The Sinner

False Hopes

"What did Rain say?" Sky asks over the phone, whispering from under his blanket despite being alone in his bedroom; his dad's recent stint has left him paranoid.

"He gets it." Was Prapai's short yet meaningful answer. Sky feels both relieved as well as humiliated. He knows Rain knows but to drag him into their mess...

"I'm so embarrassed. I can't believe my dad did that."

"Hey, it's okay." Prapai coos. "Rain's chill. What about your dad? Did he say anything?"

Sky chews on his lower lip as he recalls earlier. He had snapped at his dad, feeling genuinely furious at his intrusion of Sky's privacy. "Dad, what is wrong with you?" He questioned only to have the older man clap back at him with, "You think I don't notice you on your phone all the time, even when Ple is right next to you?!"

Sky fell silent and that in and of itself was incriminating.

But he at least managed to say, "I'm just up to my neck with schoolwork, dad."

"You better be!" His father roared. "And don't ever let me catch you on the phone with Prapai or else..."

Or else, what? Sky didn't dare ask.

"Sky?" Prapai's voice pierces through his thoughts and Sky sputters, "H-huh? Oh, uh, he totally bought it. Don't worry."

Prapai breathes a sigh of relief then but part of him feels uneasy. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asks to which Sky hums somewhat unconvincingly, "M-mm. I'm fine."

"Okay." Prapai leaves it at that.

They were nearly caught twice in one day. Both can't help but wonder how long they can keep this up before they're discovered and it blows up on their faces. But neither express their concerns, not wanting fear to get the better of them.

"How's Rain by the way?" Sky changes the topic; their previous one was getting a little uncomfortable. And besides, he's been genuinely worried about Rain. "Is he and P'Phayu still fighting?"

Prapai sighs. "Last I saw, they weren't okay yet." And Sky expels a sigh back. But Prapai is quick to assure him, "But they'll be fine."

"How do you know?" Sky asks, it sounded personal for some reason.

And at this, Prapai tells him, "Because they love each other." There's a resolve in his voice that soothes Sky's wary heart and he continues by adding, "And when two people love each other, nothing and no one can keep them apart."

Sky slowly smiles and Prapai can almost hear it in the way he let go of the breath he'd unknowingly been holding. Are they still talking about Rain and Phayu? He isn't sure...but he's glad for all four of them if what Prapai said is true.

Meanwhile...

Ple and Kao are now marinating themselves in face packs and with their feet dipped in a foot spa bath. The latter is massaging the face pack onto her face when she pipes up with a thought that's been running in her head for a while now.

"Where's Sky?"

At this, Ple so nonchalantly shrugs and replies with her eyes closed, "At home?"

"You're not sure?" Kao asks, perplexed by Ple's unusually chill attitude. "Well, that's new. Usually, you wouldn't even let him out of your sight unless it's to use the restroom."

Ple finally opens her eyes and sits up. She peels the mask off then massages her cheeks as she says, "You know what I realized?"

The other just blinks at her as if asking, "What?"

Ple continues, "That when you tie down a dog, the more they'll want to break free."

Kao chuckles at this but with her brows somewhat furrowing as she asks, "Did you just...compare Sky to a dog?"