Sotus After Story

Chapter-20 Kongpob

I wanted to spend the entire day with P'Arthit. If it wasn't his mother then I could have plead him to stay, I didn't want to butt in their matter. Mother & Son should have their own privacy.
                              ****
Staying in the dorm on Sunday was not appropriate. I tried to plan up something, without Arthit. He barely fits in my schedule. He's way too busy to fit in my plan. My phone went off between my thoughts. M was the fortunate caller. I was a bit mad at him regarding S, but that's doesn't end our deep bond of friendship. Gladly I picked it up covering my excitement with my usual solemn voice. It was an act to scare him.
He started with a soft tone.
"Hey, buddy."
"Yeah," I groaned.
"Are you free tonight?"
'Why?' I said hiding my excitement.
"Will you mind to join us for a drink?"
'Us?' I asked doubtfully, to make him think I meant S in this 'Us' particularly.
"Me, Oak and Wad."
'Only you three? You sure no one else?" I chuckled under my breath. I knew he was feeling weird as hell in this awkward conversation but he maintained peace. He didn't behave frantically like he usually would. That was good for the act I put up on.
The first day I saw him inspecting my brother I felt a bit skeptic, I wasn't certain enough to ask him before I explored more & more to clear my doubt. The evil brother attitude inside me influenced me to be a barrier. I wanted my brother to stay out of all the troubles that I & Arthit went through of facing everyone & hiding it all until everyone was okay of us. S doesn't share everything with me anymore, he's matured enough to keep secrets. Asking him promptly may offend him, he might not be expecting me to ask such questions to him while I chose my own path. I was a bit confused about this situation, when Arthit questioned about my notion about them I realized that I'll be wrong if I go against them.
I know M from years. He's as closer as S to me, I witnessed his unconditional love switching from May to Praepalline & then to my brother. Not sure if he's serious this time, & how long it's going to last. The only thing I can guarantee, if they both are serious I won't intervene. And even if it doesn't work well I am out of it, I don't want them to hold me responsible. Let's see how they progress. Till then I'm going to pretend as if I'm against it while keeping this little secret to myself.
*****
Sparkling strobes light almost blinding my vision. Blaring bass shaking the club resembling earthquake. Oblivious faces of dancing bodies tangled together, neon signs aligning the wall amazingly. A high ceiling with LED lights hanging from it. M shouted & waved at me at the same moment. I couldn't hear him properly because of the loud noise. It was our usual place hence I effortlessly found them seating on the corner table. I took a seat next to M & toasted drinks. They were in a ecstatic mood, it felt so like an actual vacation.
                                *****
The time passed in the bar really fast, I couldn't believe that it was 12 O'clock in a blink. I was badly drunk so was M. We four had to split apart to our own places but we were unstable to drive. Wad suggested we could walk together & spend the night at his place. I wanted to deny for P'Arthit but something inside me stopped me. I also wanted to spend my time with my friends. It was so much entertaining after so long. We all four sluggishly engaged into a silent combat on our way to home. The pavement seemed so hard & moisture less all of a sudden. The dizziness was preventing us to walk comfortably. We took one small step at a time. I couldn't assume what people on the streets precisely assumed us to be, but it was like a train game that children often plays with their mate. The difference is only that we were drunk. Wad's condominium was the nearest of us all from the bar. Still the usual 10 minutes walk took almost half an hour.
The isolated neighborhood of Wad's place was more like a shooting scene of a haunted film. Nobody was present in the streets, except for the amber street lights shining at its best. Silhouettes of two miniature figures were clearly visible a distance away from us. Watching out for them wasn't our deliberate intention. Gradually we were moving towards Wad's condominium without making any noise. M was about to squawk, but hurriedly Oak halted that by shutting up his mouth tightly with his hands. The figures we spotted a while ago was a bit closer than before though still far. They both seemed like a couple, an unconventional blond Thai girl. She leaned forward to the guy facing his back at us, grabbed his shirt. She soon stood on her tiptoe reaching for the the guy & kissed him. They seemed quite romantic unless the guy propelled her as soon as she did that. Maybe he was not ready for that. All four of us stood still shamelessly witnessing the scene. The boy soon turned in our direction but now we were not paying attention. Probably he didn't even noticed we were observing their private moment. I didn't dare to look at him, Oak suddenly stumbled, "Isn't that..... P.....?" Wad nodded.
I tried to get what he said, I twisted my head but the figure was still so vague I couldn't get much with my bare eyes. Shockingly he looked so much like Arthit, almost same in height, same shirt he wore this evening & freakishly so much like him, though in a blurred way due my dizziness. I was about to yell to check on, but that guy left as quickly as he got on his car. When his car took a turn we couldn't peer much due to the brisk.
*****
In the morning, I woke up by M's kick on my butt. He's childish like that to kick his best friend on butt to wake him up. Wad & Oak were in the kitchen preparing breakfast. M was in trance, still tried his level best to wake me up. Presumably, we both slept on the frosty floor in Wad's living room. This is only possible because we were insanely unconscious & couldn't afford to reach the bed, not even on the smooth warm couch resting just next to us.
Wad served me the hot cup of java while Oak served to M. In a lunatic manner M put his index finger in the hot java & sprinkled a puny amount in his eyes. We all shared a common look of disgust at him, though he reacted frantically, "What???"
"Nothing" I yawned.
Minutes later, M came to his senses. He put the cup aside & shrieked, "Guys!! I saw P'Arthit kissing a blond girl in my dream last night."
Oak & Wad exchanged a look among themselves before turning at me. They both phrased together, "Even I saw the same dream." I glared at them, my eyes wide opened with disbelief I remarked, "I saw the same!!"
I felt a quick andrenaline rush. M sillily intervened amidst of the rummage, "Was it a dream. I was left shaken my the fact. The ground beneath my feet cracked open. "What was that?? I insanely questioned myself. Drop of hot tears rolled down my face . All three of them hugged me together to provide me consolation. But they don't know, consolation won't be enough to console my broken heart.