Chapter 27: Chapter Thirteen.1: He's The Boss
Keith: Babe, I'm having a cold war with my idiot father. I hate to bother you this early about his antics, but he will probably involve you.
Keith sent a message to Drake just after he finished showering. Kookie was in his room again, so he took the pup and went outside because he had to make it get used to sleeping in the cabin with the other dogs. When he got back, before entering his room, Drake sent him his replies.
Drake: Well, it's okay to bother me since it's about us. He's going to be my future father-in-law, after all. Please don't be too hard on him.
Drake: But I'm scared. Lol.
Drake: But seriously, don't be so stubborn babe!
Keith smiled while reading them. He could imagine Drake's forced smiles saying these to reassure Keith. Then an awkward deep voice coughed. His father's head was sticking out of the master's bedroom door. "Did you do your homework already?"
Kieth nodded and did not say anything to his father and went to his room. He opened his PC, and his father opened his door, awkwardly sticking out his head to check on him. "S-so… Keith, it's late. Go to sleep now!"
Keith didn't look back or respond to him. He continued studying the files he copied from the drive. He already got the general idea when he was reading at Drake's place before but he wanted to make Drake the summarized version. He also searched for related references for Drake to have more background since Drake has a vague goal.
"If you have so much time studying nonsense, you should also start studying for the math Olympiad. And the prelim exam is near. I want you to continue taking the exams in the Science Program as well. I made sure the exams were going to be harder."
Rowan saw that his son had already started his cold war. He was heartbroken, but his pride was as great as his son's. He kept talking about the exams and possible competitors in the Math Olympiad, but Keith ignored him throughout the long night.
For the first time, Nick overslept because Keith's family had a quiet morning. Keith drove Kiara to the publishing house's satellite office and then went to their school, like usual. He didn't talk to Kiara, and his father and only spoke to his mother alone. He also did not help his father in setting up his desktop computer, while he attentively treated his mother like a queen.
After taking the review materials for the Math Olympiad and Physics High School Quiz bowl, he was called to the library because the printer had a paper jam. The librarian was an old lady, and she was so fond of Keith that he couldn't decline her and fixed the simple issue with the printer.
Drake was talking with Tristan and Darryl when Keith got to their classroom with Nick, who was complaining then.
"I'm just saying… I wouldn't be late and miss breakfast if your family was acting normal!"
"We were acting like a normal neighbor for once, and you're complaining?"
"It's weird. Auntie and Kiara are not that loud anymore! And you're still ignoring Kiara until now."
"She got a job and a rich younger boyfriend. Of course, mama won't bicker with her like usual… She's her favorite now." Keith's jealousy of his sister drained his energy, and Nick felt his murderous aura leaking.
Before they could sit, Tristan wrapped his hand over Keith's shoulder, adding weight to the piles of paper on his hand. "Good morning! Teacher Tan told us you wouldn't be able to join the club. Is there an issue with your parents?" He was overly familiar and asked about Keith's wound immediately after a greeting.
Keith put his things on his desk and hung his bag behind his chair before sitting down. "I talked to my mama already, and she doesn't have an issue with it." He yawned and scratched his eyelids over his glasses.
"Yes!!!" Tristan cheered up. "We'll have a meeting after school. Don't leave immediately. Okay?"
"Oh. Can I talk to you alone after lunch?" Keith asked. Drake looked at his boyfriend's pale complexion and heavy eyebags. It was so apparent that Keith hadn't slept yet.
"Sure! About what?" Tristan got glimmers in his eyes when Keith asked him to talk. Perhaps, it was the start of their newfound friendship, he thought.
"Let's talk about it later… where can I find you?"
"I'm always in the club room."
The self-study ended, and Tristan had no choice but to return to their classroom on the upper floor, and Darryl had to return to his seat. While the next teacher hadn't come yet, Keith started sleeping on his desk. Drake also began reading the printed notes made by Keith.
"Drake, you're joining the Drama club?" Nick asked after tapping his desk.
"Hmmm." Drake smiled.
"Keith too?" Drake nodded to Nick.
"That's why their family became abnormal." Nick realized the problem and knew he couldn't do anything about it other than set his own alarm clock.
After sleeping off the entire morning, Keith dragged his feet to the cafeteria, yawning loudly, infecting the others to become sleepy too. They all ate together as usual.
"Keith, how did you make auntie agree?" Drake asked while Jude and Rocky talked about how they miraculously passed their quiz.
"I just agreed to be Natural Science Society President." He mindlessly answered while eating the meatballs in one go.
"Auntie???" Jude was more shocked by how Drake addressed Teacher Lim than the fact that Keith was part of the Science Program club. "Drake Ran, when did you become so chummy with the No. 1 tyrant?"
