A Guy Like You

Chapter 2

KONGPOB

Twelve years ago

"We're moving here," his mother says sweetly, pointing to a clogged spot on the map, painted with crisscrossing lines, loop-de-loops, and unintelligible words. Kongpob nods anyway, listening with rapt attention. "Our house will be here," she points to another spot, still in a crowded area. Kongpob nods again. "Your school will be here." Finally, one more busy location, making Kongpob's eyes cross and his head hurt. He nods still, though, and his mother gives him a bright smile.

"Your sisters will go here," she points, "and the mall is here," another point, "and here...."

Many of the words get lost on Kongpob, too intent on following the lines across the map as best as he can without losing place. He has to restart three times until he makes it from the bottom of the map to the top.

By the time his mother is finished speaking, Kongpob has found four different ways to reach the top from the bottom, and he's on his fifth when she rolls up the map to lightly smack him on the head with it. "Kongpob!" she scolds. "Did you hear a word of what I was saying?"

"Yes, Mae!" he shouts, and, though it's clear she doesn't believe him, she accepts his words as truth, laughing as she shakes her head.

They make the move the next week, and soon, Kongpob and his two older sisters are spilling out of the car and onto the street, staring up at their new house. The next day, a knock comes at their door, and Kongpob watches from behind his father's legs as their neighbors introduce themself. The Roj-na-pats, they say, and they point to Kongpob then hold their hands a bit higher than his head. They have a son only a little older than him.

"Maybe they can be friends," Kongpob's mother says.

But upon their next meeting, this time with Kongpob and the Rojnapat's son at the forefront of their attention, the Rojnapat boy takes one look at Kongpob and apparently deems him unworthy of being his friend.

Kongpob had never been rejected before. And he doesn't like giving up either.

So even though Arthit would much rather play with the older boys on the street, Kongpob follows him relentlessly, waiting for the day the other comes to his senses and agrees to be his friend.

That day never comes.

❋ ❋ ❋

Seven years ago

When Arthit had left for lower-secondary school, Kongpob had thought that maybe it would mean he'd be more willing to be his friend, not having to see Kongpob every single day at school.

That is not the case, however.

Instead, Arthit uses secondary school as the perfect excuse to avoid Kongpob, his cool older friends needing his attention or his schoolwork just too much, leaving him with little time—usually no time—for Kongpob, lame, uncool, annoying Kongpob.

It was Arthit leaving for secondary school that made Kongpob realize he'll never win over the older boy, and it was Arthit leaving for secondary school that made Kongpob vow to always gain Arthit's attention, however indirect the cause may be.

❋ ❋ ❋

"I... I like you, P'Arthit." The words are out before he can stop them, and he doesn't even know if they've fully registered to himself yet, but it's true. The past few months they've spent together, they had Kongpob suspicious. And why else would he strive so hard for Arthit's attention? He doesn't care when girls pay him no mind, something that should technically bother him, a teenage boy. Yet he's always had this itching under his skin when Arthit would purposely turn away from him with a sneer.