"I can't believe that our last class is clean-up duty," New said to himself. He is soaking wet from his sweat. His face was red because of the sun and he is hating it even more because of that. He doesn't know why he should be included in this clean-up for the upcoming festival tomorrow when he already insists on coming. He would rather spend his time in his room facing the four walls than get surrounded they his schoolmates.
The garden area was assigned to all of the first-year seniors. Of course, that made New Furious mad, but it's better than having their last subject. He knows how much that subject teacher despite him and New didn't waste any chance to let the teacher know that he feels the same.
As was mentioned, they were assigned to clean up because there will be an upcoming festival at their school. The school invited some schools from Bangkok, that's why they are preparing for it. This is the way to promote their school and welcome more donations.
Of course, New was alone since he refuse to tag along with his classmates. He was minding his own business when he heard a couple of students talking. He wasn't looking at them but he is surely listening to every word they are saying.
"Isn't that Off Jumpol?" The white skin boy heard the girls talking while swiping the leaves that fell to the ground.
"Yup, doesn't he look cool?" The other girl said, giggling in her skirt.
"He's becoming popular these past few years, don't you think? he's looking fine,"
This time, he stopped and turned his head in the direction where the girls were looking. It's indeed Off. He is playing basketball with his classmates, not far from them. He's wearing a plain white t-shirt that complements his skin and his height, which most girls find ideal. This is the first time he stared this long Off and made him realize something.
"He's handsome," New murmured.
Off would finally shoot the ball and brush off his hair as he turned his eyes toward New, who was busy watching him play but the younger didn't flinch a bit. He is shamelessly showing that he is indeed watching the older boy playing basketball. Off chuckled, waved, and smiled at him. New did the same thing, but he didn't smile. He can't afford to smile in this kind of weather. He's not in the mood but he wasn't that bad not to wave back at him. Off's gaze shifted slightly behind New, and he resumed his game.
"What are you looking at?"
"Off Jumpol," New answered dryly, and turned his head "What are you doing here?" He asked
"Well, I don't have anything to do. They already have enough people to cover up the things we need to do," Tay answered. He's wearing a plain white shirt, too. The tanned boy went to the basketball court and leaned against the chain-link fence. "Ooh woo, I want to play basketball too," Tay said he was sulking about Off not inviting him to play but the taller just smirked at him.
"Yeah, that bastard is playing basketball while girls in our class keep bothering me to do this and that," Out of nowhere, Arm appeared and put his hand on Tay's shoulder watching their friend playing. He then noticed that younger boy behind him, "Hi, good afternoon, New!" flashing his stupid-looking smile at the younger man again.
But he didn't greet him back and roast him instead, "How many times have I told you not to smile like that?"
Arm pouted. "What's wrong with my smile? I think I look cute. If you tell me exactly what's wrong with the way I smile, maybe I'll hit on you—oh!" He groaned after Tay hit him on his stomach.
"Stop bothering him. He's cleaning, can't you see?" Tay said.
"Try to ask Off how to smile," New said. The two shift their gaze at Off. "He had the best smile among you." He added.
Arm nodded and removed his arm from Tay's. "I guess Off is becoming popular as most of the girls said here in school."
"Off becoming popular?" Tay was confused. "How though? Was it because of his smile?"
"Oho Mr. Vihokratana is looking interested. Want to become popular also?" Arm teased him. Tay seems bothered by the fact that Off is getting recognition, he is a bit jealous. "What about asking someone who's also popular here at school?"
"Who?" Tay asked. With his lips, Arm pointed at New who continued doing his task. "He is?" Tay asked again.
"Shut up before I spank you with this." New threats Arm without even looking. Arm hides behind Tay but continues to talk.
"Of course he is! How could you have missed it?" Arm whispered. "He's not friendly, but look at him, Tay. He's so cute! I'm tempted to pinch his cheeks!" He added.
