Finding What Really Interests Me
"During the three weeks Kris had been whipping the Beverly Hills Trojans team into shape, there had been a tremendous improvement among the team's players. Not only did the athletic performance of the players go up, but also their morale towards the season," Tom Brady narrated as the Beverly Hills Trojans finished their practice with full effort and dedication. "Even better, the coach was impressed with Kris and Kevin's leadership."
—- Montage of clips of the Trojans practicing with full effort, dedication, and commitment —-
When the Beverly Hills Trojans football team finished their practice, the head coach, Jason Stark, decided to name the team captains.
"Alright, everyone listen up! I'm finally seeing a team that's coming to fruition. If we keep doing what we're supposed to be doing, we will be champions," Coach Stark said. "Also, the captains for the season: Kris Yadav and Kevin Lordan."
Everyone on the team applauded Kris and Kevin.
"Kris and Kevin, come over and say a few words if you will," Coach Stark said.
Kris and Kevin stand up and decided to say what they wanted to say.
"Well, in the last three weeks I've been here, I've seen everything that I wanted to see. Grit, dedication, commitment, effort, and heart. I'm not gonna say that I lit spark that turned us into an inferno to be reckoned with. But I can say, it took all of us to become an inferno to be reckoned with. I know using the word 'force' sounds cliche, but the way I saw you guys practiced the effort we've put in, that force turned us into an inferno!" Kris said with strong enthusiasm and prideful happiness.
"Kris is right. Initially, we thought our season was over due to the academic dishonesty scandal that the former rising seniors of our program were responsible for. After seeing how we practiced, the sky's the limit for us. We're taking the championship back, is that clear?!" Kevin said.
"Yes," the team players said altogether.
"I can't hear you, Is that clear?!" Kevin shouted.
"Yes!" the team players shouted altogether.
"One more time! Is that clear?!" Kevin shouted even louder.
"Yes!" the team players shouted more louder altogether.
"On 3! 1,2,3! Trojans!" Kevin said before ending practice.
"Trojans!" the entire time shouted before the end of practice.
While the players were putting away the practice equipment as part of their post-practice activities.
"Excited for our first game of the season?" Kevin asked Kris.
"Well, more excited to start my first game as a starter," Kris stated.
"Hey, you earned that role. Plus, you're the captain," Kevin said.
"Well, it's pretty weird on how I stepped up from being a player into a team captain when I saw you guys apparently gave up on playing for a chance to win a state championship," Kris explained.
"Well, something must've lit a fire on your ass. Care to share what that caused that fire?" Kevin asked.
Kris thought about how he should answer that question. Feeling it's time to be honest with Kevin, Kris decided to open up on his past behavior for a bit.
"Actually, I had a crush on a girl back when I was in sixth grade. Turns out she liked this biracial jock who looked really good. Back then, I used to be overweight and have below average looks. I felt embarrassed when she turned me down. Even though I was good at studying, I wasn't really athletic back then. Also, my parents' divorce put me in a dark place. After my parents' divorce, I knew I had to take control of my own destiny and fate. So, when I moved to the Bay Area, I started working out and I lost a ton of weight because of it. Like, I couldn't even recognize myself because of how much weight I've lost," Kris said. "Despite losing weight, I couldn't shake off the memory of being embarrassed by my crush. So I tried getting myself a life outside of academics. When I watched the Super Bowl game with the Patriots and Seahawks, the goal-line interception made by Malcolm Butler inspired me to take up football. The idea of how a play can change the entire outcome got me hooked completely. Therefore, playing football gave me a lifeline when I was dealing with my parents' divorce and my father's re-marriage to a white woman."
"I thought you got along with your step-mother and step-sister," Kevin said, wondering what Kris's going through.
"I get along with Amanda and Caitlyn. Don't get me wrong, I love them. But, it's something else," Kris said.
"Well, what is your problem?" Kevin asked.
