Colliding Rulers

The Exchange Student (1)

Third Person's P.O.V

The gala ended with winning smiles from the four; Alex, Gevia, Joshua and Zack. They went back to their daily lives, but somehow, a problem arose. Of course, the victim still doesn't know that it was going to change his daily life. Joshua prepared for the day as usual. With debts and payables already paid, Joshua could finally breathe.

Once Joshua's little brother and sister were in school, Joshua prepared for his leave. There was a commotion outside, which he ignored. Although it was rare for a commotion to happen to where he lives, since it was in the middle of nowhere, Joshua still believes that it had nothing to do with him.

He sang to his heart's content, letting out his singer side to come out. He screamed and whistled. He never had the time to search for the lyrics since it was a new song, but it was a catchy song that Ariana Grande made. It was a s*x song that he took a liking to. He cleaned his room before deciding to leave.

The smile on his face instantly disappeared when flashes welcomed him into the outside world. Cameras were in front of his face, almost giving him a kiss. He ran back inside, panting. He shook his head, in disbelief.

"What the actual f**k?" he couldn't help but ask. But there was no one that could answer him.

Reporters were asking questions despite the door in between them. Joshua was on the verge of panicking when his phone suddenly rang. He hastily grabbed his phone from his backpocket and answered without looking at the ID, already knowing that it was Gevia.

"What the hell is going on?" Joshua asked, almost screaming into the phone.

[I'm on my way to get you. Stay there.] it was evident that Gevia was also in a rush. Rustling and objects falling down could be heard from the background.

"Fine." Joshua said before ending the call.

A few moments later, Joshua could hear a chopper. He looked out the window, the opposite side where the reporters were, and saw a chopper coming his way. The noise of the propeller became louder and louder until the chopper was directly above his house. The reporters took a video of the chopper, thinking that it must be Zack.

Joshua received a text from Gevia saying to come out through his window and climb up using a ladder. Joshua was driven with excitement and adrenaline, forgetting the part about him being chased by paparazzi. An involuntary smile appeared on his lips as he did what Gevia said in the text. When he opened his window, the wind instantly brushed his hair strongly. His smile turned into a grin when he indeed found a ladder swaying a bit.

He looked down and saw the paparazzi just below him, still taking pictures and videos of him climbing the ladder. The paparazzi weren't afraid of their equipment getting broken or getting caught up by the propeller's pull.

"f**k this s**t!" Joshua screamed, but his voice wasn't audible due to the noise caused by the chopper.

Joshua jumped out of his window and slowly climbed up the chopper. The chopper slowly made its way to their school. When Joshua was finally inside the chopper, Gevia handed him his headphones.

"Are you aware of what's happening?" Joshua heard Gevia's voice through the headphones, deciphering it as something radio-like which was cool in his opinion.

"No! What the f**k is happening?" the panic was there in Joshua's voice.

"Have you seen the news?" Gevia asked, fishing out her news, knowing exactly what Joshua was going to answer. She readied the video.

"No." Joshua answered, as Gevia predicted.

Gevia handed Joshua her phone and Joshua immediately tapped the screen for the video to play. There was a subtitle which Joshua was thankful for.

"Mr. Zack Payne, what is the reason for your sudden decision to transfer schools?"

"I believe I have the right to chase after the love of my life."

"Mr. Payne, what about your-"

"I am still not of age yet. I am still but a young student that's willing to chase after my person of interest."

Joshua wanted to strangle Zack. Zack was openly stating his feelings about love. It was obvious to Joshua that he was who Zack meant in the interview. He admitted that for the whole world to see that he had taken an interest in Joshua and Joshua was just a mere commoner.

"Does your father-"

"My father knows and is providing me with full support on the matter. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to finish finalizing my papers so I can fly to where he is."

And that was the end of the video. Joshua pursed his lips, giving Gevia her phone back. Gevia watches how her friend changes into three expressions in seconds. Joshua shook his head, gritting his teeth angrily. He sighed and facepalmed himself. He couldn't reason out with himself why Zack would think Joshua wanted to become a celebrity.

Joshua's mundane life was not mundane anymore. Their chopper ride on the way to school was silent. Gevia couldn't help but feel bad. She knew how content Joshua's life was, and now that damage had already been done, she couldn't undo it. She couldn't look Joshua in the eyes.

