CHAPTER 17: ESCAPE
"Please, Noh. Aim is really stressed out about this. Can you tell me who slept with Phun last night?"
Those words are still spinning inside my head and they are not stopping anytime soon, not even when I finally got home. I'm placing my hand over my forehead like how I've seen actors do on television. This doesn't help lift away the heaviness in my head at all.
"Lately, you and Phun have been going off the radar a lot. Aim is so stressed out over this. I'm okay though, I'm just worried about my friend."
"It's okay if you won't tell me what's going on, Noh. But can you please tell Phun how badly he's hurting Aim? Can you tell him to stop doing this to her? Phun and Aim are a couple. Why doesn't he go to her instead? Why does he have to be with some other girls? Who does he think Aim is?"
My eyes are closed as if I'm trying to escape this reality. But how can I escape when it isn't even something I can see and run away from? They are words that keep repeating loudly inside my head.
"The condoms that Phun usually carry in his wallet are missing. Noh...Phun and Aim aren't like us. They've been together in that way. Phun can't treat women like we're his toys like this. I won't allow it."
"Goddamn it!" I swear at myself loudly as I throw the body pillow across the room. I keep wishing that if I yell loud enough, I won't be able to hear Yuri's voice in my head anymore. It's like someone keeps rewinding the scene over and over.
I'm not angry at Yuri for coming to me about this. I'm not angry at Aim, who is sitting somewhere crying her eyes out. I'm not even angry at Phun after learning that he has that kind of a relationship with Aim.
What I feel is how much I hate myself. I'm the reason everything turned out this way. I'm the bastard without any conscience.
"Fuck..." I keep swearing at myself while I blindly wander around my room grabbing things and shoving them into my black school backpack.
This has to end. No matter what.
I wonder if I've been to this place over eight times in the past seven days. I crane my neck up to look at the huge mansion in front of me. Then, I take a deep breath before I ring the bell.
Auntie Noi rushes over to let me in. She gives me a gentle smile while she asks me if she could help me with the backpack. I feel wouldn't be a real man if I allow this elderly lady to carry my school backpack around so I insist on carrying it myself. ^^"
She gives me a long sigh since I refused her offer. Then she tells me, "Khun Phun is upstairs in his room, khun Noh. If you don't mind showing yourself in, then I'll go let khun Pang know that you are here." Eh? Why does Pang needs to know that I'm here, Auntie? -_-" Right, I keep forgetting who I'm supposed to be whenever I visit this house.
I'm so pathetic. I'm fucking up people's lives over 20,000 baht.
I drag the backpack with an insignia embedded on it (I haven't used this bag since the 9th grade) over the beautiful parquet flooring. I stop in front of a door that I've grown familiar with. A cool air is leaking through the gap at the bottom of the door which tells me that the owner of this room is inside with the air conditioner blasting away just like I thought.
However, before I get a chance to knock on the door, my phone starts ringing.
'Who can be nice at every hour? I'm a person, not a character in a drama on TV.'
This asshole is probably a psychic.
"Why are you calling me? I'm right in front of your room." Short and easy to understand. The person on the other line to quickly hangs up before he swings the door open. "Eh?!"
"The hell are you so startled for? Were you watching porn?" I dismiss the surprise look on Phun's face and walk past him to get inside. I toss the backpack in a corner of the room before making my way toward the computer that is still on.
I was only messing with him. He actually has MSN Messenger running on the screen. When I sit down on the chair, I can see that Aim is typing something.
Aim : [Yuri, message me when you're on] says:
Phun, do you still love me?
Those pink letters pierce all the way to my heart's core, but I still force myself to laugh. I find it funny for Aim to be asking such a weird question. If Phun doesn't love her, then who else could it possibly be...?
I have to admit, I'm finding it harder and harder to crack a smile each time.
Aim's display picture is a photo of the two of them. They look as if they want to let the world know how much they love one another. I stare at the display picture for a moment before I begin to reflect about who I really am. Then I start typing away on the keyboard to tell Aim something.
SuperPhun says:
Of course.
"Hey, Noh! What the hell is this?!" Phun yells at me from a corner of the room which causes me flinch and turn around to look at him as he inspects the backpack.
"Spare clothes for donations. Jeez, what the hell do you think they are?" I can't believe he asked me that question, it isn't like he's blind. I turn my attention back to the computer. I've already logged him off and log into my own account. Was I supposed to ask for permission? Keep on dreaming.
Smack!
"Ow!" He hit me in the head!
"I was asking nicely, why did you have get smart with me? And look, you already signed out from my email account too? Why did you bring that backpack here, do you wanna run away with me or something?" Personally, I think he's more of a smart guy than I am. I rub the spot where I got hit, feeling a bit irked. "Yeah, take me somewhere."
