MY ALPHA BODYGUARD

CHAPTER 5: MY COLLEGE DAYS

Eris’ POV:

The day of the concert comes that awaited of millions of my fans in the country. I have no other thought but to make my fans happy. Forget the issues and bad vibes, I and my supporters will enjoy the night. The concert hall is huge and you can feel everyone’s excitement. The opening act started by also one of the famous singer and dancer of the country. Then its my time to hit the floor with my first performance ‘Uptown Funk’ by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars; and ‘2002’ by Anne Marie. All the audience dance with the beat and sing with me.

The concert continues and it is such a wonderful night. I also sang my original songs such as, ‘As the Days’, ‘Cold Wind’, ‘I will never Forget’, ‘Lovers of the Night’ and others; as well as some of my song covers. I truly enjoy the night being with my fans that I considered as my family as well. I love them so much. As the concert concludes, I express them my gratitude and love. I know, being in this kind of industry, it is hard; maintaining your image, giving all your time for them and forgetting that you are also a human who needs to breathe and to take a break somehow. But I love this job or this opportunity to give entertainment and inspiration to them. Sharing what talents I have and expressing myself in writing songs.

After the concert, we held a one hour ‘Meet and Greet’ and fan signing. They’ve also given a chance to ask me questions they like. It relieves your tiredness if you see them with a smile on their faces and support you all the way. One man handed me his magazine of me and I signed it. I looked at him to hand it back but I was shocked when I saw his face. He really followed me here. Won’t he stop bothering me? His disgusting smile and face right in front of me. I don’t know what to react. I started to sweat and feel the cold wind produced by the air conditioner in the room shiver through my body. And then he gets the magazine and touched my hands that I immediately pulled back.

What is he doing here? And then all the memories from that time came back to me, the first time I saw Tom.

“Have you told him that you have a crush on him?” Lily, my bestfriend, asked me about Tom, my ultimate crush. He is a Swimmer Varsity of the Rocky Hills University but he also plays basketball. If not for him I won’t decide to study here also in the same college. I’m on my first year college here in Rocky Hills University taking Multimedia Arts and secretly in love with Tom since our senior high.

“Nope, I don’t know how?” I said as I opened my locker to get my things for our Math subject. Lily is the only person knows my secrets and also I am to her.

“Now is your chance, you have to tell him after class” she said with excitement, closing her locker then faced me.

“What? Now? No!” putting my palm in front of her and rolling my eyes.

“But why not? Don’t tell me you’re really gonna keep it to yourself forever?” she said, highlighting the word ‘forever’

“But what if he’ll reject me? What if he hates a person like me?” I locked my locker and gazed at the metal thing blankly.

“At least you said to him what you really feel for him all these years” Lily said putting her index finger on my chest with emphasis on the word ‘feel’

Our math class ended, and one by one our classmates leave the room until me, Lily and Tom and two others are the only left inside. When the other two approached the door, I walk towards Tom then he looked at me. I breathed deeply as if this is the last remaining air to consume in the world. My heart beats faster and feels like it becomes bigger. I smiled back to him shyly. I gathered all my courage that I can found in my whole body and make few steps more towards his seat. As soon as I will raise my hand to say ‘Hi’, his friend Brandon called him “Bro Let’s go, aren’t you coming?”

Tom looked away from me and nodded to his friend who is standing on the door. I stopped and he leaves the room then shouldered on his friends. I just literally stand there, without movement.

“Hey! Are you okay?” Lily puts her hand on my shoulder. “At least you now that you can. We just need another plan” she laughed and I cast my eyes squinted to her on my right.

“I really enjoyed your concert Eris. You know, I’m really a fan of you since the day of you debut” Tom said, still smiling in front on me. I need to act that I didn’t know this bastard.

“Oh Thank you then” I said and smiled. If only there were no people here I would have punch him on the face.

*Evening*

Best: You sleepin?

No. Reading :Me

Best: I already thought a plan on how you and Tom can talk.

You know you better sleep instead of thinking nonsense :Me

Best: Rocky Hills’ Swimming Team has a District Competition this Saturday. You in?

*Laughing Awkwardly Emoji* :Me

Best: I know that laugh. Oooh I’m excited *crazy emoji*

Best: Good night Best. Love you.

Good Night, love you two :Me

*Saturday*

Because this is the home court of the opponent which is the Saint Michael University, you can count on your fingers the total of students of our university who came to watch the competition. On the contrary, it became like a concert with the volume of the students from Saint Michael University and other two opponent universities watching their swimming team. It is really a wrong idea from my BELOVED BESTFRIEND to come here. Wrong. Wrong.

It was a fierce competition. Both teams were good. While watching, I also can’t help myself cheering them up and shout, especially in Tom’s freestyle and butterfly, he’s so perfect. Our team won the overall champion and Tom as first place in freestyle and backstroke; and second place in butterfly.

“Now is your time, go” Lily said while pulling me to come to the team.

“Wait, Best. Remember we are on the crowd, I can’t confess here. Not here” I said pulling back my hand

“Who said you will confess to him here. You just need to congratulate him, for him to know that we came all this way to watch HIM!” she said looking straight into my eyes.

