Chapter Fourteen: He's Bothered

"Thank goodness!" Alex sighed, and he continued, "Next, let's discuss the most important matter on our agenda— we are participating in Straton's Short Films Festival!" The announcement excited everyone in the room because it was a well-known contest for amateur independent filmmakers. Some of these aspirants are pursuing Film for college, and exposure to these sorts of events serves as their assurance in case they don't score well in the college admission exam. Additionally, the contest offers a hefty sum of prizes to the chosen winners. 

Alex then further elaborated when the cheers were toned down, "We have to complete the short film by December because the deadline for submission is December 31st. Our competitors are not just high school students all over the country. It's mostly participated by college students, in fact. Last year, we won third place, and among all the entries, we're the only high schoolers who managed to win." Alex confidently bragged, with his head held high, and the club garnered applause. 

"I watched their entry. It was on the drive… It's quite good." Drake whispered to Keith, but his boyfriend was unresponsive. Drake leaned closer and softly called his name, "Keith?"

"Sorry." Keith nodded and agreed to whatever Drake might have said, but they both knew Keith's mind had wandered elsewhere.

"What's wrong? Are you beginning to regret becoming the boss?" Drake let out a soft chuckle, waiting for Keith's mood to lighten up a bit and ease the crease between his brows. 

Alex continued the meeting and talked pertaining to the short film project of the club, starting on the script where their club work will revolve around, "We have six scripts, and the club seniors reviewed them. One entry was disqualified now, so we only have five. We'll vote for—"

"Excuse me. Which script was disqualified?" Shane An, a second-year scriptwriter who boldly disobeys the school' rules by wearing outlandish make-up and pink hair color, felt nervous about her entry and immediately interrupted Alex when she heard that announcement.

"Dianne's 'Loud Resonance,'' Alex replied, his Adam's apple on his throat bobbed, refueling the moisture on his mouth since he knew it would take a long debate with Shane to explain the situation. To be honest, when he read Dianne's script, it was pretty interesting for him because it wasn't like her usual R18 writings. It was a sensual realistic story about a closeted gay who struggled to hide his sexuality because of his parent's expectations. But Keith hated Dianne's novels. So, they decided to discredit Dianne's script, too, to appease Keith.

"But it was good!" Shane voiced her opinion and further rebutted, "The entry that won first place last year also has a homosexual theme! Why did you disqualify her script all of a sudden? She was so happy during this lunch break, and there was no announcement about disqualifying her. Tell us, what's your issue about her script?!!!" She stood out of her seat and approached the blackboard near Alex. She acted like a thug and scared a lot while intriguing others, hoping for a dramatic scenario to be demonstrated before their eyes.

'Because Keith is the boss,' Tristan wanted to answer her, but he's a powerless president now.

Alex felt his legs shaking. Shane is vocal about her sexuality as a lesbian, she always speaks her opinion, and makes sure no patriarchal men get to say their nonsense. Her social media was full of rants, her political viewpoints, and attempts to define Feminism in words and photographs. She's an admirable fighter, as long as you weren't the one she's fighting— that was Alex's impression of her.

"Well… It's about the casting issue?" Alex himself felt doubtful about his excuse.

"Nonsense!" Shane scoffed. Then, she looked at Drake. "Drake! Do you have any issues with homosexuality? If we ask you to act gay, would you hate it?"

Drake felt the pressure of her straightforwardness, and he reacted by shaking his head.

"See? What casting issue are you talking about?!" Shane raised her eyebrows at Alex.

"Excuse me, you loudmouthed woman! You deliberately pressured Drake!!! Why are you asking someone to play gay in public?!!! Were you the casting director?!!! If he reacted the other way, would you be the one to bear what people might think of him?!" Keith also stood and loudly argued with Shane. The temperature in the room heated up, and everyone prepared to watch a match between tyrants.

Drake grabbed Keith's hand and urged him to sit down, but Keith was too hot-headed and Drake couldn't do anything to stop him. 

"Excuse me too, BOSS, but it was obvious it wasn't a casting issue! Drake has the face, and it would be nice if he's the one playing the lead role. In Dianne's script, it was a gay role. I asked Drake if he had any issue with it, and you saw his response. I'm sorry for being so straightforward, but even if I am not the casting director, everyone here wants Drake to act as the male lead! So, can you blame me?" Shane bravely walked up to Keith, facing her opponent head on.

Keith shook off the hand holding him back, and glared at her, then felt that she was familiar. Shane was his classmate in middle school, the girl kissing another girl, and cut class together using sync periods as their excuse. 

For Keith, finding people who were the same as him brings him more discomfort, rather than a sense of belongingness. Perhaps, it was jealousy, but Keith was too in denial to see that.

 "Fuck! Did any of you ask if Drake wants to act?" Keith cursed. Drake held his hand and professed, "I told them it's okay."

"What?"… From heavy pressure, things became awkward for Keith.

