Leandro Rosario (Book 5: A Mob Boss's son)

24. Will of Jean

Jacob was not believing his eyes. He turned to his sister and said softly to Jean "Flowerpot. I think you have put your name under the wrong column."

Jean said "I have written it right. It's under survival camp."

Jacob said "Why have you signed up?"

Jean said "Why? What's wrong with signing up?"

Jacob explained "Flowerpot... There is nothing wrong at all. But you don't like combat and fighting. I am just wondering why you would sign up for some activity that you don't particularly enjoy talking about let alone join."

Jean shrugged "I like to learn how to fight. I can handle a tough course..."

Jacob was looking at jean in disbelief "But... this is not about just toughness. It's a very intense course but what gets me is you don't like fighting at all. I don't know how they have managed to get a permit for teaching half the course material. It has guns, grenades, bomb dismantling, swords, knife throwing... Don't get me started on hand to hand combat. Do you like all of this in one course?"

Jean was visibly getting nervous as she took a deep breath. She looked away "Probably not... I guess I will learn to like it... Tough on me. I will learn to toughen up." She then said "See you later Jacob."

Jacob said "Wait." But his sister walked on.

Jacob knew something was not right. His sister seemed tense. She seemed to be not wanting to answer his questions about why she had signed up.

He looked at the notice board and shook his head. Jean had signed up reluctantly to this intensive course and something was wrong. He hoped she told him eventually. But again there was no one who hadn't been convinced to sign up. Everyone was pretty much. If you didn't join others called you weak. He heard the banter around the campus. Kids in upper years taunted the younger or newer students about joining. Apparently it was a tough but fun course. However the instructor was not Leandro last year. Now Leandro had taken over because he had come back with the captain rank. And that Arcade guy could be joint coach if he ever joined the school later. The odds were in favour of him joining because he dated Lavinia.  Leo had told Jacob to be very careful if Arcangelo had taken an interest in him. Leo thought he either wanted to recruit him, defeat him or both.

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Melanie was signing up to a few clubs herself when she saw Jean walk away from her brother. She had heard them argue over her joining survival camp.

As jean walked in her direction and smiled, she decided to join her walking with her "Jean. I think you should think about what your brother is telling you. I am sorry. He was speaking very loud. I overheard. I am with him on this."

Jean turned to Melanie "If you can do it, so can I. I don't want special treatment."

Melanie sighed "It's not about if you can do it. You want to sign up to prove some people wrong. I have no idea who those people are. I haven't met any. No one has ever said you are weak or privileged or need to toughen up. The people who know you like you because you are nice, polite and respectful. I don't know who gave you the impression that you have to prove anything to anyone but whoever they are I can guarantee they don't know you at all."

Jean went silent and looked away.

Melanie said "So Where has this come from? Why do you think you need to prove anything to anyone? Who has told you to toughen up?"

Jean turned to her "It doesn't matter. Some people think it even if they don't say it... I have heard it..."

Melanie said "Please Jean. I have no idea where you got the urge from to prove you are tough and not weak... Whoever thinks you are weak or tough doesnt know you or ... you know is jealous of you... You are new but you are talk of the campus..."