I exhaled “The TEAM, we’re him to support the whole team” I rolled my eyes.

“Okay okay” she also rolled her eyes, Haha we really are bestfriends. “And pretend to have a picture with them”

“Hmm that’s not a bad idea” I squinted my already small eyes. We walked together towards our swimming team and my breathing started to become heavy.

“Hi guys” Lily greeted when she notice that I can’t speak. “Congratulations Coach, and… to the whole team.. you guys are the BEST” emphasizing on the last word calling for me that is now lost in the wilderness of nervousness. She nudge me on my side but I don’t react.

“Thank you. It’s nice you came here to watch” coach said

“We’re Tom’s classmates. And.. We’re really fan of swimming.. hehe *laugh awkwardly* you know water” Lily said that seems she’s running out of reasons. I need to save her. I need to say something. But what is it? What?

“Can we take pictures with you guys?” I finally opened my mouth. They nodded, “Sure” one swimmer said.

I opened my phone and don’t know what to do, I’ll do selfie or I’ll be the one who will took picture for them but I will not be included, “Can I?” coach said in the act of taking my phone. He took three pictures with us and the whole team, enough to make me feel butterflies all over.

*On the shower room*

“Guys, our captain has a fan club!” Jerome teased.

“Wooohooo” everyone shouted.

“Hey hey Stop. I don’t know what you’re saying” Tom said while brushing his head with his fingers.

“It’s obvious Cap, that they have eyes on you” another teammate said.

“You guys, shut up!” Tom exclaimed and then smiled.

“Especially Erickson, I think he has a crush on you Cap” Jerome closed his shower and looked at Tom.

Tom says not a word and just smiled secretly that he also didn’t know why, why he is smiling out of nothing. Brandon from behind on another shower looked at Tom with a serious face.

***

“Eris, are you okay?” Marco asked while driving the van back home to my condo. “You’re so quiet, is there something bothering you?” he asked again but I just still staring outside the car’s window.

“I’m just tired” Marco never met personally Tom. He just knew him through my stories. But everytime I have a problem he just feel it and notice my actions, he will know it.

“Aren’t you happy with your successful concert?” he asked. He really wanted me to put in a good mood.

“Of course, I am happy” I said then looked at him and smiled. But everytime I think Tom still lurking around me makes my blood boil in irritation.

***

“Where’s Lily?” Tom stopped his car and opened the window while I’m walking to the bus station.

“She’s sick that’s why I don’t have my personal driver now” I laughed a little then looked at him.

“Well, then can I be your PERSONAL DRIVER now?” he said like he’s teasing me, but I like it, I like it when he smiles.

“No, no need. The bus station is near, but thank you” I said, started walking. What am I doing? This is my chance to be close to him. This may be my only chance.

“No, I insist. I’ll take you home” Tom said. What? What did he said? He will take me home? No, take me to your home jock!

I exhaled, this is my lucky day!

At his car, I feel like I’m out of air and no one dared to speak. It was literally silent. Until we’re near in our house, “Have you started the art project?” he asked.

“No, I don’t even have a concept yet for the video. Since Lily got sick we haven’t been able to brainstorm” I answered without looking at him.

“Can I join your group?” he said, looking at me while driving then back to the road.

“Wha.. What?” I said though I fully heard his question, I just don’t know what to say or to react.

“I said,’Can I join your group’ Sir Dean said that we can group ourselves up to 4 members. So is there still a vacancy?” he chuckled while looking at me and to the road.

I can feel my face heat up. No, are my cheeks turning red? He shouldn’t notice it. “I aah uhmm, sure. It’s just the two of us in the group” I said

“Great, so when will we talk about the project?”

“Ummm Tomorrow’s Friday and Lily needs to rest more. We can meet on Saturday” I said finally looked at him, Oh he’s so cute while driving.

“What about tomorrow night on my place? If Lily can’t come so we can still start the project just the two of us and besides she can join us via video call” he suggested, stopping the car. So, tell me how can I refuse that offer? Yes, say yes, Erickson! I answered nothing until he reached out his hand to me. “Huh?” I looked at him confused.

“Your phone” I gave my phone to him and he dialled his number. His phone rang on his pocket and showed it to me. “See you tomorrow night?”

He said and I nodded and smiled timidly before getting off the car.

The whole night that night we chatted together and the next day up to the afternoon before I go to their house. That’s the start of our friendship that leads to more deeper feelings with each other. We started dating and became a couple that I don’t know how or when we became official. It just happened. We’re boyfriends up to our second year of college, still discreetly. We’re on a secret relationship since the beginning because Tom said he’s not ready yet to come out, and I respect it. But sometimes its tiring and it feels like he is not proud of me and of himself. Yet I waited for him to be ready and supported him. The only person that knows our relationship is, of course my bestfriend, Lily.

***

"We're here" I said as I parked the car on the condominium's parking lot under the building.

