Chapter 9: The Dinner Date

Go home with me later! If I don't see you at exactly 5 pm in the parking lot, better not come home!"

Albert's roar escalated in the whole court. The two teachers, the varsity players, and Samantha's classmates were even startled as their shoulders bounced up.

"Yes, Young Master!" she meekly obeyed.

Her head was bowed down while Andrea patted her back. Tears were coming down again so she pursed her lips tight.

Upon hearing Samantha's reply, he strode off the basketball court leaving everyone dumbfounded except for Albert's and Samantha's friends. They shot Albert a dagger stare.

"What's wrong with your friend?" Andrea, who lost interest in him since the time he forced Samantha to apologize to Vanessa, couldn't help but exclaim in anger.

"We apologize on his behalf!" Edward gently replied giving Samantha a shallow smile.

They forgot that there were almost 40 people in the court listening to their conversations. The teachers who were still flabbergasted coughed to clear their throats.

"Class let's go back to the classroom now!" their PE Teacher announced.

They obeyed right away. They were whispering while glancing at Samantha. The latter was so abashed that she hastily ran to the restroom.

"Sam, wait!" Andrea chased after her.

Edward and Chester were watching from afar shaking their heads in disbelief and annoyance. When they saw Albert sitting alone under the pine tree blankly staring at a building, they went in front of him. He lifted his head and frowned.

"Bro, you really hurt her feelings this time!" Edward uttered with a hint of anger.

"What's gotten into you today? Why did you embarrass her?" Chester scolded him more.

They didn't care if he was the Young Master of the powerful Michaels household. For them, they were all equal. So, if someone made a mistake, they were not bothered scolding that person. That was what they're doing to him at the moment.

"Where is she?" he suddenly asked as he brought his stare back to the building.

"Ran to the restroom. Crying!" Edward simply replied.

He suddenly got up and went to their classroom. His face had the looks his friends couldn't decipher.

Was he upset at Samantha? If yes, why?

What was his question, why is she not wearing them?

What was he referring to?

Meanwhile, inside of a cubicle...

Samantha let out all of the baggage she was carrying on her shoulders with her cries. Andrea just let her release her emotions. She put a 'caution sign' in front of the girl's restroom so no one could enter. She held Samantha's knees while she was sitting on one of the toilet bowls.

Andrea was squatting in front of her while her eyes were also getting blurry. She could feel her friend's pain...and anger!

Her hands covered her eyes. Her shoulders bounced up and down. Her sobs were full of grievances. She was cursing Albert's name.

After a few minutes, she composed and calmed herself. She wiped the tears from her eyes. She got up and stared at Andrea who was still staring at her with worries.

"I'm okay now, Andrea. Thanks!" she bitterly smiled.

Andrea hugged her tight and smiled back at her.

"If you don’t want to go home later, you can sleep in our place tonight!" she proposed.

Andrea thought Samantha would not be able to have a good time when she arrived at the mansion later. Albert might punish her.

"It's okay. I will be fine. Thank you for your offer!" Samantha declined.

Much better she thought coz this annoying as*hole Young Master of hers might vent his anger on Andrea if she would agree.

"Are you sure?" she wasn't still convinced.

They're now going to the washroom. Samantha washed her face well and then took a clean towel from the cabinet. The restrooms in Georgetown were equipped with everything the students needed like what they had in their own places.

Towels, sanitary pads, cotton buds, hand sanitizers, band-aids for small wounds, and of course wet wipes, and three-ply soft napkins.

"Yes, I am sure!" she turned around and gave Andrea her genuine smile.

"Okay! If you say so. But if he hurt you again, don't hesitate to call me!"

"I will. Thanks, Andrea. Without you as my only friend in this school, I don't know how I can survive them?"

"Hmm! I love you, too!" Andrea hugged her bestfriend and Samantha did the same.

They went back to their classes with 80% percent of their classmates staring at her thinking what's her relationship with the popular heartthrob in Georgetown.

They were itching to ask but they couldn't do it for they also bullied Samantha a lot before. Now that everyone thought she had the protection of the Young Master from the Michaels household, they felt terrified and apologetic.

