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MD - Chapter 141: Family Senate II
🕑 Added 2025-06-19 16:59:11 +0000 UTCCam pressed the remote, and the image on the wall changed, revealing the neat and elegant front of Notre Dame High School. A wide campus, surrounded by trees, with modern, clean architecture.
"Notre Dame High School," he announced ceremoniously. "Private and Catholic."
"It's ten kilometers from home. Farther than Palisades, which is five... but clearly closer than Cathedral, which was fifteen," Mitchell commented, looking at his notes.
"Ten?" repeated Claire, jotting it down. "Acceptable."
"Do they have cheerleaders?" asked Luke, still fresh from the trauma of the previous case.
Cam changed the image. The stadium stands appeared, with the cheerleading team in uniform, cheering during a friday game.
"Cheerleaders confirmed," said Cam, as if announcing the end of a war.
Luke visibly relaxed. Phil raised an eyebrow with an approving smile, "Thank God."
"Co-ed. That’s great," murmured Manny, sighing with a hand on his chest.
"The home uniform is navy blue with gold accents, and a gold helmet," added Cam, showing a photo of the team in action.
"Nice," said Haley, nodding with aesthetic approval. "Not too different from Palisades. Smooth transition."
Andrew nodded beside her.
"Now, the highlight," Cam raised a finger dramatically and pressed the button. The league name appeared:
SERRA LEAGUE
"Notre Dame competes in the Serra League," Cam said solemnly, "One of the toughest and most prestigious leagues in all of Division 1 in our state."
Jay let out a low whistle, "That’s next level."
"The infrastructure matches it," added Mitchell, glancing at his notebook. "Better than Cathedral’s and clearly much better than Palisades’. They have a gym with modern tech and a very solid academic reputation."
"Grades?" asked Alex reflexively.
"You need a good GPA to keep the scholarship. They don’t hand out freebies," replied Mitch.
Alex nodded in approval, "That’s how it should be."
Cam closed the presentation with one last image: the Notre Dame crest over a deep blue background.
"In short: good location, co-ed, cheerleaders, high-level competition, excellent reputation, great campus."
Everyone nodded. Even Claire looked impressed.
"And the scholarship?" asked Jay bluntly.
Mitchell reviewed his notes, "It covers eighty percent. And tuition for 11th grade is seventeen thousand dollars per year."
A moment of silence followed. Everyone processed the number.
"Seventeen thousand…" murmured Phil, staring at the ceiling, trying to calculate.
Alex, without looking up from her book, spoke with surgical precision, "Eighty percent of seventeen thousand is thirteen thousand six hundred. So the remaining amount would be just three thousand four hundred."
"Cathedral asked for eleven thousand, but only covered half," added Claire, checking her notes.
"Five thousand five hundred," Alex finished quickly.
Andrew looked at her with a mix of respect and awe, "Whoa… do you have a calculator in your brain?"
Alex gave a small smile, pleased that someone noticed her quick math. She adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose with an automatic gesture, "It’s not that hard. You just need to know how to move the decimal point."
Phil looked at her with overwhelming pride and exclaimed enthusiastically, "That’s my girl! Calculator Girl!"
Alex slowly turned her head toward him, slightly frowning, "Seriously?"
Haley, sitting next to Andrew, burst out laughing, "Good nickname. Calculator Girl. We should make it a thing at school."
"We're not doing that," Alex snapped dryly, though the slight blush on her cheeks betrayed her.
"In summary," said Claire, unwilling to lose focus, "Notre Dame is more expensive, but we’d pay less. And it’s better in every way."
"Closer, better facilities, cheerleaders, and a better league," Manny listed on his fingers, as if making a financial breakdown.
"Cheerleaders!" exclaimed Luke, as if that were the only thing that mattered.
"No contest. It’s better all around—Notre Dame wins so far," said Andrew, and everyone nodded in agreement.
"Cathedral’s completely out..." said Cam, pressing the projector’s remote. "Moving on to the next candidate: St. Francis."
The new image appeared on the screen.
A wide, well-maintained campus appeared, with golden letters on an elegant background.
"They’re known as the Golden Knights," Cam announced as he switched to the next slide: a photo of the football team posing in their brown uniforms with gold details.
"Brown?" exclaimed Haley, wrinkling her nose. "That’s already an offense to good taste. Vetoed."
"Cheerleaders?" asked Luke immediately, like a relentless prosecutor.
Mitchell stifled a sigh, already resigned to his nephews’ visual and hormonal priorities.
"Yes, yes, it’s a co-ed school," Cam replied patiently. "There are cheerleaders, Luke."
He then glanced sideways at the image on the screen and slightly pursed his lips.
"And... I agree with Haley. Brown isn’t exactly a vibrant color. I like uniforms that scream energy, passion, presence! This color... whispers: ‘I walked through mud and never washed off.’"
Haley nodded with a smile, "Thank you. It’s nice to be understood."
Jay snorted, "I didn’t know we were choosing a fashion show."
"Sorry if I don’t want to see my cousin looking like a running Hershey bar out on the field!" Haley shot back, raising an eyebrow.
Gloria blinked at the image in her mind. Suddenly, she brought a hand to her chest.
"She’s right! Vetoed!" Gloria exclaimed, then looked at Haley. The two nodded in agreement, as if sealing a sacred style pact.
