Arian

Arian's pov

“When the going gets tough, then the tough get going,” I told myself as I stepped out of the meeting room.

I've spent two years in this college, going and coming without stress. But in the space of twenty four hours, everything changed. The school that was once my favourite place became the worst place.

The stress-free life had become stressful as I walked from one office to another, begging the professors. The irony about life is that the people you thought would be there for you won't be there. They would always find excuses to leave you in times of trouble.

The English professor, Professor Clark, sent me out of his office without a second glance. He said he didn't want to get involved in a student scandal.

Now, I have no other plans than to go to my uncle. I hesitated in front of the door, my hand hovering just inches from the polished wood. One way or the other, his son is involved in this mess.

So it is right for him to step in and help me clean the mess his son created.

I stared at the door, the title boldly on it. Registrar's Office.

George Wellington. It was strange how his name, engraved in brass, suddenly felt so foreign to me. Uncle George. My mother’s brother. The father of the same idiot that put me in this mess.

Bracing myself, I knocked once.

“Come in,” came his voice, clipped and sharp as always.

I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

He was sitting at his desk, reviewing some documents with his usual permanent frown. He barely glanced up before returning his eyes to the paper.

“Make it quick. I’ve got a staff meeting in ten minutes.”

I stood awkwardly in front of his desk, unsure if I should sit or not. The man didn’t even offer me a chair.

“I need your help,” I said quietly.

That got his attention. He set the paper down, leaned back, and crossed his arms. “So you finally remember you have an uncle now?”

The bitterness in his tone was immediate, suffocating me to the core.

“I’ve always known you’re my uncle,” I replied, trying to stay calm. “But this isn’t about the past. It’s about now.”

He arched his brow. “Now? Then speak. Go ahead, let's hear what you have to say.”

I clenched my hands behind my back, praying my voice wouldn’t shake. “You must have heard about the scandal going on. Someone framed me for stealing the book club funds. You know I didn’t do it.”

“Do I?” he asked, tilting his head slightly. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re neck-deep in something you can’t clean yourself out of.”

“I swear I’m innocent,” I said, desperate now. “If you can just talk to the ICT to track the account that posted it. Or talk to the bursary or the account office to look into the account access records, I’m sure there’ll be proof that I didn’t…”

He cut me off with a scoff. “Proof?” He stood up, slowly circling around the desk. “You think I’m going to risk my reputation over some scholarship charity case? You think I’d stick my neck out for a kid who’s been nothing but a burden since his mother dropped dead?”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I blinked in disbelief. Did I hear him right? Or was I making things up in my head? Did he just about my mother, his sister like that?

“I’m not asking you to put yourself on the line,” I said, my voice low, tight. “I just need you to help me talk to some people. That’s all. I thought…”

“You thought wrong,” he snapped. “I gave you the chance to get a scholarship here. After that, you left to do what? Create a name for yourself. When you were enjoying your reign as the president, did you visit this office?”

“I…I,” I stuttered as I tried to form a reply.

“You don’t belong here, Arian. You never did. And now you’ve proven it. You embarrassed this family, you embarrassed your dead mother. And you’re not dragging my name down with yours.”

My throat dried as he rained those insults on me. This man was the same person who stood beside me at my mom's funeral. He promised to be there for me. What happened to the promises he made?

I should’ve walked away, but I stayed frozen, because some stupid part of me still hoped he’d change his mind.

“You’re my uncle,” I whispered. “How could you say that when you promised to be of help whenever I needed help?”

“Sorry to disappoint you, I'm not offering charity, especially to family members who don't know their

place.”

“What if I told you that your son was involved in this scandal?”

“How are you going to prove that?” he asked without a hint of fear. It was as if he knew I was going to say that about Luke.

“If you don't help me talk to the bursary, I will find another way. That way will help me bring down your son and he will be exposed for framing me.”

“I should have known that you'll end up as an ungrateful brat. I shouldn't have wasted my chances on you. Now, let me tell you something, take the fall and get out quietly.”

“I wouldn't go down, not for what I didn't do. I will fight until I expose the person behind the scandal.”

He took a step closer. “Let me make this very clear. If you come here again with this nonsense, I’ll make sure you don’t just lose your scholarship, you’ll also be expelled.”

“So this is it, uncle? This is how you treat your family?” I said, fighting the urge to slam my hands on his desk.

“Get out of my office, Arian. And don't come back.”

I stared at him but didn’t say a word. I was no longer looking at my uncle, I was looking at a heartless man.

My chest burned as I backed away slowly, each step heavier than the last. I was mad to the extent of crying but I won't cry. I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing me break.

I walked out of the office and didn't look back. As I closed the door behind me, I felt something twist hard in my chest, something sharp and cold.

Family. What a concept of lies? A sick concept of a joke?

What can I do now? Who else could I run to for help? Who is even willing to help a pauper like me?