I calm Rome down and find out where they are. P'Pha's phone was off, Ming's not picking up, I leave them both a messages and get there as fast as I can.
I end up at a small building that has something going on. I call Rome when I'm outside, its P'Maprang that comes to meet me, her hand wrapped in a bandage.
"What the hell's happening p?" I ask her.
She isn't badly hurt but Rome was upset and panicked.
"What's going on? An event?" I ask looking around.
"Yo it's been a nightmare. It's all P'Bright's fault and he's the one to run off when we need help. I can't get a hold of Kong or Forth, Tew, Em, Oak and Wad are out of town, Rome was so sweet to come when I called him ahhhh." She's stressed and angry.
"Calm down p." I try to get her to sit, but she just pulls me to the backstage area where P'May and P'Prae are with Rome. They explain what's happening.
"It's a competition between university clubs Yo, P'Bright made it worse with an argument, and apparently something about some stolen trophy came up as well. There is a dance competition happening and to protect the university honour he agreed to our faculty joining. The professors don't want to look bad so they agreed as well." P'May calmly explains.
"It was fine till we got to the finals. Everyone laughed at us at the beginning, it's a lavish and showy event Yo, so no one thought we could even pass to the finals today. Us being engineering students." P'Maprang's pissed.
"But we did our best and the judges liked us, we got through to the finals today. It's just a few small clubs that participate, its meant to be for fun." P'May continue.
"Yeh but the arts club bitches have been giving us a hard time. They usually always win, there is no finals. But this year more groups entered so they had to split it and we made it with 5 other groups." P'Maprang continues.
"But Yo, the three guys who were helping us still aren't here, it has to be a group of 6 people and weird things have been happening. We thought we were imagining it but it's too coincidental. And May getting sick suddenly, someone might be messing with us." P'Prae sounds worried.
"But why? You said yourself it's just a small competition."
"Some people take school honour very seriously." Rome answers.
"Aren't they from our university?" I ask, different faculty?
"No there from a convent just out of the city, an all-girls boarding school. They never loose Yo and I heard accidently the judges just passed them, by a small margin." P'Prae is saying.
"So P'Bright had a fight with the convent girls?" I ask confused.
"No Yo, the guys from a chess club that are part of their group. Its has to be 3 guys and 3 girls." P'May answers.
Of course. They need somethings, Rome and I offer to go, they look grateful, they're trying to get a hold of the others.
"You think there sabotaging them?" I ask Rome as were walking
"Someone defiantly pushed P'Maprang Yo. I didn't see who but it was deliberate." Rome's worried.
"But what can they do now? How can we help?" I ask.
"I don't know but I called P'Artith, he said to keep an eye open he's coming."
We get the things and wait for P'Artith. Rome came when they called, P'Bee wanted to come but Bas wasn't well. Shit I hope the little guys ok.
P'Artith arrives shortly after. He looks worried as Rome fills him in on what happened. He wants to hurry to the girls, he doesn't want them alone. His actions make me think he knows more and there was reason for concern. He tells us to go in first, he needs to make a call.
We get to the changing room to an argument, 3 girls are standing near our group and heated words are being exchanged.
"Your lot shouldn't even have been allowed to enter. This is meant to be for talent." A tall girl in a lemon dress is saying.
"We didn't get to the finals without it." P'Maprang squaring off, P'May and P'Prae are right behind her.
"Your all hooligans, at a second-rate university to do dirty jobs." Pinkish adds.
"It's called challenging work, we don't scream when we break a nail." P'May, you tell her!
"That's what you hire people for." Lemon says. "Why someone would be in engineering is beyond me."
"I'm sure it's an alien concept for you, it's for people who like to exercise their brain." P'Maprang returns.
"Were in one of the most prestigious boarding schools in the country, you have to be smart to get in." lemon glares.
"Not something your kind would understand." pinkish snicker. "You need breeding and class."