"My mother Rhyah. She's a great woman and wishes the best for me. But, most of the time, I feel that she's not letting me make my own choices and learn from the consequences. She also tends to favor Des, my older brother. It's also another reason why I chose to be in the custody of my dad," Kris said. "Even though I reconciled with my mother and Des when I came to LA, I'm still struggling with the fact that my parents are divorced and got remarried to different people. My past self with a black-and-white vision refused to come to terms with my parents' divorce, causing me great distress. Sometimes, there were moments where I wanted to act out, but I knew that would make things worse. Playing football allowed me to channel that feeling of acting out. I feared that without football, I'll have a hard time dealing with the changes my family's going through."
After listening to Kris's problem, Kevin realized what Kris was going through.
"I think I understand what you're going through. You're afraid of change yet you're open to it. When my sister was born, I was afraid of my family changing. The only way to get over that fear is to see the change from a different perspective," Kevin advised. "I know it sounds easier said than done, but it's the only way to deal with the fear of change."
"Kris was actually afraid of change, but also, he was really afraid that he must reinvent himself if he lost football when he moves to a different school," Tom Brady narrated Kris's thoughts while explaining what Kris is really afraid of.
"Well, maybe you should find other hobbies. That way, you won't feel like you're reinventing yourself," Kevin said. "That's my advice."
"After listening to Kevin, Kris found Kevin's advice to be potentially useful. Although he didn't explore interests outside of sports, he wanted to give it a try," Tom Brady narrated.
"You know if there's a club fair this semester?" Kris asked.
"Well, there's a club fair after the first week of school," Kevin explained. "Oh, speaking of school, I found out which classes you're taking for the year. World Core, Pre-Calculus Honors, Chemistry Honors, Core Literature, Drama Honors, Spanish 2, Sports Medicine, Choir B, and Culinary Arts."
"Why're you so surprised?" Kris asked as he noticed Kevin's surprised reaction.
"Well, you're taking nine courses. I understand Choir B and Culinary Arts are bullshit electives, but those courses teach a lot. Especially Drama Honors," Kevin said. "How'd you get Drama Honors anyway?"
"Well, I found out Drama Honors allow new students by audition. I went for the audition and did my part. I don't know what the teacher saw in me, but let's just say I made the cut for the class. After my audition, the teacher gave me a permission code to enroll in Drama Honors. That's how I knew I made the cut," Kris explained.
"Man, you're so lucky. With the classes you're taking and your interest in football, you've opened yourself up to multiple options when it comes to finding clubs," Kevin said. "I prefer you join a volunteer organization, along with clubs that spark your interest."
"Volunteer organizations are essential extracurriculars for sure. It just helps college admissions think you're involved in the community, which might be a plus for you, depending on the strengths and weaknesses of your college apps," Kris stated.
"You seem to know a lot about the college application process. How'd you know all this?" Kevin asked.
"Well, my paternal uncle's a college admissions counselor. He knows how to bring the best out of a college applicant. He also mentors high-performing students who excel academically and are on the bottom barrel of the socioeconomic society we live in. He even got many of his applicants into Ivys," Kris stated.
"Any chance you could put in a good word for him with me?" Kevin asked.
"What're your stats?" Kris asked. "Depending on your stats, I can possibly make your case."
"Well, I have a 3.5 GPA, 1390 on the SAT, a 3 and 5 on the AP US History and AP Biology Exams, respectively, involved in many extracurriculars, and experienced a few things that defined me who I am," Kevin said.
"You want to get into Ivy Leagues, MIT, CalTech, Stanford, or those types of schools?" Kris asked.
"No. Ivy Leagues don't offer academic or athletic scholarships," Kevin said. "Plus, Stanford's on my scout list."
"Yeah, I can do that," Kris said. "I'll tell my uncle. In return, I'm gonna need a favor though."
"I knew you'd say that. What is it?" Kevin said.
"Do you know what are the cliques in Beverly Hills?" Kris asked. "I feel like I should have a head start because I'm only aware of the football team being one clique."
"Well, there are cliques in Beverly Hills, but the students here don't identify themselves with a clique. The cliques present in Beverly Hills are the academic dorks, jocks, drama kids, popular kids, computer geeks, the hippies, bad boys, social media influencers, rich brats, mean girls, and the all-rounders," Kevin said.
