The Genius' First Love 19 The Beast Saying Goodbye

" Yes coach!"

" Alright!"

I was quiet while we were walking along the hallway. Downstairs, the university bus was waiting. It will take us to the terminal. It was time to go home.

I remembered the kiss the beast left me, I couldn't help but blush.

After the encounter we had in the morning, my team decided to eat outside the university. When we returned, everybody was busy packing up and the beast just like always, was missing in action again.

Well, I was already good with the goodbye rites we had earlier. However, one cannot have enough in love, right? For I was still hoping I could see him before we leave.

"Hey guys!" Coach greeted everybody when we hopped in the university bus. The San Sebastian team who shared the room with us were here seating themselves comfortably. Looked like we will also be sharing this bus with them on the way to the terminal were everybody was going their separate ways. Anyway, we were heading out to the same terminal so it was only practical that we share the same bus.

"Sorry we kept you waiting" Huzey apologized.

"It's okay, c'mon now hop in!" Miss Lin responded.

"Where's coach Darryl?" One of the students asked. Hearing his name made my heart leap.

"I heard he will be accompanying the other students in the other bus" Someone answered.

"He might change his mind if he knows Miss Dugmoh is here." Miss Lin answered teasingly.

"The bus he is in already left" Someone answered making me upset.

I lowered my head and sat quietly beside Ziggy. Frustration was all over my face.

Boring.Boring.Boring.

Suddenly everything became boring now that I knew the beast wasn't here. How could he left unannounced? That beast was really complicated. Did he thought his goodbye rites was enough for me? Ruthless beast!

"Excuse me can we exchange seats?" A familiar voice called Ziggy's attention.

Dug-dug-dug-dug-dug.

It was him.

The beast.

Didn't his bus already left? Now he was suddenly here, I felt my cheeks warm a little— that is an understatement of course. My emotions were always unstable when the beast was around so I bet my blush grew pronounce all over my face in an instant.

"Hey Darryl you are here!" Miss Lin called on him.

"Yeah, where else should I be?" he answered tonelessly.

"I don't want to change seats" Ziggy replied, his face grimaced. Well, he was mad at the beast earlier and I think he hadn't move on yet.

"I want to take your seat though" He answered, imposing authority.

"This seat is expensive"

"How much?"

"Fifty thousand"

"Hey dude, that's more than his tuition fee in San Sebastian High" Someone commented.

I frowned at the boy's silly argument over just a bus seat. Can they stop this nonsense now?

Suddenly the beast took something in his bag, it was a cheque book. Everybody was appalled when he signed and reached out one cheque to Ziggy. My eyes grew bigger in disbelief and annoyance, these two are putting up show!

"Here, keep the change" The beast said while handling him a cheque.

"I never thought someone from San Sebastian can be this generous" Ziggy was shocked a bit but I guess his pride made his sarcasm intact.

"Have you forgotten? He is a Lagdameo!" Somebody exclaimed.

"Lagdameo or not, I'm glad you can afford this seat. It's expensive to be his boyfriend you know!" He took the cheque and examined it. When he was satisfied of its regularity, he tried to put it in his bag.

"Give me that!" I exclaimed as I snatched the cheque from his hand and pushed him out of his seat. I pulled the beast to sit beside me "This seat is for free…"

Ziggy was surprised by my actions but it was so instant, he had no time to react. He pulled himself to stand and sat beside Huzey who was buried in his book. Annoyance, betrayal and frustration was all over his face.

"So you are chasing me away now?" He shouted at me when he seated himself.

"I don't like any gorillas beside me" I answered glaring at him.

"Remember we have a deal for three nights, I'll get even by then!" he retorted.

"I can't wait" I replied as if I was not affected with his threats.

The beast put his own bag in the bus floor and picked up the bag that was sitting on my lap. He transferred it to his. So the beast is also a gentleman, can't help but fall for him more!

"No matter how many bags you take for her, the two of you are still not good for each other!" Ziggy exclaimed in rebellion to the public display of affection the beast was putting.

" You are just jealous!" a San Sebastian student shouted from behind.

"Me? Jealous? Why would I be jealous? I won't be jealous even if I am the first man in Xhem's life. I am his first friend! I am the one who always walks her home. I am even the one who takes her dog to bath and the only man who buys her menstrual napkins! I will not be jealous at all!"

I lowered my head out of shame. What is wrong with Ziggy? What is he upto now?

"Excuse me? Are you sure with all the things you are saying?" Huzey suddenly interrupted. But as soon as I thought Huzey come to my aid his next words failed me.

" …As far as I could remember she doesn't use menstrual napkins anymore, she uses tampons now and I am the one who buys them for her..."

I heard everyone burst into laughs. These gorillas? How could they shame me with menstrual pads?

"Really? Whatever! I am still the first man in her life! I am still the only person who sacrifices being her group mate in all school works. I'm still the one who buy her strawberries and I'm still the one who washed her used underwear at the camp when we were in elementary because she got sick!"

I swallowed as I put my hand to cover my face. The conversation they were having now was too much for my reputation. RIP to my reputation then.

"Can the both of you stop?" I asked clenching my jaws.

"No we won't" Ziggy exclaimed unaffected by my threatening anger.

"Okay….. If you won't stop...then I'll make sure none of you can go home alive.." I said casually.

"Is that a threat?" He asked unable to sit still. I think he was starting to feel the truthfulness of my threat.

"Yes and it's a death threat!" I answered emphasizing the word death threat.

Everyone swallowed their tongues as the bus sunk in silence. I know I was too serious while saying those words but never thought that it would bring them much thrill.

