Chapter 9 A boss or a leader

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Adrian glared at Natalie all the way walking to his seat in front of her. He sat down and noticed that this time it was pure hate in her eyes, there was something more than usual. He knew the reason exactly, it was because of that guy Isaac. He was a weak spot but yet indeed a strong pillar.

Natalie took a deep breath to calm her nerves and not act irrationally. Her arch enemy was in front of her, who had almost got Isaac killed. She had to focus on something else. She turned all her attention to the professor who was explaining the setup of private industry.

As she was listening to the professor her attention shifted to Amanda whose eyes were barely open as her head lolled around her neck, suddenly falling straight on the table. Natalie immediately put her hand underneath her face to stop her from getting hit in the face. She gently removed her hand and laid her head down on the table while she slept peacefully. Adrian saw her actions from the corner of his eyes.

As time went by most students were either sleeping or trying not to sleep or simply daydreaming. The professor looked around and shook his head.

It's just the 2nd day let's give them a break. They'll get used to it.

He then asked a question to see who the interested ones were here just to get a degree. He asked a question based on their point of view.

"What do you think is the most important to efficiently increase productivity in this time between capital, skilled laborers, or technology ?"

A few raised their hands. And he allowed them to answer one by one. Most of them said all and whereas who picked one from the options couldn't give a suitable reason.

Natalie saw that no one was going to answer, so she raised her hand. And so did Adrian at the same time. The professor nodded in their direction and they thought it was them who had to answer and ended up answering together.

"Technology"

"Technology"

They both paused as they realized they answered together. The professor smiled at their answer. 

"Give me a reason why not capital?"

He asked Natalie.

"Capital will not help increase productivity efficiently but simply help us gather raw material and capital goods to produce, but it is actually a technology that enhances the production processes, saving time and money.

"Good ."

"Now tell me why it's better than skilled laborers"

This time he asked Adrian.

"Skilled laborers will take time if the technology of the machinery is not improved for a large-scale industry and hence productivity will not be at a suitable rate, making their skills go in vain."

"Good" He smiled at both of them.

"There is a project which you guys have to do, you have to plot out the data from different companies of your choice and present their loss, profit, progress rate, faults, and your recommendations to correct them. You have to do it in two weeks alone."

Soon the class was over. Adrian quickly started walking out.

"Adrian meet me after your classes." The professor said.

Adrian nodded and walked out.

Natalie shook Amanda up as she woke up startled and started looking around.

"Where am I?"

"You slept in class, you're lucky the teacher ignored it"

Amanda turned to Natalie and started looking at her like she didn't remember who she was.

"I'm Natalie, we met yesterday."

"Ooh I remember you but ...... who am I again?"

Natalie chuckled as she stood up and pulled Amanda as well and started walking out of the class when the professor called her out.

"Natalie, I have to talk to you regarding a project, meet me after your classes."

"Okay Professor"

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Natalie was sitting with Amanda and Tyler in the canteen, as Tyler would flirt with her, then Amanda insulting him for being a ho, then both of them would start bickering again and again. It was a little annoying yet funny.

"Beautiful, would you mind coming with me to watch a movie tonight?"

"No, I can't, sorry I have a project to do."

"And she doesn't go out with a doofus". Amanda added.

Tyler scowled at her. He loved his sister dearly but sometimes she just made him push her off a chair.

Natalie chuckled lightly at their sibling feud. Tyler was funny, she was not attracted to him but he had a non-judgmental personality. She truly liked that in him. She felt comfortable around him and was easy to talk to as well.

Adrian watched from the other side as they were laughed and talked, sitting with some guys. Then he remembered he had to go to Mr.Park, the professor who asked him to see him at the end of classes.

He ate his meal quickly and got up to see him.

Natalie walking in the corridor when she heard someone else's footsteps, she looked up and saw him coming as well. She walked to the class first, while Adrian reached second. She opened the door before Adrian could, literally snatching it first making him clench his fist in anger. Then Natalie walked inside but not before shutting the door behind her a little too harshly. 

If it was not for Adrian's quick reflexes he would have got hit in the face hard. Arian stopped the door, then gently closed it and came in glaring at Natalie whose back was turned to him.

The professor looked up from checking a few papers and smiled at them.

"You just came in time, I wanted to tell you that every year we give a chance to the best students of the class to analyze the performance of this company which gives our college donations to provide students with scholarships. You have to give a report for their business growth this year and provide them with ideas to improve. I saw both of your previous results which are excellent and given your views on the question I asked today. I want you two to do this together."

It was not a question, it was an order.

But both of them knew there was no way in hell they are doing this together.

"Here"  

Mr.Park gave them their expenditure and sales receipts, and tax reports as well. 

"I find it better to work alone"

"I do well working alone"

Both of them said together again.

The professor laughed at it.

"Okay, as you wish but it needs to be done in 2 weeks. Even though I have a feeling it will be the same from both sides. You think alike ."

It was such a shameful comment for both of them ... "think alike".

They just nodded, thanking him.

"If you have some ideas you want to improve the performance tell me now."

"The workers, their pay and facilities, it affects their performance. The pay should be reasonable to the quality of work they do regardless of their posts." Adrian said.

The professor nodded.

"The owner is more important in that aspect if he acts like a boss or a leader"

Natalie argued.

Adrian turned to face her, glaring at her he said.

"The more the staff is loyal, the stronger they will be"

"That depends on good leadership. There are many companies with loyal staff but yet come second."

Adrian's blood boiled at her taunt. This girl was testing his patience, he was seconds away from flipping the damm table.

"Maybe they are in second place because of some previous traitor in it."

Natalie did not like that reference. She knew exactly well who he was referring to as the traitor.

.

.

.

.

Isaac.

"The most loyal man does not become a traitor out of nowhere, always the boss makes them one."

She said it in a deadly cold voice, took the papers, and left.  

Adrian too snatched the paper from the desk and left angrily.

While the professor just stood there dumbfounded.

What just happened?