"I can imagine what most cliques you mentioned are like. But I'm not able to picture the all-rounders. What type of clique is that?" Kris asked.
"Well, the clique is filled with merit students who excel academically, athletically, socially, and have ambitions about their futures. They're also talented in the performing arts. If I'm being honest, you're likely to be strongly associated with the all-rounders," Kevin said. "But the thing is, the some of the all-rounders might check you out."
"Are you implying that the all-rounders might be attracted to me? Why?" Kris asked.
"Well, a few cheerleaders saw you three weeks ago when you pushed the team to be better and not give up on the season. They found you hot and cute. Turns out, they're part of the all-rounders clique. And my sister's Cecelia is also one of those cheerleaders," Kevin mentioned.
"So what? You concerned that I might make a move or something?" Kris questioned.
"No. But I prefer that you don't make a move on my sister. She's self-reliant, slightly condescending, super-brainy, moderately flirtatious, and more beautiful than me," Kevin said. "She's also the apple of my parents' eyes."
"I take it that she has a boyfriend?" Kris inquired. "I'm pretty sure she's a bit of a control freak."
"No, she once had a friends-with-benefit relationship with this dude named Paxton Hall-Yoshida. She wanted to make a move on him, but she realized she's infatuated with him due to his physical aesthetic features. So, she called it quits," Kevin said.
"Well, I think I know who you're talking about. Does Paxton go to Sherman Oaks High?" Kris inquired.
Kevin nodded. Suddenly, Kevin was confused.
"How do you know Paxton anyway?" Kevin asked.
Kris narrated his first meeting with Paxton and how he met him. After listening to Kris, Kevin was surprised.
"So, your step-sister and him, are they going out?" Kevin inquired.
"No, she found him kind of dumb. Like your sister, Caitlyn was attracted to him via his physical aesthetic features," Kevin answered.
"I see. If became friends with Paxton Hall-Yoshida when you met him for the first time and hung out with his Sherman Oaks friends, he saw something in you," Kevin said. "Plus, every teen in SoCal knows who Paxton is."
"Even the celeb kids who live in Bel-Air and Beverly Hills?" Kris questioned.
Kevin nodded with a smile.
Kris was shocked. He regained his composure quickly and wondered what to say.
"Damn. I had no idea Paxton was that popular. He seemed like a chill dude," Kris said. "I met his friends as well. One of his female friends named Carley asked me out for ice-cream at the mall."
"Wait. One of Paxton's female friends asked you out? Damn, bro. Sounds like you're getting more women than me," Kevin said.
"Well, see you at the first day of school on Monday," Kris said.
When Kris walked away from the field, he got a text message from Paxton saying: "What up, dude? My buddy Marcus's throwing a party at his place tonight. You coming?"
"After practice, Kris would usually call it a day and stay at home. But it's a new city and it's alright to break off from a routine once in a while. And now it's that time," Tom Brady narrated while Kris thought about going to the party.
Kris wrote: "Sure. I'll be there. What time?"
Paxton wrote: "At 7. We need people to help out."
Kris wrote: "Alright. Mind if I bring someone?"
Paxton wrote: "I don't mind. You can bring your step-sister. She stopped taking my calls. Figured I should have a chat with her."
Kris wrote: "Didn't want to know that, but noted."
After he walked back to his house, Kris decided to get ready for the party.
—- Clips of Kris taking a shower, putting on deodorant and cologne, and getting dressed in rager party attire —-
When Kris stepped out of his room wearing rager party clothes, Caitlyn saw him.
"Where are you going?" Caitlyn asked when she saw Kris dressed up for a rager party.
"Turns out your former friend Paxton invited me to a rager," Kris said.
"Seriously? Why am I hearing about this from you and not from him?" Caitlyn asked.
"Well, apparently, you stopped taking his calls," Kris said.
"Oh, looks like I ghosted him completely," Caitlyn said.
"I think he really liked you. Couldn't you have said that you wanted just a friends-with-benefits relationship?" Kris said.
