The New Me

I like me better when I'm with you

Sky decided to focus on his schoolwork instead of overthinking their kiss. He has a major project due and Sky didn't want to get a bad grade.

Though Sky wasn't expecting how much there was to do. He was constantly working. So much so that he didn't have time to go on another date with Prapai. Prapai had called Sky to ask him out but he to decline. Prapai understood but Sky was feeling a little bit upset. Though he didn't mention it outloud, he liked hanging out with Prapai.

This had gone on for days before he finally caved and called for help.

"P'Pai come quick! I need your help!" Sky said before clicking off his phone and rushing to put out the small plant by the window that caught fire. Sky knew that whenever his emotions get out of control, things tend to catch fire around him. Unfortunately, he's been pretty stressed lately because of school.

Thirty minutes later, a couple of knocks came at the front door. Sky opened the door to find Prapai standing there, slightly out of breathe.

"Sky, are you okay? What happened?"

"What happened?! My project is due tomorrow and it's not even halfway done." Sky said while pulling Prapai inside, closing the door, and taking him to the living room table where his schoolwork was laid out.

"You called me here to help you with your homework?" Prapai asked in a very stoic voice.

"Yes! This counts for half of my grade. If I don't finish this, I'll fail the whole class." Sky handed a few pieces of cardboard and a box cutter to Prapai.

"You've gotta help me. If I don't finish this, the whole semester will have been useless! All the money that was paid for me to go there would have been useless! All the studying, the sleepless nights-"

"Sky."

"How could look at my father again if I have to drop out because of this?!"

"Sky."

"He was so proud of me for being able to get into this school. How could I-"

"SKY!"

"What?!" Sky finally looked at Prapai, only to find him almost glaring back.

Prapai took a deep breath before saying, "I don't mind if you need my help on your schoolwork, but do you even realize how scared I was? You called me, frantically saying you needed my help. I thought you were hurt or worse." Prapai stopped himself and looked away.

Sky hadn't realize Prapai would have taken the call that way. He realized now how selfish he was acting. If Rain or his dad had called him and asked for his help without any explanation, he would've been upset too.

"I know you don't believe my feelings for you, but at least try to think about this from my perspective. You know what? Nevermind. You needed help with this project right?" Prapai said before beginning to work on Sky's project.

They worked together silently, while Sky kept peeking at Prapai. Sky felt terrible. He didn't mean to worry Prapai so much.

"Ouch!" Prapai exclaimed.

"What happened? Let me see." Sky said while grabbing Prapai's hand and seeing a small cut of his pointer finger.

"It's nothing." Prapai said, before taking his hand back and continuing to work.

Sky wanted to make up for what he did and luckily enough, he had the perfect idea. Sky leaned forward, grabbed Prapai's head, and gave his a quick kiss.

Sky grabbed Prapai's hand and said, "Please don't be mad anymore. I won't do this again. Please forgive me."

"Don't we have work to finish?" Prapai asked before pulling his hand back and continuing to work.

They continued to work in silence until the early morning. Sky had offered to let Prapai spend the night since it was already very late.

They both got ready for bed and went to Sky's room. Prapai made a pallet on the floor while Sky kept his bed. While Prapai had fallen to sleep quickly, Sky had trouble going sleep. He kept replying what Prapai had said earlier over and over again in his mind.

The next morning, Prapai had offered to drop Sky off at the university before heading to work. Sky still felt anxious from the previous night.

Prapai pulled up outside the school and Sky hopped off the motorbike. Prapai passed him his project before Sky began to speak.

"Are you still mad?" Sky asked.

"No. I stopped being mad when you kissed me."

"But you didn't talk to me for the rest of the night."

"While I wasn't mad, I guess I was a bit agitated. But I'm fine now. We're fine now." Prapai reassured Sky.

"Though, for having me rush to you and scaring me so much, don't you think I deserve a reward?" Prapai asked with a cheeky smile.

"Like what?" Sky asked warily.

"Show me that smile of yours."

"What?" Sky asked.

"Show me that smile of yours."

Sky rolled his eyes before saying, "What a cheap reward."

Prapai chuckled before saying, "Everyone puts value something different. I know you didn't sleep that well last night. I could practically hear your brain overworking throughout the night. I want to see smile, a genuine smile, without any stress."

Sky began to smile. He was actually very happy that Prapai wasn't angry anymore.

"There you go. That wasn't to hard, was it?" Prapai said with a smile of his own.

Prapai was preparing to leave when Sky stopped him. He turned to Sky just as Sky placed his project down. Sky leaned in and kissed Prapai.

"That's a better reward, isn't it?" Sky asked with a shy smile before grabbing his project and rushing towards the doors of the school.

"Sky!" Prapai called out. "Can I have another one? I wasn't quite prepared that time."

"No! Go away!" Sky yelled back before rushing into the building.