If I could have wings to fly

Ch. 3 If only I could be more honest

"Uh...hey Sarawat...didn't see you there" Tine stumbled.

Sarawat crossed his arms and smirked widely. "You missed me?"

Tine raised his eyebrows. "The fuck? Hell no I just...I..." Tine looked around frantically to see if there was anyone, anything that could give him a reason to be there.

"Hey Wat, I'll see you play next Friday!" Thankfully, some guy walked past them, giving Sarawat a pat on the shoulders.  "Great man, I'll see you there!" Sarawat waved at him.

"You're playing with your band?" Tine asked, desperate to change the subject.

"Yeah, not this Friday, but the next one at a bar downtown".  Sarawat paused.  "Actually, you should come".

"Um...what? me?"

"Come. Watch me play".  Again, it wasn't a request.  It was a demand.

Tine scratched his head.  "And...why would I do that?"

Sarawat boldy stepped into Tine's face, making him fidget. "Because you want me". 

Tine's eyes widened. "What the fuck man!  Look, you got some problems - " 

Tine suddenly saw a familiar face in the hallway.  Shit!  It was Phana.  He would not be happy to see Tine here.  (yes, Phana from 2 moons is the leader of Tine's friends and a law major in this fic). 

"Man, I gotta go" Tine quickly said as he pushed a confused Sarawat away. 

It was too late.  "Huh, look who we have here".  Pha confidently strode over to them.  "Tine. Sarawat".    His demeanor was calm, but Tine knew that Pha was very sharp. 

"H-hey P'Pha" Tine said trying not to look nervous. 

"What are you two doing here?"

"Just chatting-"

"Group project!" Tine rushed in.  Sarawat gave him a quizzical look but Tine just smiled at him.  "You know the one we have to do for class? We're working on it together".

"Huh, I see".  Tine didn't know if Pha bought it.  "So are you done?"

"Well actually-"

"Yes!" Tine interrupted him again.  

Pha just looked at them.  "Well, I'll be waiting by the front of the building then".  

"Group project?"  

"Whatever man, just leave me alone alright!" Tine said, extremely flustered. Ok, maybe a little ironic since I was the one who followed Sarawat, but whatever.  "And lets just work on it together".

"Wait, we actually have a group project?" Sarawat asked quizzically.

Now it was Tine's turn to look at him. "Yes, don't you read the syllabus?"

"No."

Tine rolled his eyes. Do music majors do anything? "Ok, well, we do, and I'm really going now". 

"Wait!" Sarawat grabbed Tine's arm. "Come see me play."

Geez, what's up with this guy? "Shut up, I'm not going!" Tine yelled as he ran off. 

He didn't know why, but he felt a rush of energy throughout the entire day.  After almost a whole semester, they had finally had their first real conversation. 

--------------------

A few days later, Tine and his friends were chatting again after class.  "Oh guys, you want to know something interesting I learned the other day?" Pha asked nonchalantly. "Our dear Tine is working with Sarawat for the group project".  

Everyone's heads turned.  "You gotta be kidding me Tine".  "Yeah, how the fuck did that happen?"

Goddamit I knew Pha wouldn't let this go.  

"Yeah, well uh...he asked me, and I couldn't say no, you know" Tine shrugged, trying to keep himself composed.

"Dude, Sarawat is sketchy as hell". "Yeah, you should've told him to go kill himself."  "That's right, you just don't talk to those kinds of freaks."  Tine just wanted to leave. 

"Why aren't you laughing Tine? Don't tell me you're one of them," Pha probed. "Because that would be a problem, wouldn't it boys?"

"Hell no!" Tine blurted out. "I never even wanted to talk to him!  He gives me the creeps!"

"Hey Tine"  It was Sarawat.  

Great. Tine would gladly drown himself in a pool than face reality right now. 

"Hey...Sarawat" Tine reluctantly answered, trying not to meet his eyes.   

"Sorry if I bothered you" Sarawat said coldy.  Then he walked out before Tine could say anything.

His friends starting snickering again.  "Yo, can you even believe the nerve of that guy?" "I mean, he gotta face the truth sometime right?"

Tine just wanted to disappear.  He had just gotten to speaking terms with Sarawat and now he screwed everything up.  

I guess I'm never going to see him play after all.

Note:  While this chapter didn't have any juicy scenes, don't worry as the next chapter will :)