Chapter 114: Familiar
SEVEN YEARS AGO
Lorenzo rushed out of class, intending to freshen up at home before heading to work. His boss had called earlier, mentioning a few customers were already waiting at the salon.
He still found it amusing how customers insisted on getting their haircuts from him—even with Evans available.
In the beginning, all that attention made him uncomfortable, and he would often redirect them to Evans. But Evans had reassured him that he didn’t mind. In fact, he said he was proud of how far Lorenzo had come in such a short time.
A few months after his family moved out of Bronze City, Lorenzo had met Evans on a public bus. He’d been heartbroken and exhausted, returning from yet another failed job interview, barely holding himself together beneath the weight of the ill-luck that kept following him.
Evans had approached him, taken a liking to him, and after hearing his story, offered to train him as a barber—for free. He even paid him a small stipend throughout his apprenticeship. Now, nearly two years later, Lorenzo still worked beside him, grateful for the man’s kindness and generosity. It had helped him support his mother and cover expenses not handled by his scholarship.
As he stepped out of the departmental building, he unenthusiastically ran into the last person he wanted to see—his annoying coursemate, Mason Munroe.
"Hey, darling, wassup? Where you rushing to?" Mason asked, eyes trailing over Lorenzo in a way that made his skin crawl.
Lorenzo shot him a glare. He’d warned him more than once to stop calling him that. The endearment and Mason’s sensual tone annoyed the hell out of him. But he suspected that was the point. He enjoyed reeling him.
"Hey, Mason," Lorenzo muttered dismissively, walking past without breaking stride. He had no interest in wasting a second listening to whatever irritating comment would come next.
The dude had been making advances at him since year one. And despite every rejection, he persisted. Lorenzo didn’t even blame him anymore—this university was filled with rich, spoiled kids who believed money could buy them anything. Or anyone.