The group gathered in the office of the principal of St. Theresa's. William Thompson had a headache, and two more rich children attended the school. One was a pre-existing student.
Learning the sensitive story about how 'Selena MacDonald' had now become 'Selena Lowrie', one of the richest heiresses in both America and South Korea, was mind-blowing. This sort of thing didn't happen in real life.
Selena had great grades; she had medical absences but stayed at the top of her class. She was superb. Their faces were serious as they discussed the details of Selena's documentation and looked at copies of her custody arrangement.
Selena still wanted her poor adoptive parents to be part of her life. It was admirable that she didn't leave them to go to a prestigious school. Selena had undergone some bullying and never had any on-campus fights. Principal Thompson was impressed by the girl already.
Jonathan and Eun Ho were determined to ensure Selena's transition was as smooth as possible. They stood begrudgingly on the same level as Molly and James in front of the Principal of this now formerly poorly funded school. The standards would need to rise if Jonah and Selena were to go to school here.
Just as the meeting was wrapping up, Selena ran into Gunn out in the hall, literally. He had grown taller and lankier. Her face lit up with a triumphant smile. "I won the bet, Gunn. Read it and weep," she exclaimed, pulling out the paper statement to show off her stock portfolio. "I made a net profit of $50,000 in just two months!"
Gunn's eyes widened in surprise as he took in Selena's beaming smile and the paper statement she waved in his face. He rubbed his nose, which had almost collided with Selena's, and chuckled. "Whoa, congratulations! I didn't think you'd do it," he said, his eyes scanning the statement. $50,000 was five times the profit.
Selena's grin grew even wider as she watched Gunn's expression change from surprise to admiration. "I told Robert I knew what I was doing. Thanks for backing me up," she said, her voice dripping with triumph. "You owe me, Gunn. $50,000 and a ride to school."
Gunn laughed and shook his head. "Yeah, yeah, I owe you. But don't get too cocky, Selena. I'll be there bright and early. Should I just transfer it into your brokerage account, or do you prefer a cashier's cheque?" He smiled, his eyes sparkling with admiration.
The pact was getting hard to keep. Liam, Jakob, and Michael, now we're part of the Selena fan club. Jonah declared a "hands off"; he was protective of her. She wasn't used to their world yet. She knew nothing about the upper echelon that she'd reach. $50,000 would be like a nickel to her one day.
She was fresh meat to the circle; it was better one of them than some sociopathic Greek or prince. He had heard horror stories from his cousin Mia. Not only that, but she had a hefty bone to pick with him and Jakob. He was waiting for Jonah to find out and have his ass handed to him.
Selena didn't seem to be bothered by teenage stuff. She wasn't interested in impressing the boys or trying to fit in with the popular crowd. She didn't appear to keep personal items in her bag or locker. Although it was partially his fault that she had stopped carrying anything of value.
She should be able to be a student, but her social life has been destroyed. He had tried to remedy her reputation at school and taken the blame. Confessing to a creepy crush that blossomed into a friendship. The narrative was hard to buy. Fuck.
Instead of that, she was focused on her own business and money-making. She'd not need to worry about that in the future. She should act like a child when she can. Maybe she was forced like him? She didn't rebel.
Education was clearly a top priority for Selena. She was more obsessed with her studies than Liam was. Her love for computers was evident in the way she spent hours coding and working on projects.
She had even started going to dance classes, which seemed to be a great way for her to express herself and stay active. He had been hanging out with Jonah and Jakob when she had come home. The tight outfit clung to her body; he was a teen, and it was not hard to fantasize.
Jonah was impressed by Selena's science project, an automation system for plant nurseries. When he entered her room, the project stood in a vertical PVC pipe structure with lights and two small rubber hoses that would water or fertilize the plant after scanning the RF chip on the planter for instructions. The project was complex, involving programming and engineering, but Selena had tackled it head-on.
Liam wasn't going to beat her with his project on climate change. No one listened anyway. Selena's project discussed water conservation and repurposing waste in different forms, tackling the problem head-on. If he saw the project, he'd surely start fighting for her. Liam was sly.
Selena's gaming skills were also scary. She was a great gamer, able to hold her own in online multiplayer games and tackle challenging single-player campaigns. Her gaming hobby seemed to be a fun way for her to relax and socialize with friends. "What are you up to tonight?"
Selena felt a pang of awkwardness. Interacting with Gunn, or any boy for that matter, felt odd to her. She was mentally a mature woman from the future, and it was clear to her that Gunn had feelings for her. It was obvious in the way he looked at her, the way he smiled. And it was weird to her.
"I have a violin lesson for an hour after school, and then I am hanging out with Jonah. We're going to watch Lord of the Rings and eat the crap Eun Ho never let him eat. The food at home is awesome. But the bro wants to try nachos with processed, melted queso. He calls it orange goo. It is adorable." Selena replied with a slight smile, trying to sound casual. She was an old woman in her heart and mind, and these were little kids. She was a little kid again. Jonah spoke to a teen boy who had his growth spurt and then some.