"All your breeding and class didn't teach you manners." P'Maprang's not backing down.
"Enough girls." Shorts, standing in the back steps in. "The truth will be clear once we win."
"Unless we mop the floor with you." P'Prae.....
"I would think before speaking, our club has won 5 years in a row." Short retorts.
"5 years we didn't enter." Really P'Maprang! P'Bright's not the only one causing trouble.
"Just because you got to the finals don't over estimate yourself. Were still your seniors, show respect." Shorts snaps
"I doubt there third-rate university knows the meaning." Lemon ads
What a bitch. I like our university, it's a top ranking one, I have a right mind to go pull her hair!
"Well being in your prestigious one defiantly didn't teach you any either." P'May's getting angry.
They get called by a senior and all start leaving, but Lemon stops near P'Maprang and looks at her hand. "You should be careful, accidents happen."
"Especially when there not accidents." P'Maprang fumes.
I can see sparks, shit. The girl gets yelled for again and walks off.
P'Artith walks in, he doesn't look happy but the girls look relived when they see him.
"Okay p, I know he's a senior and your friend, but can you please put a muzzle on P'Bright?" P'Maprang asks.
"I'm working on it Nong." He sighs
"How did you all got roped into this anyway? Shouldn't it have been 4th years." I ask?
"There all busy with exams, and P'Bright begged P'Artith who asked Kong..." P'Prae starts.
"Who asked us and we foolishly said ok, thinking it would be a little fun." P'May finishes. Her stomach hurts again and runs off.
"I really have a bad feeling guys I really do." P'Prae says following her.
"I'm going to check our things, I'll be right back." P'Maprang walks off.
"Ok you two listen up, I didn't want to say this in front of the girls but it's serious." P'Artith says in a grim tone.
"It always gets competitive when departments compete, but when its different university's it can get underhanded." He's annoyed again.
"Did something happen p?" I ask
"The girls aren't the only ones. One of the guys was pushed down the stairs he broke his arm, and someone threatened the others, they're scared, I talked to them there not coming."
"That's a little far just for a competition p." Rome's asking worried.
"Yes, the arts club wins, they don't have much competition, but this time the scores have been close with us."
"So, they don't like that? Never heard of sportsmanship?" I ask
"It might not be the rival team, it might be someone in the same faculty and they don't know. But I can't let the girls be here alone and Kong was worried about his friends, he realised something was up and called me." He's explains.
"Maybe we should tell the girls p?" Rome's saying.
"I will after this is over, I don't want to scare them."
"So, what's going to happen about the other three people p? they need 6 right?" Rome's asking.
"The three of us are going to have to help." P'Artith says angrily.
I'm sure I'm looking at him with my mouth gaping open. Us? Is he insane? We don't know anything at all. And why wait..
"Why he hell are you so calm P'Artith?" I ask.
"I've actually been looking into this for a few days. We feel responsible since its Bright's big mouth that got them into this mess. My friends are coming."
"I hate dance things p, I'm clumsy and terrible." I whine
"But Yo we sort of know the moves, we could help." Rome's looking at me.
"That's great! We'll make up the 3 members not here. I know a few of the moves."
He's blushing, he's pissed off but blushing it's kind of cute.
"Why do you know the moves?" I finally ask
"We all practiced just in case, I lost the dam bet, none of the others can even sway without falling. It's a faculty thing we can't back out." He looks pissed.
"Where is P'Bright?" I ask
"On a dam date the bastard." P'Artith snaps, then realizes Rome's there. shit.
"Ok so we have to really do this p?" I whine, trying to change the subject, Rome looked ready to cry.
"Yes, and more importantly then that you two." He's serious, then blushes. "Kong can never see this, understand?"
We both nod. I wonder why its bothering him so much, is he that bad at dancing?
The girls are back, they look really upset.
"What's the matter?" We ask.
They show us the outfits, they have been slashed. They are completely unwearable.