Chapter 34: Meeting the Team and a Surprising Revelation
Nine o'clock in the morning, the date was December 12th, 2023.
Michael was in the Technological Institute of the Philippines, specifically in the Mechanical Engineering Department. There he met his professors from different subjects. He waved a hand at them and they happily waved back. In front of him, was Mr. Delgado.
"You looked like you haven't slept all night," Delgado observed, looking at Michael from top to bottom.
"Well I have been busy sir," Michael rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. He looked around, noticing it was him the only student present inside the faculty.
"Anyways, it seems that I am the first to arrive. Where are they, sir?"
"Oh, they just messaged me, they'll arrive in a minute or two. They're just wrapping up something from their last class." Mr. Delgado glanced at his watch, then back at Michael. "In the meantime, why don't we go over your product for the PSME? Solar panel was it?"
"Yes," Michael confirmed with a nod. "It's going to be groundbreaking and revolutionary in the field of renewable energy."
'Is that so?" Delgado mused, his interest piqued.
Just as they were about to delve deeper into Michael's project, the door swung open, and two students entered, both carrying hefty bags filled with books and papers. They were Kenneth and Janine, second-year mechanical engineering students known for their exceptional academic performance, boasting GPAs of 1.2 and 1.3 respectively.
"Sorry we're late, Sir," Kenneth said, catching his breath. "Our last class overran, and we had to sprint here."
Janine nodded in agreement.
Mr. Delgado waved off their apologies with a smile. "It's fine. You're here now, and that's what matters. Now, I want you to meet Michael Reyes, the third member of the team."
"Pleasure to meet you," Michael extended his hand, greeting both Kenneth and Janine with a firm handshake.
"Pleasure is ours," Kenneth replied. Janine simply nodded with a smile, equally interested.
Catherine and the man exchanged a few words, their interaction comfortable and familiar before she headed towards the coffee shop entrance. The man took a moment to lock the vehicle and follow her at a leisurely pace, his gaze briefly meeting Michael's through the window, a smirk subtly playing on his lips.
"What the hell..." Michael said to himself. "Why is he smirking at me? Is he looking down on me?"
Catherine and the man entered the coffee shop.
"Joshua, meet Michael, Michael meet Josh," Catherine introduced them with a cheerful tone. Joshua extended his hand, the smirk now replaced with a neutral expression, though a hint of appraisal lingered in his eyes as they shook hands.
"Nice to meet you," Joshua said. His gaze was piercing, sizing Michael up in a way that felt almost confrontational. But as his eyes landed on Michael's simple attire and the older model phone that Michael placed on the table, his posture relaxed slightly, an almost imperceptible nod acknowledging Michael's presence without further judgment.
Michael, picking up on the subtle shift in Joshua's demeanor, felt a mix of irritation and relief. It was clear that Joshua had initially perceived him as a potential rival, possibly for Catherine's attention, but had quickly reassessed him as no threat based on his economic status. But why would he? Sure Catherine is beautiful but he doesn't like her romantically.
"These rich kids again," Michael inwardly thought, the corner of his mouth tugging into a smirk.
"Catherine mentioned you've been helping her a lot with her studies," Joshua commented, taking a seat next to Michael, with Catherine sitting beside him. "I appreciate that."
Michael nodded, deciding to keep the conversation professional. "It's no problem. Catherine's a quick learner. We're just going over some advanced topics to prepare her for the exams."
Catherine beamed at the compliment, then turned to Joshua, explaining, "Michael's been amazing. I've learned so much already."
"Is that so? Well, I'm going to pick you up at six o'clock. After that, we go to BGC for dinner."
Catherine nodded. "No problem."
At this point, Michael realizes that Catherine is infatuated with this man. But the insulting gaze he cast on him earlier made him want to face-slap him. He opened his phone and browsed the Ford Raptor. It cost around 2.3 million.
But if he wanted to send a message that he's better than this guy, he must avail a more expensive vehicle, like three times that price. And that's where he came across this vehicle.
Ram 1500 TRX, srp, 8.85 million pesos.
"Give me three days," Michael promised to himself. After all, if he's planning on starting a business, having his own vehicle would be convenient to travel from one location to another.