EXCHANGE OF HEARTS [BL]

CHAPTER 16

Isaiah looked at him from where he sat. He looked serious and... mad? Race didn't know; he couldn't read his father's emotion.

"I'm home..." he said, his feet nailed to the floor. He couldn't move.

"Do you have something to tell me?" Isaiah asked.

Race was puzzled. Why had his father asked him that so suddenly?

Race shook his head. "I am good. I feel safe now. If you were asking about what I am doing, well, I was in school and—"

"You ditched your class," Isaiah cut him off, his voice cold and hard as rock.

Race's lips parted, shocked at what his father told him.

How did he—

Oh, I forgot. He got bodyguards all around.

Maybe his men reported to him.

"Yeah, I ditched class—"

"Why is that? It's not you, Race. You don't like to ditch your class—"

"Dad, tell your men not to follow me around, please," he cut his father off. He knew it wasn't good, but he couldn't help himself.

"Stop telling me what to do, Race," Isaiah's voice rose slightly, startling Race.

"Dad, that incident is just a coincidence, okay? I am not the target of that shooting incident, and I am not in danger right now. These past few days, I didn't receive any threats to my life. I am safe and—"

"We don't know that, Race. That incident may not be just a coincidence or a mistaken target. Maybe you are the target, but they failed! I can't risk you, Race. I will send my men to guard you if it'll make you safe!"

"Dad, even if you send thousands of your men, if I am the target, they'll kill me, and no one will notice it—"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Race. You know nothing—"

"Dad, I hate seeing your men around. I am safe, and I know it, okay? I want you to send them away and tell them to stop following me wherever I go—"

"I said don't tell me what to do, Race! I am your father, and you'll listen to me!"

Isaiah stood up from where he was sitting and approached Race.

"Why did you go to that club, Race? When did you start going to clubs?" Isaiah's voice was as hard as stone, clearly angry.

It's not the first time he'd seen his father angry, but today was different. His father was really scary; Isaiah was more serious now.

"I had to fetch my friend—"

"Alam mo ba na delikado ang ginawa mo?" Isaiah's voice rose, "Maraming nagyo-yosi roon, Race, and it's—"

"I know that, Dad."

"Oh? You knew the risk? Then why did you still go inside when it's hazardous for you?!"

Isaiah's voice thundered around the house.

"Dad, I am sorry... I really fetched my friend because he was drunk, and I called his friend to bring him home." He whispered, trying not to sound desperate.

"That's not my point, Race," Isaiah stared at him intently, his eyes emotionless. "My point is, you put your life in danger!"

Race jumped at his father's sudden shout.

He was nervous now; he had never been this scared of his father. Isaiah was really mad at him; Isaiah had never once shouted at Race, so Race was shocked and scared.