"You being serious...?" I can't believe he would be this obedient because the second I finish talking he quickly grabs the car keys that were hanging over the computer desk. I snatch them right out of his hands. "Jeez, I was only joking!"
"If you wanna go then I'll take you. How about Bang Saen? It's close enough." Phun ponders over his idea while I'm in still awe. I didn't think he would go along with something like this so easily.
"Real funny. Mister Sakda is giving my class a practice exam tomorrow."
However, what I get from Phun in return is a smile. Not just any smile, but he also raises his brows at me. He proceeds to walk over to grab two sweater jackets from his closet. "I'll make sure you get there in time to take your test tomorrow. Come on!"
He throws my backpack over his shoulder and drags me by my arm. How can I not cause a scene when this is happening? "Hey! Turn off your computer, the A/C and the lights in your room first!" Of course, he's not even listening.
"Someone else will take care of that." This demanding guy tells me as he whistles and leads the way, completely in a good mood. His other hand is still dragging me by my wrist and it doesn't seem that he'll let go. I can see Phun smiling widely as we make our way down the steps and run into Auntie Noi who happens to be walking by. "Auntie Noi, I'm heading out with Noh, okay?"
But before she can answer, a mischievous face appears from behind her.
"Where are you going, p'Phun?!" -_-" It's nong Pang. Where did she come from? (I got scared, I thought she was a ghost) It's so late, why aren't you in bed. (I should discipline you) -_-" Even though my relationship with Phun is now exactly what Pang had hoped to be, I'm still not used to this when I need to face her.
"I'm taking p'Noh out tonight. I'll buy snacks for you on the way back." Phun tells his little sister while he messes with her head. I would've punched him if he were my brother. (Quit playing with someone's head already.) However, nong Pang is grinning wide. I get scared thinking what kind of idea she has in mind. -_-"
"Ah, take a good care of p'Noh, okay?" You know, you can try stopping your brother sometimes! We have school tomorrow!
Since there is no one in his way, Phun continues to drag me along while whistling happily. He's in an even better mood now. TT___TT
Phun drags me to where his 2-door sports car is parked. He throws one of the jacket over my shoulders. "In case we run into any truancy patrols." He tells me this because I'm still wearing my school uniform, bright blue pants and all. "Fucking hell, you could've let me change my clothes first."
He laughs at my complaints as he reaches for the door handle so he could open it for me. Don't think that this Noh would let this happen. (Heh heh) I reach for the handle first and get inside on my own. I can still hear Phun chuckling at me (the fuck is he laughing at?) as he gets into the driver seat. "It's your fault. You could've changed your damn clothes before you came over to see me."
I go quiet after I heard that sentence.
He's right, though. I was in such a rush. But for me, I wanted to make the most out of every single minute tonight.
Phun turns the ignition and looks at me mockingly. "Missed me that bad?"
"......." I don't answer him and sit still. Even if I were going to say something, I wouldn't have gotten a chance to anyway. His strong arm reaches over my shoulders and he pulls me in.
Phun places his lips on my forehead. There's enough force behind this action, it is as if he wants this kiss to help me understand how he really feels about me. "I've missed you. I didn't get to see you today. You weren't at the club room when I dropped by."
"When'd you drop by?" I slightly turn my face away from him. Phun still leans in closer to kiss me on the cheek. "This evening. I ran into a 10th grader and he told me that he was ordered to stay and take care of the room by you."
"Oh, that's Per..." I look down and give him an answer. I know full well why I wasn't in the club room. I remember what conversation I had and who I had it with.
The tip of Phun's nose continues grazing all over me. His lips eventually stop to where mine are. We stayed like that for a long time until I had to finally push him off me. "So are we going to Bang Saen or what?"
"Oh, right. We'd never get there if we keep this up." He chuckles to himself before he releases me and moves back into the driver's seat.
"I see that you're walking around like normal, it's not hurting anymore?" Phun asks me as he stops at an intersection to Thong Lor Road. I raise my brows at his question before replying. "I'm doing better now. I'd end up a cripple if I stay in bed all day. What about you?"
"Aspirin should help." He tells me. There are low chuckling noises coming from him, I can't help but laugh along. He grabs my hand and places it over the gear stick before he begins tracing the back of my palm with his index finger playfully.
"So...that means we can do it again tonight then?" He says this to me in a cute voice. I don't need to turn and look at him to know what kind of a perverted expression he has on his face.
I turn to face the window and stare at the orange lights lining up the road on both sides.
"Uh-huh..."
