Troublemaker

24. SELF-CONCEITED

Everyone has lied, at least once in their life. And usually that lie is to protect one's self. A lie can start from who ate the cookies, to who committed the murder. Everything that didn't really happen in reality is a lie, and most times, reality sucks.

Jayce gritted her teeth, "Milton," she said under her breath.

Ashton gave out a sigh of anger, "I'll talk it out with them,"

"It's like you've just met your disgusting family for the first time." Jayce said to him.

He furrowed in return, "What?"

"They don't talk it out, they do it out," she said, "If their choice is that, then there's no negotiating. They get away with everything they do,"

"We still can try. If we don't, the school goes bankrupt,"

"And I'm aware of that," she stated, "We'll hold a meeting for the richest people around the area in and out of Syville, and we'll persuade them to fund our school,"

"What if they won't agree at all? Persuading the extravagant rich isn't easy, especially for this boarding school that's highly expensive to fund," Harrison said.

"Then we go to plan B,"

"What's plan B?" Ashton asked.

"Something I hope I wouldn't have to ask for if the rich people we invite are stupid," she said, "And we have to move quick, so we'll start giving out the notice now,"

"Through the internet, and to their personal emails, whoever you have and I'll give you some of the people I know who are extravagantly rich," Ashton said.

"We'll prepare a small show, persuading them to fund our school, by the end of this week," Jayce suggested.

"Who's persuading?" Harrison asked.

"Us,"

Ashton flinched, he didn't sign up for it, "Us?"

"Us," Jayce stated back, "I'll prepare the script, and the show, and you both prepare the guests,"

She knew she had no right to be mad about her feelings, since she also had lied to Ashton more than he had, but this time was the last time they were going to work together. She had thought about ending it, and confronting him right after the show.

"We need performances as well to persuade them more. The rich only get lured in when they see something amusing,"

"I'll sort that out," Harrison said, "I can ask some people from the music department, and I'll prepare a talk about the school's achievements and you both will continue,"

"I'll play a tune on the piano if that's what you shall ask," Ashton offered.

"And I'll pull up some dance and choir performances as well," Jayce continued.

Ashton nodded, agreeing to everything that was said. He had no right to feel bad for himself, he lied to her too.

It was going to fall down.

~~~

Back in the dormitory, Jaxon, who was now all alone, went into Ashton's room, wanting to find out what was in that vault.

He in fact had not known that Ashton's mind was all clouded with Jayce in it, and therefore his guesses definitely weren't that the code was her birthday.

Although, he wouldn't have guessed at first.

"What the actual hell is the code?" he cursed under his breath, and he wasn't stupid. He wasn't stupid enough to not have known or have a guess of the code, "It can't be her birthday, right?"