A different view

Chapter 7

Third person POV

The celebration on the football  ground after the final match was explosive, literally. They even got permission to use fireworks on the field. That was Ming's idea. Kick was looking at Park, Ming, Forth, and Kongpob as they congratulated the girls.

Lam walked in close to Kick and said "Don't even think about it"

"Should we help Lam?" Kit asked Beam and Pha

"Are you kidding? Kick is the one who needs help" Beam replied

Drinks were on Kit that evening as he had lost the bet.

"Lam, so tell us how did you know that Preeth would be fine without glasses?" Kit asked as Lam got drinks to the table

"That wasn't part of the bet," he said

"Oh come on! Don't be a smart ass"

"It'll cost you another round of drinks next week if you want to know!" Park said with a snicker

"How about a beach trip next week?" Forth asked.

"Can't do. We have tests the week after. How about this week?" Beam asked

"Sounds fun!" Park said excitedly as usual

"I need to go," Lam said abruptly and left. Everyone looked at Park who was clueless.

"Lam, wait up, I'm coming," Park said a few seconds later and was out the door. Lam didn't utter a word on the ride home. Park took Lam home and followed him into his room. He couldn't bear it anymore

"Lam, what's wrong?" Lam didn't look back at him as he leaned against his study table. It was never possible for Park to read Lam's mind.

"Did something happen at the pub? Have I done something wrong today? Is it that we've not spent enough time together?" Lam raised his eyes to Park after the last sentence

"I'll make it up to you. Where do you want to go? What should we do?" Park said now standing close to Lam. He'd rather face the entire world than upset Lam. If he didn't do something about it his head felt like it would split into two.

"Come in" Lam said.

"Where? I'm here already in your room"

"into me..."

Park took Lam's lips at that moment with such longing that it sent Lam back onto the table. Park was quick and steadied Lam's back with his left hand while he held on to the neck with his right. The coarseness of the kiss showed how much they'd missed each other in days leading up to the final match. Every evening there was practice and then preparation for SOTUS. When they got home, Park would always drop him off but not stay back. Even on the weekends, the same routine continued and even if they were together the nights went in completing the coursework submissions.

But for this moment, everything was forgotten. Park slid his fingers onto Lam's bare skin while he peeled away every layer of clothing. He straddled Lam on his hips long before they even made it to the bed.

"You're not leaving the bed this weekend"

"Good decision," Lam said between his breathless moans.

Kit's POV

"I don't get it"

"What's bugging you Kitty?" Pha asked

We were at Engineering for lunch. Beam & I were here to see our boyfriends and asked Pha to tag along since Wayo was out on a field trip.

I was looking at Park and Lam talking to the juniors. Mostly Park was doing the talking to be honest. Forth and Ming had not yet arrived.

"Park is mean to the juniors and yet they all do what he asks"

"That's brotherhood in the engineering world" Beam said

"The girls as well! And to Preeth who clearly has a traumatic past and there's no way they didn't pick up on it at the hospital judging by what you told us. He's insensitive, he's brutal, he's crude..."

"He's being Park" Pha completed my sentence

"That's it. Then how could she be more sociable to them when we've been trying to be nice and what to we get? Not even a 'hi'. Besides we've known her longer."

"She's probably comfortable because it's Park" Beam said

"Huh?" I asked confused

"He doesn't care what she's been through, what her past is, he just treats her the same as every other junior." Beam said now looking at Park and Lam.

"Beam's right. We know too much to look at her without reminding ourselves about her past." Pha continued

"Forth says that I look at her like she's a wounded puppy." Beam said moving his downcast eyes to the floor

We knew that look. He was blaming himself that he should have something more. Even though his mind knew it was unlikely, his heart overruled the rational. We were kids ourselves. What more could we have done? It took me years to accept it myself and I didn't even remember it in its entirety.

"Well one good thing comes out of not associating with Beam," I said to lighten the mood

"What's that?" Pha asked

"She'll be the only girl who won't fall for Beam's charm," I said ducking a punch from Beam

============

We managed to join the engineering gang for their gear giving ceremony at the beach along with Wayo. Tonight there was a bonfire and a bunch of us were huddled around it. I was almost done for the night and clicked on the GPS tracking on Preeth out of habit. Forth shared it with us. After her last attack by the management group, we kept an eye out just in case. I was expecting her to be in the rooms booked for engineering but it showed that she was out on the beach. The blue dot was heading away from us. I looked in the direction she was heading. There was hardly any visibility. I nudged Pha who was next to me and showed him the screen. His brows furrowed and he told Wayo he'd be right back. I told Ming the same and we headed in the direction that was indicated on the phone.

The light was fast fading, both from the sky and from the houses by the beach as we were reaching an isolated spot. We could see the outline of figures in the distance. One was Preeth. We knew her stature and gait well enough by now to know it was her. But the other figure was some distance behind her and it was a man.

"We're overreacting right?" I asked as felt my heartbeat race.

"Let's give it a few minutes. I don't know what to make of it" Pha replied

She walked closer to the waterline while the man was away from it. She occasionally stopped to look out into the ocean, wet her feet in the rising tide, and then continue to walk further. The man stopped whenever she did and resumed walking maintaining the same distance.

"This is creepy Pha"

"Let's talk to him first"

Pha went up and shouted "Hey"

The man turned around. He must have been in his late 40s but he looked fit and was not alarmed. He turned around to face both of us.

"Sir, Are you following that girl?" Pha asked

"What's it to you?"

"We're her seniors. So you better leave before someone gets the wrong idea" I said

"You should be the ones leaving," he said

Pha grabbed the man's shirt and looked into his eyes. Pha was strong. It wouldn't be too difficult to overcome him

"Hey you" Preeth called out running towards us. "Let him go, what do you think you're doing?"

"Nong Preeth this man was following you. Don't worry Pha is taking care of it"

"No, let him go!" she said louder.

"You don't understand. He might have ulterior motives!" I continued

"P'Kit, he's my father!"