This Belongs to Me

Knowing he was just one more word away from throwing Rain over his shoulder and dragging him from the table, Phayu instead reached across the table and shoved a spoonful of rice into Rain's half-open mouth. Rain briefly looked at him with wide, surprised eyes as he choked down the rice before turning back to talk to that girl again.

Surprise him. Surprise him if you miss him so much. Phayu had taken Saifah's advice and surprised Rain by bringing him lunch at the school canteen. Phayu was pretty sure Saifah just wanted a break from Phayu. Phayu and his constant whining about how much he missed Rain while he'd been working on his latest school project.

So Phayu had texted Rain, asking when he was free for lunch and showed up with all of Rain's favorite foods. Favorites that Rain was now sharing with her. That girl. What was her name?

"I'm sorry, what was your name again?" Phayu asked, attempting to paste across his face what to most people would appear as a friendly smile.

But Rain would know and when Rain looked back over at him, Phayu had been right. Rain knew. Knew his smile was fake and that he was irritated. Jealous.

"Oh, P'Phayu, did you not hear me the first time? I'm sorry. My name is Lawan." Phayu could feel the fake sincerity floating across the table between the two of them as she smiled sickeningly at him from her irritatingly pretty face.

Tired of watching Rain talk with this Lawan, Phayu began cleaning up the food as he asked, "Well, if you don't mind, Lawan, I came to spend some time with my boyfriend. Rain?"

Rain looked briefly between Phayu and Lawan, before standing and helping Phayu pack the remaining food. "I'll see you tomorrow Lawan, I'm gonna head out now."

Phayu headed towards the car, not waiting for Rain, but sensing him following behind. He knew he shouldn't be bothered by this. Knew Rain was doing nothing wrong. Nothing but talking with his project partner. But, the way she was looking at Rain, it made him want to throw Rain on the table, suck marks onto his neck, running his hands over the entirety of Rain while she watched. Show her that Rain was his and would never be hers.

They drove home quietly and Phayu could feel Rain looking over at him, watching him as he drove. Phayu was surprised that Rain hadn't said anything yet. Typically, Rain would immediately get defensive, complain about Phayu's jealousy, or laugh at how ridiculous Phayu was being. But he just sat quietly, looking between Phayu and out the window.

Once home, Phayu moved to head up the stairs, but Rain tugged at his hand, pushing him to sit on the sofa. Phayu complied as Rain settled in, straddling Phayu and pulling him into a tight hug. Phayu breathed deeply into the side of Rain's neck, feeling calmer and more secure than before.

Rain pulled back, looking into Phayu's eyes, "Phi, you know I don't like her right? She's just my project partner. You don't need to be jealous. And don't say you aren't. I know you are."

Phayu sighed, knowing Rain was right but the way Lawan had been looking at Rain still sat behind his closed eyelids.

"Logically I know that Rain. But, she was flirting with you. Even if you weren't flirting back. And you never see it. You don't see when people flirt with you. You just keep being your chatty, friendly self and I worry she is misunderstanding you."

Rain rain his fingers across Phayu's forehead, down his cheek, settling with a small tug on his ear. "I actually do know she's been flirting with me. I told her I had a boyfriend but she hasn't stopped. I try to ignore it. I mean, she's my partner for this project and I can't change that. I can't just ignore her."

Phayu lay his head on Rain's shoulder. "I know that. I do. Ugh, how much longer though? When will your project be over? I miss you. And knowing you are out there with her, thinking about her flirting with you. I just, it makes me sad. Mad, maybe? I don't know. It just makes me uncomfortable."