The next few days weren't any better, Kate still was being pretty difficult to handle to Humphrey. Or should he just say Henry now? What made things worse was that they started to fall behind the rest of the class since all of Humphrey's notes weren't on the computer, just in his notebook. What made things worse was that she told him they had to meet up since he was slowing her down!
Wasn't Friday supposed to be a good day?
She made the plan to meet up at the Dunkin Donuts, which of course he responded with a small nod. Kate still only heard the thing he said Monday, clearly at least. It made things just that much more difficult to work with him. She'd be lying if she said her patience wasn't running thin. Though who's wouldn't? They were project partners. That meant they were supposed to talk to each other. Usually, she wouldn't mind, or rather be happy that a boy wasn't talking to her, but when it counted for her perfect grade? That meant that personal feelings were off! She had to stay perfect, and no boy was gonna ruin that.
On her way to the Dunkin Donuts, she met up with her group, no way she would be alone with him. He'd be up to something if they were alone. What made her think that? Just a hunch. A gut feeling that's been there for a couple of years now. God, she hated senior year. Worst year of her life.
Soon Kate's friend Diana spoke up, "So uh, why are we here? Why not just grab lunch at the Olive Garden or something?"
With an annoyed sigh, Kate gave her an agitated response, "Because I need to meet my project partner real quick so he can write his notes on my computer so we can catch up with the rest of the class! Then we can get Olive Garden, my treat okay?"
"Hold up... he?" Jasmine suddenly asked bewildered. Suddenly the rest of the girls had the same reaction.
With a shaking head and another agitated sigh, she explained, "Yeah, I know, I ain't happy with the arrangement, but it's this quiet kid or Jane Ives, so I think the choice was clear,"
"Is he cute?" Diana asked, eyes glistening with hope. Why? Who the hell knows, she already has a boyfriend so she has no need to care.
"Does that matter!? He's just my stupid project partner who's slowing me down!" Kate snapped, causing her friends and sister to take a step back, the reaction immediately made Kate regret her small outburst, "Sorry Diana, I'm on edge"
Diana just giggled, "No problem Kate, I'll forgive you, if he's cute anyway," Kate rolled her eye's at the comment.
The place was in sight, the orange and purple were unmistakable. Next to the entrance was none other than her project partner, pointing at him and with an annoyed tone she said, "Rate him yourselves,"
With that they looked to the kid she pointed at, instantly they whispered what they thought. Kate just rolled her eye's but decided to give him a look anyway. He wasn't muscled like Garth but, he was clearly fit. He had these icy-blue eye's that seemed to study the soul. His platinum and black fur looked well kept and gentle. His tail looked nice and fluffy. Though his sense of fashion was awful, just a black t-shirt and black jogging pants. His shoes were just black and white Under Armor running shoes. She couldn't deny that the kid was attractive (Excluding his fashion sense). Anyone who said otherwise either was lying just plain weird.
That doesn't make him good though.
Humphrey, on the other hand, hadn't noticed the five girls that were rating him. He was too busy on his phone, he was checking the weather hoping it wouldn't rain since he hadn't brought his coat. He definitely didn't want to be soaked today. Then again was there ever a day one wanted to be soaked? Suddenly a message popped up in his group chat, 'Yo Humphrey where are you? We at our place just eating some of the delicious lasagna you made'. It was from Salty.
He chuckled at the comment. Quickly clicking reply he typed as fast as he could, 'I'm at the Dunkin near the MB'. As soon as his text sent he immediately got a response, 'Okay'
With that he turned his phone off and pocketed it, to be greeted by five women, just looking at him. Of course, he knew them all.
Jasmine Smith, daughter Gary Smith. And the heir to the famous bank. Check-It Bank.
Diana Alves, daughter of famous model Daniella Alves. Of course, Diana wants to follow in her mother's footsteps, she hasn't had a bad start either. Already been in a few photoshoots with a couple being put on big-name magazines.
Next was Gloria Nelson, daughter of Irene Nelson, an actress who has won now ten Grammys at her age of 46.
Lastly but definitely not least was the Wilson sisters. Daughters of probably the most powerful couple in the world. Winston and Eve Wilson. Kate the elder daughter by one year is the heir to her father's company Wilson Enterprises while Lily is the heir to their mother's company, Fashion Factual. It's, of course, an extremely huge clothing and jewelry company.
