CAUGHT BY THE PRESIDENT'S HEART

CHAPTER I THIRD PERSON POV The surroundings are buzzing with the crowd's mix of gossip, laughter, and excitement. The year is almost ending, and everyone is in high spirits upon receiving their diplomas. Ending the long years of burning the midnight oil. With the kind of yearly acknowledgement, their eager and loving supporters and fans are waiting outside the gymnasium with their gifts and flowers at hand. Ear-to-ear smiles and all hoping to see the graduates and their crushes for the last time. “IT’S NOW OR NEVER!” Fourth’s deep and strong voice, firm with his serious and insisting expression. Followed by a slap on Cole’s back, stating the fact that this is the last chance for a confession. The only day that Cole can do the only thing that unfortunately is slipping away from him for the entire year. “You must confess or else you will never get a chance, Cole.” His now sudden soft and shifty demeanor, from a strict and direct into a sympathetic one. “If you miss this chance then you will regret everything for the rest of your life.” “You know what, Fourth.” Cole’s irritated look and tone, glancing back at his friend and supportive one since childhood with a knowing look and a word that says ‘A DAMN NOSY’. “Nosy.” He blurted, flicking Fourth’s hand on his left shoulder. A little pretentious gesture and his way to hide his anxiety and a big chunk of fear for a possible rejection that will crush everything that’s he’s holding on for ten years now. “Aw! Me?” Fourth’s retaliation, expressing a mix of hurt, a little insulted but overall teasing line towards him that he followed with the words, “How can I not be?” stating the obvious in a rhetorical way. “I wouldn’t be this nosy if you were only brave enough to not miss those thousand times in the past to confess.” He started to nag with the same old thing, that’s irritating Cole, yet Cole couldn’t deny that fact. “Come on, Cole, if you are not my friend and childhood buddy, I've long gone sick of your silly excuses for not confessing and always running away for all those chances in the past.” He rubs a handful of salt on Cole’s wound. “Remember that I am only the person who knew and saw everything. The only one who is still rooting for this love for you.” He pointed his finger, squinted his eyes a bit, and nodded with all the confidence and approval for his own words that he was more than claimed. “Brutal.” Cole’s irritated tone and a threatening expression. “You are brutal with your words and still the devil of my conscience.” Cole retaliated, shaking his friend away with a push. “Yes, yes, I know.” Fourth’s honest acceptance of his role with a wide smile and proud expression. “A brutal and a devil. I long accepted it, but you must do what you long have done today.” His immediate shift of tone and expression from a playful one to a serious type. “Just like what I said, it is now or never!” he whispers with a scheming look and evil. “Hey, Fourth---” Cole’s cut words with a dash of scared expression upon seeing Fourth’s smile. But with a glance to the side that was then followed by the giggles and a bit of cheer from a certain group and fans. Fourth push him from the back, and a bit too much that made him take a messy few steps forward and almost stumble face first. If not by a hand that grab him from behind and prevent his fall, saving him at the end. “S***! Fourth, you---” he protested but only left to it and ended up tongue-tied upon lifting his head and left face to face with the person who he had been waiting to confess with for ten years now. “Xa-Xander.” He stutters, overwhelmed by his emotions and his heart that is beating fast like a drum and making him look stupid in front of him. A sentiment that is cemented especially that he is now facing this perfect person, the top student, former student body president and the lead vocalist of the university’s top band. Everyone’s idol, every girl’s crush. This handsome, rich, kind, and smart person, Alexander ‘Xander’ Aims. With more than just a blank expression, no, a mesmerizing one with the hopeful ring at the back of his mind. Everything from the past ten years came rushing back to Cole’s mind. Worst as Xander says the words. “Are you alright?” Gentle, warm, and captivating. Three words that are running inside and quite crazy in Cole’s mind. Worsening his already stupid and speechless look at the moment. A bit of putting him in the worst situation that made Fourth facepalm. “Hey,” Xander called, waving his hand in front of him and a bit worried and internally in a panic, but perfectly keeping his cool. “Hey, man!” He tries to shake him, but is still unresponsive to Cole’s look towards him which is awkward, yet he finds it cute and funny. His thoughts that he keeps under control. Weighing the current moment and the consequence if he slips for a bit and express what he truly feels. Especially that he is now looking at this little cutie with a bit of messy hair, skinny, pale complexion, and wearing a thick glass in front of him. His junior, but more than just that simple definition. “You're one of my juniors in the department.” He emphasizes with a wide smile as he then notices the box of chocolate that his little junior is holding. “Is that for me?” he asks, pointing at the brown box that snaps Cole back into reality. “What?” Cole’s stupid question and a rush of embarrassment after realizing that he’s been spacing out for a while. “Chocolates?” Xander’s casual tone and smile, that made everyone around them swoon and giggle. “Chocolates?” Cole’s another stupid reply and face that is making Fourth curse him from a distance. “Ah!” he snaps out of his delusion and immediately hands over his gift. “This one! Congratulations.” His almost high-pitched voice and sudden shyness upon Xander receiving his gift. “Thank you.” Xander’s sweet reply and immediately took a piece and ate it with gladness and approval. Skyrocketing Cole’s feelings and damn about giving him the hope that everything will go smoothly and perfectly this time. “Xander.” He calls, plucking that courage that Xander immediately acknowledges with a nod and waiting expression. All ears for him and for his