Chapter 6: The Mingle Family

Derrick sat in the back seat of the Rose Royce. He seems to be lost in his own thoughts. The driver looked at him twice from the rear-view mirror.  He smiled to see Derrick's calm demeanour. He was usually giving off a very cold demeanour.

George asked, "School was fun today?"

Derrick said nothing but rather gave him a cold stare and turned to look outside the window. The driver smiled and the ride continued in silence.

The Mingle family is extraordinarily rich and powerful. They own the entertainment industry, ten luxurious hotels and five Estates. For anyone to leave in any of their Estates you must be a top government official or extraordinarily rich and powerful. 

Fifteen minutes passed and the car arrived at the villa. Derrick got out of the car, gave the butler a nod and walked straight into the house. Derrick changed his shoes and headed for the stairs leading to his room. Before he could enter his room, his dad called out to him from his study. Derrick opened the door and threw his school bag into his room and went straight into his father's study. He sat down on the couch and was joined by his dad.

"I will go straight to the point," said his father "Do you hate school?"

Derrick looked at his father thoughtfully and was not sure what to say. He hated the school and didn't want to go back there. He has an IQ level of 129. He found everything they did in that school to be far below him but today he met Lily. He is not sure why but he wanted to see her again. If he leaves now, he may never get to see her again. Could he leave and leverage on his dad's men to search for her? Just when Derrick was lost in his thoughts, his father spoke again

"What is her name?"

"Huh!" Stunned Derrick was brought out of his thought. "What do you mean father?"

Derrick's father smiled and got up from the couch and walked towards the coffee stand and poured a cup of coffee for himself and poured a glass of juice for his son.

"You have that stupid look on your face" teased his father.

"The same look I had when I first saw your mum. So, tell me, what is her name?" He handed the glass of juice to his son.

Derrick felt rather embarrassed. He replied weakly

"There is no girl" He avoided his father's gaze.

"Let's see. (Opening a file, he had picked up from his desk). Today you had 20 children in your class. Plus, a new student. (He looked at his son from the corner of his eyes and saw him blush). Which gender is the new student?" His father said teasingly.

Derrick was both embarrassed and stunned but he composed himself immediately and rather annoyed asked

"You have someone watching me at school?"

"I just want to be sure you are safe at all times. I can't take chances with that."

Derrick looked at his dad and was not sure how to react to that. Derrick felt it was a perfect time to ask his dad for a favour without raising any suspicion.

"Dad, you know I don't like to be watched. I promise to stay in school if you promise to stop watching me. Also, I don't want to be in kindergarten. I want a higher grade level." Derrick asked showing no emotions.

His father looked at his son for a while and nodded. The conversation ended and Derrick left the study for his room. 

He entered his room and saw the bag he threw was lying on the floor. He walked past it kicking the bag towards the couch in his room and jumping onto his bed. He closed his eyes and an image of Lily's smiling face appeared in his mind. He smiled and imagined himself and Lily walking hand in hand through a flower garden with Lily smiling. He shook his head and wondered why he was thinking about that. He just met her. He knows nothing about her.

He got up and went to sit behind his laptop. Putting it on, he launched the Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate game and started playing. He played the game and kept winning every battle. He was deep in the game when a knock was heard on his door. A young boy of about 6 years, with blond hair and a blue pair of eyes, walked in.

"Hey Jessie, you are here."

Jessie looked at Derrick and laughed. Derrick paused the game and looked at Jessie confused. Jessie sat on the couch and placed one leg on the other and stretched one arm on the back of the couch and placed the other over his crossed leg. His charming and magnificent look was so evident. He stared at Derrick and said;

"Are you playing this game because of the new girl who came in today? What is her name again?"

Derrick shot Jessie a cold look. "No, but why are you saying that,"

Jessie said nonchalantly, "Well, the first time I saw you play Mortal Kombat with such seriousness, you met Nina. (Getting up and placing a hand in his pocket he continued) and the last time I saw you play again; you and Nina broke up. (He walked towards Derrick and placed a hand on his shoulder). So, seeing you play again could only mean one thing, it is not a breakup, I mean you just met. The new girl caught your eye" He grinned.

Derrick brushed his hands off "Get lost"

Jessie laughed and jumped onto the bed. "So, tell me, what caught your eye about her? I mean she is not as pretty as Nina,"

Derrick said nothing but walked to the fridge and got a bottle of fresh juice and poured two glasses full and offered one to Jessie who now sat up and took the drink. Derrick walked towards the window with one hand holding the glass of juice and the other in his pocket.

He took a sip of his drink and said "I don't know"

"Wait! what?" exclaimed Jessie in shock.

"I don't know. I just can't get her smiles off my mind. Let's not talk about Lily. I will be moving to a higher-grade class. I would not see her again." said Derrick

"Really, hey we can always meet at the basketball court. I wish we could be in the same class" before Jessie could finish Derrick cuts in.

"We can. Let me speak with my dad."

Jessie smiled and they both went out of the room to the basketball court. 

Derrick's father was about to leave his study when his phone rang. He checked the caller ID and froze. He looked around to ensure no one was on that floor and he went back into the study, locked the door, pulled the bookshelf and used the elevator behind it to the roof. Upon reaching the roof, the phone had rung twice already. He was about to call when the call came again.

He answered "I have told you never to call me. What do you want"

The caller replied. "I can't keep hiding like this. I miss my home and I want to go back"

Derrick's father spoke angrily " Shut up. Which family? You gave them up the moment you signed that contract (He said through gritted teeth). I am going to relocate you to Mexico. You will stay there till the time is right. Don't call me again. I will call you when I need you." He ended the call and looked around again before walking back to the elevator 

Bam! The ball hit Jessie.

"What are you looking at?"

Jessie looked again and thought he may have imagined Derrick's father on the roof just now.

"Is there a way to the roof?" asked Jessie.

"Yes, but trust me, you don't want to go there. Anyway, the elevator broke down and my dad said there is no need to fix it."

"Why," asked puzzled Jessie

"Well, my dad doesn't want another incident of someone falling off the roof," said Derrick mimicking a fall from a height. 

Jessie looked at the place where he had seen Derrick's father one more time and continued playing with Derrick.