#SOTUS Continued: Book One A PremWad Tale

On Hold

Wad's POV

"Hey...," I start and get hushed by friends as I sit down at the table. "What is going on?" I whisper to Aim.

"Oak is trying to win a radio contest," Aim tells me. "He is on hold. He has to be the 25th caller to win." Contest? I wonder what the prize is?

"Then why are the others also on the phone?" I ask, opening my bag of chips.

"We all called in," Aim explains, "I was caller eight." Kong puts his phone down.

"I was caller thirteen," Kong tells Oak.

"What is the prize?" I ask Kong. Knowing Oak, it has to be some kind of game.

"Dinner for two at Wang Hinghoi," Jett tells me as he hangs up, "I was caller seventeen."

"Huh?′ I look at Aim confused, "Dinner for two?"

"Maprang's birthday is coming up," Aim smiles, "This restaurant is supposedly crazy romantic. Something about dining with fireflies." Oak hangs up and puts his head down.

"Caller 21," Oak mumbles. "This is hopeless."

"Umm, hello?" Tew answers his phone, and we all turn, "My name? Oak Shinawatra. Yes, sir." Tew grins at Oak, giving him a thumbs up. "Pick up the tickets by 5. Yes, I will bring my ID. Thank you."

"You really won?" Oak jumps up on the bench. "Thank you!!" Oak jumps back down, picking up his backpack before he starts to run off.

"Ai'Oak," Aim calls after him, "Where the hell are you going? We have class in thirty minutes!"

"To pick up the tickets!" Oak shouts back, "Take notes for me!"

"He does realize it is only 8 in the morning," Jett laughs, watching Oak disappear.

"Shit," I say, looking up from my phone, "That place is expensive."

"Really?" Aim asks, pulling on my phone, "Wow! Ai'Tew, you should have kept the tickets and gone out with P'Knott. This place looks nice."

"It is ok," Tew sighs, "Ai'Oak really wanted to do something nice for Maprang, and I wouldn't have even been calling if it wasn't for him. Would you really want me to be that mean?"

Glancing over at Tew, I notice his smile doesn't reach his eyes. He has been doing that a lot recently. Turning, I glance where he is looking and see that he is staring at the hazers and, more specifically, P'Knott. Looking back at him, I finally catch him without his mask on, and I realize why his smiles are fake.

"We should get to class," Kong says, looking at his watch. "Ai'Aim, you get to explain Maprang where her boyfriend disappeared to this morning."

"Me?" Aim squawks, "Why me? I have a date today. I don't want to die."

"You were the one that mentioned the contest," Jett grins. "So by default, you are the reason he is missing."

"Hey, that isn't fair," Aim grouse as we start to walk to class, "I was helping out a friend. I should get points for that. Why am I being sacrificed?"

Tew and I are tagging along behind our friends, watching them argue over who gets to tell Maprang. I am glad it isn't me. I catch Tew's sleeve, making him stop.

"Ai'Wad?" Tew looks at my hand. "What's up?"

"Go ahead," I tell the others when they turn and look at us. "I need to talk to Ai'Tew about something. We will meet up next class."

"Coward!" Aim says, sticking his tongue out at me. "Just tell your boyfriend where you are so he doesn't hunt us down. I only want to die once today. Maprang is going to be bad enough."