[FBL] Friendship. To Benefits. To Love.

Chapter 14

"No, nonononono, noooo!" When he grabs the doorknob, he finds the door of the classroom locked. He twist it a few times and he hears someone unlocking it. Thank God.

"Mr. Thitipoom." His professor says.

"Sir, I'm sorry. I..." New tries but he's cut off again.

"You are late and I don't tolerate that under any circumstance. Come again next time." And he closes the door again, locking it.

He doesn't even know how he gets outside and to the bench without collapsing on the way. He's in a state of shock from everything that's happened that he doesn't hear someone calling his name or approaching him.

Tay was coming out from a class when he saw him. 

He looked so lost and scared and not really aware of anything. He just kept walking and almost tripping over something, but he didn't even seem to notice it.

Tay followed him through the university campus not really thinking about it. New looked like he needed help and since no one else was around, Tay couldn't stand leaving him to himself in this state.

"New! New!" He tries calling his name but he doesn't get a response.

He sees him dropping his bag on the bench and sitting on the other edge of it. Tay sprints over to him. He seems to be crying, but Tay's not sure. He tries again: 

"New?" Again, like he didn't hear it. Tay lifts his hand and tenderly touches his shoulder.

New turns around and Tay is met with a completely broken angel. His stomach makes a hundred flips from the mere sight, but in a bad way.

He thinks he's about to choke on his tears he didn't even notice when he feels a warm hand touch his shoulder. He snaps from his state of shock and turns around to find a pair of brown eyes looking at him with worry.

"New? What's wrong?" Tay says softly and New jumps from his touch like Tay's hand burned a hole in his skin.

"Nothing." He says briefly and grabs his bag to try and flee, but Tay takes his wrist when it was about to touch the bag. New tries to pull out his hand from his grip, but Tay doesn't let go.

"I said it's nothing, leave me alone! I have enough trouble and I don't need to add you to it, okay?!" New shouts.

There's a long pause.

"Sit down." Tay says so firmly that New basically melts down to the bench. Tay comes to crouch in front of him letting go of his hand which New immediately brings to his head. He can't contain tears this time.

"Tell me." Tay says firmly. New considers not saying anything, but Tay puts his hands on his knees and he just breaks.

"My sister, she's missing. They can't find her anywhere. Last night, when I left the house, she was crying and wanted me to stay. I had to come here and she packed her stuff, left a note saying that she's coming to Bangkok to live with me. She left and they can't find her. My mom's not feeling well."

New gulps and Tay starts caressing his knees to give him a sign to go on. "Gun and Off.."

New looks up sharply at Tay because he just told him something about his best friend that he doesn't even know but finds Tay nodding.

"I know about Off. He's my best friend. Go on." New sighs and goes on.

"They fought hard this morning and Gun's an idiot and he's in love with him but he fucked it up. They broke off... whatever that was. I was late on the most important test because of all of this and I'll be having problems because of it all and I just wish that Arm was here because I think like I'm losing it, and he would make it better. I ... I ca..."

He stops abruptly when he finds himself enveloped in a hug. Tay's got his arms around him in a tight hug and he's got his lips pressed on the top of his head. New stops breathing for a moment and he feels Tay tense.

What Tay made him feel and all the things they've been through should make him run away and shout, but he thinks he hasn't ever felt this safe with anyone. Not this way, so he sighs and breaths out harshly in Tay's neck. Tay's muscles relax and his lips find New's ear.

"You need to calm down, okay? If you don't breathe and calm yourself, you won't be able to help with anything, yeah?" He whispers and New manages to nod.

"Look, Gun and Off are gonna be fine. Off loves him as much as Gun loves him and they're gonna make up, it's just a bad day and they need to talk. You'll talk with your professor and sort it out. He'll let you do the test on time, okay? I promise. And your mom will be fine as soon as they find your sister, got it?"

New does. He lets out the breath he's been holding all while Tay was talking.

New's phone goes off in that moment and New panics again. What if it's bad news? He's so still and almost forgets to answer, but Tay picks up the phone and answers before he can react.

"Gun, um... I'm a friend of New's, he's okay, yes." Tay pauses and a smile spreads across his lips. "I will, okay. Bye."

He looks at New and smiles at him the most beautiful smile New's ever seen.

"Gun told me to tell you that your dad called and said that they found a little Thitipoom midget hiding in a neighbor's tree house, sleeping in her brother's baby blanket and holding a paper with his address in her hands, completely fine and on her way home right now." He chuckled and New thought he was going to faint.

He leaned forward on his hands to breath and soon there was a forehead pressed to his. He opened his eyes to see Tay looking back at him.

"You okay, now?" He asked with his voice all choked up.

"Yeah. Now I am." New smiled at him and Tay kneeled in front of him.

They were so close now. Both Tay and he were unable to move for a second as Tay's eyes fell to his lips and he spoke. "I'm glad you are." He closed his eyes. "I know I'm the last person in the world you want to be with right now, but when I saw you in that state, I had to try and help. I should find a way to show you that I'm not as much of a monster as you think and..."

New interrupts him shaking his head and their noses brush. "You aren't, I just..."

"I am, though and don't fool yourself.'' He looks up at New. "I just need you to know that I'm sorry for what I said. I really wish you could forgive me."

He looks at New's lips again and when New thinks that this is it and he's finally going to kiss him, Tay gets up suddenly and New too.

"I have to go, I've got some stuff to do." Tay lies. He goes to leave but New calls his name.

"Tay?"

He stops and turns around a little to see New taking his bag and walking right past him with a smile.

"Thank you."

With that he leaves Tay with a smile of his own and a blush staining his cheeks.