Before He Met Bright Vachirawit (Prequel to Bright for the Win)

Chapter 3

A/N: The image above does not belong to me. It belongs to the person who uploaded it on the internet.

Sapol's POV

I was awakened by a loud clap of thunder. I glanced at the digital clock on my bedside table. It was three in the morning.

I glanced at Win who was sleeping deeply beside me. I wondered how he could have slept through that loud clap of thunder which had followed the sharp crackle of lightning. I wanted to believe that he had fallen fast asleep because of the happy satisfying exhaustion from our lovemaking session.

I quietly rose and got out of bed and went to the bathroom.

When I returned Win had changed his sleeping position. He was lying on his side facing my spot in bed.

I smiled as I climbed back into bed and took the arm that had intruded into my spot and after laying down, draped it across my chest. Soon I fell back to sleep.

When I awakened once more the room was awash with bright sunlight streaming through the window. I had forgotten to draw the curtains last night.

I turned to place my arm across Win's body but he wasn't there. Where the hell did he go.

Before I could get out of bed, there was a faint knock on my door. I went to open it.

"Young master, your parents and guest are waiting for you downstairs to join them for breakfast," Melinda our housekeeper said.

"Thank you, Melinda. Please tell them I will join them in a few minutes," I said, feeling guilty for oversleeping and leaving Win unattended to fend for himself.

After making myself presentable, I rushed downstairs to the breakfast room.

My father was reading the newspaper. Mom was in an animated conversation with Win. I wondered what they were discussing. Melinda our trusty housekeeper who had been with us for as long as I could remember, was pouring orange juice into Father's tall drinking glass from a glass pitcher that had frosted over from the ice cubes that were swimming in it. My father looked up and put down his newspaper when he saw me walking into the breakfast room.

"Well, a bright and happy morning to you my son!' he exclaimed dramatically and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Good morning, everyone," I said, sweeping my eyes from my father to Win and to my mom who smiled patiently at me even though I had just interrupted whatever she had been saying to Win.

Win smiled as well and motioned for me to sit beside him.

"I'm sorry I took your place at table," he said. "Your mom said I could take it and that you could take the guest's place." He ended his sentence with a guilty laugh.

"I don't mind," I said, taking the chair right beside his. "You should have wakened me when you woke up."

"I didn't want to. You were sleeping like a big baby," he said with a chuckle.

I leaned towards him and whispered into his ear, "Your big baby?"

I felt guilty when I saw the deep red that rushed up from his neck to his face.

"Is everyone ready to say grace?" my father asked, looking pointedly at me.

"Yes, sir," I said contritely but refusing to flinch as he stared me down, and refusing to grimace when I felt Win's foot pressing heavily on mine under the table.

We all bowed our heads as Father intoned the grace before meals and then we all made quick work of the hearty breakfast that Melinda had prepared for all of us.

Just before my father rose from his chair he announced to everyone, but to me in particular, "I have booked the Jasmine Banquet Hall of the Royal Jade Empire Hotel for your graduation party." (A/N: Fictitious name of a hotel. Doesn't exist.)

Win turned to me wide eyed.

"I had forgotten about your graduation party!" he exclaimed. "I have to get you your graduation present. Do you have any suggestion."

Once more I leaned towards him and whispered in his ear, "You know what I want from you as my present."

Once more, he blushed a deep red and once more I caught my father looking intently at me. Then he looked at Win before saying, "Win, you are of course invited to my son's graduation party."

"Thank you, sir," Win replied. "I am very much honored by your invitation and I am delighted to accept it."

"The pleasure is mine," my father said before turning to me once more. "Sapol, we have another special guest who will be gracing your graduation party with her lovely presence. Her parents will be present as well of course."

Oh shit. No, please, no. I was saying to myself. I knew who my father meant and I knew that he had a reason for inviting her. And I knew why he had invited her parents as well.

Win turned to me with a wounded look. I wanted to put my arms around him to assure him that I would be his for the rest of my life. But I couldn't because my parents were looking at us, and my father in particular was waiting for me to respond to his announcement.