The chopper landed on the helipad. The students weren't at all surprised about the chopper, since they have private choppers themselves. Joshua and Gevia got off the chopper and the first thing Joshua saw was the Captain with such a pained expression. He looked as if he had been betrayed, and Joshua didn't exactly know what to tell the Captain.

The Captain turned around and left. Joshua watched as the Captain left. His broad back slowly becoming smaller as he creates some distance between before finally disappearing. The guilt added to Gevia's shoulders. She slumped down, biting her tongue.

"Let's just go to class," Joshua said, without looking at Gevia.

Gevia followed Joshua on the way to their classroom. Neither of them said anything. Their aura oozed with gloom. Gloomier than the gray skies above them. It was about to rain and neither of them brought their umbrellas. Joshua sat down first, head down and looking at his palms, constantly closing them and turning them into fists.

"Joshua," Gevia said, but Joshua was too far out to even hear Gevia's soft voice.

Joshua could feel eyes on him, judging his every move. Criticising his entire appearance from head to toe. All he could hear were his thoughts and the mumbles of the people around him. He was internally panicking, scared of what might happen to him and what the Captain would say. Joshua was too guilty to try and run after the Captain.

The teacher came in and gave Joshua a look before sighing and continued with the lesson. The teacher didn't want to add fuel to the already raging fire. The classroom smelled of doom with its darkened atmosphere. Joshua was hypersensitive to noise.

"Alright, turn your books to page six hundred ninety-eight."

Alex wanted to say, "I knew it" but had no one to say that to. Alex kept on stealing glances at both Gevia and Joshua. Alex could practically hear Gevia's thought at the moment. Gevia was blaming herself and Alex could feel it. The remorse, the regret. Alex wanted to snatch Gevia away from the pressure but they were being watched at the moment, unlike on the island where they could hook up whenever they felt like it without the need to hide.

The morning classes ended. It flew by as everyone was busy with their own little things. Joshua and Gevia were the ones left behind in the classroom. They were so occupied with their thoughts that they left the real world. Alex looked back before walking away. They were on their way to that hideout they went to the last time.

"Is it true?" Alex wasn't even surprised when he heard the captain's voice.

"Cale, hmm, I should've known you were waiting to ambush me."

Alex sat down on the bench and looked at the darkened sky. It pained Alex to see that Gevia was having a hard time. How Alex wished to erase Gevia's regret.

"I don't need any beating around the bush, Alex Samson. I want to know." Cale's gruff voice echoed through Alex's eardrums. Cale was being serious. Using Alex's full name, especially the surname that Alex hated, with every fiber inside their body.

"Cale McKinstry. Don't you use that tone on me." Alex deadpanned, not at all happy with Cale's harsh tone.

Cale sighed and sat down next to Alex. Cale followed suit and looked at the sky. He couldn't believe that Joshua had finally moved on from him, and was out seeing another man.

But what about that date we had? Well, was that even a date? He just asked about Gevia and Alex. But still, we had a moment there. Was that nothing to him? Cale couldn't help but overthink. He was so sure that Joshua still felt something. He saw it in Joshua's eyes. The spark was still there, or was he hallucinating? His hopes were so down at the moment that he didn't know what to think.

"Why didn't you go to the gala? I was so sure that you were invited as well." Alex began, calming the tension. Alex was also in a messy place at the moment and they weren't going to tolerate forceful things. Alex has had enough already. With a newly found twin running loose, everything was set to become ashes.

"I had practice. You know how it is. With the nationals coming up, I can't afford to get distracted. Not even mommy cared about that stupid gala and she's the most social one out of all of us."

Cale vividly remembered telling his mommy that he wanted to go to the gala because Alex was going and they were finally civil with each other. But Cale's mother firmly told him 'no', and that the gala was still present next year while he was going to graduate the next year. This was Cale's final year of proving that he could lead the school to victory and bring his parents' name to fame.

"Zack Payne took an interest in Joshua at the gala. The very first day and we don't know why or what happened. He kept coming at Joshua even though Joshua had a very weird expression on him whenever he approached him."

"That prick. Forcing himself on my Joshua." Alex's eyebrows raised.

Now that I think about it, I never knew why they broke up. Alex suddenly remembered, but didn't bother asking Cale about it. Alex thought that if they asked Cale about that now, he would inevitably crumble down.

"You have to chill. He's transferring here."