I hadn't bothered to answer a single thing Cole said before.
When you have real ability and it steamrolls everything, there's no point talking to someone like him, and even less point proving yourself.
But those last two lines of his got under my skin.
"What's wrong with being a small-town test-grinder? You think 'small-town test-grinder' is some kind of insult?"
"Drop the superior act. Plenty of students didn't have good study conditions and still got solid scores by grinding through practice sets and pulling all-nighters. They earned themselves a bright future."
"I think they're amazing. Talking about people the way you do doesn't make you look impressive, and it definitely doesn't make me envy you. It just makes me think you're disgusting."
The words were barely out of my mouth before the rest of the class jumped in.
"Exactly. I'm from a little village down south. In grade school I had to walk an hour every day just to get to class, and I don't think I'm one bit worse than anyone."
"Same here. Half the kids in my class could afford tutors and prep courses. My family couldn't, so I stayed up late doing problem sets and memorizing on my own, and I think that makes me better than them, not worse."
"Cole, what's so wrong with being a small-town test-grinder? Go on, spell it out. I'd love to hear what twisted logic you've got."
A lot of them came from ordinary families.
Cole's words had turned the whole room against him fast.
Only when he saw everyone rounding on him did he start scrambling to save face.
"No, no, no, you've all got me wrong. That's not what I meant. I wasn't saying anything against you guys. I was only talking about Eugene Summers."
"Look at him. He's just an ordinary student like the rest of us, but he has to go around branding himself some rich kid. First day of school and he's already bragging. I just can't stand a show-off like that."
"I had nothing against any of you. Don't take it the wrong way."
He didn't give anyone a chance to argue back, just turned to me and went on the attack.
"Enough. Quit changing the subject. You think that makes everyone forget you promised to treat us?"
"Let me tell you, I remember."
"It's five o'clock already, about time, wouldn't you say? When exactly are you feeding everyone? People are starving here."
After what happened in class and just now, plenty of them had figured out what kind of person Cole was.
They started speaking up for me one after another.
"Come on, Cole, we're all in the same class. Why keep hounding him like this?"
"It was just a joke. None of us took it seriously. Why are you?"
"Eugene, ignore him. We've got money. Let's all go grab something at the dining hall later. I hear Jayton State's dining hall is really good."
If agreeing to treat everyone had been an off-hand answer before, now, with the class standing up for me again and again, I was genuinely happy to get together with them.
I smiled and stood up.
"It's fine, everyone. I made a promise, so I'll keep it."
"This is a good chance to get to know each other over a meal. We're all in the same class, and we've got a long road ahead of us together."
Jayton State might not measure up to Harvard or MIT, but it's still one of the top schools in the country.
Most of these students had good character, and there was nothing to lose by getting on well with them.
Hearing me, Cole slid right back into that same provoking look.
"You hear that? He agreed to it himself. I didn't force him. So don't go pinning it on me!"
"But Eugene, can you actually come up with that kind of money? We're talking a six-star hotel here."
"Don't go palming us off with some cheap diner. I'm warning you..."
I couldn't be bothered to listen to another word from him, and dialed the hotel's general manager directly.
"Uncle Benedict Finch? Yes, it's Eugene."
"I'm bringing some classmates over for a meal. Have my private room ready."
"Yeah, send cars to pick us up. Save us the hassle of hailing rides."
I hung up and looked at everyone.
"Cars are coming for us in a bit. Let's go wait at the gate."
They traded glances, and though they looked worried, my confidence carried them, and they followed me out of the classroom.
Seeing that nobody was paying them any attention, Cole's face soured.
"Bunch of snobs who judge people by their looks!"
"I'd love to see just how long this Eugene Summers can keep up the act."
I'd barely led everyone to the campus gate when one of the students let out a startled cry.
"Look, over there. What is that?"
Everyone lifted their eyes.
Dozens of Maybach sedans were rolling toward us in a single, perfectly straight line.
