"I'm taking you to school." My brother, Aleck, said. He's leaning on the doorframe while watching me get ready. He's already dressed for work.

 

He knows it annoys me when someone rushes me while I'm getting ready. He is always the punctual one between us two.

 

I glared at him on the mirror. "I'll be down in a few minutes."

 

He didn't leave so I ignored him, looking at my outfit- a white t-shirt, black pants that hug my ass, and Chelsea boots, thinking if I should change it.

 

"I don't get why you're still not ready. You even skipped breakfast."

 

"You should always look presentable on the first day of school. You need to make an impression." I need to make an impression on Julian for my worry-free school year.

 

He sighed. "You look presentable," he said after giving me a once-over.

 

"Now, you just convinced me to change."

 

"What? I told you; you look presentable!" Oh, I just love annoying my brother.

 

"I don't want presentable- I want hot, sexy, duckable."

 

Aleck looking fed up, glared at me, his eyes turning into slits. "I swear to God, I will carry you out of your room and throw you in the car."

 

I sighed checking myself in the mirror one last time and grabbed my bag. "Geez, you're such a hot-head like dad."

 

-

 

I buckled my seatbelt, put my hair up in a bun and connected my phone to the console while Aleck started the car. "You told me we're late, but we are actually on time."

 

"If I just let you, we would have been late. Besides, on time is late." My brother maneuvered the car out of the garage. "I thought you’d be carpooling with Andy?"

 

"He’s staying at his condo near the school, remember?"

 

"Right. But you're both in the same class?"

 

"Nope."

 

He looked surprised with my answer. "But I thought you had dinner with the dean, you didn't tell him?"

 

I pouted. "Mom and dad don't want us in the same class saying I'm just going to copy off Andy again."

 

My brother laughed. "Well, it's true. And you two are always up to something."

 

"We're not!"

 

"Sure. So, you're telling me you both don't have something cooking up right now?" He said looking at me with a knowing expression before shifting his eyes back on the road.

 

Damn. My brother is a prophet. He's always spot on when it comes to this. He's the one who busted me sneaking out at night and going to gay bars during my last year in SHS. Our parents were so angry they cut off all my cards and took my car away. They immediately had me get tests done and put me on PrEP.

 

This is also why I have my brother taking me to school since I don't have my car anymore and my parents still have me on a tight leash. I kid you not, my folks even review my credit card purchases every day. It's so hard to be an out gay and have strict parents.

 

I had my most impressive poker face on, facing my brother. "I promise you, I'm innocent."

 

"Fine. Don't tell me."

 

I really won't tell you dear brother. You may not have the stitches for it, but I will never forget that you are a snitch.

 

-

 

"What time will the orientation end?” Aleck asked as he was pulling up at the school gate.

 

"Actually, I'm hanging out with Andy after. I'll just book an Ober home." I said as I got out of the car.

 

"Aly," my brother called.

 

I looked back at him. "What?"

 

"Stay out of trouble," he said warning me with his all-seeing eyes.

 

I gave him a sour look and continued on my way to the school gate.

 

-

 

"So, did you see him?" Andy asked me while handing me my doughnut. We heard that the school cafeteria sells the best artisan doughnuts, so we bought one while waiting for the orientation to start.

 

"No, but I'm sure he's here. I saw his IP story yesterday, he just got back from Palawan," I answered while demolishing the chocolate hazelnut filled perfection. I need more of these doughnuts. "Are you eating that?" I asked Andy with my hungry gaze at his uneaten tiramisu doughnut.

 

"Here."

 

I happily ate it, this time taking small bites, savoring the flavor, when I suddenly saw Julian walking up to us, his eyes pointed right at me. My eyes widened. He's not really looking at me, is he? I tried looking around, but everyone is doing their own thing not yet noticing the tall, dark hair, olive skin Adonis in front that is slowly making his way up to me, smirking when he noticed I noticed he was staring at me.

 

Oh no! Did we get busted? Why is he coming here?

 

"Hey," he greeted, his hazel eyes smiling right at me.

 

"Uhmm," Oh god, I forgot how to speak. "What?"

 

He has jawline for days. I don’t think its legal to have such a perfect bone structure.

 

He took a seat beside me and pointed at the side of his lips, saying, "You have a little something here."

 

"Huh?" I just stared at him. I don't think he's speaking human.

 

His lips are full and red, his teeth straight and white.

 

He reached out and wiped off the cream on my lips, then proceeded to taste it. "It tastes good. Can I have a bite?"

 

He didn't wait for my answer and reached for my hand, taking a huge bite from my tiramisu doughnut. That woke me up from my stunned state.

 

Did he just steal a bite from my doughnut? "Excuse me?" My voice indignant at what he just did.

 

"Sorry, I didn't have breakfast."

 

"And so? That does not mean you get to steal my doughnut, food thief!" This guy is losing Adonis points by the minute. My poor tiramisu doughnuts!

 

"I though we're friends now after I followed you back and you liked my picture."

 

Oh god. "What?" I stuttered, feeling a blush creeping up my cheeks.

