"Ready kids?"

"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 once again.

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

"Hey guys!" Coach greeted everybody when we hopped into 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 where 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 leaped.

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

"He might change his mind if he knows Miss Dugmoch 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 leave unannounced? That beast was a really complicated hottie. Did he think 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 leave? Ahh, now that he suddenly appeared, I felt my cheeks warming up a little— that is an understatement of course. My emotions were always unstable when the beast was around. So, I bet my blush was now covering all of 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 exchange seats." Ziggy replied, his face grimaced. Well, I guess he was still mad because of incident this morning. I can't believe he hadn't moved 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 a cheque to Ziggy. My eyes grew bigger in disbelief and annoyance, these two are putting up show!

"Here, keep the change!" The beast said handing him the cheque.

"I never thought someone from San Sebastian could be this generous." Ziggy was shocked a bit but his pride kept 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 her boyfriend you know!" He took the cheque and examined it. When he was satisfied of its genuinity, he started 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 which happened so quick 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 from her, the two of you are still not good for each other!" Ziggy exclaimed rebelliously to the public display of affection the beast was putting on.

"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 her first friend! I am the one who always walks her home. I am even the one who takes her dog to bathe and the only man who buys her menstrual napkins! I will never be jealous at all!"

I lowered my head out of shame. What is wrong with Ziggy? What is he up to 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 by talking about who buys me 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 work. I'm still the one who buys her strawberries and I'm still the one who washed her used underwear at the camp when we were in elementary school since 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.

"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 goes 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 scare.

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

I lifted my head and look at everyone in the bus. Everyone looking at me immediately withdrew their eyes when they saw me looking up 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 pass without redeeming my lost reputation due to the topic of menstrual pads.

However, as I was about to throw harsh words at 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 so much chaos in my emotions?

Suddenly I forgot about my annoyance and shifted my focus to his warm hand on mine. I looked away, pretending not to notice that we were holding hands. I turned my eyes to the road but my body was very much aware of the manly hand pressing on mine.

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

However, to be honest, I didn't care to comprehend what he was saying because all my consciousness was drawn to the man beside me.

For the whole thirty minutes, I dazed over the beast's gesture. I was so happy I didn't realize we had been driving for thirty minutes.

I wish it could last forever but just as I thought so, the bus suddenly stopped. We had reached the terminal.

The students started to hop off the bus one by one. That was when reality came knocking on my happy face. It was time to say our final goodbye.

A wave of sadness filled my heart and I became emotional. I can't cry! I'm afraid it will make him sad.

He grabbed my bag and led me off of the university bus. 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.

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

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

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 I was going to take back home. Just as I was about to step in the bus I remembered something that halted my steps.

I turned back to look at him. He was still standing there looking at me. My sudden move made him worry that became apparent in his eyes. His forehead formed lines as he moved towards me with hint of sadness.

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

I gave him a kiss.

It was just a light kiss, a mere touch on his lips, but it stayed pressed against his lips for few minutes.

His lips was warm and soft tempting me to kiss him deeper. I tried my best to control my desire. Too much of this and I may lose all my senses and refuse to let him go.

He remained in the same spot with his eyes open. If it was out of shock or 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 whispered as soon as I withdrew my lips and met his hazel eyes shining with desire. I realized what I did was a bit off but I did not regret it.

I could not stand the way he was looking at me after I kissed him, so I hurriedly hopped on the bus.

I tried so hard to contain all my tears, my heart was hurting so badly. Not wanting my display of loneliness to make him uneasy, I pretended that this separation was bearable. I had to show him that saying goodbye to him was not that hard.

The truth was it was unbearable. Why didn't anyone tell me that falling in love was quite complicated? Never thought separations could be this painful.

A minute after, I found myself sitting on the bus seat looking out 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 and my heart shattered into pieces thinking about not being able to see him anymore.

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

"First love. It's hard to let them go but the memories will help you mature." Mr. Gem broke the silence as the bus started to move forward. His voice was full of sincerity.

At that time, I did not understand what he meant but I somehow felt a bit better from his comforting words.

It's hard to let him go.

The memories of him will be with me forever.

Truth is, I don't know what's in future 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, fate brought me to a memorable place where I became a special person.

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

But because, I felt like 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 had to say goodbye.

Those days, I will never forget them.

My name is Xhemin Lae Dugmoch.

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 was just a random fling or a special love story, nobody really knows.

The most important thing is that I met him and he met me and we fell in love.

And we made so many memorable encounters in wonderful ways we both will never ever forget.

----♣♣♣----

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 thought 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.

The last 19 chapters were just kick off chapters, something I wrote when I was a teen and despite such a childlish writing, I thank you for patiently reading it. Now, the real story begins, welcome to The Geniu's First Love.