Chapter 2

3RD PERSON'S POV 

FOURTEEN YEARS LATER 

“Sean Williams, my love!” A boy in his teens called out. The one he called Sean Williams halted, facepalmed, and looked down because of embarrassment.  

After a few seconds, he looked up and faced the other young guy running towards him while grinning. He looked at him as if he wanted to murder him.

“Dylan! How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that? Others might misunderstand. I just want to end this school year peacefully.” Sean Williams retorts to the guy named Dylan, then kicks his back leg just right under his bum. 

Dylan didn’t dodge. He accepted his best friend's kick while laughing at his reaction.

Sean Williams'S POV

I was about to enter our school’s entrance gate when I heard my best friend’s voice, Dylan, calling—shouting my name rather. I smiled brightly the moment I heard his voice, but that smile vanished automatically after hearing the endearment he uses.

Ugh! How I wish I’d disappear right at this instant. This is so embarrassing. I cursed at myself.

Other students that heard what Dylan said started whispering at each other, especially those who are transfer students and freshmen. While the others who have already known us, just keep walking and not paying too much attention as they are already used to it. They would just look at each other and giggle, especially girls.

I am Sean Williams, 15 years old. I am a 3rd year high school student. Together with this annoying best friend of mine, Dylan King, who also happens to be my classmate.  That  was actually planned by Dylan. Supposedly, he was in a different class, but was transferred to my class. And that’s how he got in the same class with me. Though it was actually against our school rules. Who would dare to disagree when the school itself is owned by his family, right?

The King family.

“What’s with him?” Marcus, my twin brother, asked while looking at Dylan. face distorted. 

“Ask him!” I hissed which earned me a  glare from my brother.

Tssss! I turn around and plan to leave them when Dylan grabs my shoulders. He then put his right arm around it. 

“Eherrm," he fakes a cough. “I’m sorry. Hahaha!"

“Come on, tell me what’s happening.” Marcus irritably asked.

“It’s nothing dude, just the usual. You know, my usual morning routine." Dylan answered while grinning like he had a championship.. 

“What exactly did you do?” I looked at my brother. He seems curious about what Dylan really did.

“Nah... I just called him ‘my love’ as I want to declare to the whole campus my love for your brother." Dylan blurted out, making Marcus laugh too.

“Hahaha! No wonder—my lovely brother does not look so lovely, but rather looks grumpy." Marcus mumbled while suppressing his laughter.

“Who looks grumpy?" I retorted. "Marcus, should you look ugly too? We are twins, remember?” I said, giving him a smirk. Then the three of us started laughing but got interrupted by the school guard.

“Hey you three! Don’t you have plans to get in? The flag ceremony is about to start.” 

Hearing that, we started running. I grabbed Dylan's wrist as he ran the slowest.

“Aww, wow!” Dylan exclaimed. "Afraid to leave me behind, my love?” 

He's panting, but he still managed to get into my nerves. I choose not to pay attention to his teasing anymore. Luckily, we managed to arrive on time. I let go of Dylan’s wrist as we proceeded to fall in line properly.

Few moments later, the flag ceremony ended. 

Finally! The Flag ceremony is over! I cheered silently. And all students went to their respective classes.

And another boring day starts now...

Dylan’S POV

I let out a sigh as I slump my body in the backseat of my car. Our driver, Henry, turns towards me.

“Young master, today is Monday. Why is it that your face already looks like Friday?” He commented.

“Henry, you know I got bored easily when I’m at school"

Henry chuckled, “Now I know why you and my son, Sean get along very well." He again commented while shaking his head. Henry has been my driver since I was a preschooler. And he’s also my best friend's father. And the reason why Sean, Marcus and I became friends. I remember when we were still kids, Henry often brought the twins with him when he picked me up at the villa to send me off to school, along with my nanny. He then drops the twins at their school. 

I have been attending school in a private school since kindergarten. While Sean and Marcus were in a public school until sixth grade.

We then became friends, very close friends. I even pleaded with my parents to let Sean and Marcus attend our school. My Dad didn’t agree as he said, I shouldn’t associate myself with people like them. They are just worker's kids. Instead, I should be friends with kids with the same social status as me. But my Mom strongly disagrees with him. As she would always tell me that true friendship can’t be measured by wealth or social status. Family upbringing is more important than family background, as she says. Now that I think about it, what she said back then is right.

Mother knows best indeed. I smiled at that thought. 

