#SOTUS Continued: Book One A PremWad Tale

Can't Shake The Feeling

Prem's POV

I am waiting for Arthit and Knott to come to the private study room. The librarian was hesitant to let me have it since I hadn't reserved it earlier, but she remembered me from the other night and asked if it had to do with that. I just nodded. In a way, it does. It has to do with Wad.

Arthit and Knott walk in and lock the door behind them. I notice them giving each other questioning glances but don't say anything as they sit down. Instead of listening to my lecture this morning, I spent my time planning what and how I would explain this to my friends. I know I need help. I hate asking for help, but this is about Wad and not about me.

"What is this about?" Arthit questions after he takes a seat at the table. "Why did we have to lose Ai'Bright and Ai'Tutah?"

"Because you are the two who know about N'Wad and me," I answer. "It is hard enough to ask for help, much less explain N'Wad and me to those two."

I watch as Arthit looks at Knott and mouths, "You know?" and Knott shakes his head.

"You said you need help?" Knott asks. "What kind of help?"

I run my hands through my hair before I start, "Don't ask questions until I finish, ok? Once I start, just listen." Both nod at me.

"You know N'Wad has issues with seniors, which is why he hated SOTUS and me at the beginning. I found out why he hates seniors, and it is bad. He was bullied in high school pretty intensely by a guy named P'Dean and his crew. It started as typical bullying, but one time... one time, it was bad... unbelievably bad. P'Dean attacked him on his own without his little crew. You would think it would have been better just one on one, but this was insanely harsh. N'Wad had to finish the year out at home instead of at school because it was that bad."

"This P'Dean was his senior at school," I explain. "But he wasn't just any senior. N'Wad's dad left his mom and married this P'Dean's mom, so he is N'Wad's stepbrother." Arthit starts to say something, and I hold up a hand.

"I know," I stop him and take a breath before I go on. "We ran into P'Dean the day I took him for his stitches. N'Wad said it was the first time he had seen him since the time P'Dean had attacked him. Just hearing his voice, N'Wad flinched. Just his voice. The guy was a total ass to N'Wad and me to the point we left the restaurant. Even as we were leaving, that bastard was taunting N'Wad. I have never wanted actually to kill someone, but that day I was close."

I am getting worked up and put my head down to calm myself before I continue. I know Wad would be upset knowing I am telling people about his past, but I can't protect him by myself.

"Since that night," I continue raising my head to look at them, "I have been sleeping over at N'Wad's. It wasn't my plan at first, but after the wedding, I confronted him about this guy, which is when he told me everything. I stayed that night. I found out N'Wad has nightmares. I don't know if it was because we ran into that guy or if he always has them. They are not just simple nightmares but horrible nightmares. I can't let him have them alone, so I stayed." Now I am getting to the reason I need help. I am pretty sure they will help.

"This morning, I went down to the food stall by N'Wad's dorm. That P'Dean guy was there. He was in university uniform, but I couldn't see his tie, and I was afraid to try. I didn't want him to see me and realize N'Wad might be around there. I have decided N'Wad will be staying over at my dorm from now on. At least until I settle with this P'Dean guy. When N'Wad asked why I just told him I had run into one of the guys who beat him up." I am getting agitated again.

"I don't know what to do. I don't know if I can protect N'Wad," I gulp. "And that scares me."

"Does N'Wad remember his nightmares?" Arthit asks.