Kevin dropped his bag on the counter and took a cookie from a jar. "What's for dinner?" He asks the family's personal chef, Irwin. The older man turned to his assistant to request something before giving his attention to Kevin.

"What do you want?"

"Just anything. I need to have dinner so that I can go upstairs and do my homework."

"I only have baked ziti for you. Your brothers requested me to prepare a special dinner tonight because they invited some clients over for some business matter." Irwin told him. He takes out something from the fridge and placed it in the microwave to heat it.

"Whatever, Irwin. Can someone bring it over to my room?"

"I can ask Sebastian, Kevin."

Kevin wears his eyeglasses and grabs his bag. "Thank you so much." He turned towards the door. When he's on his way upstairs, he met his brother, Tim.

"Kevin, you will join us for dinner tonight." That's an order from Tim.

"I can't. I got trig final exams tomorrow." He's about to turn away when Tim takes his eyeglasses. "Hey!"

"Dad requested your presence at the dinner later. You'll be holding a junior executive position in the company right after you graduate to train you for handling the family business someday. You don't have any say over the matter. Your presence is required."

"No." Kevin retrieved his glasses back. He continued on his way towards the stairs.

"Don't be an ass. You know, I just can't figure out why you're like that." Tim said.

Kevin turned. "Like what?"

"In high school, our legacy is to be in the football team and not in some boring physics club. Sometimes I wonder if you're even a Richardson. You're far from father's expectations."

"I want to build up my own name rather than following what this family has built up for us." Kevin stated firmly.

"You don't have a choice over the matter, Kevin."

That voice made the two looked towards the main hall where they saw their father just walked in. Jerald Richardson takes off his coat and gave it to the butler, who left to keep it in the closet down the hall. He is an epitome of a successful businessman that anyone imagined to be. His presence emanated power and wealth. He is a strong-built man. His looks didn't even come close to his real age.

"You're going with us in this dinner, whether you like it or not." Jerald turned to Tim. "Where's Al?" he asks, referring to his eldest son, Jerald Jr.

"He said he's on his way. He just went to the airport to see his wife off to London today." Tim replied as Kevin started to go upstairs. They will never make him go to this dinner. He's too young for that. He had plans to go to college and be something far from the family business he's now been obliged to take over with.

"You're coming to this dinner meeting, Kevin." Jerald tells his retreating son. "You will or your friend, Brian, will have no other choice but to stop school and work instead for his family."

Kevin's jaw clenched. He didn't know how his father got a hold about his best friend, Brian, and his family dilemma. He's very concerned about Brian and his plans of going to finish his schooling to help his family. Kevin did all he can do to help him and he will never let his father ruin Brian's dreams just because he doesn't want to attend this dinner. His father knows how to manipulate him.

He saw Tim's triumphant smile. "I'll just be upstairs to change into something corporate." He muttered and continued on his way.



~~~



Leighanne glanced at the note in her hand then immediately kept it inside her bag when Samantha and Jade came towards her. She's sitting at their usual hang-out place, under the tree near the gym. "Hi. What's up? Where are the others?"

Jade glanced at her watch. "Nick said he'll be coming shortly. Ms. Griffin called for him about some assignment that I think he'll be doing for your graduation."

Leighanne smiled to Samantha. "Congratulations, you won." The three ladies laughed. Leighanne is referring to Samantha's four-year rivalry against Eula for academics. In the end, she is the class valedictorian and she will be awarded the scholarship grant for her college education.

Samantha sighed happily. "My mom will be glad to hear this on Friday. I still haven't told her about this. Where's Kevin, by the way?"

"Brian told me that he's off from school early today. He said that it was something about family business that he needs to take care of." Leighanne replied. "Can you believe his father? Kevin was already awarded a position in the company even before graduating from college. I never imagined such pressure can be put on someone who's still so young."

"I'm sure, Kevin doesn't have any choice." Jade stated. The others turned to her. "What?"

"Kevin doesn't do anything by force unless something or someone compelled him to do it." Samantha tells her. "Kevin, like his brothers, is a stubborn man and will do things in his own way. He won't do this just because he's obliged to. I know this is not what he wants. He just doesn't have a choice."

"Like the way that's happened in my life," Jade sighed. "I don't have a choice when my parents settled for a divorce."

"Yes. Like the way I don't have any choice when my father left my mother and we struggled to live a better life," Samantha added.

Leighanne shakes her head. "I don't think that we can't do anything if something came out of hand." She disagreed. "As for me, if my parents weren't always there for me, I have the option to sulk in a corner and pitied myself on being alone or be with friends like you who motivate me to do something better for my life. I chose the latter. That's my choice. Kevin made his choice to follow what his father wanted him to be because maybe he thinks that it will be better for him and for the people around him. Brian chose to work and study at the same time because he knows it will help him and his family to get through the trials they encounter everyday. He chose to do two things together even if it's hard work because he wanted to be something that will help him and his family. Nick chose to understand his father despite the abuse because he believes that he can prove something to him that will make him proud of him. It's something we don't understand about Nick, but it's his choice. He is gay, but so what? He's a great and a smart person who knows what he wants to do with his life and how to be the best of what he can do."

She turned to Samantha. "You, Sam, made a choice to pursue the best in your studies to become the class valedictorian and get the dream of having a full college scholarship. You want to help your mother and your sisters and so, you want to finish school and be successful and give your family a good life. Okay, so you can't do anything when your father left you but the choice you made to do something for your family is amazing. Not everyone at your age would think and do something like that. You, Jade, made a choice to become stronger despite having divorced parents and nowhere to go except to a generous uncle who'd support you until you'll be able to be on your own. We handle our own lives. We all have choices. We all make decisions whether we like it or not because subconsciously, we know what we're doing and this is something that we know will help us to become a better part of ourselves. Life's a journey; our high school experience is only a part of it. We just can't say that we don't have any choice over the things happening around us."

"I think you're right." Samantha hugs her friend.

"I felt better hearing it from you," Jade tells Leighanne. "I believe that I can move on after this phase of having divorced parents. It really devastated me but it will help me become stronger." They turned when Brian came running towards them.

"I just heard about the news, Sam. Congratulations," Brian smiled and hugs his friend.

"Wow, you have a fever, haven't you?" Samantha grew concerned. "Have you already had lunch?"

Brian wiped his forehead with his handkerchief. "I haven't eaten since last night. I'm on a night shift and went off from work just this morning." He glanced at Leighanne, who grew concerned too.

Jade stood up. "I'll get you something to eat. Just hold on right here."

"No need." Brian smiled. "I will just pick something on my way to the construction site. I have extra work to do there this afternoon."

"No." Leighanne firmly said. "You're not going anywhere. Did you just realize that you're tiring yourself too much? Brian, you need to rest once in a while."

Brian only nodded and blinked several times. The next thing they knew is that he passed out and fell on them.

"Brian!"