"Well, it was my first time "consulting." I wanted to know how it felt. At the same time, I didn't know what to say after having sex, besides the precautions" Caitlyn said.
"You got to make it right. I understand what you're going through. But, you need to take accountability for your own mistakes," Kris said.
"How? He didn't invite me to his rager," Caitlyn said.
"Well, he told me to bring you. Figured you guys should have a chat," Kris said.
"Hearing what Kris said made Caitlyn want to go to that party," Tom Brady narrated while Caitlyn looked like she was thinking things through.
"Alright, I'm going. But I need to get ready. What time's the party and where?" Caitlyn asked.
"Well, Paxton told me to come at 7 so I can help him organize some stuff," Kris said. "But I'll tell him you're running late."
When Kris headed out of the house, Caitlyn took a shower, put on some perfume, applied some makeup on her face, and got dressed for the party. Before leaving, she told her parents that she's headed to a party with Kris.
"Yeah, Kris mentioned the party. You're good. Just don't get in trouble, alright," Amanda said.
"Have fun," Lohith said before Caitlyn left.
When Caitlyn left, Amanda decided to speak.
"Should we be worried?" Amanda asked.
"Don't worry. I put a tracking device on her phone, so I know where she is," Lohith said.
"Why would you do that? Don't you trust my daughter? Do you trust your son?" Amanda questioned.
"Look, I trust Caitlyn and Kris. Okay? Sometimes, we need to let them learn from their mistakes. Even though it sounds like a hollow parenting expression, it still works and is productive," Lohith said. "Besides, there's nothing wrong with not trusting someone completely."
—- Timelapse of LA's sunset and it shifts to a mansion with a lot of people there —-
Caitlyn arrived at the location Kris sent her via text. When she saw the mansion, she was surprised by the number of people at the party. When she knocked on the door, someone opened the door.
"Oh! Caitlyn! It's been a while. Come in," Trent said. "Yo, thanks for coming by the way."
"Sure. Where's Paxton? I need to talk to him," Caitlyn asked.
"Oh, he's sitting over there. Kris is upstairs talking to a girl from Toluca Prep," Trent said. "The coolest kids from SoCal are here at this party."
"Damn. How famous is Paxton?" Caitlyn asked.
"Pretty damn famous. Not gonna lie. He's the like the king of our school," Trent said.
"I don't care about how popular someone is. I like someone for who they are on the inside," Caitlyn said.
"Ok, suit yourself," Trent said before he left.
When Trent left, Paxton saw Caitlyn.
"Hey, Caitlyn," Paxton said as he walked towards her.
"Paxton, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for not taking your calls. At first, I liked you romantically. Then I realized I was just going through an infatuation phase. So, I didn't take your calls to prevent myself from relapsing into infatuation. If I hurt your feelings, I'm definitely sorry. Plus, I didn't know how to be friends with someone after the deed and I wondered how it can be possible," Caitlyn apologized.
After hearing what Caitlyn had to say, Paxton found her apology to be genuine and sincere.
"Well, consider your apology accepted forever. Not gonna lie, I hate it when I feel used whenever I have sex with someone. When you apologized to me and you admitted your reasons, it shows you've got integrity and self-accountability," Paxton said.
"Well, I'm not expecting a thank you. Mind if you introduce me to a few friends of yours? I heard from Trent that the coolest kids from the entire SoCal are here at this party," Caitlyn said.
"Well, not the entire SoCal. Just coolest people from the LA and SD schools," Paxton corrected.
As Caitlyn laughed with Paxton, Kris was upstairs talking to a girl from Toluca Prep.
"Wait, so you moved to Beverly Hills and became the co-captain of their football team? Damn, that's impressive," the girl said.
"It's not that impressive. It's just a responsibility that was given to me," Kris humbly stated.
"I like that. Honestly, I like how humble you are. Why don't I get your number and we can chat?" the girl said.
"Sure. I didn't get your name by the way," Kris said.
"Oh, it's Linda. Linda Sanchez," the girl said before she left.
