THE PRESIDENTIAL SON (English)

Chapter 5: SPORTS COMMITTEE HEAD

(Aya)

“WAIT, WHAT?”

I look at Trei in confusion. My brain refuses to process the words he just said. He doesn’t answer me, though. He just looks at me as if he wants me to figure it out myself. I am starting to get annoyed and I’m sure he can see it on my face.

           “Well, let me explain,” Reina suddenly says, cutting my eye contact with Trei. I look at her as she began to talk.

           “Sports Fest is going to be next month. It is one of the major events in Golden Cross International School. All the students are required to join at least one sport. During the last day, parents and other VIP guests attend to watch the finals and the closing ceremony. The preparation and the actual event must be perfect. We can’t mess it up because one wrong detail and the program will be affected.”

         “Unfortunately, the sports committee head has to go abroad to train and join competitions this month,” the PIO, Prince adds. “You might have seen his huge banner at the gate this morning.”

           I blink when realization dawns on me. “Riki Yulo? The Swimming Team’s captain was supposed to be the one handling the sports fest committee?”

           “Yes. But Riki has a good opportunity to train under a famous Olympic coach for two months. He will also join competitions while he is in Europe. So he has to leave the job to us,” Reina supplies. She looks frustrated.

           “So we need a new head for the sports committee. Someone who can help the student council organize the sports fest,” Justine Thomas adds. “Someone recommended you. That someone said you will be perfect for this job.”

           “Who recommended me?”

           No one answers. My lips press together as I stare at Trei Daniels. He smiles. I clench my hands under the table. This is his idea. He promised he will keep an eye on me and this is one of his ways to do so.

           Anger is boiling inside me but I try to keep it in. “I am honored that you thought of me but I have to decline. Our team also has a competition we are preparing for. As their captain and ace, I need to focus all my efforts and attention on our practices.”

           “But the youth league is still months from now,” Reina points out.

           I am not surprised that she knows about that. All the club activities are always reported to the student council.

           “Yes, but we will be up against strong teams from different countries,” I argue. Then I look directly at Trei. “This is not just about me as an individual. This is about our team.”

           [So please if you want to keep an eye on me or make my school life difficult, do something else.]

 Those are my silent words as I stare at his eyes. I’m already lowering my pride here. I hate it when other people get affected because of me.

           He straightens in his seat and for a moment I feel hopeful that he will say something advantageous for me. But then he smiles and says, “Your coach and your adviser already agreed. We asked them first before we called you here.”

           My eyes widen and my mouth falls open. “What?”

           Something flashes in Trei’s eyes, a sadistic kind of joy. “They said being part of the Sports Fest organizers will help your scholarship application for College. They already gave us your full daily schedule. It will be taken into consideration when we conduct meetings and distribution of tasks.”

           I feel like cold water was poured on me. The fact that Trei Daniels knows a lot of information about me unsettles me. He is playing mind games with me and all my cards are visible to him when here I am, still clueless about him.

           The school bell suddenly rings, which means we only have ten minutes left to go back to each of our classrooms.  Reina is the first one to stand. “Anyway, Justine will send you an email with the links and passwords so you can access online all the things you have to know. The meetings for the Sports Fest will start next week. You might want to review what we did for the past years before next week. I have to go now. I have to report for my next subject.” Then after saying goodbye to everyone Reina goes out of the office.

           The boys stand up too. They look meaningfully at Trei then they nod at me. After that, they exit the student council office. I know I need to stand and get out of there as soon as possible. But I remain seated. I have so many questions I want to ask and I might lose my temper.

           Trei relaxes on his seat. He presses his body on the backseat of the swivel chair, his clasped hands on his flat stomach. He is looking at me with that predatory glint in his eyes. He doesn’t start the conversation, obviously waiting for me to speak.

           “What’s your game?” I say after a moment.

           He arches his brow. “I told you I will keep an eye on you.”

           “You can do that in a way that my team will not be affected.”

           “They won’t be affected if you can balance all your responsibilities from now on. Or are you the type who can just focus on one thing? You’re not versatile? Too bad. Your coach and your adviser think highly of you. I guess they overestimated you.”

           That’s it. I have enough of this arrogant bastard. I stand up and angrily march towards him. I slam my hands on top of the table in front of him and lean down until we are on the same eye level. He doesn’t even flinch but I don’t care. My inside is burning with rebellion.

