Child of Fire

Rainbow 4

A week later, first year students were anxiously waiting for the results of their mid-terms exams. Saint was doing okay. The only subject he wanted to pass with flying colors was Math since Zee promised him a reward. He sat beside Prae who was busy reading on her phone. He tried to strike up a conversation with her earlier to ask what she was reading but she quickly flipped her phone face down and gave him a wide-eyed look. It was nothing, she said. Saint let her be since she clearly didn't want to disclose what made her smile and giggle on her phone.

Janis and Cass were busy gossiping with each other and Saint couldn't relate but he listened in. It was hard not to since they were sitting right across him and not bothering to keep their voices low.

"I met someone!" Janis gushed, grabbing Cass's hands.

"Where?" Cass asked excitedly.

"Online!" Janis said in a high-pitched stage whisper.  "Here," she scrolled her photos until she found the right one and showed it to Cass.

"Omigod! Is he for real? Is that picture really him?" Cass's tone was stupefied.

"Yes! That's really him! We had a video chat and omigod his voice is to die for! It's so deep and sexy! My ovaries are exploding just listening to him talk! But guess what?"

"What?"

"He's a singer! In a band! And his singing voice is even better...fuck!" Janis glanced guiltily at Saint, ashamed for swearing so loudly.

Saint pretended that he wasn't listening to them. The other students around the hall suddenly converged in front of the bulletin board.  The results were out!

Since there were still so many people checking the results, Saint remained seated and waited for them to finish.

"He invited me to watch their show this weekend!" Saint heard Janis continue talking.

"Omigod!" Cass squealed.

"I know right? Can you go with me, Cass? I feel so nervous!"

"Sure! Where? When? What time?" 

"This Saturday night at 9 pm at Rainbow 4 in Nana Plaza," Janis said.

"Absolutely not!" Saint interrupted them.

The two girls looked at Saint in shock. Prae also stopped reading and looked up from her phone when she heard Saint's stern voice.

"If you want to see this boy and if this boy wants to see you, then you see him for lunch inside a shopping mall where it's broad daylight and there's a lot of people and security.  Don't go and see him in a bar at night," Saint knew he sounded like a nosy mother hen but he couldn't help it. He knows that area and it's not a good place for two 18-year old girls to be.

Cass turned to Janis, who was still in shock, "Um... Jan, Saint does have a point..."

Janis looked at Cass then looked at Prae, who nodded silently. She finally looked at Saint and smiled, "You're right, Saint. Thanks for your concern and suggestion. You know, that's something my mother would have said if she knew about this."

Cass laughed, "I thought so too! I didn't know you had some motherly instincts in you, Saint."

Embarrassed, Saint pretended to hit them with his backpack. "It's brotherly instinct, you silly girls!"

"Maeee*...." Prae teasingly poked Saint's waist with her finger. (*Mae is mom in Thai)

Saint let out an undignified squeal before standing up and running away. All three girls burst out laughing at the discovery of Saint's ticklishness.