Even if he knew who they were it didn't stop him from being a little freaked out by their stares. He gave a little nervous wave.
Four of the five burst into laughter, the only one who didn't was his project partner, who just scoffed and walked inside. He quickly followed her in and they sat at a table next to the window, the rest followed after a being outside laughing for a solid ten seconds.
"Henry hurry up so I can get out of here," Kate said rather harshly. He nodded and grabbed the computer. After opening up powerpoint he grabbed his notes and started to work.
"So Henry... How are you?" Jasmine asked, with a tone that Humphrey couldn't quite pick up. He just gave her a simple shrug, continuing to type. He had it in his mind that if he stopped for even a moment Kate would lash out at him.
"Can you speak?" she asked. His response was only a nod, he didn't even look at her, just continued to type away.
"Hey aren't ye the poor kid who got a full-ride scholarship because of yer great grades?" Gloria suddenly asked with her heavy accent. He blushed, embarrassed about his financial situation and gave a quick but tiny nod, still having his eyes on the screen.
"Wow, so you're cute and smart," Diana butted in, giggling. He just shrugged and kept typing. He didn't pay attention when people called him cute. Why? Well, he usually believed that they were just being nice, it wasn't the truth to him. He just looked like a poor kid when he looked at the mirror. He wasn't a sculpture made by God, he was just some poor kid that lived in Gladwin, Michigan.
He noticed Jasmine elbow Diana. Why? He couldn't say he knew, but he could guess. Probably was just telling her to stop with the joke. "How many classes do you have with my sister?" Lily had suddenly asked.
With that question, he had no idea how to answer. He didn't want to speak. He just kept typing, "Answer the question, Henry," Kate finally spoke up. She just glared at him, venom in her voice. His body tensed up. What should he do? With an annoyed sigh, Kate turned to her sister, "He's in every one of them," her voice had been growing more agitated, she was near the limit of her patience.
"So... do you like to do anything?" Lily asked another question. Of course, it couldn't be a simple yes or no, could it? He decided to just shrug.
She asked another question, "Why are you in studying business?" Humphrey's answer was just another shrug, as he continued to switch between his notes and the computer. Silently reading to check for mistakes in his grammar. A slight frown forming on his face, a sign of his concentration.
"You do know that reading out loud is better for checking your work right?" Kate suddenly asked, again rather rudely. A nod was all he did.
"Are you gonna answer a fucking question normally asshole!?" Kate snapped.
Humphrey flinched in reaction. His attention went solely on her. His hands froze, the typing ceased. Fear was all he felt as he stared at her.
The tone... that hateful tone he was all too familiar with. Suddenly memories just came into view. Those awful days. The torture. The things he hid from others for so long. Suddenly a certain memory came rushing back. He looked at Kate and did nothing. She stared back, fire in her eyes. Anger boiling.
Suddenly he didn't see her, or anyone else. He was back at his apartment. With him in front of him. He was just stuck... staring at him. Staring at something that seemed unable to recognize who he was. Tears formed the longer he stared as he feared what would happen next.
When he made it back to reality, Kate was shouting, "Are you even listening you little shit!?" Her friends taken aback by her actions, the other students looked at him with sympathy.
"Shit!"
Humphrey snapped his head back to see his three friends, he knew that voice was familiar. They looked shocked, but that shock quickly switched to anger. "What did you do to him!" Shakey yelled, seeing the tears on his face.
"What did we do!? What do you mean what did we do!?" Kate snarled back, Humphrey had to do something, "Why don't you ask you're buddy Henry here! Oh, wait the little shit acts all high and mighty! Doesn't want to waste his damn voice huh!" The last sentence she snapped her head to Humphrey, her face filled with rage.
"What! His name's Humphrey! How can you talk shit about him when you don't even know his name!" Salty spat back. "And what do you mean 'High and mighty' Princess,"
"G-Guys," Humphrey tried to speak up. His attempt in vain as they could not hear him.
"You have no right to talk to me like that! You're a damn nobody!" Kate spat back, going to Salty, her friends following suit. Leaving Humphrey at the seat near the window.
"You know what! Yeah, I am! At least I don't act like I run the damn place cuz my Daddy is the founder of it! At least I don't hate someone because of who they are! At least I-"
"Salty shut up!"
