“You know you didn’t.”
“I’ll look tomorrow. Hey, I’ve got to go. Pah’s calling me.”
“Okay. Talk to you later.”
I disconnect and settle back under the covers with Fuzzy.
Chapter Ten: Sud
Our theater arts professor showed the videos that made top marks to the entire theater arts group. I sat in the auditorium with Bekki, Koman, and Save, all of us puffed up with pride because ours was included. It was bizarre watching Noi and me onscreen. Of course, I’ve seen the video before, but not on a big screen in a university auditorium with a large audience of my peers. Seeing us portraying two people in a romantic relationship was like looking into a parallel universe. There was a big whoop around the room when Noi’s character confessed to mine. I may have blushed a little.
A couple of weeks pass in the new term. The Best Boys website constantly posts photos of me and Noi taken when we eat lunch or walk somewhere together. People say we have chemistry, and they’re shipping us hard, especially since word got around about the video we did together for my class. Noi has blushed more in the last few weeks than he’s ever done in his life. When a group from my class approached him the other day when we wereeating lunch and complimented his performance in our video, his face turned the color of red dragon fruit. After they left, Noi looked at me with accusing eyes, and I admitted to him that our professor had played the videos in the auditorium, something I was hoping he wouldn’t find out. I had to buy him a bubble tea and dessert before he would forgive me, even though it wasn’t my fault.
Noi’s posts a few pictures on Instagram of him and his new friend when they were in Nakhon Pathom. They get a lot of attention, and a few people tag me like I’m going to get mad about it or something.
Fortunately, I don’t have football practice this term, as the season is over. Noi comes to my place at least once a week to tutor me in math, my worst subject and his best. As a theater arts major, I’m only required to take mathematics for the arts, which deals in things like symmetry and proportion, but I still find it difficult.
On a Friday after a long afternoon tutoring session during which Noi takes my phone away, turns it off, and pockets it so I’ll concentrate, I finish my last practice problem and close my math book. Stretching, I watch Noi gather the mess of papers we’ve been working on for the past several hours. I notice he’s gained some muscle definition since he started running track recently. He looks really good in the light blue shirt and jeans he’s wearing.
The doorbell rings, and he races to get it, coming back with the fried chicken I ordered.
“Why are you staring at me?” he asks, unloading the takeout at the bar that separates the living room from the kitchen.
“I was just thinking you’re looking fit.” I grin and poke his stomach. “Are thoseabs? Let me see!“ I make a grab for his shirt, but he dodges me, blushing hard. I realize that’s been happeninga lot lately when I tease him. Ever since we filmed the scene, in fact.
I settle back on the bar stool and pick up a drumstick, my stomach growling. I haven’t eaten all day, and I’m starving.
Someone knocks loudly on the door just as I sink my teeth into the chicken. I look at Noi, but he just says, “Your turn,” through his bite of chicken.
Groaning, I wipe the grease off my hands and go to answer it.
Koman plows past me.
“What the fuck, Sud? Where have you been all day? I haven’t been able to get a hold of you. Did you lose your phone?”
I go back to my stool and pick up my drumstick again.
“Hi, Koman, want some chicken?” Noi asks.
“Sud?” Koman says, standing over me while I’m trying to eat.
“Noi turned my phone off and took it away,” I say around another big bite.
“He wouldn’t concentrate on his math!” Noi defended when Koman glares at him before turning back to me.
“And you didn’t come to class! Why today, of all days?”
“What’s so special about today?” I ask.
“It’s only the day Khun Khaewthong was looking for you because she got a call from Rainbow TV wanting you and Noi to audition tomorrow!” Koman shouts. “I told her I’d give you the news, but I didn’t think I’d be trying to get a hold of you all day. I just got out of my last class, and I came right over here.”
I stare at him, the chicken leg falling to my plate. “You’re not lying to me, are you? Because that’s not funny.”
Now that he delivered the news, Koman collapses onto an empty stool and reaches for the box of fried chicken.
“No, mung, I wouldn’t do that. I know how much you want this. I swear on my relationship with my girl, if I’m lying to you, may she find someone else and leave me in the dust. I’m telling you, they want you and Noi for an audition tomorrow at noon.”
“Tomorrow at noon?” I look at Noi, who has also stopped eating and is staring at me with wide eyes.