Prem & Wad, Part 2, Second Chances

Chapter, 6, Stages

On top of the stack of folders and books was a note.  "P'Knot,  I'm sorry that I can't help you this afternoon,  my lectures were switched today,  the professor is ill.  I promise I will be able to help tomorrow, "  It was signed,  Tat.

Not having the help would mean making two trips,  so Knot grabbed the first stack and hurried to the classroom.  Many of the students were already there and seated,  he apologised and excused himself,  "I'll be right back,  everyone should read over their notes from yesterday,  when I get back,  we'll start.  Rushing out he headed down the hall again,  the second stack even larger than the first,  he was flustered by the time he set them down and turned to the room full of young faces.

At the end of the sixty-minute class,  he asked one of the girls to erase the board for him,  it was the polite thing to do considering the next class was completely unrelated to his own.  More than one person spoke up and asked after Nong'Tat,  Knot could only answer that he was busy and that his lecture times switched.  Others asked about Wad.  A long line of wai's and goodbyes as they filed out of the room,  Knot slumped in the chair feeling like he needed to catch his breath.  The only thing he had on his mind all day was Wad.

Praepalin had told him at lunch the outcome of Monday's envelope.  She had been keeping in touch with Dok and in turn,  she relayed the information to a concerned Knot.  He knew that each envelope was supposed to be a happy thing and instead,  surely,  it was crushing Wad.  A boy he knew to be so fragile in the first place,  "What was this doing to him?"  

With his elbows on the desk and his head resting in his hands,  Knot sat hunched over.  Breathing deeply he tried to slow his heart.  He was helpless in all of it.  An outside observer at best,  he could only sit back and watch as all that was to happen,  happened.

A small warm hand on his shoulder,  he lifted his head to see the smile of young Nong'Tat,  he was a little breathless himself.  Knot thought he must have been running.  "P'Knot,  my class was cancelled,  I can help you after all,  I'm so glad I caught you before you lugged all this stuff yourself. 

Luckily for Knot the tears that were just behind his eyes hadn't started to fall and with some effort,   he managed to return the boys' smile.  "Nong,  really you don't have to rush around like this on my behalf,  It's very nice of you but I don't want you to feel that you have to."

"Aww,  it's ok P'Knot,  I really do want to help,  you're my favourite teach"...  

Tat's stalled mid-word and turned a little pink.  "I mean,  you have no one else right now right?"  The boy was changing the subject and already lifting from the stack on Knot's desk.  "Theatre 21 right?"

Knot stood and looked down on the top of the embarrassed boys' head  "Yes 21"

............................

Knot heard Arthit's great news at lunch.  He told Kongpop that he wouldn't bother Arthit with texts or calls but that he should congratulate Arthit for him.  He made sure to tell Kong that Arthit didn't need to worry about him and just to take care of himself and his new job.  They would speak after he'd had time to adjust to the new position.  

Through all Knot's smiles and kind words,  Kongpop could see the darkness behind.  Kong knew that his wishes for Arthit were sincere but there was no question that Prem's name having come up,  stabbed Knot's heart.  Even though Kong heard him say the words to Wad,  he knew that Knot loved his friend Prem too,  and he was being tortured from two angles.  Behind his impressive size and broad shoulders was a great place to hide all that pain,  it showed only through his eyes.

.............................

The hallways were busy with rush hour traffic as the day students were leaving and many of the night classes were funnelling in. Knot saw Kongpop and Nong'Tat on their way to the final Hazer meeting. The posters were everywhere in the school, it listed the coming years new hazing team and Kong's retiring members. Even from a distance Knot could see that Kongpop was riding on a magic carpet. His clothes still crisp and looking freshly pressed even at the end of the day.  Tat was talking to the taller man,  he struggled to keep up with Kong's long strides,  funny,  Tat looked perfect too.