"Well, while I'm still learning about stuff related to the filmmaking process, I thought it'd be okay to do acting in the meantime," Drake cutely explained, but his face did not help him this time.

"See? It's not a casting issue!" Shane thought she won and KOed Keith.

"Everyone who's not an officer except Ms. An and Drake, leave! We'll call you when we're done!!!" Keith suddenly dictated like the boss he was.

"Woah! Aren't you the boss now?" Shane rolled her eyes.

"Shane!" Tristan begged her to shut up with his teary eyes.

"I said LEAVE!" The club members hurried and left the room when Keith repeated his order. They squatted in the hallway and chatted about what had happened. There was a rumor that the teachers and the school doctor had a salary deduction because Keith almost "died and had a life-threatening surgery" a few weeks ago, even though it was just a simple appendectomy. So, everyone bet that Keith would win even though Shane had solid arguments. Later their discussion turned to speculations about why Dianne's script, the script which was supposed to have the most votes. And they concluded that it was because of the boss's influence.

Meanwhile, inside the closed doors of the club room. There were only ten people left. They sat closer while Keith, Alex, and Tristan stood on the platform.

"So, President, do you want me to explain?" Keith asked.

Tristan's spine shivered, "No. I'll do it." He stood on the podium and, after a couple of deep breaths. He began to explain. "Keith found an anomaly in our financial accounts. And he also found Dianne's works online. You know what it was… So, to keep the peace in our club, I asked Dianne to leave the club and disqualified her script."

Drake was speechless. He didn't know Keith would seriously take action about it.

"I told you, it wasn't good to bag the price money." Darryl finally voiced out his frustration about the whole matter.

"Why should Dianne bear the consequences of your corruption? She did not take any money at all, as far as I could remember!" Shane got irritated. She was one of those who got their share, but Dianne did not profit last year even though she contributed her own money too. So, it didn't seem fair to her.

"Her works online invaded Keith and Drake's privacy." Tristan weakly answered. It was the first time in his life he felt so much embarrassment.

There was a moment of silence after that. It was a tacit knowledge among many girls about Drake and Keith's ship. Dianne was a vocal shipper, and she was also obsessed with them. Most of the club members knew about her online pen name, and they had read her works. They could only imagine how fucked up Dianne was feeling at the moment. An apology wouldn't suffice, either. But she spent her high school days until now for the Drama Club despite being busy as a Science Program student.

"It was just a novel. Can't you just ask her to apologize and delete her work online? She's done so much for this club already. It's her last year in high school… Ousting her and disqualifying her story was so much." Sarah stood up for her and broke the silence.

"Just a novel? Are you taking me for a fool?!" Keith broke his indifference and showed his irritation. Unlike Drake, Keith remembered Sarah. She was one of those who dared to eat with them during lunch, and Keith can't forget how annoying eating was with someone who wears the sweetest perfume that humans have ever developed.

"Her works may be too graphic, but aren't you reacting so hard with this? Are you that against when others think you're gay?" Shane boldly asked.

"Bullshit! Ms. An, can you tell me how I should react if someone takes photographs and videos of me, Drake, and my family, then write graphic lewd stories with our names written as is without our knowledge? Please tell me. Because I'm telling you now, I'm still holding back at this point. I could destroy this club, shame all of you, and expel her if I'm reacting so hard with this… Honestly, I'm being a kind boss right now, accepting to do the task of cleaning up all your mess, and you're all fucking welcome! And as for the apology you're talking about, we received none! Nothing from any of you who knew someone was writing porn about us and none from her who chose to hide because she has no face to show."

Keith burst and spoke about his complaints. He wanted to curse as much as he could, but that would be overkill. Drake, on the other hand, did not take the matter as seriously as Keith. He was preoccupied with the drama club's learning materials and Keith's cold war with his father. He also doesn't mind about other people shipping them.

Keith pretty much insulted them, and they couldn't retort what Keith said. Drake stood up and held Keith's hand while carrying their bags. "Why don't we leave first? You have to calm down," he gently told Keith.

The officers couldn't help but think, 'It's because the two of you act like a couple!'

Keith shrugged Drake's hand lightly. "No. I'm the boss! I'll make sure to finish this meeting."

Alex regretted making Keith an officer.

Keith went to the lectern and Tristan had to give way. "Now, let's talk about her script. I did not sleep at all last night reading her works. It wouldn't be presumptuous of me if I assumed that the inspiration was us when she wrote the script, right? She wrote me off as closeted gay, who have strict and intimidating parents who happen to be teachers, and someone who secretly dates his best friend." Keith, himself, couldn't find the distinction between the script and his life right now, the details written were just too factual. "I know that Dianne wasn't the only one writing stuff about us, I know people just can't help but make rumors about us, but this is exhausting. I did not order the president to make her leave or discredit her script. I told him to clean this mess… And an apology can't clean it."