Flashback 14 years ago.
Axl's POV
"Sir, he is in the Arts room." My bodyguard, Mike, told me.
I fixed my hair and let out a deep breath.
I have a crush on this sweet guy. He makes me smile all the time without him realizing it.
He is very cute and smart. I like him so much.
I think he likes me too. I am just waiting for Valentine's day to ask him out. I am still gathering all the courage to do it. I won't accept NO. If he doesn't like me, then I can make ways for him to like me too.
I am so confident that he will be my first boyfriend.
I entered the Arts room. "Axl, you are here."
Shit! He knows my name.
"You are?" I smiled.
"My friends call me LJ. So, why are you here?" His braces are showing when he tries to smile widely.
"Uhm, I need to get something." What an excuse, Axl?!
"What is it? I can help you find it." He fixed his thick glasses.
"Uhm. Just... Just... Just a painting."
LJ walked closer to me. "What painting?"
Why is he standing so close? What if he finds out that I am nervous?
"I can manage." I just pretended that I am doing something when in fact, I am just stealing glances of LJ. Why am I so nervous?
They said LJ is not attractive, but that's not what I see. For me, his beautiful face is just being covered by glasses and braces. It's cute though. I don't like him to change his appearance. I want to baby him. Oh, shit. This is too cheesy. It doesn't suit me.
I messaged Mike to bring the bubble tea. I found out that it is LJ's favorite.
I took it from Mike.
"Still not done searching? Are you sure you don't need help?"
How can he be so sweet?
Should I tell him that it's just my excuse?
"Have this." I put the bubble tea in his hand.
"You are so sweet. Thank you. I need to go now. See you again." I think he enjoyed the drink.
Success. He noticed me. I found out that he knew me too.
Oh my gosh. LJ will be mine next week. I chose Valentine's day to be extra special. He will be mine on that day, I promise.
The days passed. He smiles when he sees me. LJ also greets me every time too.
"Sir, he is with Michael Trent." My bodyguard told me when I asked LJ's whereabouts.
"Who is Trent? Brother?"
"His classmate, sir. They are eating in the cafeteria together." Mike replied.
"Do something about it. I don't want to see him eating with any guy."
Tomorrow, I will finally tell him that I like him. I prepared everything. I set up a vacant room where I will give my surprise to LJ. I bought a lot of gifts. Will he like it?
We are already on the way home when I see LJ walking alone.
I asked my driver to stop the car.
"LJ," I called him.
"Axl." He wiped his tears.
"Is there something wrong?"
"Nothing. I just want to walk home. I am okay. Thanks for asking Axl. See you tomorrow." LJ's smile is blinding. It's just too beautiful.
I smiled at him back.
He then covered his mouth.
Why did you cover it? It's cute. I want to see your smile more.
"I am sorry. It looks ugly when I smile. I can't wait for these braces to be removed."
What did he just say?
"I like it though."
"Huh? Do you like braces? You don't need to. Your teeth are perfect."
Why I am being shy?
"I like your smile." I sheepishly said. "We'll send you home."
"No, thanks. I badly want to walk right now. Advance happy valentines day. Just in case I won't see you tomorrow, Axl. At least I have greeted you already."
I didn't force him to ride with us. I will see him tomorrow that's for sure.
When I got home, my mom handed me a small box.
"What is this, mom?"
I slowly opened it. It is a box full of heart stickers. We have this tradition to put heart stickers on your friends' uniforms on Valentine's day. "I don't need these, mom."
"In case of emergency. For sure, you will be full of hearts tomorrow and gifts." My mom cheerfully said.
I just need one heart, though.
In school- Valentine's Day
The vacant room was already set. The gifts and the food are already prepared. What I need to do is to just wait for lunch so I could talk to him. For sure, this day would be the best day ever.
My classmates keep greeting me. It's like they are competing with the most number of hearts in their clothes.
Atasha, one of my classmates handed me a box. "Happy Valentine's day, Axl." She is attempting to stick a heart in my uniform.
"Don't." I glared at her. I only wanted LJ to put a heart on me. He is the only one allowed. I don't want him to misinterpret the hearts on my uniform.
"Please no gifts too. No hearts. No anything." I announced in my room.
Did I just see LJ passed by?
I followed him to their room.
His uniform has too many stickers already.
"Happy Valentine's day, LJ." I am so nervous.
He looked at my empty uniform. His hand is in his pocket. Will he put a sticker on mine?
I smiled at him. I really left it empty for him only.
LJ just smiled back. "Happy Valentine's day Axl. I am busy preparing for the love letter reading later. You can submit as well. Only if you are willing because it will be read in the school sound system room. All students will hear it but you have the option not to reveal your name."
I have a plan. I will submit a letter asking him to date me.
I am just looking at him. I think he has no plans of sticking a heart on my uniform.
"Are you free for lunch?" I asked him.
"I don't know. I am busy. See you later, Axl."
He is always busy as he is one of the officers in the high school department.
"Wait." I put a heart on his clothes. "See you later."
I saw him run to the group of officers. It hurts me when I saw him putting a heart to them one by one.
It's okay, Axl. I talked to myself. Maybe, he has something reserved for me.
There are no classes already but we can't leave the school yet. There is a love letter reading event as always since it's Valentine.
We heard a loud static. It was connected to all the speakers in the HS dept.
"Will you be the one reading it?" The unfamiliar voice spoke.
"Yes, no choice. Alicia is absent." I can't be wrong. This is LJ's voice.
I think they are unaware that the whole school can hear their conversation.
"Are you close with that Jongcheveevat?" The guy asked.
I paused. I asked Mike to do something about the speaker.
"No. How can we be close? He is Axl for heaven's sake. He doesn't like people being close to him."
"I saw you earlier with him. I thought he is courting you. But now that it's clear, then can I be your boyfriend?"
Oh, shit! Why is my bodyguard so slow?
I am calling Jared now. This needs to stop.
"Huh? Do you like me, Michael? Can I think about it first?" LJ replied.
"I told you to just call me, Trent. Or maybe you like Axl instead?"
Jared finally answered the phone. "Stop the sound room...."
I think it's too late.
"Axl? No way. I would never like Axl. I don't like a self-centered guy. He thinks the world is revolving around him. Those are the kind of guy I hate the most. He is insensitive too."
"I am different. Please be my boyfriend, Licah."
"Okay, Trent. I'll be your boyfriend."
My world crashed. He hates me and he even announced it to the whole MSU. I should be embarrassed, but this is not what I feel. I hate him. I hate LJ.
I fucking hate you, Licah John.
A/N: all updates will be focused to Axl and LJ first.
Here's the characters:
LJ
Trent