❤︎

Rescue

Part 7

Something is definitely wrong today. When I walked into class, I noticed that many of my classmates were whispering and sneaking glances at me. What on earth did Arthit do now??? I'm positive that this has something to do with him — the bane of my life.

True enough, after I slumped into my seat and dropped my bag on the floor, Mike, Jessica and a few others started crowding around my table with varying degrees of sympathy on their faces.

"Arthit is so ungrateful!" Mike started, groaning aloud. Ungrateful? My eyebrows rose slightly — that is the least of his faults. Lacking in intelligence, clumsy, irritating, childish etc yes.

Ungrateful?? Isn't he always going around apologizing to us or thanking us?

"Ahhh another shocking news on the blackboard," another of my classmates said.

"What news?" I asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"You don't have to protect him, we know that he actually stole that from your house," another classmate looked at me with a condoling yet admiring glance. I must say that was indeed a difficult feat to achieve. Aaahh so it must be about that baka living in my house? Well, I was surprised it took everyone that long to find out. The secret was bound to come out anyway, so I was not mad about it. They were just jealo—wait, they're talking about Arthit stealing something???

My arrogant classmates went on and on criticizing Arthit and consoling me for having to put up with him living at home. It was all quite unwarranted and strangely enough, I found their comments extremely irritating.

I frowned slightly and pressed my lips together tight. When I realized what I was doing, I quickly relaxed and slipped back into my usual expressionless mode — it is never a good strategy to let others know how you feel. Just as I thought I had regained control over my emotions, Jessica had to comment.

"He puts up with him because he has no other choice. Isn't it, Kongpob?" She leant towards me with a knowing look that I found absolutely intolerable. Come on, even that stupid baka was better than Jessica with her hypocrisy and insinuating ways.

I ignored them totally, turning aside in exasperation. Why on earth can't they leave me alone and why do they have to keep bugging me about Arthit? What business was it of theirs anyway? After all, he is my parent's friend's son, so can't they just mind their own business?

"So how much did he steal?" Mike concluded after his slurs on Arthit's intellect and moral character.

"That person didn't take anything." I had enough — more than enough actually. Pushing my chair back with a loud screech, I stood up and began to walk out, unable to endure spending a moment longer in the class. My fists were balled up tightly in my jeans pocket. I was afraid that if I stayed a moment longer, I would lose control of myself and throw something at Mike.

"You're still protecting him!" Jessica's aggrevated accusation rang through the room. I froze for a second. Was that true? Whether it was or not, I only felt scorn for Jessica and whatever she was trying to achieve.

I slowly turned my head and looked directly at her, icy contempt blazing from my eyes. She lowered her head and for the first time, a distressed expression was on her face. I took a deep breath to calm the fury that was rushing through my veins. With a final cold look at Jessica, I left the room.

Strolling along the corridor, I saw something that made me pause in mid-stride. Arthit was sitting on his favorite spot on the hill, looking at the scenery below. For once, his usual bright smile was gone, his shoulders were slumped and his head bowed — the loneliest and dejected figure.

At that moment, I felt a strange sensation overwhelm me — something akin to pity or even concern. Then he startled me when, with absolutely no warning of the pending mood change, he suddenly heaved a deep sigh, stood up and turned. As the large dark brown eyes met mine, the familiar bright idiotic grin lit up his face immediately.

Well, looks like the old Arthit is back, I thought to myself.

Well, if he could smile like that, he should still be fine. As he continued to grin idiotically at me, my irritation rose as usual. Unable to withstand that simpering calf look any longer, I glanced at him coldly before ignoring him and continued on my way, leaving him pouting in disappointment. Yet again...

❤︎

On the way home, I passed by a sports shop. A bright orange basketball caught my eye and I knew it — that's it! I'll buy Daniel another basketball to replace his lost one! What a brainwave, I grinned happily.

However, when I looked at the price of the basketball and turned a bit pale. Geez, it was really expensive. I quickly pulled out my wallet and started counting my money carefully — I barely had enough. This means that I wouldn't have any spare cash until the end of the month i.e. two weeks without spending any money on food or other expenses.

I heaved a sigh of regret, it's simply something that has to be done. Anticipating Daniel's pleasure when he saw the new basketball made my heart feel lighter and I stepped into the shop.

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When I reached home, I saw Daniel playing with his Nintendo set, sitting next to Kongpob who was reading the paper on the couch. Daniel saw me, but coldly ignored me as usual.

I crept up to him with my hands hiding the huge basketball behind my back.

"Daniel!" I called cheerily. He barely glanced in my direction before ignoring me again. "Here, this is for you! I'm...so sorry I lost your basketball." I spoke excitedly and held the basketball in front of him with a big smile.

"I don't want this thing. It can never replace what my brother bought for me," the smile froze on my lips and with a violent shove, he pushed the basketball out of my hands onto the floor where it started bouncing further and further away. I lost my balance and fell on the floor in complete daze.

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Upon hearing the exchange, I looked up from my newspaper and threw Daniel a quick glance as he pushed Arthit roughly onto the floor and stomped upstairs. He stayed on the floor where he fell, staring after Daniel in total shock.

I turned my attention back to the paper as soon as I sensed him looking at me helplessly, silently begging for my help. I didn't want him to know that I had witnessed the incident — somehow, I felt that he would be less embarrassed this way. In fact, I even faked a yawn to indicate my nonchalance.

My eyes, however, were inevitably drawn back to the slight figure. There was something strangely pathetic about the strange despondent look on his usually cheerful face as he stood up slowly and went after the run away ball, stooping as he retrieved it. I swore I saw tears threatening to spill from his big eyes.

I felt a strange pang in my chest.