When the girl left, Kris decided to head downstairs so he can socialize with the partygoers. What he didn't expect was Cecelia arriving at the party.
"Cecelia?" Kris said.
"Kris? What're you doing here?" Cecelia asked.
"Turns out I'm a friend of Paxton H-Y. Why're you here? I thought you broke up with him," Kris said.
"Yeah. Turns out I came because this Sherman Oaks influencer Shira Leidman invited me," Cecelia said. "She's an annoying bitch."
"If she's an annoying bitch, why're you here?" Kris questioned.
"Well, I wanted to apologize to Paxton. It is true that I went out with him. But we broke up mutually. I needed someone who'll challenge me in life and help me with my personal growth. The only growth he gave me was helping myself figure out my sexual limits," Cecelia said.
"Ok, that's TMI. Although I get it," Kris said.
"Wait, jump back. How'd you end up at this party anyway and my former relationship with Paxton?" Cecelia said when she wondered how Kris knew about her former relationship with Paxton.
Kris explained how Paxton and him met and how Kevin told him about Paxton's former relationship with Cecelia, much to her amusement.
"I can't believe that twerp brother spilled the beans to you," Cecelia said with frustration. "It was supposed to be a secret."
"Hey, it's safe with me," Kris assured. "Plus, everything just happened so fast."
"Yeah. I'm surprised that you haven't let your association with Paxton get inside your head. That shows me you have depth," Cecelia said.
"Well, everyone has room for improvement," Kris said. "And as of my association with Paxton, I just got lucky. It was at the right time, but at the wrong place."
"Hey, I was wondering if you're interested in this girl named Alicia. She's super-brainy, has a desirable figure, pretty sweet, and plays soccer," Cecelia said.
"Yeah, I heard about her. Your brother mentioned her to me. Apparently, she's an academic dork," Kris said.
"Damn. My brother can't keep his mouth shut," Cecelia thought to herself.
"It's okay. I don't care if she's a dork. I do mind if she's socially awkward and/or a super-geek," Kris said.
"Well, she's a super-geek, but the boys at our school don't see that at due to her beauty and curvaceous figure," Cecelia said. "Her personality's like the character Molly Davidson from Booksmart. I don't know if you seen that movie."
"Directed by Olivia Wilde, right? The cast also included young actors like Carrie Fisher's daughter. I've also seen the scene involving the Barbie dolls," Kris said.
"Holy shit, you watch movies, too?" Cecelia said. "I didn't peg you for someone who likes cinema."
"Well, one of the staples of Indian culture is revolved around cinema. It's like a big part of my family's culture and tradition," Kris said. "I don't watch only Indian films. I also got myself interested in Korean cinema and Hollywood."
"What's your fave Korean cinema?" Cecelia asked.
"This Korean movie called Flu. It kind's of like Contagion," Kris said.
"Mine's Parasite. I would've said Train to Busan, but it sounded way cheesy," Cecelia said.
"No doubt. Mind if I get a drink for you?" Kris said.
"What do you know to mix?" Cecelia said.
"Well, I'm more of a cola kind of guy and this is my first time at a rager," Kris said. "So I'm trying to figure out which alcoholic drink suits well with cola."
"Well, I can a whip up a Jack and Coke or a Cuba Libre," Cecelia said with a little flirtation. "Jack and Coke is Jack Daniels Whiskey and Coke and Cuba Libre is rum and coke."
"I know what a Cuba Libre is. I watched the Grasshopper Experiment from the Big Bang Theory," Kris said.
"To be fair, I'm more of a Penny with Missy vibes. And you're smart like Sheldon, but with Georgie vibes," Cecelia said, sharing her love for the characters from the Big Bang Theory.
"Hmm. That's cool to hear," Kris said. "And your comparison of me to Sheldon, that's a first. Most people compared me to Raj, and it's because of my Indian ethnicity."
"I see that," Cecelia said.
While Cecelia mixed drinks for Kris and herself, they saw a blue-eyed boyish male teenager with Shira Leidman.
"Not this jackass," Cecelia said with contempt.
