Lahat ng Kabanata ng Mr. President Perfect: Kabanata 51 - Kabanata 57

This day left Josh and Tristan feeling so jittery and restless that they could barely stay still. The two of them were inside the gym, where everyone had already gathered and the rest of the group was already mingling about.Josh kept scratching the skin on his hands while Tristan stood beside the coach, both hands resting firmly on his hips. Josh gave Tristan a soft, cute smile that tugged at the corner of his lips. Everyone else was loud and chatty, but the atmosphere felt calm and cool. A gentle breeze seemed to blend perfectly with the quiet stillness of everyone around, whether they were sitting or standing.“All of you, this is our very last class here at school. And to all of you soon-to-be graduates, don’t you dare forget me,” their coach said. Right then, tears started to well up in the coach’s eyes, and Josh felt a deep, heart-tugging emotion washing over him. His cheeks felt cold and stiff.“Shit,” he muttered under his breath.The air in the gym crackled with sudden intens

It was too loud.The air felt thick. It tasted of spilled vodka and cheap sweat. Everything in the room was inappropriate for Josh’s sense of order. His mind mashed together shallow, useless thoughts. Why had he agreed to this? His stomach ached with the sudden tension.The furniture had been shoved aside. The carpet was stained with a dark, sticky liquid. It was a mess. Josh hated messes. He lived for lines and logic. He lived for everything to be in its place. But right now, his fears were clawing at his mind.This house was a nightmare of imperfection. He shook his head. He knew he was changing. He was becoming part of that imperfection too. He realized that judging others didn't change anything.He looked around the room. People were everywhere. It felt like a farewell party for a group of teenagers who had no vision for their future.Then he saw them.Josh’s chest hardened. Then it broke into pieces under a heavy hammer.He spotted Thomas. His best friend."What is he doing?"

The ground turned transparent beneath Josh’s feet. His hands stayed frozen. His eyes snapped toward the full-length mirror and caught the raccoon-textured mess of his hair. He couldn't move. He wouldn't.Memories didn't just drift. They flashed. Tristan’s face. The lingering heat on his lips. Hands pressing hard and real. It felt like love then but now it felt like a wrecking ball hitting his life. Why meet someone who dragged so much chaos into his orbit? What now? The walls weren't just silent. They seemed to be peeling back their lips and getting ready to laugh.Underneath his lids black circles had burned in. He hated them. Tears leaked. Last night hadn't been a dream. It was a nightmare he was still wearing. No one would understand. Not now. Not ever. He sobbed and his throat tightened until it hurt. Nerves plucked at his spine. The water thrusted down his cheeks and stained his features. Everyone would see that dirt.Bang! Bang!The door rattled on its hinges. "Hey! Kid, you’re

Josh had made up his mind. Nothing could change the fact that he was leaving that pathetic place. It had given him nothing but panic and heartaches, a toxic environment that had poisoned every aspect of his life. As he pulled down his suitcase, his heart throbbed with the weight of the bruises he still carried.His father, Dylan, stood outside staring at the clouds. Josh could tell he was crying even from a distance. He knew his father didn't want him to leave, but he had to do it. The past haunted him, and he needed a fresh future to save himself from the monsters that had tried to steal every breath he took.His cheeks felt heavy as he stepped toward the older man. His fingers gripped the handle of the suitcase so tight his knuckles turned white. He was incredibly nervous and felt as though he might burst into tears, but he didn't want to seem reckless in front of his father.Josh joined him, watching the sky. The vastness of it seemed to clear some of the pressure inside his mind.