Gunn chatted on, asking her about her classes and her interests. Selena responded politely, but her mind began to wander. She pondered her future romances, wondering how she would navigate relationships as a mature woman trapped in a teenager's body.
It would be inappropriate for her to date an older man in the future, she thought. But marrying rich would be ideal for her, given the challenges she would face. She remembered that Gunn, Jakob Reinhold, Liam Reinhold, and Michael Blackwater all made it to old age, just like her. But she couldn't recall how Jonah fared. Did he die?
The hallway was busy. Jonah, who had come today to register for transfer to school after the Christmas break, spoke to a teen boy who had his growth spurt and then some. It was a young Michael Blackwater, future heir to Blackwater PMC and Noireau, and father of Hyperball inventor Jonah Blackwater. He did not start school here for another 2 years after McKenna started here. Just as it clicked.
A.A chimed and relayed its digital voice in her mind, and her subconscious spoke up. "Jonah Lowrie died in a car crash at 17," it carefully alerted her. A. A had been taught how to use voices for negative news and what bad and good news or emotions to convey during its long time as an independent system.
Selena frowned, thinking about the cute little monkey that was her twin brother dying. He seemed very nice; they shared a womb at one point. It was hard for her to get to know him with the boys flocking around him.
Selena's eyes widened as the memory came flooding back. That was when McKenna became the G4's group pet. She felt nauseous as she realized the connection. The group only fiercely backed McKenna out of some duty or loyalty to Jonah, or was it something other than that? Did she have some hierarchy over them?
Gunn was still talking, but Selena's mind was elsewhere. She was trying to roll with the punches, to navigate this strange new world. And she knew that she would have to make some tough choices in the future. A. A listened and provided her with a response to say.
Gunn's smile, she had to admit, would be very handsome years from now. As she thought this, she felt her cheeks blaze with a sudden warmth. She quickly fell back into the conversation, trying to pretend like she was paying attention to what he was saying.
Gunn asked her about hanging out with Jonah, and Selena suggested, "Why don't you ask Jonah first?" She didn't realize that Gunn had already planned out the evening in his head.
Gunn thought to himself, "Perfect, the movie theater will give me a chance to sit next to her." He imagined buying a bunch of treats at the concessions stand and using them as a bribe to sit next to Selena. He pictured himself casually strolling back to their seats, treats in hand, and sitting down beside her.
Just as Gunn was about to approach Jonah, he saw Michael, Liam, Jakob, and Jonah talking in a group. Gunn's eyes met Selena's, and he was taken aback by the pretty blush that crossed her face. He felt his face grow hot as he announced, "Hey Jonah, I'm coming tonight too."
Jonah looked at him, slightly surprised, but before he could respond, Gunn continued, "We can all go together, it'll be fun!" Michael, Liam, and Jakob exchanged skeptical glances, but Gunn's enthusiasm was infectious.
Jonah raised a brow. When had they ever been into The Lord of the Rings Trilogy? These dopes did not read. He did; the long flights stuck him with either DVDs or a book, and the TV was right next to his very sometimes intimate and loud parents.
Before long, the group of boys, except for Jonah, who was bubbling with excitement, found themselves roped into seeing a very long fantasy movie that none of them had read.
Gunn didn't care; he was just excited to spend the evening with Selena. He'd agree to a Dungeons & Dragons game or a Magic: The Gathering game with Jonah, as long as Selena was playing too.
For now, Gunn was content to be a friend, but he knew that his intentions would change when they were all old enough to marry or make long-term commitments. His parents would be thrilled to have him build a relationship with the Lowries, given the family's secret fortune amassed through time and their loose plans to ensure their survival.
As Gunn's mind wandered, he thought about the clock ticking away. The teams had already begun their work in North American cities, and the stakes were high. Gunn's family, the Whitehavens, were likely to benefit from the Lowries' plans, and he knew that his parents would be eager to strengthen their ties with the family. Gunn's reverie was interrupted by the sound of a cellular phone ringing.
He looked up to see Jonathan Lowrie, a man notorious for his ruthless business tactics, answering the call. This man was Jonah's dad and a second father to him. He would be very disappointed in him for what he did to his daughter.
Gunn's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Jonathan's expression turn serious, his eyes scanning the room as he listened to the caller. Gunn wondered what kind of deal or negotiation Jonathan was involved in and whether it would impact the Lowrie family's plans for survival.
Jonathan's expression turned serious as he answered the phone call, his eyes scanning the room as he listened to the employee on the other end. He nodded curtly, his mind focused on the documents related to the vengeance and retribution that Eun Ho had requested.
As he listened, Jonathan's thoughts drifted back to his situation. He had been bound to the floor of their bedroom for two months, subjected to Eun Ho's whims and desires. At first, the thrill of being at her mercy had been exhilarating. He had thought her mood was great and that the rough play was just a way for her to blow off steam.