Tay will not deny that New is really good-looking. White milky skin, soft hair, a high-bridge nose, and full lips. Especially when he smiles, which Tay considers the younger man's most attractive facial feature. Girls and boys tried to approach him and talk to him, but they were unsuccessful because New would disappear before they could speak, or worse, New would ask them to leave and not talk to him.
Even so, many students still want to approach him.
"What are you guys doing?" Off asked. Tay immediately welcomed Off by kicking him in the knees.
"Why did you not invite us?!" Tay shouted.
"I thought you were busy." Off answered, still groaning. He wasn't lying, he asked Mild earlier and was told that both of his friends are busy. Only Off can go since he claimed to have basketball practice. "I need to take a shower first, aren't you coming?"
"Coming shower with you? No, thank you." Arm said.
Off snap his head. "Of course not in the shower. What I mean is the party later in our class."
Tay and Arm looked at each other. They didn't know that news. "Party?"
"Yeah, Mild told me about it, it's for our year. So are you coming?" Both parties agreed. Who would refuse the party? "What about you, New?" Off asked but didn't get a response since Tay spoke once again.
"Wait, isn't this our year's party? Why are you inviting New?" Tay asked.
"Come on, Mild is the one who arranged it. It's fine!" Off stated confidently, though he was not certain. All he knows is the notice of how the two became a lot closer than usual, so Mild will definitely let New come if he agrees. "It would be nice having you there." He added and smiled at him.
"Just go with us, I'll take care of the rest." a woman with a ton of papers in her hands said. "What do you say?" Mild added, waiting for New's response. The four of them were waiting on his response, but New wasn't sure about it. He wants to, but he's afraid that he will just go home before the party can start. He hates being surrounded by people he doesn't know.
"Let's see, I guess," New answered.
"That's better than a no, right?" Tay said. He knows they won't be able to get a proper yes from New.
♡
"What's this party for?" Mild was asked by Arm. They are on their way to the classroom while carrying some snacks and drinks with them.
"This is our last year here, so I thought that we should party before we go our ways," Mild answered.
"Then why am I even here?" New asked when he heard the purpose of this party. It wasn't his last year.
"For you to practice your social skills," Mild answered. They got closer after they went to the mall with Tay. They figured out that they are not so bad and that it is better to be friends with each other. As New said, they are not each other's competitors. "I know you also want to hang out with us." She added.
"Yeah, dream on," New said and rolled his eyes.
"One of the reasons is that someone wants you to come," Mild said trying to see the younger's reaction but she gets nothing. He wasn't interested at all but unlike New, Tay frowned and ask Mild who wants New to come.
"Calm down, Tay. No one will snatch your little brother." Arm said as he know sometime Tay can be a little possessive towards New but an idiot to think it because Tay saw the younger as his sibling.
"Little brother?" Off asked.
Arm nodded. "They are not biological brothers, but they treat each other like real brothers, don't you agree?" Mild and Off both shook their heads at the same time. Not agreeing with Arm because they are not that dense to know to notice the difference in treating a little brother to others. "What? I swear students here ask me every time if Tay and New are cousins or siblings." He added.
"You don't get it, bro. They just want to confirm something." Off said hoping that his friend while coming to light without that sentence alone but based on his reaction he wasn't.
"Confirm what?" Tay asked this time. They are the only ones who are perplexed among them. Of course, they didn't answer them. They opened the door and saw 20 students inside. The window was closed with the curtains, and the light was off. Only LED lights were activated.
"When did you prepare all of this?" Arm seems amused by the preparation of the room. This is fully decorated as if they are really at the party. "No way! A chocolate fountain!" He yelled after seeing the chocolate fountain on the table. Mew, their school president, immediately punches Arm for being too loud.
"Where did that come from?" Mild asked. She was here earlier, and there was no chocolate fountain before she left.
"Well, somebody here wants to impress our guest," Aye said, crossing her arm to her chest. "Not that I'm complaining, though." She added and dripped the strawberry into the chocolate fountain.
