Never Judge

"You think you are so awesome just because you are so smart." He heard a boy say.

There was suddenly a small grunt, as if someone had been kicked or punched.

"Let's put some poop on his pants so everyone thinks he pooped himself." Another boy said with a laugh.

"Are there in the cubicles?" Cedric heard one of the children ask.

Cedric refused to sit idly by as a child was physically bullied. 

"Is this what this school and your parents teach you?" Cedric said in a deep voice that scared the bullies.

"S- s- sir, who are you?" One of the boys managed to say.

"You are all coming with me." Cedric said as he looked at the little figure that was curled up on the ground.

Cedric walked over and knelt to check on the child. 

"Sir, don't touch him, he's a disgusting orphan scholar, he only got in cause he was smart." One kid stupidly said.

"I hope you never have children of your own." Cedric said quietly as he picked the child up.

The kid tried to complain, telling Cedric that he was fine. But it was clear to Cedric that the little boy couldn't even stand up.

Cedric gave the child a quick check and realized that he had bruises and scars everywhere.

"Were these from them?" Cedric asked the boy.

The boy shook his head, Cedric could tell he was clearly lying. 

"Who do you live with?" Cedric asked the child as he carried him down the hall, followed by the bullies.

"In school." The boy said weakly.

When Cedric arrived where the school administrator and his companions were waiting, he was greeted by gasps and his wife's concerned look.

"What happened?" Adrianna asked Cedric as he approached and handed the child to a bodyguard.

"I found these kids bullying this boy." Cedric explained.

"I'm sure it was just some playful banter Mr. Reyes." A parent said, clearly trying to insinuate that Cedric over reacted.

"I heard them kicking this boy." Cedric said, pointing at the child in the bodyguard's arms. "Send him to Saints, tell Miguel to give him a full check up. I want to know what this child has suffered."

"Sir, I don't think that is necessary." The school administrator said as he watched the bodyguard hesitate.

"I said take him to Saints." Cedric hissed, making his bodyguard jump into action and leave with the child.

"That boy is the school's ward." The administrator explained. "He is an orphan and a scholar of the school. You can't just take the child!"

"I will ask my friend to send a team to investigate the abuse going on here." Cedric said as he took a step closer to the school administrator, making the man take a step back, clearly intimidated by Cedric.

"What is the boy's name?" Cedric asked. 

The man simply shook his head, refusing to divulge any information to Cedric.

"I am disappointed at this school." Dave said, shaking his head. "I am ashamed to say that this is my alma mater."

"You are one of the better products of this school, for sure." Cedric said, shaking his head. "No wonder Jen went bad. This place just fosters hate."

"I can't stand being in a school that allows for children to be physically abused and encourages its students to look down on those that are less fortunate." Adrianna said with a frown. 

"Our son will most definitely not be studying here." Cedric said angrily, making the school administrator look down in shame. "And don't think I will stop there, if I learn that this act is something your school encourages or just stands idly by and watches, I will make sure that no one wants to study here."

Cedric didn't give anyone time to respond. He held Adrianna by the wrist and led her out of the building and out the gate, followed by their staff and bodyguards.

Outside they were greeted by flashes coming from the reporters and paparazzi waiting outside of the campus. 

When they had arrived earlier it was only the invited journalists that were waiting outside, but due to the posts of some parents and teachers on social media, people had flocked the school.

"Sir, will you son be studying here?" A reporter bravely asked, knowing that Cedric would not answer.

To his surprise the normally quiet and unresponsive CEO turned and gave him a dangerous smile.

"My son will never be enrolled in this school." Cedric said. "I am having an investigation opened into how this school treats it's students that are under scholarship. There are some things I want investigated. Feel free to look into it yourself." Cedric added before walking away and getting into his car.

Dave rode in the front seat while Mae rode with Leon in the security van.

When the door finally closed behind him, Adrianna collapsed and began crying into Cedric's chest.

Cedric was somewhat confused by Adrianna's actions but he decided not to ask. He simply rubbed her back and let her cry it out.

When his wife had finally settled down he dared to ask what bothered her.

"What's wrong Adri?" He said as he reached for a tissue and handed it to his wife.

"Seeing that child, just beaten and bloody, I can't believe that we even considered sending Yoyo there." Adrianna said as she continued to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"Adri, we didn't know." Cedric said as he tried to comfort his wife.

"Did you know that they were that bad Dave?" Adrianna asked the assistant that was seated at the front.

"No." Dave said, shaking his head. "It wasn't that bad back then. I mean there was heavy bullying towards the scholars back in my time, but nothing physical like what we saw. I am truly ashamed."

"I wonder how long that child has had to suffer abuse." Adrianna said with a frown.

"The other kids told me that he was an orphan scholar, I have a feeling he has been in the school since he was in preschool." Cedric told Adrianna as he held her hand.

"How could they let that happen to a child?" Adrianna asked with a frown.

"Don't worry Adri, I'll see to it that they are made to explain." Cedric said with a nod.

"Sir, you will be going against a lot of important families." Dave said with a frown, his old school had children from other rich and powerful families enrolled there as well, he was worried that Cedric would not be able to take them on.

"Don't worry Dave, there are more of us with deeper pockets. I'll make some calls." Cedric said with a nod as he leaned back and rested. He knew he would be busy soon.