Between The Line || EstWilliam AU

One

The school bell rang, echoing through the halls of Sukhumvit Academy. Students poured out of their classrooms, their chatter filling the corridor with the usual end-of-day buzz. Est moved a little slower, lingering behind the wave of rushing students as he packed his textbooks neatly into his bag. He wasn't in any particular hurry. His methodical nature ensured everything was always in its place before leaving, and besides, he knew exactly where William would be.

Est then makes his way to a floor beneath him where sophomore classes are. And William was nowhere near his classrooms when the bell rang. If anything, Est suspected he didn't even stayed for the entire lesson.

Est sighed quietly as he slung his bag over his shoulder. It wasn't anything new. William was always like this—brash, careless, and reckless with how he treated his time at school. It baffled Est how two boys, who had grown up almost like brothers, could turn out so differently. Est, the golden student who aced his exams from his early year until now his senior year, impressed teachers, and kept to himself in the right way. While William, on the other hand, was trouble waiting to happen. He was always louder, sharper, his words cutting and his behavior testing the limits of what was acceptable.

Est headed down the stairwell, nodding politely to a few juniors who greeted him. His reputation at school was solid—everyone knew Est as the student who did everything right. Teachers trusted him, his classmates looked up to him, and most importantly, he didn't cause any trouble. Not like William.

William was the exact opposite. Despite being only two years younger, their maturity levels were worlds apart. Est often found himself playing the role of an older brother, watching out for William, trying to steer him in the right direction. William wasn't a bad kid, but he was spoiled—years of being coddled had turned him into someone who barely took anything seriously. His schoolwork was an afterthought, and his behavior, especially his language, was often the subject of lectures from their teachers.

As Est reached the front entrance of the school, he spotted William lounging near the steps, a group of his friends surrounding him. His posture was relaxed, too relaxed, slouched in a way that showed he didn't care about how people saw him. His uniform shirt was untucked, his tie loose, and his sneakers were scuffed, as if he'd been kicking rocks during lunch.

"...and I told him, 'Hell no, I ain't doing that shit.' What's he thinkin'?" William's voice carried over the chatter, the casual use of curse words flowing easily, much to Est's dismay. He raised a brow, unimpressed, but decided not to intervene.

Not yet, at least.

He approached the group. "William," Est called out, a soft but firm tone in his voice.

William looked over his shoulder, eyes narrowing for a split second before he shrugged off whatever tension had crept in. "What's up, Phi?" William asked, grinning, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

Est didn't bite. "We're heading home, aren't we?"

"Yeah, yeah," William replied dismissively, standing up from his relaxed position. "Later, guys," he called over his shoulder as he joined Est.

They started walking toward the school gates together, a familiar routine. Despite their differences, they always went home together. Their mothers, who had been best friends for as long as they could remember, expected it. Their families were practically intertwined, with their parents running a business collaboration that had tied them together even more over the years. It wasn't just business, though—it was a bond. And that bond extended to Est and William, even if one was far more responsible than the other.

"You skipped again," Est said, glancing at William as they walked.

William let out a short, dismissive laugh. "Skipped is such a strong word. I prefer 'decided my time was better spent elsewhere.'"

"Like hanging out and doing nothing?"

"Exactly." William grinned, unrepentant, then he shrugged. "The lessons was boring ."

"Everything is boring to you."

"Not true." William grinned, giving Est a playful nudge. "Hanging out with you isn't boring."

Est shook his head but smiled a little. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"That's what everyone says."

They stopped at a small mart near their neighborhood, a usual detour for them after school. William loved his snacks, and even though Est didn't indulge as much, he always went along. William headed straight for the chips aisle, his eyes scanning the shelves as if this was the most important decision of the day.

"You know, you can't keep skipping classes like this," Est said, leaning against the counter while William debated between flavors. "Mom's not going to keep letting it slide forever."

William let out an exaggerated sigh. "Yeah, yeah. I'll get my act together... eventually."

Est crossed his arms. "I'm serious, Will. You can't keep going like this. You're not a kid anymore."

William's carefree expression faltered for a moment, but he quickly masked it.