"Who's he?" Kris inquired, wondering about the bad vibes between Cecelia and the male teen with Shira.
"That's Ben Gross. His father's an entertainment lawyer. And the biggest dork of Sherman Oaks High," Cecelia said.
"What's the beef between you and him?" Kris inquired.
"Well, him and I were at a debate tournament last year. When I won, that asshole accused me of being an Elle Woods," Cecelia said. "I hate it when people compare me to the lead character from Legally Blonde."
"Ok, I see. He made an indirect reference to the 'dumb blonde' stereotype," Kris said. "Caitlyn hates that too."
"Wait, really?" Cecelia said.
Kris nodded. "I remember Caitlyn slapped a boy real hard in the face when she was a freshman back in Palo Alto. It was because he called her a blonde bimbo. She got suspended for a week for violating the school's zero-tolerance to violence policy. The dude was given detention for the rest of the school year and was forbidden from attending school activities."
"Should I slap his face real hard?" Cecelia suggested.
"What I would do is spit on his drink and splash it on his face," Kris suggested.
"Oh, that sounds even better. We are at a party with alcohol," Cecelia said, smiling with a little deviousness.
"I'll take the lead. Let me have a convo with him. If he pisses me off, I'll go right at it," Kris said.
When Cecelia gave Kris his drink, Kris walked over to Ben Gross. Before he engaged in a convo, he drank his Jack and Coke.
"Oh my god, Kris!" Shira exclaimed when she saw Kris walking towards her and Ben.
"Who's that?" Ben asked when she saw Shira look at Kris, who was approaching them.
"He's one of Paxton's new friends. By the way, he's way cooler than that chick who was paralyzed," Shira said.
"Sup, Shira? It's been a while," Kris said while he hugged her as a friend.
Shira did the same too, leading Ben to be a bit jealous.
"So, this is Marcus's place, huh?" Kris said. "It looks nice."
"I'm glad you're here. Where's your step-sister, Caitlyn?" Shira asked.
"The last time I saw her at the party was when she apologized to Paxton for ignoring him and his phone calls," Kris said.
"Woah. No one ignores Paxton," Shira said. "Like, everyone wants him."
"Well, not everyone wants Paxton," Kris said. "She was just infatuated with him. It took her a while to realize."
"Where're you from?" Ben inquired.
"I was born in LA. But, after my parents got divorced, me and my dad moved to the Bay Area and we stayed in Palo Alto for 3 years. During that time, my dad was neighbors with a single woman and girl of my age. As a result, we spent time together and my and the single woman fell in love. When they got married the summer before the single woman's daughter and I started high school, it took us a while to get used to the change in our family. When my step-mom got an opportunity to work for an entertainment lawyer, me and my family had to move to LA. Plus, my dad's currently undergoing chemo for a brain tumor," Kris said.
"Wow. Well, that's oddly specific. Which high school are you going to?" Ben asked.
"I'm going to Beverly Hills High. I presume you're going to Sherman Oaks or some fancy private school, cuz you seem affluent based on the clothes you're wearing," Kris said.
"Oh. Thank god you're not going to Sherman Oaks. I don't want to see another person who's of the same ethnicity as my arch-nemesis," Ben commented.
Kris was slightly offended by that comment. Then again, Kris kept his cool.
"Couldn't you have said bad about Sherman Oaks High rather than make some comment about someone who's the same ethnicity as me?" Kris said with annoyance.
"Shit, I didn't mean to offend you, bro. I thought you wouldn't understand what I said because of certain stereotypes associated with Indians," Ben said.
"Dude, shut up. I don't even know you and you misjudged me by labeling me with an ethnic group that is perceived to be socially awkward, nerdy, and like computer geeks," Kris said with some anger. "What the fuck is wrong with you, you idiot?"
"Listen, man. I'm so sorry about what I said. I assure you, I don't mean any of what I said," Ben apologized while looking fearful of Kris as he has an athletic build with toned muscles. "I was actually hating on my arch-nemesis because of the fierce academic rivalry I have with her."
"That makes more sense if you said that way," Kris said. "I mean, I heard stuff about your rival."
