Perseverance [Complete]

Chapter 16

Kong's POV

What is the likelihood that P'Arthit has a split personality disorder? Sure based on his moods he has oscillated between being extremely harsh to the sweetest person one can meet. But never has it been this extreme. For the past few weeks it has been a game of constant cat and mouse, but what has my head spinning is that it's P'Arthit who is behaving like both the cat and the mouse. And I seem to have been caught between this weird game he is playing.

He showed up on Sunday night with the broadest fake smile I have ever seen, told me some bogus story about family problems that he must surely know I wouldn't buy. What family problems could his have? The only family he cared about was currently sitting on my floor covered in multiple paints.

And that was the last time I saw Rune. For the past three weeks her schedule could compete with a famous movie star. Apparently she was very busy in playdates, or sleepovers, or dance classes, or art classes or something or the other. When did she start all that? Why was she suddenly so busy all the time.

My running theory would have been that P'Arthit had signed her up for an insane number of extracurricular classes to avoid me, but there were two huge holes in that theory. First, I had thought we were making genuine progress. He had clearly accepted that he was attracted to me too, he had even kissed me himself. And at the picnic he seemed relaxed even when I teased him. And secondly, and more importantly, he wasn't ignoring me at all. Atleast not in public. Infact, it was what one would call the exact opposite of ignoring.

Every single lunch he insisted on sitting with us, more specifically right next to me. I didn't even know he could be this chatty. But he commanded almost the entirety of my attention and conversation. He would ask me the most mundane questions about my day. Surely it was boring listening to what I ate for dinner or what time I went to bed, but nevertheless the questions kept coming.

But once lunch ended and all of us dispersed to our classes, Bang! A completely different P'Arthit. He couldn't wait to get away from me. I don't think I have spoken more than five words in private with him in three weeks. I would get the coldest shoulder he could possible give. I have actually seen him spot me down the corridor and turn right around and walk the other direction. He hasn't answered any of my calls or messages. I would spend the night going over the conversation again and again to see if I made him mad at some point, but the next lunch he would be by my side again, playing his daily game of twenty questions.

I was getting whiplash with his swinging moods and the mixed signals he was sending me. I even tried dropping by his apartment unannounced a few times, but no one answered.

He obviously wanted nothing to do with me in private, but wouldn't leave me alone when we were with our friends. He even growled away at some girls when they tried to talk to me. What exactly was I supposed to think right now? When did he become so complicated?

And to add the cherry on top, there was a new angle I couldn't understand. When exactly did P'Arthit and Prae get this close? I knew he had asked for her number last year but I also knew he had no intention of ever calling her. And she obviously had no intention of going out with a man. But I have seen them together around campus a few times. More than a few. Actually, way too many that now I am starting to get seriously annoyed by their sudden, unexpected closeness.

I wanted, needed to talk to him. Privately. And soon.

After another frustratingly similar day I made my way home trying to come up with a new plan of action when my phone flashed one of my favorite numbers.

"Hello Rune!"

"P'Kong you have to help me. It's an emergency."

"What? What happened? Are you ok? Is P'Arthit ok?"

"Yes, no. Listen, so my friends think at the party tomorrow I should just kiss Kit, and then he will have to become my boyfriend. But then I asked pa, and he said, boys hate it when girls kiss them and that he would just run away more. So now I don't know if should or not and then I told my friends what.."

"Wait wait. Stop Rune. What are you talking about?"

"I don't know if I should kiss Kit tomorrow or not."

"Kiss.....Kit? Oh god Rune. You gave me a heart attack. I thought something happened to you or P'Arthit. Are you sure both of you are ok?"

"Yes, yes but what should I do?"

"Rune, firstly kissing boys is never an emergency."

"Never?"

"Ummm, maybe sometimes it is. But definitely not in your case, and definitely not Kit. I agree with your pa. He will just run away faster."

"Hmmm, ok I will listen to you then. But P'Kong I am angry at you. You had promised to help me with him. You haven't even come by to meet me in so many days. You better bring a chocolate cake with you if you want me to show you my new drawings."

"How can I come meet you? You are so busy all the time with all your dance and art classes."

"Ughh I hate them. When will you finish your exams P'Kong so that you can babysit me again."

"Exams? What do you mean?"

"Pa said you have your exams so I can't disturb you. But after they are done you will come babysit me again and then I won't have to go to these classes. Oh! I wasn't supposed to call you while you are studying. But this was an emergency. Don't tell pa ok? Bye."

Exams? Classes? P'Arthit was lying to the both of us. He was intentionally keeping us apart. And I couldn't possibly think of a reason why.