"What matters is the academic level, sports program, and logistics," said Claire, though she eyed the uniform with distrust.
Cam adjusted his collar theatrically, "And precisely… that’s what we’re going to discuss now."
"Distance? Level? Scholarship?" asked Alex, trying to speed things up.
"Distance: eight kilometers. Closer than Notre Dame, which is ten. Farther than Palisades, but nothing terrible. Level: still Division 1, which is already excellent. Their league is the Mission League, competitive and solid, though a step below the Serra League," Cam answered efficiently.
He switched to the next slide: images of the campus, gym, and playing field.
"The infrastructure is good, modern, better than Palisades and Cathedral, but below Notre Dame. Nothing to be ashamed of."
"And the cost?" asked Jay, as direct as ever.
Cam smiled and raised a dramatic finger, “Tuition is thirteen thousand dollars per year.”
Haley made a face, “That’s a lot.”
“But,” Cam added with suspense, “here comes the best part: full scholarship. One hundred percent. Not a single cent to pay.”
Everyone fell silent for a moment.
“$3,400 in savings,” said Alex.
“It’s only $3,400!” Haley burst out, raising an eyebrow. “You’d be in a more competitive league, with better facilities, more visibility… and not dressed like a giant chocolate bar.”
Andrew glanced at her sideways, half-serious, half-joking, “Are you sure you’re not just saying that to stop me from wearing brown?”
Haley met his gaze shamelessly, “Maybe a little. But I’m also right.”
“Yeah, honestly, $3,400 isn’t that much,” Andrew agreed.
His dad, being a lawyer, could easily afford it, it was a one-time payment for year.
In fact, Andrew could pay it himself with what he earned from his two YouTube channels and Flappy Bird. He had plenty of savings, but he knew Mitch, proud as he was, would never let him pay for school himself, especially since it concerned his education.
“I agree,” Claire chimed in, surprising even herself by agreeing with Haley, something that didn’t happen often. “If you can afford $3,400, Notre Dame is clearly the better choice. The competitive level is higher, the infrastructure is better, and the visibility it offers could open many more doors. Plus, it’s only two kilometers farther than St. Francis. You wouldn’t really notice the difference.”
Everyone in the room exchanged looks. Even those who usually disagreed on everything seemed to be on the same page. The only real downside was that small amount to cover… and no one seemed to see it as a real obstacle.
“So,” said Cam, raising an eyebrow, “would Notre Dame be the chosen one…?”
“For now,” said Claire. “There’s one more, right? Go on.”
Cam nodded with a dramatic flair, as if about to reveal the final twist of a reality show.
“Exactly,” he said, lifting the projector remote, “The final offer. Let’s see if it can dethrone Notre Dame…”
And he pressed the button.
The screen lit up in a deep crimson red. A name appeared in bold letters: MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL.
“Co-ed,” Cam added quickly, preempting Luke’s inevitable question.
“Good!” exclaimed Luke, giving a thumbs-up, visibly relieved.
Jay settled back into his armchair, arms crossed and expression more attentive.
“Ah, Mater Dei…” he murmured, like someone hearing the name of an old heavyweight.
Andrew, who had been relaxed up to that point, straightened on the couch. His gaze turned more serious, more focused. He knew exactly what that school meant.
Even Mitch nodded gravely. And Cam, of course, was in his element, ready to unveil the details with the level of drama the moment deserved.
“Mater Dei High School competes in the Trinity League,” Cam said, emphasizing each word.
“For those unfamiliar, that’s the strongest league in all of California. And for many, the most competitive in the entire country.”
“More than Notre Dame?” asked Gloria, frowning.
“A step above,” Cam replied solemnly. “Notre Dame competes in the Serra League, which is already elite. But the Trinity League is Olympus. Mater Dei was recently ranked in the national Top 25. They play against programs that match small college-level teams. It’s a whole different world.”
The silence that followed was almost reverent. Even Luke, Manny, and Phil stayed quiet. Haley let out a soft “wow,” and Alex raised an impressed eyebrow.
“The infrastructure,” Cam continued, changing the slide, “is top-tier. Three football fields: two on campus for internal practices, and the Stadium, where they play official season games with crowds, playoffs, and even televised matches.”
“Televised?” Phil repeated, incredulous.
“Yes. If they have a good season, several games get broadcast on TV. They have a cutting-edge gym, full medical staff, elite coaches, college scouts in the stands all the time… It’s the epicenter of high school football.”
An aerial view of the campus appeared.
“If we’re talking visibility, competitive level, and future opportunities… there’s nothing better,” Cam said firmly.
Jay, who had been silent until now, turned his gaze to Andrew. There was a different spark in his eyes, a mix of challenge and respect.
“Well, kid?” he said in a deep voice, “Do you see yourself playing there? That school won’t hand you the spot. No matter how good you are, you’ll have to earn it from day one. At Notre Dame, you might be a starter more easily… I’m not saying it’s a cakewalk, but it’s more straightforward.”
Everyone looked at him then. Cam, Mitch, Claire, Phil, Glora, Manny. Even Alex closed her book.
Andrew rested his elbows on his knees and said a single word:
“Matt Barkley.”
Comments
Guido
Thank you for reading and supporting!
Josh Muggs
Can’t wait for the next chapter 😂
Josh Muggs
I get so hyped when you post another chapter of this fic !!! Thank you so much
