THE PRESIDENTIAL SON (English)

Chapter 4: HIS FIRST ATTACK

(AYA)

 “I CAN’T BELIEVE IT, we saw the student council president,” Emma informs me.

“He was so handsome up close. And he was so tall! His body is so broad! I can’t believe he is really eighteen years old. What did he eat to become that… manly?” Dara says in a dreamy sigh.

I almost choke in the water I am drinking. Emma pats my back in concern. “Are you okay, Aya?”

“Yeah,” I answer between small coughs.

Dara, Emma, and I are standing in front of the guardhouse, at the side of the main gate of Golden Cross International School. We are waiting for the service van that will take us outside the gated community where our school is located. Almost all the students here live in the mansions inside this community but not us, scholarship students. After a full day of living with the elites of society, we come back to our own commoner world every night. 

All of us turn when we hear the sound of a vehicle going towards the gate from inside the campus. Unfortunately, it is not yet our service but a shiny black expensive car. I don’t even know the name of that car but I am sure it is imported and costs more than my life. 

The car stops in front of us and the guard approaches it. The windows are heavily tinted. The one in the passenger’s area opens so the driver can talk to the guard.  

I look in the direction of the parking lot, waiting for our service to appear too. It’s already late and I still have home works to do when I get home. But then Dara and Emma both grab my arm so tight I look at them in surprise. They motion for me to look inside the car. With furrowed brows, I do what they asked. 

I wish I didn’t because Trei Daniels is in the backseat. The car belongs to him. His arms are crossed on his chest and his intent gaze is directed straight at me. A shiver runs down my spine when I remember what happened inside the shower room. But I don’t want to show him that he rattles me. So I don’t even blink and meet his stare in defiance. 

His brow arches a little and something flashes in his eyes, something cruel. It is just for a fleeting moment but enough for me to know that he has plans for me that I will not like. Then the window goes up and he has been hidden once again. The car drove out of the school gate. We follow it with our eyes until we couldn’t see it anymore. 

“He looks like he is in a bad mood,” Dara comments.

“I think he is just tired,” Emma says in a defensive tone. “He is the student council president. He has a heavy responsibility because he leads all the school activities. And you know we have a lot of that here in Golden Cross. Every month there is an event being held. Plus, he still has study loads just like everyone else. I don’t even think he gets to sleep more than four hours a day.”

We both look at Emma. She must have realized she is blabbering because her face turns red. 

“You have a crush on Trei Daniels too,” Dara teases her. 

Emma’s face turns even redder. “Well, almost everyone does. I think it’s okay to have a crush on him since it’s impossible to be his girlfriend anyway. And I think most of the students here know that they have no chance on him so we just enjoy crushing on him. He is single too so right now he is everyone’s Trei Daniels. That is why his more intense fangirls are currently harmless.” 

I know I should just shut up but still, my curiosity gets the better of me, “What if he gets a girlfriend?”

“It’s going to be difficult for her. The girls in Golden Cross will make her life difficult. Gosh, I can already imagine it. You know how scary and twisted those rich kids are when they put their mind to it.” Emma even shivers while saying that.

Yeah. I think so too. Poor miss Anderson. I hope no one can learn about her relationship with Trei Daniels. 

Just then our service finally arrives. I am relieved because I really don’t want to talk about the student council president anymore. The van stops in front of us and I slid open the door. I startle when I saw miss Anderson sitting at the back. 

She smiles at me and taps the space beside her. “Here, you can seat here.”

I blink. Still confused, I enter the van. I sit beside her because there is no reason not to when she offered. Dara and Emma enter too. Like me, they look surprised to see a teacher in our service. 

“I didn’t bring my car today and I did some work in the office. I wasn’t able to go with the teachers and staff,” she explains.

The van moves and after a while, we are already outside the campus and on the road. It is dark outside and for a few minutes, all that we can see are vacant lots with trees and thick tall grasses. 

When the van turns left the view outside slowly changed. On each side of the road, we can see the top of mansions owned by the people living in Luxe Verde. It looks close to the road but the truth was each Villa – that was what they call each section of the Eco-City with residential mansions – are all far from the main road. Still, the houses are too big and grand that they can still be seen. 

“I wonder what does it feel like to live in one of those?” Emma whispers. 

“We will never know. You need to be born in an old rich family to be able to afford even the garage of the smallest house in Luxe Verde,” Dara answers. 

“It’s my dream to live in one of those mansions,” miss Anderson suddenly says in a low and dreamy voice. 

We all look at her. She is staring outside the window. It takes her a few seconds to blink and look at us. “Oh, did I say that out loud?” she asks with an embarrassed smile. 

