quelqu'un que je n'ai connu plus

prologue

"Kunpimook! Will you bring in the rest of the boxes, please!" 

   Sighing, Kunpimook Bhuwakul, more commonly known to everyone who couldn't pronounce his name as BamBam, grabbed the last brown box out of the moving van waiting in their front yard. His family had just moved from one side of Bangkok, Thailand, to the other; away from his school and all his friends. Needless to say he wasn't particularly thrilled.

"Here you go, Mom." He placed the box down in the entryway of their new home.

"Thanks." His mom smiled at him from where she was organizing kitchen utensils. "Why don't you go take a look around the neighborhood? Maybe meet a few people?"

"Mom. I doubt I'm going to meet someone on the day we've just arrived."

"You never know. Might as well give it a shot."

"Okay, fine."

"Be back before dark!" His mom shouted after him as he walked out the door.

As he walked, he thought about everything and everyone he'd been forced to leave behind. He thought about all his friends; all the great times they'd had together in school or at dance practice. He was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't realize he was walking straight into a tree.

"Ow!" He cried after he fell to the ground, rubbing the growing bump on his head.

"Ouch is right. That looked like it hurt." Bambam jumped a good foot in the air and whirled around to find a girl with short, dark hair sitting on a log a few meters away, staring at him.

"You're not from around here, are you?" She asked after Bambam didn't say a thing.

He smirked. "What gave it away?"

She grinned. "This isn't exactly Bangkok's biggest neighborhood. Everyone knows everyone, so I can assure you everyone's aware of the new family on the block."

"Wonderful." He muttered, standing up and wincing when his head throbbed. "So what's your name?"

Standing up as well, she stuck out her hand. "Lalisa Manoban. You?"

"Kunpimook Bhuwakul, but everyone back home called me Bambam." He shook her hand and winced again when his head gave a particularly painful throb. Lalisa winced with him, reaching out to touch his head.

"You should probably ice that." She said. "My house is like a minute away, we can go there."

If it had been any other circumstance, Bambam would have argued with her, but  something about the determined look that had settled over her features made Bambam think that arguing with her would be a losing battle.

As they walked, she turned to him. "So, Bambam. Tell me about yourself."

"Well, I'm 10 years old. I love to dance, and I want to be a singer or rapper when I grow up."

"Really?!" She exclaimed. "Me too! I've always wanted to be a K-Pop idol."

"No way!" He cried. "Do you like to dance as well?"

"Yeah, of course." She scoffed. "I'm actually part of a dance crew called 'We Zaa Cool.'"

"Awesome." He sighed. "I wish I could be in a dance crew."

"Well, auditions are next week ... Maybe you'll get in!" Lalisa said with a smile. "Anyways, we're here."

When they walked into the front door, Bambam was introduced quickly to Mrs. Manoban, a kind lady who looked very much like her daughter. She gave Bambam the ice pack he needed and insisted he stay. He accepted, not needing to be home for a while, and he and Lalisa talked nonstop. They bonded over their favorite artists, their love for dance, and even figured out that Bambam would be joining Lalisa's school the next day. They talked all the way back to Bambam's house after Lalisa's mom had insisted she walk him home. When they arrived, Mrs. Bhuwakul happened to be outside, and Bambam introduced the two.