"What do you know about her?" Ben said, wondering what Kris knows.
"Well, I heard her dad died at a concert and she was paralyzed from the waist down due to the trauma," Kris said.
"That's fairly accurate," Ben said.
"As Ben and Kris are kept engaged in their convo, Cecelia was growing a little impatient. She wondered if she should spit on a drink and splash it on Ben's face," Tom Brady narrated while Cecelia started to grow a little restless.
"How many AP classes are you taking?" Ben asked.
"Oh. I'm taking zero this year, but I am taking 3 honors classes," Kris said. "What about you?"
"Well, not to brag, but all the classes I'm taking this year are mostly honors and AP classes," Ben said while being a little condescending about his academic prowess.
"This dude's an imbecile," Kris thought. "Sooner or later, he's gonna screw up."
"Well, good luck with that because no one has ever had a life taking mostly both honors and AP classes during their sophomore year," Kris sarcastically said.
"What the hell do you know about me? I'm smarter than you, dumbass," Ben retorted after taking offense to Kris's sarcastic sentence.
"You wanna pick a subject to prove it?" Kris suggested. "I'm giving you the choice because you claim to be the smart one."
"This dude's digging his grave," Ben thought.
"Fine. How about world history?" Ben said.
"Game on," Kris said while he gave a firm handshake to Ben.
"Alright, first question. Which city was named after a Greek god and which Greek god, precisely?" Ben said.
"Easy. The city of Athens was named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and crafts. The Greek god of the seas, Poseidon and Athena offered gifts to citizens of a city which was known then as Acropolis. While Poseidon offered water to the citizens of Acropolis, Athena planted an olive tree. Seeing how useful an olive tree for various purposes, the citizens of Acropolis renamed the city after Athena. Hence the name of the city, Athens," Kris answered.
"Shit, that was specific," Ben thought. "Should've seen that coming."
"How about you give me a question?" Ben suggested.
"Fine. Who was the first woman to make a million dollars in the United States?"
"Damn, he got me good," Ben thought.
"Um, I'm gonna say, Muriel Siebert, the first woman to be a member of the New York Stock Exchange?" Ben said.
"Incorrect. It's actually, Madam C.J. Walker, an African-American woman who's also the first female self-made millionaire. Her fortune was based on cosmetic and hair products. There might be other women who made their wealth before Walker, but the Guiness Book of World Records mentioned Walker as the first woman to make a million dollars in the United States," Kris corrected.
"How the fuck do you know that?" Ben questioned.
"Well, I remembered a lecture from my 8th grade teacher who made my class and I to do study on notable African-American figures whose names were not mentioned in history. No one mentioned Walker and did some research on her," Kris said.
"You got lucky. Now I'm gonna ask you a question. Who did the United States men's Olympic ice hockey defeat in the 1980 Winter Olympics semifinals?" Ben said.
"It's the Soviet Union. The victory was dubbed, "The Miracle on Ice." I watched the movie Miracle, which was based on the victory," Kris said. "How long did the Battle of Gettysburg last?"
"Well, it lasted three days," Ben said. "Which amendment guaranteed women the right to vote?"
"The 19th Amendment, which started back in 1878. It wasn't finalized into the Constitution until 1920," Kris said. "What's the capital city of the Incan Empire?"
"Well, I'd have to say Machu Picchu," Ben said. "I'm sure it's right because it's noted to be one of the Wonders of the World."
"You're right about Machu Picchu being one of the Wonders of the World, but it's not the capital city of the Incan Empire. It's Cusco, located southeast of Machu Picchu," Kris corrected.
Ben looked up the city of Cusco and was shocked to learn that Kris was right about Cusco being the capital of the Incan Empire.
"Holy shit, you're smart. Although your correct answers might have been a fluke, you certainly know your history," Ben said while begrudgingly admitting his defeat.
"Well, I never use my knowledge unless a situation demands it," Kris said. "Plus, someone being great in their classes doesn't make them the smartest person. The smartest person is someone not with only knowledge, but someone who knows how to use that knowledge correctly at the right time at the right setting. And also someone who learns from their mistakes."
