ForthBeam - This Is It✅

17 - Chaos

Chaos.

Loud voices, feet scuffling and the door to father's office swinging open with such force had me looking behind me to see what was going on. It's him.

I was interrupted by a red faced Forth before I could tell father that my lover is a man. Lost for words, I turned my panic-stricken face from Forth to father. Father's brows were lifted slightly, no other reaction was visible on his face. Pha and Kit stomped in behind Forth, followed by a worried looking house help.

"I'm sorry sir, I tried to have them wait in the living room, but they won't listen." The house helps voice trembled with worry as she spoke. She knows Pha and Kit, but I doubt she's ever seen them act crazy and then there was Forth, who looked like he was ready to murder anyone who dared get in his way.

"It's fine, leave us." Father dismissed the house help and turned a blank expression at the intruders. "How may I help you, gentlemen?"

"I'm sorry father, I think they came to see me." I turned away from father and tried to shove my intruding friends out of the room but one of them in particular wouldn't budge. "Forth." I said his name urgently, but he completely ignored me and brushed past me. He stood where I'd stood moments ago, in front of father's desk.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion and even though we've never met I just wanted you to know that I am the man who is going to marry your son." Oh god! Forth spoke before I could stop him and now the cat is out of the bag. I turned to father with a bewildered expression on my face, but his expression had not changed.

"And who are you?" Father asked in a cold hard voice.

"Forth Jaturapoom."

"Are you a student at the university too?"

"Yes sir, majoring in engineering." Father nodded at Forth's answer then turned to me.

"Is this the person you were talking about wanting to stay with?"

"Yes..."

"I don't know Beam..." Father looked Forth up and down before speaking again. "...he seems...rough. I'd rather you go with someone who will treat you gently."

"He treats me gently. He's never been rough with me and I won't let him even if he tries." Father stayed quiet a while, studying first me, then Forth before speaking with a sigh which softened his voice a notch.

"Okay. I've already said that you're free to love whomever you want as long as the person makes you happy and if Forth Jaturapoom of the engineering department..." Father said Forths name like he was memorizing it. "... makes you happy, then that's fine." Father turned to Forth again. "If you treat my son roughly or make him unhappy in anyway, you'll have to deal with my wrath and you don't want to deal with my wrath." He threatened.

"Thank you, sir. I'll take very good care of him." Forth sounded like he'd lost some of the roughness he'd rushed into the office with.

"Alright, I have to get back to work if you guys don't mind. Unless Phana and Kit have something they would also like to say to me."

"No, we're okay. See you later." Ai'Pha was always so...casual with the way he spoke to father. It used to scare me but now it doesn't. Maybe Ai'Pha knew all along that father wasn't the kind of man I made him out to be and tried to show me that by being himself around father.

Ai'Pha lead the way out of the home office. We seated ourselves in the living room before everyone turned to me with questioning looks, well except Ai'Pha of course. I gave them a breakdown of what was going on before they budged into the office.

"Why did you guys come here anyway?" I turned my attention to Forth in particular. He placed his arm over my shoulder and pulled me against his body before speaking.

"You'd been gone for more than four days. I had to come make sure your dad didn't lock you up and ship you off to some girl named Beth."

"I told you nothing like that would happen but you wouldn't listen." Ai'Pha spoke to Forth.

"How did you know nothing will happen?" I stared pointedly at Ai'Pha, directing my question to him.

He shrugged and didn't give me the answer I wanted. "Because it's my job to look after you." Was his simple answer.

"Who made it your job?" Sometimes I can't tell if this guy is my friend or my father.

"I did. Forth, if you're done I'm going back to campus. You can stay and ride back with Beam. Kit, let's go." Ai'Pha stood up and walked out the door with Kitty in tow without waiting to hear if I had anything else to say. He only looks out for me when I don't need him to...even though it somehow always works out for the better.

"Can I spend the night here?" Forth relaxed into the couch as he spoke.

"Huh?" Goodness, sometimes I wonder where Forth gets his courage from. "It's not too late. We can make it through town before the Friday traffic congestion so let's leave now." I stood up but Forth didn't.

"But I'm tired." He grabbed my hand and pulled me back onto the couch. "Do you know how many sleepless nights I've had because of you? A lot."

"Yes yes, I'm sorry but we're going back. You can sleep in the car while I drive." I stood up again and this time I was the one pulling him up. He made me work for it but he eventually stood up and shuffled out the front door to the car.