More Than Words II: Say It If You Do

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: slow burn, slow burn, slow burn

Arthit met Toot at the bus stop. Their new semester would begin from the next day. They talked about what they did in Christmas, catching up on each other's lives and made plans for New Year's Eve.

[17: 09] I reached my dorm. 

Arthit sat with Knot, Toot, Prem, Bright around the table on the terrace watching the firecrackers burst in the sky and illuminate their faces every now and then.

"Did you know that in Japan in the last hour before a new year, people climb mountains and scream profanities to vent out all the anger from their systems?" Bright asked, clinking his beer can with Toot's.

"Seriously?"  Toot snorted. "Is that a thing?"

"You actually believe this guy?" Prem scoffed.

Bright scowled. "It is true! I read it somewhere."

"When did you start reading?" Toot asked.

"Someone should believe him, Ai'Prem." Knot said.

"Who better than our Ai'Toot?" Arthit added.

Bright huffed. "As if. He is my friend.He isn't like you guys."

"Why not?" Toot retorted and looked at Bright as if he had accused him of murder. "This is all sympathy, man. I believe you only ever for sympathy."

"Ouch." Prem clutched his chest, all of them guffawing at Bright's glower. The latter whacked Toot on the head.

Arthit's phone chimed. He took his phone, expecting a certain freshman's reply. It was Namtarn. Dismayed, he put it back inside. His phone went off instantly. It was his mother calling him.

"I'll come in a sec."

"Sure." They said in unison.

Arthit talked to his mother standing near one corner of the terrace, leaning towards the parapet. He talked to his cousins who were staying over at his home with his parents. About thirty minutes later he was done talking to his family. He glanced back to see his friends gang up on Bright, chasing each other in rounds. He smiled and turned back to hear the Twelve Shots crackers burst repeatedly in the sky as families and families got out on the streets and on terraces to celebrate New Year with their loved ones. Soon he was being dragged by his friends and they were celebrating their new year, laughing, cheering. Toot and Prem dumped their empty and unused bottles and cans in the middle and they circled around it, dancing along to their renditions. They screamed at top of their voices. Both Prem and Bright made resolutions for the nth time with no intentions of ever keeping them.

It was past 2 am when they were finally beginning to feel tired. Other than Knot, they all had travelled back to Bangkok. Knot's parents called them downstairs. Knot's cousins who lived in the same neighbourhood dropped by. Porsche, Knot's cousin was also Bright's friend from High School. They all hugged each other, wishing each other, cut the cake Porsche's mother had prepared and finally had their dinner.