Sotus After Story

Chapter-21 Arthit

Meeting new people was never my thing. I was always an introvert person. Even when I met Kongpob, I've never imagined I'll be that close to him. If he hadn't make an effort then it would have been a missed opportunity.

I obediently sat next to that girl, I was literally exploding with discomfort. Whereas she candidly, fixed her gaze promptly at me. Seemingly, she was dying to start a conversation. Presumably she couldn't assume that I had the least interest to talk with her. She was partially responsible for spoiling my quality time with Kongpob. I veiled my low mood with my serene all-okay face.
She put her cell phone on the side of the table now & moved her chair more closer to the table, in a sense, to get closer to me. I uncomfortably forced myself with a perfunctory smile, in an inferential manner I proceeded.
"What is you're name Nong?"
She glared at me distastefully as if she wasn't expecting me to ask her name. Perhaps, I should have priorly known her name, but the fact behind it was that I wasn't interest at all of this so-called date, which my mother arranged for me. I assumed it to be an actual appointment at first, but first glance at this girl's decked up face virtually yelled to me that it's a date, a really unexpected and troublesome one!
The girl pursued her lips, "I'm Nungning."
She carefully removed the fringes bothering on her temple.
"You're mother is in the same cooking class with my mother."
"Really?" I asked being the least amazed, but acting like it's a hell lot of a issue.
She smiled straightly, still her sapphire blue eyes focused on me.
"I am working for a travel agency in Bangkok."
I nodded.
"I heard you recently got promotion?" She giggled miserably making a fool of herself.
I just repeatedly nodded.
The waiter served the hot latte, which I instantly sipped a mouthful of the sweet liquid. Whereas, she busied herself maniacally clicking photos of the latte, supposedly, to post in her Instagram account. She mentioned me excitedly that she's a net idol, so she needs to update time to time for prevention of disappointment to her potential followers. 
I nonchalantly, nodded again. If she was smart enough to assume that I'm avoiding her then she should have quit the date herself, however, she was one of them who lacked common sense.
The entire date went like that, she kept on asking me bundle of questions which I had to answer in a word or to. Or else just shaking my head, or just nodding with a motionless, "Hmm...".
It continued for two long hours, sucking away my usual Sunday mood with distress. It wasn't her fault though, not even my mother's. I was the only one to be blame, if I had heed to Kongpob's advice & told my mother all about my issues at first. Then she wouldn't have set such dates for me, after acknowledging the fact.
                                 ****
I swung my car keys to fly back to Kongpob's place. That unusual girl appeared next to me.
" I'm unable to find a cab, if you don't mind, can you please drive me to my place?" The evil inside me told me to strangle her to death, but my outside appearance was polite. Unwillingly, I agreed. She took a sit next to the driver's seat where my Kongob always sit and turned on the music player without my consent. I hated it way too much. I don't like when someone touches my personal stuff without my permission. It feels stingy. The loud music & hatred for the girl pierced through my eardrums.
The worst of all was the unpredictable traffic where we both got stuck for hours. She took advantage of the leisure period amidst of the congestion & fried my mental condition with a session of never-ending blabbers. I kept on praying to God to rescue me from her. And help me to get back to Kongpob. The late it takes to return the more mad Kongpob is going to be with me. I already broke my promise.
****
I was not sure if she deliberately attempted to guide me wrong or she was such an ignorant that she forgot her own home address. After roaming a hundred different streets we reached the destination. Her abode.

I parked my car in the corner of the road in the empty space under the street lamp in the vacant street. I was diving in the blue. My anxiety level reached to its extreme. Endurance is tougher than winning a war, that's what I realized instantly. It was really hard to endure her blab with patience for a long, that too on irrelevant topics. For instance, "What's your favorite series? Did you watched Hormones? Can you make Tom Yum? My mother taught me this, taught me that, I did this, I did that. Thousands other self praises in just a matter of hours.

I hurriedly got out of my car & opened the door in the quickest possible time to get rid of her. She untied the seat belt and stepped out, finally.
She was sluggishly leaving now, by one step or two. Suddenly, ominous struck! She stumbled in the middle & turned back to me. "Arthit."
I groaned, "What now?"
She stood a few steps away from me as she vocalised, "I enjoyed the time with you, thank you so much."
But I didn't enjoy a bit, I told to myself. While I pulled on a smile again & lied, "I enjoyed it too."
Greatest lie ever spoken, I usually don't lie, I hate lying, I never crossed such circumstances that I had to lie. But I encountered one now, so I had to.
Out of no where, she leaned closer & stood on her tiptoe. Before I could realise what was happening she kissed me on my lips with all her force. Her tangy lip rouge giving me a shock with disgust. I propelled her away. I shouldn't have done that with a girl, my ethics are against that. But what she did was equally unacceptable.
I turned back & headed to my car. I didn't want to argue nor did I want to talk to her. I got inside & pulled it off as hard as I could. Hoping for never to return. Not in this life time.
*****
Kongpob's room was locked when I reached his place. I constantly called him, he was unavailable to reach for. I waited for an hour or two.Not even M & Oak was receiving calls. I assumed that probably they all are busy somewhere. Hence, I stopped my attempt & went home to get a sleep as I had attend my job the day after that. Early morning afraid me much than monsters.