"You scared everyone.." The beast whispered in my ears after few moments of silence. The warmth of his breath touching my ears was giving me chills but I tried so hard to compose myself.

I lifted my head and look at everyone in the bus. Everyone was looking at me and they immediately withdrew their eyes when they saw me looking at them.

"She's worse than Annabelle I told you!" Huzey whispered to Ziggy, but his voice was loud enough for me to hear it.

I wanted to scold the boys now, I was mad by the way they were shaming me. I cannot let this moment passed without redeeming my lost reputation because of menstrual pads.

However, as I was about to threw harsh words to the boys, I felt the beast's warm hands wrapping around my fingers. I froze in an instant. Emotions filled me. Why does a single touch from him bring to much chaos in my emotions?

Suddenly I forgot about my annoyance over the boys and my focus shifted on his warm hands on mine. I looked away, pretending not to notice that we were holding hands. I busied my eyes on the road but the rest of my body was very conscious of the man's hands pressing on mine.

"Dude! Now they are shamelessly flirting in front of us, as if we are not seeing their dirty hands pressing each other! Shameless couple!" Ziggy sneered angrily.

However, to be honest, I cannot comprehend what he was saying because all my consciousness was focused on the man beside me.

For the whole thirty minutes, I dazed over the beast gesture.

I wish it could last forever but just as I thought this will never end, the bus suddenly stopped. We reached the terminal.

The students started to leap out the bus one by one, and then reality came knocking in front of my face. It was time to say goodbye.

Suddenly I become emotional, but then I cannot cry, afraid it will make him sad.

He grabbed my bag and lead me out of the university bus. By then, the boys and I were going to ride another bus leading to our hometown.

It was time to go.

Time to go back home.

Time to leave the beast.

Time to say goodbye to my first love.

Yeah, my first love.

"Goodbye" I told him when he handed me my own bag.

"No goodbyes..." he said as he grabbed me to kiss me on my forehead. "… Just, see you soon." He continued and he let me go.

I stared at him for the last time.

He did the same thing and we both smiled. I turned my back a minute after and started walking to the bus door. Just as I was about to step in the bus I remembered something that halted my steps.

I turned back to him.He was still standing there looking at me. My sudden move made him wonder if there was something wrong. His head formed lines as he moved towards me with hint of worry in his eyes.

I thought for a minute or two before approaching him. As soon as he was within reach, I reached out for his neck to pull his head down to mine.

I give him a sudden kiss.

It was just a light kiss, a mere touch in his lips, but it lasted for few minutes.

His lips are warm and soft and it was trying to tempt me to kiss him deeper. I tried my best to control my desire, too much of this and I will lose all my strength to let him go.

He did not move but I know he did not close his eyes. It could be out of shock or it could be because of something else that I do not know. Nevertheless, I was very certain he was watching me as I was kissing him. I savored every bit of our last kiss.

"Your goodbye rites" I told him as soon as I withdrew my lips. Just as I met his hazel eyes shining with desire, I realized that what I did was a bit off yet, I did not regret it.

I could not stand the way he looked at me after I kissed him, so I hopped in the bus hurriedly.

I tried so hard to contain all my tears, my heart was feeling cold. However, my display of loneliness will only made him uneasy so I have to pretend that this separation was bearable.

That saying goodbye to him was bearable. The truth was it wasn't, but I must bore it no matter what. Why did nobody told me that falling in love was quite complicated? Never thought separations can be this painful.

A minute after, I found myself sitting on the bus seat looking at the window.

The beast was still there, standing on the same spot, looking at me. His emotions were unreadable, but he tried so much to smile at me— taking all my sanity away.

He raised his hands to wave goodbye, my heart turned cold again in an instant.

That was my last glance of first man who made my heart beat.

"First love, it's hard to let them go but its memories will help you mature" Mr. Gem said to me as the bus started to move. His voice was full of sincerity.

Literally, I do not understand his words but somehow my heart understands every bit of it.

It's hard to let him go.

His memories will haunt me forever.

Truth is, I don't know what's in there for both of us.

All I know is that there is something special between us.

Something special that I will always hold on to, and will always hope on.

For seven days, my destiny brought me to memorable place where I had been a special person.

Not because I was from Rivendell High or because of my intelligence.

But because, maybe I was born for him.

In an instant, I met a stranger.

In an instant, I got my first kiss.

In an instant, I fell in love.

In an instant, I have to say goodbye.

Those days, I will never forget them.

My name is Xhemin Lae Dugmoh.

And his name is Darryl Lemmuel Lagdameo.

I was born different.

He was born unique.

And both of us shared something special.

If this thing is just a random fling or a special love story, nobody really cares.

The most important thing is that I met him and he met me.

And we made so many encounters in special days we will never ever forget.

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Separations are really painful. Just last week, my cousin left us. She choose to end her life due to depression. I always knew depression can kill as there had been many campaigns ads about it but I didn't know it would bring too much tragedy to my family. I had been in the province for the last week to attend the burial that's why I was out.

I thought of putting this novel on hold because of the tragedy but I realize these past few days that writing helps me a lot to recover. I had made several poetries the past few days to express my feelings, and I though maybe spending time on this novel will help me recover. I just don't know if the tragedy has affected my writing but I'm hoping for the best. Let's talk about other ways of coping stress and depression on the comment section. Thank you guys for your support.

Also, the first volume ends at this chapter. The real and bigger story will start in the next chaps. Tell me also your predictions in this novel, I'll try to see if some of you know where this is going.

I'm sorry I have to write author's notes here. For some reasons, maybe because I was writing more words, its not allowing me publish.

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Chapter end