 

"Aren't you Alarick Torres, Andrew's cousin? You even reacted to my IP story." He's smirking again, noticing that I'm blushing.

 

"I don't know what you're talking about." Remind me never to eat and get greasy fingers while stalking someone on IP.

 

"Okay?" He then looked at my cousin beside me. "Hey, Andy."

 

"Hey, Cal," Andy greeted back then they did a bro handshake.

 

Cal?! I though he's Julian?

 

And what is this foolery? This witchcraft?! I thought he’s Andy’s love rival, his nemesis, the Chloe in his love story?!

 

"You know each other?" I asked, giving Andy a death glare. Apparently, there is more to the story than just love rivalry.

 

"We were senior high classmates," Julian, Cal, whoever he is answered instead. "I didn't know Andy's cute cousin is attending the same university as us."

 

Is he flirting with me?

 

What is happening? I thought I was supposed to be the one doing the flirting and the chasing. Why does this feel like the roles have been reversed?

 

I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow at this food thief. "I thought your name is Julian."

 

"It's Julian Calbex." He reached for my hand again and took another bite of my doughnut. This sneaky food thief! He catches me off guard and keeps stealing my food!

 

I glared at him then stuffed the remaining little piece of doughnut in my mouth. Ha! You can't steal my food again, food thief!

 

I was busy killing him with my stare when he swallowed, and I also unconsciously swallowed mid chew causing me to choke. He realized this and quickly handed me his water bottle.

 

Oh god, that was embarrassing. I really want the ground to magically open and swallow me whole to escape this humiliating incident.

 

"Are you okay?" He asked, while patting me on the back. I can hear the smile in his voice.

 

I can't believe I almost died because I choked on a piece of doughnut while busy flirting with this Adonis-slash-food thief.

 

"I can hear you laughing, jerk." I glared at him again then looked at my cousin who's also trying not to laugh. "If you ever speak of this to anyone, I will kill you, grind you to paste and feed you to grandma's Kois!"

 

Andy snorted, holding up his right hand. "Promise."

 

"Feisty," Julian said, almost whispering in my ear.

 

I turned to this Adonis and his amused smirk. "You don't suit your name at all, young shepherd."

 

"Says your majesty."

 

"Oh, honey, I am a Queen."

 

He came closer to me, bringing his lips to my ears. "Then will the queen give this servant a chance to go out for coffee together?"

 

I pulled away from him, boring my own blue eyes at his hazel ones. He stares back with a serious look on his face, waiting for my answer.

 

"I-," I was about to answer him when a blaring static noise came from the speakers.

 

Everyone was startled and looked towards the stage. A girl wearing a EUCOBSC jacket is holding the mic. She started to introduce herself as a fourth-year student and the President of the College of Business Student Council.

 

"Message me on IP when you're free," he whispered in my ear before turning his attention back at the stage.

 

The council president proceeded to give us a welcome speech. Telling us how it's all unicorns and fairytales, and everyone should just chill and live their best lives. Leaders of various organizations were also given a chance to speak on the stage. The president also added that anyone caught throwing a party in the university dorms will be penalized with social work. Well, she didn't say it's not allowed, she just said you can't get caught.

 

The orientation was almost finished when the top 10 COB students who got the highest scores in the entrance exam were called on stage. It was an automatic nomination for the SC year representatives.

 

The two on either side of me stood up and went to the stage along with eight others. They got introduced one-by-one, getting cheers from the students. Both Julian and Andy got one of the loudest cheers.

 

I sometimes forget that Andy is actually really smart and is considered handsome by most people. We've been through all kinds of trouble since we were kids. I've seen him covered in mud after I pushed him in the rice fields. It was really funny, he cried so hard because he was wearing a white shirt and it's all caked with mud. I even got it on film. I always share it on his birthday. He'd get annoyed by it then forgive me later when I bake him his favorite chocolate cake.

 

After their introduction, everyone was informed that the election for the representatives would be on Saturday morning, and announcement would be on the afternoon. Only 5 year representatives could be elected.

 

It was pretty much over after that. We were just told that we can sign up for any organizations or Greek houses that we like. Basically, the whole frosh week would be the time for everyone to get to know each other and for the orgs to know us as well, as we still need to get initiated by the end of the week. Everyone can sign up to a maximum of 5 organizations during the first year, then the maximum number of allowed orgs decreases by one as you go up a year until only a maximum of 2 is left. It's definitely a blood bath for all the orgs, they try to sign as many members as possible during this time. Organizations with less than ten members are not allowed unless they pay twice the school org fees.

 

As everyone was signing up to their chosen orgs, I waited for Andy at the bottom bleachers. I don't plan to sign up yet without getting an explanation from my cousin first. He better have a good reason for making me look like a helpless little sheep in front of that thieving wolf.

 

 

 

 

051020222040

 

SHS – Senior High School

PrEP - pre-exposure prophylaxis

IP – InstaPic

EUCOBSC – Esperanza University College of Business Student Council

COB – College of Business

SC – Student Council

 

*some offensive words were censored.

 

 

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