20 Apology

"Hey, look at the front someone is trying to fight with the discipline committee head"

"it looks like a that guy is a first year student"

"Its the first year fault to sit at the designated seats"

"Oh.....!! committee head Rico is going to beat that guy"

The students in the auditorium are murmuring looking at Paul and that man named Rico.

Both Paul and Leo are calm because they are not the one who started this. When that beautiful told them about the seatings arrangements, they immediately tried to leave.

But this guy, Rico acted haughty when it is unnecessary.

"I'm the discipline committee head of this college. As a first year you have to know me. How dare you act like this" said Rico furiously.

"So, being first year means, we should get berated by you?" said Leo loudly from the side.

"When did I berated you? Don't change the words" said Rico flustered. What Rico said is only heard by first few rows and most of them sitting on those seats are final years as himself.

But if other students know what he said, he will be criticized for being biased and he might also lose his committee head position. So he flustered when Leo shouted out loud.

"Please, calm down. I'm sorry for my classmate's mistake" said that beautiful lady seeing the situation is getting out of hands.

"Okay. Just tell him apologize. we will this matter here" said Paul

"No. Why should I give an apology when it is his fault" said Rico. "Apology? Me? who do you think you are?" thought Rico within himself.

The students are getting excited looking at commotion taking place and whispering to each other. Some are trying to take videos with their smartphones.

"What the hell is happening here?" came a loud voice from the from entrance of the auditorium.

"Who is shou..... Director Shafik" said Rico sweating. He just about to shout back at their college Director Nemat Shafik.

Nemat Shafik is backstage arranging for the lecture when she heard commotion coming from the auditorium hall. So she came to check what is happening.

"Paul? is that you?" she said looking at the person at the front.

"Hey aunt Shafik. How are you?" asked Paul looking at her.

The whole auditorium went silent immediately when Director of their college came out but they became dumbfounded hearing the conversation between the "first year" and the Director.

"Wait. Aunt? what's going on here" thought Rico. As a matter of fact everyone other than Paul and Leo thought the same. Though Leo don't know beforehand, he is not surprised because he don't who she is.

"What are you doing here and what's happening?" asked Director Shafik back to back.

"Oh I just came to listen the lecture. But it seems like I'm not allowed to do that" said Paul.

"Who told you that?"

Paul gave a look towards Rico and Shafik followed his eyes.

"No ma'am. I didn't said noth... nothing about no...not listening the lecture" said Rico stammering.

"Get out of here" said Shafik with anger.

"But why? it's not my fault" said Rico back. he thought it is unfair for him to leave here.

The beautiful lady is dazed looking at what's happening but when she heard the Director saying Rico to leave, immediately she looked at Paul and gave a pleading look towards him.

Sensing it. Paul shook his head and said, " it's okay aunt Shafik. Just let him be"

"Okay" said Director Shafik to Paul and gave a deathly stare to Rico.

"Thanks" said the beautiful lady to Paul for which he just gave a smile back. Rico felt relieved

hearing what Shafik has said.

"I just heard from your mother that you came back from your trip. Let's sit and talk" said Shafik while sitting beside Paul.

Seeing that the fight came to an end. The standing students went back to their seats guessing the identity of the student, who even the director have to treat him properly.

"I think he is relative of the director" said a student at the back.

"No, he must be someone from the royal family" said another student.

The whole auditorium again went into a frenzy of discussions. This time guessing the identity of Paul.

Tuk.Tuk.Tuk...

A series of footsteps came from the stage. Hearing this footsteps, immediately the students went silent. Their spines became straight looking at the lady standing near the podium.

It is none other than Caroline Pendragon. Even though she is a faculty under London School of Economics, she rarely takes classes in the college. As a Nobel laureate, her lectures are conducted in the auditorium.

Caroline came to the podium at the centre of the stage. It is very common for her to give lectures in front of thousands of people. So she is very laid back.

Standing at the podium she gave a look smiling at her audience. "Its full. As always" she thought.

when her gaze stopped near the front seats,she is shocked looking at Paul but she recovered immediately and started her lecture.

An hour of the Economics lecture is followed by one more hour of QandA session. After taking her last question. Caroline gave a closing speech.

"Its very nice to see a lot of students trying to pursue the beauty of Economics. Thank you for being a nice audience for my boring lecture" said Caroline bringing smiles on the faces of the students and the faculty, who are also giving thunderous applause and cheers.

"Thank you for the Director Nemat Shafik for giving me a stage to share my knowledge" this time she directed her thanks to Shafik.

"Atlast. I thank my son, Paul. For attending this lecture, making it most wonderful experience for me. Thank you" she said looking at Paul with a broad smile.

Immediately the cheering crowd went silent listening to what Caroline said at the end.

Son?

Everyone baffled looking at Paul in the front seat.

"He is son of Professor Caroline?"this is the only thought going through the minds of those present in the auditorium.

Rico is shocked. "I told professor Caroline's son to get lost" he thought and flopped back to his seat burying his head in his hands.

Caroline came down from the stage and went straight to Paul giving him a hug.

As an introvert Paul has never went to Caroline's workplace, afraid of the attention he will get. So he always rejected his mom's request to introduce him to her colleagues. So she is very happy to see Paul hearing her lecture.

"Thank you for coming" Caroline said hugging Paul.

"Well, I too came here" said Leo.

"Hahaha, well thank you too Leonard for attending" she said.

"Come let's go to my cabin and have a chat" she said to Paul and Leo. Leaving the auditorium followed by Shafik and others.

Everyone is still dazed looking at all this. Looking at Caroline and others leaving they also followed them.

Because they are curious about Paul. He is the only son of the richest businessman Robert Pendragon and the legend of Economics Caroline Pendragon.

They are trying to take pictures of Paul but to their dismay all the photos came blurred. Not only the ones taken from the back even the close shots are blurred making them confused.

Paul can even sense a chopper coming from half a kilometer away, can't he sense the people taking pictures of him.

He and Leo both activated their virtual devices to form a transparent barrier, which will distort their images. Paul wants to be low key. So don't want his pictures running amok on the internet.

Finally, they reached the cabin of Caroline. Director Shafik and other faculty went to clear the students leaving only Paul and Leo behind Caroline.

"why did you came here?" asked Caroline.

"I want to show off my mom to my friend" said Paul bringing a smile on the face of Caroline.

"You look younger than before Aunt Caroline" said Leo.

"Its because of what you guys gave me. I'm really shocked looking at my face in the mirror" said Caroline. As there are no one in the cabin they spoke abou this loud.

After some time there is a knock on the door of Caroline cabin.

"Come in" said Caroline.

"Professor Caroline, I heard that you are looking for me" said a voice.

Paul looked behind and had a pleasant surprise. It is that beautiful lady from the auditorium.

"Ah! Paul meet one of my excellent students, Diana" said Caroline.

"Diana. This is my son, Paul" she said to that beautiful lady.

Paul got up from his chair and extended his hand and said "it's very nice to see you see you again"

""Me too" said Diana