           “I have no time to play whatever game you are scheming with me, mister president. I already told you I won’t tell anyone about what I saw in her office. I will keep quiet, not for you but for her because your fans will surely attack her if they know her relationship with you. So can you please, leave me alone?” I ask through gritted teeth.

           He stares at my face. His expression doesn’t change. It only makes me angrier.

           “You really think this is about her?” he asks suddenly.

           I blink and jolt when he moves slightly until our faces are closer to each other. “This is not about her, Aya Sagara. I don’t have any sort of relationship with that woman. I don’t care if you tell people about what you saw. I don’t care if she gets attacked or get fired from her job. She deserves it for daring to touch a student.”

           My eyes widen. I am surprised by this revelation. “You didn’t look like you were being forced that morning.”

           He arches his brow. “Because I was not forced. No one can force me to do something I don’t want.”

           “Then why are you talking about her like that?”

           The side of his lips curls up. Then my stomach twists into a knot when he raises his hand and softly touches the tips of my hair on my nape.  “Don’t be too concerned about her, Aya. Be more concerned about yourself. I am no longer interested in playing with her. I have a new target.”

           I inhale sharply when his fingers touch my neck. I want to pull away but I am frozen. It feels as if I am being pulled into Trei’s orbit against my will and he knows it.

           “It will be fun playing with you Aya Sagara,” he whispers as his fingers play with my neck.

           “I don’t want to play with you,” I whisper back in a voice so harsh I can’t believe it comes from me.

           His eyes sparkle, probably loving my reaction. His smile grows wider. “You have no choice, Aya. If you don’t play with me, it means you lose. Well, even if you try to take me on you will still lose anyway.”

           I clench my fist against the table. I don’t know why but there is something about Trei Daniels that makes me feel… violent. I usually have long patience. I don’t get angry or annoyed easily. That is why I am an effective team captain. But with him, my blood always boils and I just have this strong urge to slap him on the face.

           “If you hurt me, I will retaliate and you won’t be able to take it,” he mutters, reading my mind.

           I narrow my eyes at him. “So this is your true personality, huh? Not the polite, well-mannered mister perfect everyone thinks you are. Inside that outer appearance and flawless attitude hides an evil person.”

           His smile vanishes. I gasp when his hand that is playing with my neck suddenly grabs my nape. He pulls me until our lips are only separated by an inch or two. Our breaths mingle and our heated and angry gazes clash.

           The sudden nearness rattles me. My stomach clench painfully and my breath becomes uneven.

           “You haven’t seen the worst of me yet. Scared already?” he mutters without breaking our eye contact.

           “I’m not afraid of you,” I answer back.

           “I can feel your fast pulse against my hand. I can almost hear the fast beating of your heart. If your reaction right now is not fear, then what is it Aya?”

           I don’t know. I honestly have no idea how to express what I feel at that moment.

           “I know what you feel right now. Do you want me to tell you?” he asks in a tone that gives me goosebumps.

           I want to know. I don’t want to know.  “I –”

           The school bell rings again, a final call that students must be inside the classrooms already. I have a terror teacher for my next subject and if I am late to her class she will make me stay outside the room.

           I blink and finally succeed to escape Trei’s deadly orbit. I step away from him. I try not to make it obvious that I am relieved when he let go of my nape. I lift my chin. “Class is starting. Maybe you can afford to be late since you are everyone’s favorite but I don’t have the same privilege as yours.”

           I turn around and walk towards the door. I already opened it when he talks again. “You need to be here tomorrow morning. Before class.”

           I look back at him. “Why? I thought the meetings for the Sports Fest will start next week.”

           Trei stands up and puts his hands in his pockets. “You have a lot of things to learn before next week. Come here every morning or I will report to your coach and adviser that you are not doing your best as the temporary Sports Committee head.”

           I purse my lips together to resist lashing out at him. I really need to go. “Fine,” I answer in an irritated tone. Then I go out of the student council office. I am still seething with anger as I march out of the building. Then I run back to my classroom. Not only because I am going to be late but because I need to calm myself.

           Trei Daniels has a face he shows in front of people. I have one too. I’m not evil like him but I still have an image I need to maintain so I can live a peaceful school life.