Chapter 18 Cash Is King

• Much to Aaron's surprise, Thomas actually came to the gathering. And he smells like sweat. You're embarrassing us and disgusting everyone else.
• "You can't say that, Aaron." Howard thought it was discourteous of Aaron. It's just the smell of sweat. Just close your nose to it, bud.
• "You should have called us after you retired from the military. We're your friends." Howard sat down beside Thomas and wrapped an arm around him. He didn't seem to be averse to Thomas at all. In fact, he was friendly.
• "I lost your numbers," Thomas said awkwardly. Eight years in the military almost made society forget about him.
• Howard was Thomas' best friend back in high school. They snuck out of school one weekend to get some alcohol, but they drank a bit too much, so they came back to the dorms holding each other.
• And then Thomas realized something. Oh, so Sean and William reserved a spot in the hotel where my high school friends are having a gathering? That's a coincidence.
• "Here. Jot down my number."
• Howard and Thomas exchanged numbers. Though years had passed, Howard would still think of his best friend, and he respected his decision of giving up on his studies to join the military. Only a real man can do that. He's serving the nation. And I only befriend real men.
• Aaron said, "Our classmates are here, so I'll be going now." He said see you later and left them.
• "We should go too, Thomas. Our friends miss you. You always come up in our conversations." He pulled Thomas up.
• "It's alright. You go. I'll stay."
• Thomas shook his head. After what Izzy said to him, his eyes were opened to reality. Their friendship during their teenage years meant nothing. None of those guys are gonna treat me like a person.
• "Let's go. It's alright." Howard saw what Izzy said to Thomas on WhatsApp, and he knew what his friend was worried about. "Anyone who badmouths you will have to go through me."
• "Forget it." Thomas waved his hands. Out of all his highschool friends, only Howard was his friend. Everyone else was just an acquaintance.
• "It's been a while, Thomas."
• However, their classmates huddled around Thomas and Aaron before they could go over. Thomas looked around and thought to himself, Never realized we had a lot of hotties in our class. Even the hot class rep is here.
• "You didn't even call us after you came back. And you feel a lot more forlorn now."
• Melissa was in professional attire, and she gave Thomas a look of pity. He has no one to blame but himself. If he just went to college like the rest of us, his life would have been better by a long shot.
• "Of course he feels forlorn. It's the military. Eight years of violence is going to turn anyone into crud." Izzy shot Thomas a venomous glare. That'll teach you not to trip me up. You made the president yell at me. I'll humiliate you today.
• "I heard Felice got herself a new boyfriend." Bob smirked. He wanted to remind everyone that Thomas' ex cheated on him. "Don't blame her though. She's just trying to find better prospects, and you can't provide that for her."
• "Yeah, but don't feel down. You're still young. Just work hard and you'll get your break eventually."
• "I heard you're working as a driver at Pearson Group? Why? Come work for me. I'll make you a workshop chief. Seven hundred dollars a month. How does that sound?" Harold sympathized with Thomas and wanted to help him out.
• "You're generous huh, Harold? Trying to poach our talents? He's our president's designated driver. Take him away, and we might come after you. Besides, he's not skilled at all, and you want him to be a chief? He's going to ruin your business, you fool," Izzy mocked as naturally as she breathed.
• "Um…" Harold was at a loss for words. Hey, I'm just trying to help. Is that so wrong?
• "What the hell are you talking about?" Howard snarled. "That's just distasteful."
• Howard disliked Izzy's attitude. Hey, I know your brother lost out on the job, but it's not Thomas' fault. You said it loud and clear that your president picked him, and now you're being a b*tch about it?
• "Drop the act, Howard. You're just a mechanic, so shut up. Talk to me when you make twenty eight hundred a month. You're a loser like your friend here."
• Oh, shut the f*ck up, you. You work your *ss off every month and only make five hundred dollars. You and Thomas are the biggest losers around, and you wanna help him? F*ck off.
• "Why you…" Howard gnashed his teeth in anger. And you're just a chief of some small department, so put a sock in it. If I didn't know better, I would have thought you were the boss of Pearson Group.
• "Why are you guys standing outside? Go in," someone hollered from behind, and everyone turned around.
• In came a crisply suited Wallace. His hair was covered in an obscene amount of gel, and it looked like he got his hairstyle straight out of an anime.
• "Oh, you're here, Wallace." Melissa quickly waved at him.
• Wallace nodded with a smile. When he looked at Thomas, a hint of scorn welled up in his eyes, and he came up to him. I lost out to you when Felice picked you, but now I'm going to pay that back to you. "It's been a while, top scorer." Wallace approached Thomas and extended his hand.
• Thomas smiled. The past was in the past now. Everyone was way past that, but awkwardly enough, when Thomas extended his hand, Wallace pulled his back.
• "Whoa, that's a dirty hand. Did you just get out of some dirty work? I'm a bit of a germaphobe, so…"
• Some of the classmates showed pity to Thomas, while some showed scorn. After all, seeing a top scorer getting humiliated was a fun thing to do. Drama is always nice to watch. So what if you were a top scorer? Cash is king in this society, and you're a piece of sh*t compared to Wallace.