm sorry, sir, I can't do that. Institutional privacy policy."
Cody sighed as he turned away. "Thanks anyway," he said.
The cashier nodded. "Sorry I couldn't be of more help."
Cody made his way back toward the parking lot, ready to take the truck back to Boston. He decided all was not lost. He could transfer to a state school. It wouldn't be ideal, but he could finish his degree and get into a good grad school.
Suddenly, the image of a familiar figure rushing past interrupted Cody's introspection. He thought it a strange image for his subconscious to cough up. It took him a moment that he had indeed seen this person. Curious to know who it was, he turned back.
Looking back at the Bursar's Office, he found the familiar figure to be none other than London Tipton.
"Okay, I think this is everything," said London as she removed papers from a folder.
"Invoice, third-party payment form, cashier's check," confirmed the cashier. "Which covers everything but the late fee."
"Late fee?" protested London. "I was out of the country! You should be more respectful of someone who just handed you a check for twenty thousand dollars."
The cashier growled. "Miss Tipton, I'm afraid I can't make exceptions. If I'm going to process this payment, there's a two hundred dollar late fee."
London's face perked up. "Oh, is that all?" She reached into her purse and handed the cashier a few bills. "Keep the change."
The cashier shook her head. "Miss Tipton, I'm not allowed to accept gratuities."
"Well, I'm not taking it back," replied London as she walked away. The cashier sighed and set the money aside, resolved to put it Keg House's Make-A-Wish Foundation jar.
As London rounded the corner, she came face-to-face with Cody Martin. They both froze in place, London with embarrassment, and Cody with shock.
"Cody, what are you doing here?" demanded London.
"What am I doing here?" shouted Cody. "I go to school here. The question is, what are you doing here?"
"I...I..."
"You're paying my tuition! All these years, it was you! I should have known!"
:London scrunched up her face. "You don't have to thank me. It's not like I was doing anything worthwhile with my money"
"Thank you?" gasped Cody as he got in London's face. "Do you think I'm some kind of charity case? Are you giving me your chump change because you feel sorry for me? Well, forget it! Me and my family have always gotten by on our own, and we still can!"
"Dammit, Cody!" yelled London. Upon attracting the attention of the entire building, she dragged Cody outside to continue the argument. "That's not it at all!"
"Well, what is it?" demanded Cody. "I honestly can't think of any other reason why you'd throw money at me."
A tear streaked down London's face. "Because I love you."
End of Chapter One