Just By Chance

8. We Meet Again

(Freshman year: Beam's POV)

Beam lagged behind Phana and Kit, trying to ignore the conversation. Phana had been going on and on for the entire walk to the canteen about how he didn't want to be the Moon representative for their faculty. He was tired, he was cranky, and he was sick of all the promotion activities they had to do for the competition. Most times all Phana did was stand there anyway and girls would still scream for him and offer to have his babies. Beam felt bad for his friend, but more than anything he just wanted him to shut up.

"You might as well make the most of it, Boss. Complaining like this won't do anything for you." Kit told him.

"But it's all so trivial!" Phana fumed. "These people are only interested in me because of my looks. How can someone represent a faculty on looks alone? It's all so shallow."

"You could always just use this chance to meet more girls." Beam said, trying to lighten the mood but all it did was make Phana's scowl even more fierce.

"I don't want these girls!"

Beam jumped at his outburst. "Sorry..." He said sheepishly.

"You could always use this opportunity to show everyone that you are more than just a pretty face. Show them that you're smart too." Kit chimed in again.

"I don't like all the attention." Phana pouted.

Kit sighed. "Well you gotta get used to it, big guy. You've been getting loads of unwanted attention since we first entered high school. You look like a model. What do you really expect?"

"I expect to be treated like a regular human."

"What an awful thing to say!" Beam shook his head. Kit and Phana turned to look at him. "Think about it from my perspective. I wouldn't say I lack too greatly in the looks department. But whenever you're around, it's like I don't exist anymore. And it's like that with everyone you stand next to. So what are us poor regular humans supposed to do whenever you're around?"

Phana turned away, grumbling under his breath. Kit jabbed an elbow in Beam's side.

"You are not helping." He said through curled lips.

Beam sighed. "Look, I'm sorry A'Pha. Let's just eat. Maybe you'll feel better after you put something in your stomach."

They entered the canteen and immediately grabbed a table. This canteen was near the library and seemed to be the popular one to eat at as it was always the most crowded. But it was expected; this canteen had the most meal options and the best tasting food.

Kit and Phana set their bags down and took a seat.

"Aren't you going to get anything to eat?" Beam asked Phana.

"In a few minutes." Phana said briskly. "You guys go ahead first."

The rest of the walk to the canteen had clearly done nothing to calm him down.

Both Kit and Beam nodded their heads, then went off to go find something to eat.

"I'll meet you back at the table. They have 3 Baht noodles today." Kit said. Beam nodded and Kit walked away. He was in the mood for some pad thai today, and his favorite auntie was here too. She always made his pad thai the way he liked it: not too spicy, and with extra chicken and extra crushed peanuts. Beam saw that there wasn't a line so he quickly made his way over.

"Hey Nong!" The auntie smiled as she saw him approaching.

"Sawatdee, auntie."

"Something different today?"