“It’s okay. Everyone can dream, miss,” Emma tells her. 

Miss Anderson laughs softly. “Yes. You’re right.” 

I stare at her face and I see the determination in her eyes. I have a feeling her dream is not the same as what Emma thinks. Well, it’s not wrong to aim high in life.

Miss Anderson suddenly glances at me. She smiles. “How about you? Do you also dream to live in a mansion?”

I don’t know why but her question has an edge to it. It’s as if she is asking me something entirely different. I shrug. “Not really. I don’t want to be that wealthy.”

“Then what is your dream, Aya?” Dara asks with a smile. 

I grin. “To be the best volleyball player in the world.” 

“That’s nice,” Miss Anderson comments in a casual tone.

When I glance at her she is looking at me like she is observing me or something. When she catches my gaze her expression changes. She smiles now. “You will enjoy the sports fest next month, then.” 

“Uh, yeah.” Not really. Sports teams are already busy enough preparing for upcoming competitions. For us, sports fest is just a burden since we have to be grouped with our classmates who don’t have experience in sports but are required to participate. Because of that, the athletes have no choice but to lead their class in practice. 

If I have a choice, I will not join the sports fest. 

“CALLING THE ATTENTION of Aya Sagara. Senior Year Class 2, Aya Sagara. Please come to the student council office before the break ends.” 

My heart slams against my chest when the announcement echoes throughout the school building. My last morning class just ended and it is already lunch break. When the sound system came alive I thought they will play the usual program of the broadcasting club. 

All my classmates are now looking at me in surprise. 

“What was that for?” Millie who sits in the desk chair next to me asks with wide eyes.

“I have no idea.” I stand. “I might as well go there to know what it is for.”

“Do you want me to go with you?” 

I look at her and am about to say yes when a student comes into the open door and called on Millie. 

“Mrs. Morgan is asking for you. She’s in the faculty room.” 

“Oh crap. That’s probably about the project I haven’t submitted yet.” 

Millie stands and looks at me apologetically. “Sorry, Aya.”

“It’s okay. I can go there by myself,” I tell her with a smile. 

We both go out of the room but then turn on opposite directions. I walk fast towards the building where the student council is located. But when I am already inside it I have to stop and take a deep breath. 

I told Millie I am okay and that I can go here by myself. But the truth is my heart has been slamming against my chest since that announcement. The last thing I want to do is go to the student council office. 

“Calm down, Aya. He might not be there right now. Someone else might be calling for you,” I whisper to myself as I climb the stairs.

The moment I knock on the door of the student council office I knew I am just fooling myself. The voice that says, “Come in” definitely belongs to the last person I want to see. 

I close my eyes for a moment. I take a quiet deep breath and when I think I am ready I open the door. 

The office is larger than I thought. Three times bigger than miss Anderson’s office. In fact, it actually doesn’t look like an office but a library, with floor-to-ceiling built-in shelves and couches everywhere. The first thing that will welcome you is the huge glass window facing the door. The curtains are pulled to the side so it is bright inside. It actually surprised me for a moment. 

When my eyes finally adjust to the sudden brightness I see the students inside. There are six of them. Five guys and one girl. One of the guys is Trei Daniels. He is sitting at the center of the long table positioned on one side of the room. The five occupy the swivel chairs near Trei. Probably that is where they do meetings. 

“I was called here,” I say after I secretly gather my courage.

“Yes, come sit down,” one guy answers. I recognize him as the person Millie likes. Zero Suarez. 

I walk towards the long table and cautiously sit on the swivel chair next to the girl. She is petite and gorgeous. She is wearing the same school uniform as me but it looks expensive and fashionable on her. 

“Okay, let’s start,” she says. “First of all, I will introduce us to you. I am Reina Smith, the head of the Media Committee. The guy sitting opposite you is Prince Davis, he is our public information officer. The one sitting next to him is our treasurer, Rob Spencer. This guy next to me is Justine Thomas, he is the secretary. That guy is Zero Suarez, the student council vice president. And I am sure you know him since everyone in school knows his name. At the center of the table is our president, Trei Daniels.” 

I get a little dizzy with all these names I don’t think I will even remember. “Uh, yeah. I am Aya. It’s a pleasure to get to know you all… I guess. But I am confused right now as to why I am here.”

All of them look at Trei so I don’t have a choice but to look at him too. He is staring at me. His facial expression is polite and kind-looking, the face he showed when he was doing the opening ceremony speech. But his eyes are cold and brutal when our gazes meet. Then he says in a casual but final tone, “We need a temporary head for the sports committee and I want you to do it.”