Prem's POV
I have walked around the hospital several times, trying to settle my feelings, but I can't. The moment I stopped thinking, I found myself back outside his hospital room. Stupid feet! Stupid heart! N'Wad already rejected me. Why am I back here?
I slide open the door and see N'Kongpop helping N'Wad stand up. When N'Wad looks up, he sees me.
"P'Prem," N'Wad says quietly.
N'Kongpop looks at me and back at N'Wad before he puts N'Wad's things back down on the bed and excuses himself. He is leaving N'Wad and me once again alone in this room. Now what? I am back, but what do I do? Beg him to give me a chance? Try to salvage a normal senior-junior relationship? What?
"P'Prem?" N'Wad calls, "P'Prem? Prem!"
I snap my head up and look at him. Say something to N'wad, you effing idiot. That is why you came back. Isn't it?
"I like you, P'Prem," Wad blurts out.
I blink. Blink again. Tilting my head, I blink again. I think this is what it means to be broken. Did N'Wad say what I think he said? No way.
"P'Prem, I like you." N'Wad repeats. "And we are back to blinking. Guess I broke him." N'Wad sighs. He tries to run his hand through his hair but stops and stares at his bandaged hand and frowns.
A nurse walks into the room, "Oh, I thought you had left. Did the other boy go to get your medicine filled? Remember you need to come back in two weeks to get those stitches removed." she says before she leaves again.
The interruption seems to have restarted my brain. N'Wad said he liked me. Not once, but twice.
"You like me? But you said I'm sorry," I ask, rubbing the back of my neck, trying to process what N'Wad said. "If you like me, why are you sorry? Are you sorry that you like me? I don't understand."
"You left before I could finish. I am sorry because I hurt you. I thought if I just avoided it... It would... I don't know... Something" N'Wad rambles. "I thought it was just me. I didn't think... I mean... You... Love... Shit! I am just going to stop talking now."
"Do you like me as in like 'like' me?" I want to be sure.
"This would have been easier if you had just explained the gears to me," N'Wad huffs. "If I had known they had that meaning, I wouldn't have freaked out when I realized I liked you more than a senior."
How do I explain I was afraid that he would hate me? I notice N'Wad is beginning to rub his arm. I bet the pain medicine is wearing off. I should get him home.
"Let's go home. I am sure you are tired and in pain." I say as I grab N'Wad's things from the bed and help him stand. "And just so we are clear, I love you."
Wad's head snaps up to look at me, and I smile at him. I notice his breath hitch and hear him mumble, "The rarest of things."
"Did you say something?" I ask.
"Your smile," N'Wad says. "It is the rarest of things." N'Wad smiles back at me with flushed cheeks.
He might think my smile is rare, but his face right now is really the rarest of things and breathtaking.
Arthit's POV
I am going to kill Prem. That is all there is to it. I have chased him around the damn hospital and still haven't caught up to him. I look up at the changing numbers waiting for the floor I need to come up. Why is this elevator so damn slow? Finally.
I step out of the elevator and plow into someone. They grab my arm, pulling me down with them. Fvck! I catch myself before I completely flatten the person. I swear I must have offended some Gods for my evening to be such a disaster. Opening my eyes, I freeze. I find myself nose to nose with Kongpop. Of all the people I could have collided with it, why does it have to be him? My brain tells me to get up, but my body seems to be rooted to the spot. My heart is another story. It feels like I am running a marathon sitting still. What is with me when it comes to this nong?
"Ummm, P'Arthit," Kongpop mumbles, "Can you...Are you OK?"
Kongpop's words jolt through me and break whatever spell there was on me. I clamber up and away from Kongpop as quickly as I can. Seriously could my day get any worse? Maybe I should go find that temple tonight before the Gods answer that question for me.
"Sorry, 0062," I offer, "I didn't see you there. I was looking for Ai'Prem." Kongpop frowned the moment I called him 0062. Why did I go back to his student code just now?
Kongpop looks at me, "P'Prem is in with Ai'Wad." He shakes his head before he goes and pushes the button to call the elevator.
Running my hand through my hair, I scold myself. I shouldn't be treating Kongpop like this. I turn and look at him and find him staring at me. No, not at me, but my hair. I try to smooth it out, as I think. I tug on my bottom lip, trying to decide if I should still find Prem or leave him alone with his nong. I am looking back down the hall, and I see both of the people in question coming this way.
"Shit!" I growl, grabbing Kongpop pulling him into the stairwell by the elevator with me. I push Kongpop against the door and cover his mouth when he starts to say something. Looking through the window in the door, I see Prem and N'Wad arrive in front of the elevator.
"P', umm," Kongpop mumbles against my hand and begins to push me away. I press him harder against the door and shush him.
Outside of the stairwell, there is a bing announcing the elevator's arrival, and I watch as my friend and his nong get on the elevator. I relax against the door and sigh. When I open my eyes, I am once again way too close to Kongpop. I react by shoving him away from me and watch as his head bounces off the door.
"What the hell!" Kongpop hisses as he rubs the back of his head, glaring at me. "What is your problem?" Kongpop snaps and waits for me to say something.
I open and close my mouth like a fish trying to think what to say. When I don't say anything, Kongpop brushes past me and runs down the stairs, leaving me alone in the dimly lit stairwell.
I sag against the closed door before I slide down to the floor. Pulling up my knees and resting my head on them. "I am sorry, Kong," I say to no one. "I'm sorry."
This evening, no, this week has been too much for me. I don't know what to do anymore. Someone, please tell me.
1197 6-30-19 Rewrite
989 3-10-19 Original