Young & Beautiful

“So,” Charles begins, feet planted on the ground far apart, hands in the pockets of his ironed gray
trousers.
“So.” Louis folds his arms, feet planted just as firmly.
He regards Louis with narrowed, calculating eyes, reluctant to praise. “You’ve made some
excellent connections while you’ve been here. I’m surprised. And pleased.”
Louis snorts. “Nice to see you, too. And oh, how have I been? I’ve been wonderful, thank you for
asking. And the girls? They’ve been good as well. So refreshing of you to voice your concern,”
he says flatly.
Charles’ lips tighten. “Louis. That’s not why I’m here.”
Wow. Just wow.
Disgusted, Louis shakes his head, nearly incredulous at the man before him, wrapped in
overpriced cloth and greed. “I don’t even remember the last time I’ve seen you,” he says, voice
low. “Are we just going to pretend like that’s not a thing? No questions asked? Not even
exchange a handshake? A tip of the hat?”
“I’m paying for your schooling,” Charles continues, ignoring him. “I’m spending a lot of money. I
just want to be sure I’m making a good investment. Nothing more.”
Wow. Wow.
“Well then, you tell me,” Louis clips, standing before him and spreading his arms. “This is my life.
This is me. Is it a good investment, father?”
He sighs, rubbing his temples. “What are your grades, Louis?”
“What, you want me to dig out a fucking transcript? Go fish up my file. I don’t keep a record.”
He’s lying. He absolutely has a record of his grades online. All the students do. But he sure as hell
isn’t gonna tell him that, instead jutting his jaw defiantly and never blinking as he meets Charles’
rigid gaze.
“You have no record of your work? None whatsoever?”
“Fuck’s sake, I don’t have a fucking office, do I?”
“Language.”
“What about it?” Louis asks faux innocently.
Charles glares.
“To be quite honest, I’m not even sure why you’ve come. Just out of the blue? Just to see how I’m
doing? When you could’ve called the school and saved us a lot of trouble and time?”
There’s a brief pause as Charles assesses him before he nods. “This is true. I suppose I had other
motives.” He flicks his eyes around the room. “I wanted to see the kind of man you’re becoming.”
Louis nods, struggling to refrain from rolling his eyes. “Well. This is who I am. If you don’t
approve, I suggest you do what you should have done in the first place—go to the secretary or
whatever. Talk to them. Sort it out. Find your answers. Then decide if I’m ‘worth it’ or not.”
Another silence.