THE CEO AND THE POINDEXTER

that came from my father. — Come on, darling — the nanny holds my hand again. Dad doesn't move, doesn't.

look at me, and doesn't answer the question I asked him. Would I ever have the answer? Would daddy look at

me with love and pride one day? I will fght to deserve this.

Wisdom University, Windlerbrook I'm

sitting in business relations class, listening intently to the teacher as I make notes in my notebook, when I hear my cell phone ring. I look at Mrs. Marshal with an apologetic look and quickly silence the device. It didn't

take long for the sound of the vibration on the table to draw the teacher's attention to me again. This is not a common thing to happen. Only my parents, my younger sister Dorothy, my best friend Tina, who is sitting right

behind me, could be calling me this early. It must defnitely be a company wanting to sell something. I should.

have left the phone turned off in my jeans pocket, preventing the most demanding professor at college from seeing me as her newest enemy or as if she were a scary inquisition agent. — Miss, this is unacceptable. Oh no! Lowering the glasses. That means I'm in a lot of trouble. I try to pick up the device so it doesn't further.

increase my desire to stick my face in a hole when my trembling fngers get in the way and it falls to the foor.

Needless to say, at that moment I already have the entire room's attention on me and Mrs. Marshal. — You're disrupting class with your phone, Miss. Pepper — the teacher decrees in an irritated tone — Turn it off

immediately or I will ask you to leave. If I had been a little smarter, I would have fnally turned the device off and thrown it into the depths of my backpack and only taken it out for the next century at least. But becoming.

the center of everyone's attention and interests is something I'm still learning to work on. Immediately, I apologize to the teacher, pick up the phone and leave the room as if my two white Nike sneakers were on fre.

I rest my back on the door as it closes behind me and I slide to a stop against the wall. The phone vibrates again, startling me. It's a local number, but completely unknown to me. — I would like to speak to Elle Pepper.

— Ella. It's Ella Pepper. Who is it? — This is Nurse Santiago... The woman on the other end of the line and she told me she was from St. Milton hospital. I knew immediately that something had happened to my family. As

soon as I assimilate the word hospital, my eyes widen and my heart starts to beat faster. — Do you know.

Nora, Paul and Dorothy Pepper? I knew something was wrong. — They are my parents and my younger sister.

— Your parents and sister were involved in an accident and are being treated here at the moment. We need.

you to come immediately. I can't believe what I'm hearing. I feel tears streaming down my face as I try to stay calm. — Of course, I'm going now — I reply in a low voice. Stunned, I return to the classroom to get my things.

The teacher still seems to be irritated with me, but when she sees the tears in my eyes her frown softens. -

Are you well? — No, I'm not — I reply, sobbing — My parents and sister were in a car accident and are in the hospital. I need to go there now. The teacher, Mrs. Marshal, immediately switched to one of concern and

compassion. — Oh, my God, I'm so sorry. Go, go now. I hope you are well. Everything becomes a real blur for me. I can barely see the people around me. — Wait, Ella — I hear Tina's voice coming behind me in the long.

college hallway — I'm going with you. — My parents, Tina... — I sob louder when she puts her hand on myshoulder and guides me to the parking lot. - They are well. Everything will be fne. You need to stay calm. I'm