Forgotten Past

Chapter 5

Author's Note: thanks for voting, here is the next chapter as promised. Hope you like it. Don't forget to leave a vote.

Chapter 5

I am not sure what I witnessed and why it gutted me so much. My only excuse for the shock and dismay I felt was that I didn't know P'Arthit was with someone. He didn't tell me. I was taken by the surprise at seeing P'Arthit with someone else. The picture never even passed my mind and it was a lot harder to swallow than I cared to admit.

Then what was that about Ariel? Why did he act that way when he already had someone by his side? It was so annoying that I knew P'Arthit had used this to provoke me and yet I couldn't help being provoked. Anyway, there was nothing I could do about his provocation.

Despite coming to that realization I still decided to ignore him, as pay back for how he treated me when I first told him about Ariel. When we were working together I talked only about business, but with the others around it wasn't like I could talk about anything else. It made no difference but I didn't joke or smile like I did before. The feeling was working under the surface to a full blown silent treatment, but I wasn't good at it. Even as I tried to maintain it, I was also suffering.

Puna, P'Arthit's girlfriend all this while, noticed that I wasn't smiling to P'Arthit, to anyone honestly, and asked, "Kongpob, are you feeling okay."

We were done with the meeting and just stepping out of the conference room. I glanced over her shoulder and spotted P'Arthit watching us. When he saw my eyes looking over, he pretended to be deeply in conversation with another work colleague.

I bit the inside of my lip contemplatively and answered Puna, "I'm fine thank you. I guess I am just feeling a little under the weather today. Do you know anywhere a person can go to unwind around here?" she had no idea that I lived my whole life in Bangkok and I was quite familiar with the place.

She smiled and nodded, "I know tons of places..."

"Great, you can take me with you after work today, can't you?" my smile was intentionally charming and I let my eyes go over to P'Arthit casually. He was watching with a very intent gaze.

Puna was reluctant but she was a girl who liked to please. She also wasn't the type of girl I could have imagined P'Arthit dating. She had long straight brown hair, brown eyes looking through thick glasses and freckled skin. I guess she was pretty, but in a conservative sort of way. I wondered what was attractive about her to P'Arthit.

Once I was away from her and in my office, effectually able to focus on work, it didn't take long for P'Arthit to locate me. He came in without knocking and closed the door with strained politeness.

I raised my head just as he said, "What are you doing?"

"Um, working. It's something that we do here," I said as if I was explaining to a brain damaged person.

He got angry fast and walked around the table to pull my chair roughly towards him. "I'm serious, Kongpob. Why did you invite Puna out with you?"

"She is my work colleague, I felt like bonding with her. " He seemed skeptical so I added, "also I want to know what you see in her."

As expected, his nose flared and he glared." are you insane. How is it your business what I see in her?"

"I'm just curious," I said and shrugged, "I didn't know that she was your girlfriend on time otherwise I would have gone and made friends with her."

He had a face full of painful regret and said almost grudgingly. "I don't know what you are planning Kongpob, but don't tell her anything she doesn't need to know."