After saying what he had to say, Kris walked away from the convo. Shira laughed at Ben's loss to Kris, who was better-looking and smarter than him. Kris's statement hurt Ben's ego. Not wanting to be schooled by someone who's better looking and smarter than him, Ben followed Kris so he could sucker punch Kris from behind.
However, Cecelia kicked Ben in the nuts, leading Ben to be in pain. When Ben fell on the floor while groaning in pain from having his nuts kicked by Cecelia, she spat on a drink she held with her right hand and splashed it on his face. This action led to a shocked reaction by the bystanders.
"That's for calling me Elle Woods last year during the debate tourney. Just because I'm a girl and have blonde hair doesn't mean I'm dumb, you judgmental misogynistic son of a bitch," Cecelia ranted while Ben was groaning in pain before she kicked Ben in the balls one last time.
Seeing Cecelia's rant impressed the party going bystanders, including Paxton, Trent, Marcus, Eddie Tan, Carley, Shira, Zoe, and Caitlyn. While Cecelia took three shots of vodka, she went upstairs while she grabbed a glass of whiskey and a can of Coke. While going upstairs, she found Kris on the roof.
"I presume you took your shot and kicked his ass," Kris said while looking at Cecelia.
"Well, it did feel good to let it all out. Also, I took your advice with spitting on a drink and splashing it on someone's face," Cecelia said. "By the way, I got you a glass of whiskey and a can of Coke."
"I didn't ask for that, but thanks," Kris said. "Can I say something?"
Cecelia nodded.
"I'm not gonna say you're hot because you're not a beverage to describe the temperature of a liquid. I will say this though: you're beautiful and stubborn as hell," Kris complimented. "I actually like that in a women."
"Well, thanks," Cecelia said while trying to hide her blushes from Kris. "Initially, I thought you were hot, good-looking, and athletic, but seeing you school Ben like that showed me you're way more than that. You're also wise, smart, and humble," Cecelia complimented.
"Thanks. Can I ask you a question?" Kris said. "Is Alicia like Ben or way worse?"
"Oh, good gracious, no. Alicia's condescending, but not to the extent of Ben Gross's condescending. It's just her quiet and introverted attitude which made me and my friends think she's condescending. It's like she doesn't have a life outside of school," Cecelia said. "We tried befriending her, but she always brushed us off like she's superior to us."
"Well, sometimes people who're introverted and quiet tend to be scared of others, but mind their own business. I used to feel like that when I was a little boy. I was bullied and picked on a lot during my elementary school days because I used to be overweight and meek. After I moved to the Bay Area after my parents' divorce, I started working out and lost a lot of weight," Kris said. "When I had the courage to profess my feelings to my crush back in sixth grade, I was turned down by her due to my apparent nerdiness."
"Damn Kris. I'm sorry you've been through so much," Cecelia empathetically said. "You're so brave and persevering."
"Thank you," Kris thanked.
When Kris thanked her, Cecelia kissed him on his cheek, leaving him by surprise.
"So I guess this means we're friends who got a little closer," Kris said.
"Yeah," Cecelia said with a smile. "It's cool that we're friends."
"So, you're gonna set me up with Alicia, huh?" Kris clarified.
Cecelia nodded. "Well, I think you can get Alicia to open up. But just do it in a way that won't hurt her feelings badly."
"I'll just be friends with her," Kris said. "By the way, can you show me a picture of Alicia?"
Cecelia pulled up a picture of Alicia and Kris was slightly stunned. Alicia had a look of beauty that exceeded Cecelia's as well. With Alicia having hazel eyes, red-colored hair, and an hourglass figure, Kris couldn't help but smile as he has a type for beautiful hourglass women.
"Well, she's beautiful and looks sexy. But' I'll still be friends with her," Kris said after looking at a picture of Alicia.
When Kris mixed Coke with whiskey, Cecelia was happy that she and Kris became friends but was a little jealous and crestfallen that Kris became attracted to Alicia.
—- End of chapter —-