words. “I,” his building courage and cemented hope, as a confession is almost at the door. But. “Xander!” In the right moment, time, and his last chance is suddenly and swiftly cut and broken. Xander’s attention completely shifts towards the approaching lady, who equally is as gorgeous and famous as Xander. “Nicole.” Xander’s warm greeting, along with his few friends who meet Nicole and her friends halfway. Completely ruining Cole’s chance for a thousand times. Leaving him stuck in his place and passing by the others who admire not just his Xander but the beauty and queen of their university, Nicole. Everyone’s rooting heroine for Xander, with their ship and rumors of being together. “It’s alright, maybe some other time?” Fourth’s comforting tone, but not so of his words. Immediately taking his side and patting his back upon seeing everything. “I just blew my chance and worse than in the past, right?” his tone of regret, looking down and hopeless. “I’m stupid and a tad useless.” Degrading himself even more. With a pat and comforting expression, Fourth could only do much for the time. But a fact and big is screaming from the back of Cole’s mind. This is the last day, the last chance that he can do what he must for that confession. It is now or never. “No.” Cole’s firm and sudden words and tone that surprises Fourth, but immediately read what he is thinking and trying to do. “You said it. This is the last time. It is now or never.” His clear and strong resolve. Without a second to waste, he ran and followed Xander with Fourth at his tail and ear to ear with a smile of support for him. Yet things are not that easy, especially when you already slip that chance away. With Xander’s fans and adoring juniors who are giving him gifts and surrounding him, not to mention Nicole by his side and wrapping herself around his arms. It made it all hard for Cole to get another chance, not to mention a step closer. “Damn!” he screams that startled Fourth and immediately pulling him to the side, upon taking the attention of a few around them. “Relax man.” Fourth’s words and calming him down. “Just how could I relax?” he retorted. “I’ve been trying to get his attention for two hours now, yet.” His piss-off tone and irritated expression, punching the wall with that weak strength of his. “Two hours.” Fourth sigh, explaining a point. “Two hours is just a mere time compared to the ten years that you’ve chasing after him. Just what is a few hours more if you can confess to him at the end?” his convincing and factual words that are more than enough for Cole to try again. “You're right.” Cole’s agreement. With his newfound resolve, he continued on taking chances and pushing through so much that Fourth couldn’t follow and lost him among the crowd. But with some dash of luck, he finally found that opening and went his way a few steps from Xander. In the music club and Xander’s haven with his band. With all of his closest friends who are his band members. Minus Nicole and her friends in the scene. Away from everyone, Cole took a deep breath and a step close. “Tell us honestly, Xander, do you like men?” A sudden question. Keith’s serious tone as the rest of the band, the four of them, are now all eyes towards their vocalist and leader, Xander. A thought and more stopped Cole on his track and made him hide behind the wall with his eyes peaking and all ears to their conversation. “Why?” Xander’s initial response and with an offensive smirk and laugh. “I wouldn’t and will never like a guy.” His blunt and direct tone that pierces and tears a part of Cole’s heart. “Then why did you accept that chocolate?” Gray’s curiosity, pointing his finger to the box of chocolate that Cole gave. “Well, we all know how popular you are and from any gender, but this is the first time that you accept a gift, a chocolate from a guy.” Gray’s intriguing tone that brought everyone to their curiosity and all eyes towards him except for one, Perth. All the while, Cole heard and is hearing everything. But now with that hopeful ring to his mind and heart of the possibility that maybe Xander like him in secret. “This? Tsk!” Xander smirks and, with no hesitation, stands and throws the box of chocolates into the trash bin. “I just accept it out of whim as I do not want to shame that junior and end up for me hating by everyone. Not now that this is our last day.” He added all that perfect and breaking excuse that didn’t sit perfectly in Perth’s mind, shaking his head away from everyone’s attention, while everyone accepted the reason. A scene and more than a declaration of rejection that breaks Cole’s heart. Making everything around him soundless and his sight blurry with his tears. Too much of thinking for any chance and possibility. He is totally delusional, and all that he thinks of about Xander is nothing but a lie. Walking away without a sound and only hearing the breaking of his heart. Fourth found him soaking cold under the hard pour of rain. Crying his heart out and out of his usual self. His own and all broken picture that Fourth immediately knew why. “Damn him, and damn this feeling. I wasted my ten years for him.” He started to curse and protest. “S**** this life, I will never look at anyone and forget everything about him!” he shouted to the heavens. Holding that resolve and remaining single his entire life while turning into that hunk, handsome and a prince that once his first love is waking. Completely changed himself and for years long buried that first love and heartbreak of his. Away from everything and the university that ended it all. As time pass, it’s then five years later. “Mr. Altamira, sir, your new secretary is here.” A new colleague’s casual introduction led him inside the office of the company’s CEO. He was the newly hired and in the position of the most coveted position of the owner of the country’s top company. Walking inside with confidence and a smile. The CEO’s chair slowly turns to face him. With high expectations and excitement, Cole’s world immediately crushes and for a second stops. “Damn, S****!” He curses and almost shouts, with his eyes wide and bewildered upon seeing his worst nightmare after five years. “Xander!”