Everyone went quiet. Looking at the owner of the voice. The voice though loud sounded gentle. How? No one knew how. The biggest surprise was who spoke. It was none other than Humphrey, tears still in his eyes. Standing up he walked between the two groups. Who looked to be on the verge of fighting.
He looked back and forth between the two groups before just settling with his friends."Listen, guys. I'm fine okay. Let's just go to the dorm," He then looked to Kate, "My notes are on the table if you want to you can type them up or wait till tomorrow for me. Tomorrow I will have my computer so I won't be useless to you anymore. I'm sorry I didn't speak. I'm also sorry that I came off the way you thought I did. And sorry for my friends, they're just protective. It won't happen again," Looking back to his friends he gestured them to leave, walking to the employee at the register he pulled out fifty-bucks, "Does this cover the whole scene, sir?"
The employee looked at him, shocked. He then looked around the back. Checking for something. Seeing nothing he turned back with a grin. "Sorry sir I'm going to need another fifty, that was a pretty scary situation,"
Humphrey sighed, of course, it wasn't enough. That's the way this works. Humphrey wasn't dumb, he knew the guy just wanted the extra cash. The problem was Humphrey wasn't in a position to just refuse him. He looked through his wallet and saw he didn't have enough to pay the man. He only had another fifteen dollars, "Listen, sir, I just paid for my computer to be fixed and my dorm bills, I don't have another fifty,"
The employee sighed at him.
Kate was surprised, replaying the whole situation. How he'd spoken, how he said sorry. How... different he handled the situation. Looking at the wolf who she now knew as Humphrey, who just offered an employee fifty-bucks for a scene he had barely contributed to, in fact, he was the defuser.
The employee disgusted her though... He had just asked for double the amount. Money hungry bitch. By law, Humphrey didn't even have to pay a penny for what just transpired, but he was... kind enough to. When she saw that he didn't have enough pay, just being walked on by this sad excuse of a wolf, she dare say she felt... sympathy? For a man no less.
"Listen, sir, I just paid for my computer to be fixed and my dorm bills, I don't have another fifty," he said, handing him the fifty again. She couldn't see his face but she could see the tears on his fur, he was still crying... Why? Why was he crying in the first place?
After seeing the employee sigh with a grin she grew angry again. "Well, that's too bad, I guess I should just call security or something,"
Humphrey seemed to begin to shake. Was it out of anger? No, his shaking didn't give the angry vibe. Was he scared? Why would he be scared? "Sir, please don't do that. Um, I-I'll take over your shift! Just..., please don't call security. My friends, nor these kind ladies deserve that,"
He was defending them! What! After how little she treated him, he still wanted to help her! Who the hell was this kid!
"I'm afraid that won't do, you see it's one-hundred bucks or security," the employee offered while taking that first fifty bucks.
Kate had enough, "How about none of the above," she said walking to the counter.
The employee looked at her, wide-eyed. "I'm sorry miss?"
Kate laughed, this damn kid was hilarious! "Let me put it this way, either you give him back the money and keep your job... or you could be forced to give him the money and lose your job! Don't test me either kid," She said starting to scroll through her phone.
The employee laughed, about to talk back, until he saw the phone, she was ringing her father. Of course, everyone knew her father. His business being one of the biggest out there! Of course, she had been on TV many times thanks to that so her face was well known. The employee gave a nervous chuckle and handed Humphrey the fifty-bucks while saying sorry, and running away.
Pathetic. She thought, chuckling in her mind.
She watched as Humphrey just looked at the money, then to her. He opened his mouth, to then close it. He then gave her a single shy nod and walked to his friends. Out the door.
Shaking her head she scoffed. Grabbed her stuff and his notebook and met up with her own friends.
This boy just confused her. He was just so... different. Why didn't he speak, unless it was his only choice? Why didn't he tell her that Henry wasn't his name? How could he be so kind? How could he be so... spineless, so... different? Why was he not what she expected him to be?
Who exactly was Humphrey?
That's chapter 2. If I'm honest this didn't go as I planned and I nearly convinced myself to redo the entire thing. I just gave it a huge edit and got this as a result. I really hope this turned out fine.
Anyway, I'll see all you beautiful people in the next chapter.