"Earth, you are a man!" Arm said even though Aye didn't mention any names. "For that, you can borrow our New—" he was cut off by Tay. It was known around the school, aside from Tay, that Earth likes New but he doesn't dare to take action since the younger keep rejecting everyone.
"No." The tanned boy said. "Hin don't want that." He added. He took a glance at New, who doesn't show any expression, but New likes sweets. Especially, chocolate.
"Who said I don't?" New said with a smirk. "I love chocolates." He went to the tables where the chocolate fountain is. That's also where Earth went to speak with New. Tay was stunned. He hadn't expected that he would immediately join the crowd. He just remembers how New wanted to go home as soon as they stepped into the mall and when Mild asked him to help with her mother's gift.
The party started, and there is a sound that is loud enough for everyone to hear. New is the only one who's younger here but he gets along pretty well... only with Earth. He is still the introverted, anti-social kid who doesn't like people talking to him. He keeps ignoring other people aside from his friends and Earth. He'd have thought of using the 60-second game to ask New to go home right now, though he was not mean to do that, but the sight he was seeing is tempting him to do so. This time, he wanted to be mean, just to this day but he can't seems to do it. He was afraid that the younger might get mad at him.
"Why are you sulking here?" Mild asked when he noticed that Tay wasn't talking to anyone. He was just sitting in the corner, staring at New, to be specific. "Let him be." She added.
"I don't get it! How can he ignore me like that? It's like I'm not even existing here." Tay said. Technically, the younger wasn't ignoring him. New was just occupied by Earth, that's it.
"Are you perhaps afraid?" Mild asked. "That New won't be like he used to be with you?" She continues
"I mean, maybe afraid is not the right word.."
"What? Jealous?"
"No! Why would I be? What I mean is... like this, you are my friends, and you check on me from time to time, right?" Tay tries to explain to Mild what he was referring to. Justifies what he's feeling right now.
"Tay, you know I like you, right?" Mild said it straight without a second thought. The other is one left hanging. He couldn't say anything to her. "I know you know it, and I really had a great time liking you for all those years, but I have given up now." She added.
"I-I, I'm sorry—"
She smiled. "You don't have to. Today, I realized something, and I hope..." Mild stopped for a moment and stole a glance at New. "You too." The tanned boy was about to speak when they were interrupted by their classmates.
"What are you two doing there? Get your asses here and let's play a game!" Aye yelled. Mild didn't give him a chance to speak and pulled him in to play the game. It's a game that we've all played. A party won't be a party without this game.
Spin the bottle.
"Let's spice this game up, okay? Whoever picks the bottle will choose between truth or dare, but if they can't do what they are asked for, they will hide in that locker for 3 minutes." Aye pointed to the locker where the brooms and mop heads are stored. It's small but tall enough for a person. Everyone agrees with it, it's not a big deal to hide in the locker for 3 minutes. "I didn't say I was finished. You will go inside that locker with someone." Aye grinned while saying the game's instructions. She seems to like her idea. Some of them disagreed this time, but they couldn't do anything because Aye would pull out her machine mouth on them. It's like they invited a mom to a teenager's party.
"We could choose, right?" Off asked.
"No! What the heck with that? Of course not! The bottle will pick your destiny." Aye answered. Tay raised his hand before Aye could spin the bottle. "What now, Tawan?"
"What about New?"
"What about him?"
"He's 14."
"So what? Aren't we all underage here? It's not like we use drugs and alcohol here." Aye said. Arm fake his cough after hearing the alcohol. Arm felt awkward since he brought a bottle of liquor with him. He's planning to drink it, but now that they've mentioned it, it might postpone his plan.
"Just let New do what he wants to do," Earth said. Tay's fist clenched at the sound of Earth's voice. He was about to argue with him, but he was cut off when New spoke up.
"Tay, it's fine," New said. "I'm not your brother." He added.
It bothers him that New looks like having a good time with Earth and one thing that made him even more mad, he didn't call him Te.