The President's son

CHAPTER 2

"Welcome back sir"... Andrew turns, only to face a grinning Mason.

It has been two long years since he had seen his homeland. He may have spent those two years abroad in a developed country with all the luxuries and beautiful places but he definitely preferred being back home. As they say 'there is no place like home.'

He looks around taking in his surroundings and he smiles. The heat of the savanna sun reminding him of the hot atmosphere that was his country. He was glad to be home.

He breathes in a breath of air and peaks above his aviators and smirks.

"It's Andrew to you boy." he says. He can tell Mason is just teasing him though.

He knows how he hates to be addressed as "sir". Even before he left to go and study abroad he kept on insisting that calling him 'Andrew' was just fine for him but Mason being Mason couldn't let an opportunity to tease him pass him by.

"what do I have to do to get that through your head huh?" He complains.

"Uh... nothing." Mason says with a grin, appearing as if he was giving it a thought.

A chuckle escapes Andrew's mouth as he gives his father's right hand man a warm hug. The man is tall and bulky but all muscle and Andrew being equally tall hugs him easily. He is happy to see him after so long. He maybe his father's man but Mason was also his very good friend. They had grown closer over the years such that one would consider them as brothers.

"Hey man, it's good to have you back." Mason says while he pats his back.

He holds him at arms length and looks him over touching his biceps.

"Well look who's been working out!" Mason chirps..

"Oh yeah." Andrew replies sheepishly as he rubs the back of his neck.

He remembers how he would complain whenever Mason tried to get him to work out. Back then stepping into the gym was a huge burden to him and he just didn't think it was necessary for him to spend all that time working out.

"I guess times and people change." Andrew replies..

"Yeah right" Mason studies him.

"who's the girl?" Mason decides to ask as he picks up Andrew's luggage.

"What girl?" Andrew's frowns at Mason's question.

Mason looks at him wiggling his eye brows.

"The one who got you to finally believe the gym wasn't out to get you killed?"

"There is no girl" he bursts out laughing

"Must be a girl, cause you wouldn't work out even if I had my gun to your head." Mason laughs

"Well, sorry to disappoint you dude, I just decided I wanted to live longer and needed to be healthy for that." Andrew grins at him.

"As if." Mason scoffs as he leads them to where their ride is packed.

The ride back is almost 2 hours long and after doing a bit of catching up Andrew gets lost in thought as Mason focusses on the road.

He wonders back to his time at the university in the states. He smiles sadly when he thinks about the time he fell in love. She was perfect, they were perfect. Until she decided to break it off. He had been planning to ask her to marry him. She was going to be the best part about him returning home. They had talked about her coming back home with him. She had said yes at the time. And he was ecstatic. He knew his mother would've loved her. In a way they were alike. Maybe that is what drew him to her. She was his world. He even joined the football team because of her. He knew how impressed she was with the guys in the football team and he wanted her to be proud of him. And so he worked hard and ended up being one of the top players. But of course he wasn't telling Mason any of that. He hates it when Mason is right and he knows he won't hear the end of it.

Things were fine and he thought she was happy until the day she said she wasn't. She took him out for lunch that day. He was always happy being around her. After they were done eating, he noticed she wanted to say something. She had been nervous. So he urged her.

"Out with it, whatever it is"

And she had just blurted it out and said, "I can't go back with you"

"Ok" he had said

"But why not? I thought we already agreed. What changed?" He had asked her.

She hesitated for a bit and said the words he never saw coming.

"Because we can't be together anymore"

His world came crashing down that day. He didn't understand what just happened. He had even begged her hoping she would change her mind but she didn't.

Of course she had said it wasn't his fault, that africa wasn't just for her but he had stopped listening.

All he could think about was how he was ever going to make it out of the hurt he was feeling. He had watched her walk away, carrying a piece of his heart with her.

That time had been the most difficult for him. Having to go on everyday and pretending he was fine around everyone. Seeing her around campus made him feel like his wounded heart had been stabbed all over again. He kept to himself most of the times. He knew he couldn't do anything about it but just focus on his graduation. And so he worked hard making it to the top of his class. He decided his return may not be as he had wanted but he was still going to go back proud of himself. He knew the president of his country would definitely be proud too because he was doing this for him. After all he was the president's son.

"We are here sir" Mason's voice brings him out of his thoughts.

He shakes his head as he looks at a grinning Mason

"I don't know what I will do with you" He says

He looks out of his window. It's been so long that he has been in this place that has been their home for over 4 years. Nothing has changed much since he's been gone. The place still looks like a well kept sanctuary with all the green surrounding it. He always loved just sitting in the open gardens and enjoying all the nature around him.

He sighs as he steps out of the car..

"Let's meet the president. Shall we?"

And with that they both stepped into the state mansion..