"Oh, right. The two of you are so friendly too. You're leaving us behind!" Rocky complained… "I know we left the two of you first because the three of us are part of the basketball team, but it's not fair! I saw your posts. You two went downtown last Sunday without us!"
Nick, who was supposed to be standing up for the couple, also joined Rocky and Jude in complaining. "I know, right? They played by themselves like a date. Rea-AHHH!" Keith instantly woke up and kicked Nick's knee. "Sorry. Sorry. I won't do it again."
"Come on. The three of you have to spend your time in basketball practice. Of course, the two of us would be closer! I'm not bragging, but auntie liked me the most!" Drake chuckled.
Jude rolled his eyes, "We're not jealous!"
When it settled, Drake continued his topic with Keith. "Why would you accept becoming a president of that club? Won't you be busy if you do Drama club and Science club at the same time?"
"Not really. I have to go there once a week. It's basically three clubs combined to lessen the fund. There are already leaders in Biology Studies, Chem, and Physics. I just have to be a president in name. I'm giving them all my responsibilities!" Keith laughed, exposing his evil schemes.
"Are you serious?"
"Well, it's not like I'm not doing anything. I also have to join their monthly activities and manage their finances and stuffs. It won't conflict with my time because ma is their adviser. I can also bring home the work. It's not a hassle because I've been doing the same tasks in the first year already."
"It must be tough being a teacher's son, huh? I thought, at most, you only have to check their exam papers."
Keith and Drake left first since they had to go to the drama club clubroom. Jude and Rocky felt awkward, but they didn't get anything from Nick.
Drake was left in the clubroom with the others as they discussed their short film project. They're convincing him to act and be the lead. Meanwhile, Keith took Tristan outside. They took two cans of soda from the vending machine, and Tristan followed him to the back of the library building. There was a small vegetable and herbs garden there by the horticulture club. They sat on the bench and drank.
"Keith, why did you have to take me here?" Tristan's heart was pounding. He thought, 'Is he going to confess to me?!!!'
"Who's that person writing lewd stories about Drake and me?" Keith, without hesitation, asked him. His tone was calm, but Tristan felt that he might not be chill with it at all. "The flash drive you gave me. I saw her fucking drafts. I also saw her profile and her posts online… I'm an avid reader, myself, and I also want to be a writer. I understand if someone wants to use us as inspiration for their work. But it was too much. I read all her published works—a total of 73 chapters. Information about me, Drake, and even my family is there... to the point that it looked like it wasn't just fiction anymore. She posted it all with my face, Drake's face, my nephews' faces… and fucking shit! Even my parents' faces! There's a limit between 'fanning' me and fetishizing and stalking me!"
Tristan had a hard time swallowing the fizzy soda. He knew it was Dianne. But she's his best friend.
"You are the president of the Drama club. I believe you know who it was among your members. It's your responsibility to monitor them, or at least monitor the content of things such as flash drives where you store information about your club. What would you do if the club adviser saw them? What would you do if it reached my parents?" Keith's continuous words stabbed him so hard. The tree shades them from the sun, but Tristan feels like he's sitting on a hot seat.
"Honestly, I don't see the need for me to join your club, but Drake needs it. So, I may sound presumptuous, but I'm giving you an ultimatum. Clean this mess, or I'll mess with your club funding. I copied all the content of your little flash drive… The auditing is a bit ugly, by the way."
"Dianne Lin, Science Program, third-year 3-A, did it! Our accounting may be complicated, but I swear, we don't get enough funding at all. We even have to spend our own money. That's why we shared the money plus interest we got from the competition when we won third place last year." Tristan admitted. Fuck twelve-years-worth of friendship!
"Still. Clean this mess. I swear I'd make it uglier if you let me deal with it myself." Keith left him alone.
The wind blew, and leaves fell from the tree. Tristan, who thought Keith was kind, felt betrayed by his own presumptions. He returned to the club room where Drake was still being fawned over by girls... and among them, Dianne was the person enjoying her time the most.
"Where's Keith?" Drake asked. "Oh, why do you look like that? Is something wrong?"
Tristan lost his soul when he saw that Drake seemed clueless about his conversation with Keith.
"Just a little problem, and Keith already left first… I don't know where he went." He forced a smile, but his expression was still weird. "Dianne!" he called.
"Tristan, choose my script, please!!!" She begged with sunflowers on her aura. She looked so happy without knowing her best friend had sold her off. "Come on. Drake and Keith will be our main actors!!! Pleeeeaaasssseeeee!!!"
"Did you use our club flash drive for personal use?" Tristan asked.
"Hmmm?" Dianne cutely smiled to cover her little flaw. "My laptop was already full, and I have to make sure I have a back-up."
"…"
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