The time struck five and Samantha walked in big strides just to beat the deadline. She was almost running to the parking lot when she saw Andy waiting for her.

"Uncle Andy!" she simply uttered while catching her breath.

"Let's go. Young Master has also just arrived!" Andy smiled as he opened the passenger seat.

When she finished buckling up, Albert who was sitting in the backseat spoke.

"Lakeside Restaurant!" he instructed.

"Right away, sir!" Andy pushed the start button and their car drove off.

Samantha was just quietly looking at the scenery outside of the window. Albert also bored himself scanning his phone. The atmosphere inside was awkward. The silence was earsplitting.

Till they arrived and everyone got off. Andy stayed which made her stunned.

"Uncle, why are we here?" She's been trying to control her urge to ask a while ago but she was scared to speak.

"Young Master wants to treat you to dinner. I'm staying here!" he smiled.

"What? No! Come with us!" she couldn't afford to see Andy not having dinner while they were surrounded by sumptuous meals.

"Don't worry about me. I already had dinner a while ago. Sam, don't make him wait, okay?" he told her while he glanced at the frowning Young Master in the entrance.

Samantha had no choice but to follow. She slowly walked beside him.

"How old are you to walk like a kid? Hurry up will you? I'm hungry!" Albert uttered with narrowed eyes.

"Sorry, Young Master!" she softly said.

Albert just glanced at her and didn't say anything anymore. The waiter took them to their seat that was at the bank of the lake. That was the best seat in the restaurant. The open room was wide and it had a wide window where diners could see the lake sceneries and the sunset. The circular table with pristine white cloth was good for two. There was a dim lantern chandelier on the dark white plafond.

Albert ordered the restaurant's specialty and Samantha's favorite. Before they came here, he already asked Andy about her best-loved meal.

When she saw four kinds of main dishes plus a bottomless apple juice being served on their table, her eyes gasped in disbelief.

"Eat anything you want. If these are not enough, you can choose from the menu!" Albert casually uttered while placing the best part of every meal on her plate.

"Young Master, I think this is too much!" she shyly said. Her pale pink cheeks were getting red.

"I'm a heavy eater. Don't think that I ordered these for you. Dad won't be at home again this evening. I'm just bored eating alone at the dining table so I thought of coming here!" Albert's lengthy explanation for her statement made her gawk at him for a moment.

When he raised his right eyebrow, she bowed her head and focused on eating. She didn't see a curled-up smile that appeared on the corner of his lips.

He poured a glass of apple juice for her. She didn't notice that she was already enjoying his company. She lifted her head and smiled at him.

He almost spilled the juice when he saw her captivating smile. These were some of Samantha's assets. Her natural sweet smile and innocent look.

"I want you to wear them at school and wherever you go!" He suddenly uttered in the middle of their meal.

"Ahm! Young Master. Can I ask you something? Why did you buy those things for me?"

They were talking about the set of diamond jewels he bought that she didn't wear today which made him upset.

"Coz, I wanted to. Dad gave me an excessive allowance this month and I thought of spending them on gifts. Don't think highly of yourself. I treated my friends on a cruise ship last month!" Albert annoyingly replied.

"You could have just donated them to the poor!" she commented inwardly. She pursed her lips rather.

"Thank you, Young Master but I think I can't wear them anywhere!" she was hesitant to say but she had to. Wearing expensive jewels, especially diamonds was not really her style.

"If you don’t wear them, throw them away!" Albert exclaimed. He elegantly wiped his mouth and hastily rose from his seat.

Samantha was flabbergasted.

Were they finished eating? But how about these untouched meals? She felt her conscience poking her upon seeing those hefty leftovers.

"You wanna stay here? Suit yourself!" when Albert's cold voice sprang behind her.

She immediately got up and took a last glance at their table before she followed him at the entrance.

When they're inside the car, his angry voice startled the driver and the servant.

"Andy, make sure that stuff you bought yesterday will be in the trash bin this morning!"

"What?" they both exclaimed in unison while glancing at the rearview mirror.