“Henry, Sean and Marcus were left behind because they had to clean our classroom.” I informed him. “By the way, Henry, why did you formally address me a while ago? Aren’t we already agreed that you would just call me Dylan?" I asked Henry as I remembered he called me a young master a while ago.

“Mr. King talked to me this morning. He must’ve heard me calling you by your name, and he didn’t like it. He almost fired me and if it weren't for Mrs. King’s disapproval. Your father might have fired me already," he explained with sadness in his tone. I also felt sad. I really still don’t get why Dad was like that. 

“But Dad is not here.” I told Henry softly. I really want them to be comfortable around me and treat me like a normal teen-age kid and not as his boss’s son.

“And this time he will never know. So please don’t call me young master when he is not around.” I pleaded, reassuring him and giving him my sweetest smile. I know this always works. Henry is very nice to me, not just because I’m his boss’s son. He treats me like his own son, too. And I’m very happy about it. I don’t know why, but I feel very attached to Henry, especially with  his wife, Jamie. 

Jamie also treats me nicely and is very caring, too. She treats me no differently from the way she treats Sean and Marcus. She treats me just like how my mom also treats me, and she would even scold me if she knew I did bad things. Just like my Mommy, I know she loves me, but she would never ever tolerate it if I did bad things to others. Like bullying other kids.

“Henry, Jamie’s birthday is next week. Are you planning to celebrate it?” I then asked. As I remember her upcoming birthday. 

“Yes, of course. I’m planning to take the four of us to the newly opened restaurant in the city. As I’ve heard, it was good and not too expensive." Henry beamed with happiness as he thought of his wife. I was looking at him intently, and I saw so much love and admiration he has for Jamie.

How I wish I could also see Dad like that. I silently wished.

“Ahhhmmm... Henry, I would like to join,  can I?" I shyly ask him. Henry turned to face me. 

“Well, of course you can!”, he said happily. He even reached for my head and gently ruffled my hair, the things I really liked him doing since I never experienced this with my own Dad. I smiled again, pushing off the bitterness I felt.  

“Jamie is so lucky to have you, Henry.” 

“I am the lucky one." he said while sitting straight in front of the wheel. But his smile didn’t escape from me. They are so sweet, even if they are not together at the moment. But every time Henry would think about his wife, Jamie, he would smile automatically. The things that I envy from Sean and Marcus. Their parents are so sweet with each other and they truly love each other. The kind of love I have never seen from my own parents.

After a while, I saw Sean and Marcus almost at the gate. My brows met when I saw my best friend's face. He was pouting. I can’t help but smile, as he looks really cute.

A pouting bunny! How cute. Silently admiring the cute pouting face of my cute little bunny best friend. He was stomping towards where we parked our car.

“What happened?” I asked Sean the moment he sat beside me in the backseat as Marcus sat in the passenger’s seat.

“It’s all your fault!” he hissed at me. “I told you not to call me with that silly endearment of yours anymore. But instead, you proudly boasted about it this morning with a lot of students hearing it.”

“Why?” I asked curiously.

“Remember, we have a new girl in our class. Well, she confronted Sean just after we finished cleaning.” Marcus explained while fixing his seat belt.

“Confront about what?” Henry asked with curiosity.

“Whether Sean is really in a relationship with Dylan... or not."

“Why? Does she like my Sean?” Henry teased his own son.

“No." Marcus bluntly answered. “I think she has a crush on Dylan. And says she was jealous because Sean looks prettier than her. She even asked Sean to change seats with her. And of course my brother didn’t agree as the seat patterns are arranged by our teacher. And as a good student as he is, Sean will, of course, follow our class rules. 'NO CHANGE OF SEATS'. Then the girl got mad. And declared a war.”

“How does she look?” Henry butts in again. "Is she pretty?”

“Henry, Sean is the prettiest student on the whole campus." I answered, then earned a glare followed by a pinch from Sean. Dang it hurts.

“Hmm... Well, that’s true. My Sean really is the prettiest.” Henry said, while winking at his son.

Oh, by the way, my best friend is gay. Guess that is the reason why those girls feel insecure towards him, as he looks really prettier and feminine than them. And they also felt jealous, as they could see how close we are and how comfortable we are with each other. But don’t get me wrong, we don’t have any romantic thing between us. Though we are more than just best friends, as we are brothers. Brothers that will be there for each other and accept one another no matter what our gender references are.

Henry then started to drive off. And we continue teasing Sean throughout our trip home.