The High School Bad Boy
Chapters 77. She Makes Me A Better Man.

STALINGRAD, GERMANY.

While feeding himself with a spoonful of thick soup, Ludovic watched Max sitting across the table, enjoying his dinner menu in silence.

"You're rarely home now, Max," the middle-aged man began the conversation.

"Hm ...." Max who was busy with his bifteck (steak) only replied with a mutter.

"How's school? Not bothered by ...."

"I got a scholarship from the Sorbonne" Max cut. It just flashed a letter that he received this afternoon from the Sorbonne University. Intentionally he wanted to break the words of the father, who he knew, where the direction of the conversation was going.

"Ah, bon (ohya)?" ludovic asked without being able to hide his surprise but happiness.

"You see? No one is bothering me with my life" Max quipped as he placed a spoon on his plate. "If you want to talk about my relationship with Wulan, I'll tell you."

Ludovic stopped eating his soup. He waited for the words to come out of Max's mouth.

"Wulan is the biggest support of my life, Papa. With him I feel like a better man" he said, looking into his father's eyes. "I don't care if Wulan is my teacher, or the age gap between us who are far away. I love him, Papa," he continued, leaving Ludovic stunned by Max's words.

"As much as you love Clara," said Max. While in silence, Ludovic's heart felt stunned.

"Don't be too conservative, Papa. We don't live in Medieval times" Max continued.

"My life is not like other children. I'm familiar with hardships, struggles, and responsibilities. I know what I want. I know what I've chosen." Max folded both hands in front of his chest.

"You don't have to worry about me, Papa. I'll be fine."

Ludovic remained silent in his place. Again, his son made him feel like a useless adult man. Max has been learning about the hardships of living alone. Learn to be responsible for yourself.

Although in his deepest heart he still did not willing Max to relate to a woman much older than him, but he could do nothing but try to accept his son's decision.

"I don't know what to say, Max."

Max nodded. "I know," he said as he moved from his seat, then cleaned the dinner table and brought dirty dishes and glasses to the kitchen.

"I hope everything is clear to you, Papa," Max said. "I don't want to argue about this anymore."

A few moments later, only the sound of plates and glasses clashing on the sink.

***

JEAN-BAPTISTE SAY, SURESNES.

Eloise smiled happily when she saw the figure of Max who had just walked out of the gate. Long enough he waited for the young man in front of the school with a classic building in the Renaissance era style.

"Hey, Max ...." Eloise ran towards him. "It's great to see you" he said, kissing Max's cheek at a glance.

"Why is it here?" ask Max wonder. He looked around and found that Ethiene and Chen were teasing him with small whistles. He rolled his eyes. Then turned his gaze on Eloise back.

"I'm looking for you" kekeh Eloise. "You didn't return a message or answer my phone. I didn't see you in Les Marais either."

"But, do you have to find me here? Is there something important?"

Eloise didn't answer Max's question. The girl just smiled. "Congratulations, Max .. You did get a scholarship from the Sorbonne."

"Ah, oui, merci, Eloise" Max said as he scratched his head. He realized, the scholarship he got from one of the best universities in Paris, a little with the help of Eloise. "If I can go through the baccalaureat (national exam) exam," he continued.

"You can, of course," said Eloise, stroking Max's arm. "Let's celebrate Max, I'll buy you a drink."

"Emmm .. it looks like I ...."

"Come on, Max ...."

Just drinking might be okay. Wulan would understand.

"D'accord (okay)."

Eloise smiled happily. Then he took the phone from his bag. "I'll order a taxi" he said.

.

.

"You see them, Wulan?"

Jolene's voice startled Wulan who was standing at the school gate. Watching Max and Eloise get into a taxi. Soon, the black car with a roof lamp bearing the words Taxi Parisien drove away from his eyes.

"Please don't bother me, Jolene," Wulan said in a flat tone of voice.

"Do you believe it now?"

"I don't want to talk about this with you, sorry ...." Wulan stepped up leaving Jolene unceremoniously stale. He was really uncomfortable being around that woman.

"I'll take you home, Wulan." Jolene offset Wulan's steps through the sidewalk leading to the underground station.

"Jolene!" hardik Wulan's. He could no longer hold back. "Please don't bother me." Wulan raised both of her hands, warning the woman to stay away from him.

Jolene's chest rumbled to look at Wulan's departure. He shook slowly. Her pretty face looked tense.

"You rejected me, Wulan," he sighed.

***

Wulan waited for news from Max until nightfall. But the young man did not send him a message or call him.

There are a lot of things Max has to explain to her.

No, he's not angry.

Before hearing the explanation directly from Max's mouth, Wulan did not merely swallow Jolene's words.

Or about Eloise he saw with Max this afternoon, he believes Max has a reason for that. He trusted Max completely. It's not just a relationship of two teenagers filled with their own egos.

She's a grown woman, and Max isn't just any teenager who just wants to have fun with her. Wulan could see Max's seriousness from the way the young man treated her.

He's the one.

How lucky Wulan is to have those blue eyes. Young, handsome, and responsible. No matter what obstacles ahead, if Max is next to him, then things will be easy.

Remedy for my broken heart (medicine for my wounded heart).

Wulan began to smile to herself in light of all the wonderful events she had gone through with Max.

And ....

One knock on the door of his apartment blew his daydream.

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