“Alright, Mr. Principal. If you don’t throw Jones out today, I’ll make sure your school suffers!”
Without showing any signs of backing down, Professor Jones sneered, “As the renowned Professor Williams, you’re actually threatening people? What’s the meaning of this?”
Caught in the middle of the situation, the principal hurriedly said, “Please don’t get so worked up, professors. Janet will be here soon and then you can ask for her opinion. Even if I’m the school principal, I cannot make any decisions for her.” Turning to Professor Williams, he continued, “Don’t you agree?”
That seemed to work this time as both of them quieted down. Despite the truth in his words, anyone who was smart would want to recruit a talent such as Janet into their own institution.
“I don’t care, Janet has to come to our school no matter what. Even if she’s not willing to come to our school, she shouldn’t attend Jones’ school,” Professor Williams grumbled.
All of the principal’s earlier efforts to dissuade the situation went down the drain as Professor Jones lashed out in anger again, “What do you mean by that, Williams? Just because your trashy school is unable to recruit a talent like Janet, you can’t stop us from recruiting her!”
“Trashy? How dare you insult the top arts institute in Barnsford?”
And again, they started an argument.
Just as the principal tried to pacify them again, Janet appeared at the office door. “Are you looking for me, Sir?” she asked as she leaned against the doorframe lazily.
Breaking into a brilliant smile, the principal chirped, “That’s right, come in quickly!”
Upon hearing her voice, both professors sprang up from their seats and went forward to greet her.
“Please take a seat, Master Nato!” Professor Williams said ingratiatingly as he pulled out a chair for her.
“How are you, Mr Nato? Nice to meet you,” Professor Jones said, smiling agreeably.
Nodding, she thanked him softly, “Thank you.” Opening her eyes, her vision was blurry as she yawned and gazed at the two men in front of her. “Why are you looking for me?” she asked, expressionless.
“Master Nato, I’m here today to ask you if you would like to come to Opera Academy?” Professor Williams asked politely.
“Joining our Painting Academy is the correct decision, Master Nato,” Professor Jones said firmly.
While both of them looked at her with anticipation and respect in their eyes, she didn’t really hear their formalities and had simply heard vaguely the schools they mentioned for her to go. “Why should I go?” she asked, her round eyes filled with bafflement. “Why should I go?”
The intense emotions which both professors had earlier instantly died down with her question. Clutching his chest, Professor Williams asked bitterly, “Aren’t you even going to think about it, Master Nato?”
Worried, Professor Jones said, “Master Nato, let me be honest. Our school is inviting you to be the associate professor!”
The principal, who was watching at the side, almost fell from his chair as he stared wide-eyed at him in disbelief. “What? A-Associate professor?”
“Master Nato, not only can you be a professor in our school, but you can also request for any benefits you would like. The chancellor even mentioned that he’ll arrange a building solely for your classes,” Professor Williams fawned.
Shocked from everything he had just heard, the principal no longer knew how to react. On the other hand, the young teen merely lifted her eyes nonchalantly and answered, “I’m not interested.”
With his eyes almost popping out of its socket, the principal thought that she must have lost her mind and tugged at her shirt, asking, “Ms. Jackson, didn’t you hear what they said?”
Casting him a gaze, she raised her brows slightly and said, “I heard them clearly that they’re inviting me to their schools to be a professor.”
The principal’s mind turned blank at her reply as he was not expecting that she would reject their offers so breezily.
Regardless if it was the Opera Academy or Painting Academy, they were both institutions which many could only dream about joining, not to mention that she would be joining as a professor.
Unwilling to give up, Professor Jones decided to give it another shot and said, “Not only does our school excel in painting, but we’re also offering scholarships from the government every year and millions of that will be allocated to you, Master Nato!”