"Eris, you sleep?" I asked when Eris did not respond that is now leaning his head on the window beside me. Since I became his personal assistant and driver, he never sit on the back seat and always treated me as his friend not as an employee. Maybe he's just really tired or hungry.

"You hungry?" I asked. He opened his eyes and looked at me. He nodded. "What do you want? I'll cook for you"

"I dont know. Anything" Eris answered and I unlocked the car.

"What about kimbap? Do you have ingredients on your condo" I looked at him before he get off the car.

"Buy me some crab meat and seaweed wrap" He said with a smile on his face before he closed the car's door. I feel relaxed that he is now okay, he really just hungry.

"Sure" I said then I opened window of the driver's seat. "I'll be back in a minutes"

"Can you buy me an ice cream" he said. Eris eats sweets whenever he is bored or stressed. Is there really something happened on the concert that bothered him or he just want to feel the sweet and cold of the treat that can make him recharge.

"You just sang for hours, remember?" I said to him. It might make his throat stress or sore immediately after a long concert.

"Please" he said in a child like tone begging for his candy. I stare at him seriously like a friend chastising him on his bad act. "Okay okay, I'll eat it tomorrow"

I shrugged "Same flavor?" I asked.

"Yeah my favorite" cookies and cream, Eris most favorite ice cream flavor and then I closed down the window the start the car.

***

We were together up to our second year on college. We acted as friend in school, in our respective house and in front of everyone except to Lily. I came out to my parents since high school before entering the senior high but Tom asked me to not tell my parents yet about our true relationship. He was worried that his parents might too soon know about us unexpectedly, so both our parents knew that we were just friends. Lily was concerned with me at first to the kind of secret relationship I have with Tom but she accepted and supported me eventually, especially when she saw me super happy with him. When we were alone, just the two of us, Tom and I, was the best days of my college back then. We make the most in every moment and let each other feel the love. Not the kind of love sharing, you imagine right now, yeah Tom was my first kiss but I never gave to him my first time of that thing, you know, the thing that husband and wife do, making love. I dont know, but that time I feel like I need to reserve my virginity for someone else and keep my it whole. I don't know who is it but today it seems that I already found and met him. It's just that I got an amnesia to those months, specifically for only those months that I disappeared two years ago and I cant remember a single thing.

Let's go back to Tom, now I really thank myself for that decision that he was not my first to that thing, as in, big time. I think I would kill myself if I gave it to that dumbass. But those times that we're boyfriends discreetly, I still can say that I loved him then, truly. He in some ways became part of my college love life and I could not erase nor change it. Back then I felt joy and we were happy. We were in love.

"Bro, can I talk to you? Privately" Brandon approached Tom at the end of their class in history. Tom nodded. They went to the nearest restroom. As they entered the room the atmosphere became intense. Brandon looks confused and worried don't spoke for a few minutes that made Tom irritated.

"Bro, is there something wrong? finally Tom broke the silenced. Brandon loomed at him directly in the eyes and exhaled.

"Bro, are you dating Erickson?" he asked his friend like a detective interrogating a suspect. Tom was shocked to his friend's question. 'How did he knew?' 'Did he really know about us?' 'Did he saw us dating?' 'No it can't. What will I tell him?' 'Should I lie or tell him the truth?' 'But what if he despised me, tell my parents or the whole school'

"What? That's ridiculous!" Tom said, raising his voice to show superiority. Tom is the only son among five children, that's why, maybe, he is so afraid in the world's judgment about his sexuality, especially of his family, his father.

"I know, that's why I asked you directly" Brandon said, looks more relaxed than earlier.

"Bran, Erick and I, yeah, we're friends but it's impossible for me to like him or any man. You know I'm straight. I'm not like him" Tom chose to lie to protect himself from what he see it as shame, criticism and judgment, only his SELF. Did he really love me? I guess not.

"Kyle said to me that he saw you two the other day buying snacks and ice cream on a convenience store. He said you're too sweet to him" Bran smirked.

"Yeah I remember. The other day? It just happened that we saw each there. What's wrong with that" he forced himself to not stutter the words, breathing in almost every after words.

"I'm sorry I doubted you Bro" Bran said tapping his friend's shoulder. "I never should have asked you or believed Kyle in the first place" he chuckled.

***

I opened my locker to get my books and it blocked my right view, when suddenly I heard a loud bang produced by the metal locker near me. Who's the hell is that that creeped the hell out of me? I instantly closed the door of my locker to see who is that jerk.

"Brandon?" my eyes widened with a half opened mouth.

"Hey! you stay out of Tom" he threatened me with those words. "I don't know how close you two but I know how freak you are so stay away from him!" his face came closer to mine and whisper the last sentence to me like I am a criminal whom he just knew what I'd done wrong. Does it mean he knew about me and Tom? But how? Did he just threatened me? Who the hell is he to decide for Tom to stay away from me or not? What if I don't want to, what will he do?

"What do you mean?" I need to protect Tom. I need to make sure if he truly knew about us before I gave him any clue.

"You know what I mean" he smirked, "Stop infecting my best friend of your gay virus! queer "" he said and it hit me, as in really hard. I felt something's strange like somethings bad will happen.

***