"Daniel!" Mum shouted at him as she came running out from the kitchen. However, Daniel totally ignored her and walked upstairs, before slamming the bedroom door behind him loudly. She turned to Arthit, "I'm so sorry Arthit. I've really spoilt Daniel, he was so rude to you..."

I glanced at Arthit's face again, hoping that my mum's words have worked their usual magic, and that he would have regained his usual cheerfulness. However, he was still looking very sad and disappointed even though he was faking a huge grin to my mom, I could see that his shoulders were slumped in defeat. Try as I might, I could not help but feel sorry for him — after all that baka had done everything with the best intentions. With his current finances, I know he must have spent more than he could afford on that basketball.

I pressed my lips together in a moment of exasperation, my conscience struggling with irritation. Unfortunately the former won the battle, hence, I folded my paper quietly with a certain reluctance and went upstairs. I felt a pair of doe-like eyes watching me leave with a pathetic expression in their depths.

As I entered my room, I saw a sulky Daniel sitting at my desk. Shaking my head silently, I crouched down so that we were at face level for a man-to-man chat.

"Daniel, how long do you intend to throw this tantrum?" I asked him quietly, noticing that he flinched slightly at my choice of words. "Arthit has already tried his best to look for the basketball, but after looking for it so long, he found the ball all trashed and broken. So he went to buy you a new one and he's trying so hard to make it up to you!" I paused letting it sink in as I ruffled his hair as Daniel's pout deepened.

"Come on, aren't you a big boy?" I could see from his softening expression that he was beginning to see reason in my words and calm down a bit. Satisfied with the results of my pep talk, I grabbed a book and sank onto my bed reading.

In a way I felt responsible for the two. Since my behavior towards Arthit started this feud, I should be the one ending it.

I was walking past the slightly opened door when I heard Kongpob's voice and instinctively stopped to listen. I could hardly believe my ears and tears started to fill my eyes — Kongpob Suthiluck was standing up for me!

I sighed dreamily as a tiny tear crept down my cheek. Just hearing his conversation with Daniel was enough for me to have spent ten times as much on that basketball. I always knew that a compassionate soul existed beneath his cold exterior...

Deep deep, very deep inside, Kongpob Suhtiluck was actually nice.

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I was still thinking about the incident the next morning at school with a dreamy smile on my lips when a huge commotion in the hallway rudely dragged me back to earth. Suddenly the door burst open and revealed Max dragging a struggling Mike into the classroom, before flunging him roughly onto a chair.

My eyes widened as my classmates gathered around him and everyone started blaming and verbally abusing him for wrongfully accusing me for being a thief and getting me into trouble with the teachers. Again I felt hot tears of shame stung my eyes. How wonderful it was to have such marvelous friends who absolutely believed in my integrity and who stick with me through thick and thin.

"But isn't he a thief?" Mike was still insistent, pointing an accusing finger towards me.

"Fine," Max bit out. "There's one person who can clarify the entire situation. Get Kongpob here — he would know if Arthit had stolen anything from his family."

"Kongpob won't step inside F classroom..." Mike started protesting.

"Get Kongpob here!" Max continued to demand menacingly, overdoing the gangster bit as he loomed threateningly over Mike.

I stood up, intending to put a stop to his ridiculous behavior, before a loud voice rendered me still.

"I heard you are looking for me?"

A commanding voice broke calmly into the heated argument and everyone in the classroom froze — a familiar husky voice that I would recognize anywhere.

Glancing up, my eyes widened in shock as I saw Kongpob leaning casually against the classroom door.

0_0

OMG

He was actually here!

My jaw dropped open as he walked slowly into the classroom and looked at Max with a bored expression on his face. Ready to waste my time again, you idiot? His slightly raised left eyebrow spoke volumes and Max took a tentative step back.

"Kongpob, tell everyone the truth," Mike cut in as the cool eyes glanced in my direction.

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I saw the baka looking at me anxiously, as if his entire future was hanging on my next words. Chill man, whatever I say will not make or break him without adequate evidence in a court of law.

Why on earth is he always so dramatic? Making me worried like this...

That baka was actually wringing his hands and biting his lip unconsciously. His bottom lip was already swollen and bruised from all the nervous biting!

I sighed and turned, staring calmly at the brainless fool fuming in front of me. Max, I believe was his name — the one who always hangs around the baka and claims to be Arthit's boyfriend or something.

Pfft.

As if.

"Arthit didn't take anything from my house. He's not intelligent enough to be a thief," I said firmly, tapping a finger against my temple with a sarcastic look at Arthit. "He's just an idiot."

0_0

I could see the baka staring at me wide-eyed and I started to count to 3 in my head. I knew it would take him a few long seconds, before my words would sink in his slow brain.

1...

2...

3—

"Yah! What...what do you mean by that!!??"

As I had intended, he snapped out of his daze and flew at me in annoyance, taking full offence at my words. Well, seeing that flush of anger on his face is far better than the pathetically anxious sad look.

I only smirked at him and his face flushed deeper red. Aww, damn cute.

Anyway, I really have wasted enough of my precious time on such non-intellectually challenging beings.

I threw Arthit one last irate look before I walked out of the classroom (hopefully for the last time) with rapid strides and the students still gushing behind me about the fact that I had really come all the way to F classroom to defend Arthit.

As if...

I wasn't doing it for Arthit. I just needed the rumors to stop, so I could move on with my life calmly.

I was not defending that baka.

...

...

I was not...

❤︎

Even though he had just insulted me in front of all my classmates, I could not prevent a small secret smile creeping up my face.

Behind his harsh words, the fact remains that Kongpob Suthiluck had cared about me enough to come and "rescue" me.

Yet again.

Forever my cool arrogant Prince Charming.

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