Arthit's POV
Sitting beside Kongpop as the nurse tends his cuts, I take inventory of his and N'Wad's injuries. Prem is right N'Wad is in better shape than the last time he was attacked. I am assuming we arrived before too much damage could be done. I place my head in my hands as I try not to think about what could have happened if we hadn't. I start when I feel a hand stroking my hair and look up to find Kongpop pulling his hand away. I smile at him. I reach out and put my hand on his knee, squeezing it. He places his hand over mine, and for once, I don't pull away. I need the connection to reassure me he is whole and present.
Knott, Bright, Tutah, and our professor walk into the infirmary. He looks at our two nongs assessing their injuries, his face darkening.
"Do you know who did this?" Professor Thorat turns to Knott and asks.
"It was dark, and they had run away by the time we got close," Knott explains. "We chased after them, but they lost us."
"So you don't know if they attend school here or not." Professor Thorat frowns.
I am looking at Knott. Out of all of us, he does not like to lie. I know this must be hard for him. We don't understand why N'Wad is being attacked, and with the reaction, we got from those nongs we talked to, we don't think telling is a good idea yet. We need to know what they are or who they are being threatened by before we tell.
Just then, a winded N'Tew runs into the infirmary. He looks from his friends to us to the professor before he gives a wai.
"Umm," N'Tew goes to scratch his head but stops, "Sorry, Ai'Kong told me he was here. Since he is not alone... I guess I will go." I notice Kong frown at that.
"Stop," barks Professor Thorat. "I don't want these nongs going to their dorms unaccompanied. Since we have already had an attack."
"I will take N'Tew to his dorm," Knott puts in quickly. We all turn to look at him. I can see Tutah smiling at him. Knott must have realized something was off because he adds, "N'Tew asked me to help him with calculus."
"Ok, N'Tew," Professor Thorat directs, "you will go with N'Knott. Who will take N'Kongpop and N'Wad."
I don't care if I get grief from my friends as I pipe up, "I will take N'Kongpop to his dorm. His dorm is adjacent to mine."
"I will take N'Wad," Prem puts in.
"Ok, that is solved," the professor says, "I will ask around and see if this has happened in other faculties or not." He looks at us, "I will give you a week to finish tonight's lab. You guys might drive me crazy, but you always do the right thing when it comes to being good seniors." He pats Knott's shoulder as he leaves.
"Ai'Arthit. Ai'Prem. Here are your backpacks," Bright hands them to us as he continues, "I thought Professor Thorat would blow a gasket when we came back in the lab, but when we told him why he just ordered us to follow him. I am glad it was to here and not the faculty office."
We all laugh at this. This day started so nicely. I remember that kiss with Kong. But the ending leaves a lot to be desired. Realizing that Kongpop has been covering my hand that is still on his knee, I look at my friends to see if they had noticed before I slowly remove mine and put it in my pocket.
"They can go now," the nurse informs us. "Take something for pain when you get to your dorm."
We all give her a wai as N'Wad and Kongpop stand up from the beds. I grab Kongpop's backpack and throw it over my shoulder.
"We are going to get going," I tell my friends. "Ai'Prem and Ai'Knott message me when you have reached their dorms and yours, so I don't have to worry."
They both nod as Bright whines, "Geez, Ai'Arthit, I am hurt." He wraps an arm around Tutah. "Do you care nothing for us?" Puffing out his bottom lip.
I shove his head as I walk by him, "Fine. Ai'Bright and Ai'Tutah, message me when you get to your dorm. Happy?" I laugh as Kongpop and I walk out of the infirmary.
"Aww... I feel so loved," Tutah calls after us.
Kongpop and I walk out of the building. We walk without talking to the food stall by our dorm. I order our drinks as he orders our food. Kongpop follows me as I lead him to my dorm, not his. Walking in, I drop the backpacks as he places the food on the table. He turns to look at me, and everything I have been feeling today hits me. He quickly crosses the room and wraps his arms around me, and strokes my hair.
"I am fine," he murmurs into my hair. "I am fine, P'Arthit."
"I was so scared, Kong," I mumble into his shoulder, "What if we hadn't come in time? They may have been after N'Wad, but..." I trail off as I wrap my arms around him tighter.
He pulls back to look at my face. "Let's eat. I am hungry, and I need to before I take some medicine." I nod as he places a kiss on my forehead.
He lets go, and I turn and look at the ceiling, taking a deep breath, trying to keep myself from letting the tears that have been threatening fall. I feel his breath against my ear as he tells me once more. "I am fine, P'." I nod and go to the table to set out the food.
"Kong, stay over tonight," I say as I am looking at the food. I get no reply, so I turn to look at him. I have to give myself a mental high five for frying my boyfriend's brain. He is standing there gaping at me, and I watch that smile that makes my heart stop spread across his face. I can feel my face getting warm, so I turn away and smile.
"I would love to stay here," he says, his voice husky, as he walks over and gives me a quick peck on the cheek before he sits down. The look he is giving me tells me I might have just bitten off more than I can chew.
Prem's POV
I can't take my eyes off Wad. I have to make a conscious effort not to go over and wrap my arms around him. In comparison, this time is not as bad as the last. I can still see a split lip and cut in his eyebrow. A bruise is beginning to color around his left eye. It will be a beauty by morning.
The moment we got the message, it felt as if someone had ripped my heart out. I didn't even think. The only thing in this world was Wad and me getting to him. I was so glad my friends felt the same. Running down the hall with them and everyone trying to figure out where Wad could be was comforting. I have been working for so long to keep Wad safe by myself, I had felt like I was drowning before, but now I wasn't doing this alone.
I look over at Arthit and see his hand on Kongpop's knee and watch as Kongpop covers Arthit's hand with his. Even though they started as rough as Wad and I, they have seemed to have begun a good senior-junior relationship. I am happy they won't be at each other throats anymore if I have to be around Wad's friend, and his friends have to be around mine.
At that moment, Knott, Bright, Tutah, and our professor walk into the infirmary. Professor Thorat's face turns dark as he looks over Wad and N'Kongpop.
The professor looks at Knott, asking, "Do you know who did this?"
Knott answers, "It was dark, and they had run away by the time we got close. We chased after them, but they lost us."
"So you don't know if they attend school here or not." Professor Thorat glowers.
I hope he doesn't push Knott. Knott is not one to lie to elders, and this little lie is pushing my friend's limits. We don't know what is going on yet, and we don't want to involve school administrators until we know the complete story, even if it is wrong.
A gasping N'Tew runs through the door and is shocked to see all of us standing there. N'Tew obviously didn't think he would have to be dealing with his hazers and a professor.
He gives us a wai before he says, "Umm... Sorry, Ai'Kong told me he was here. Since he is not alone... I guess I will go."
"Stop. I don't want these nongs going to their dorms unaccompanied. Since we have already had an attack," Professor Thorat tells us.
"I will take N'Tew to his dorm," Knott blurts out. "N'Tew asked me to help him with calculus."
"Ok, N'Tew, you will go with N'KNott." the professor tells him and then asks, "Who will take N'Kongpop and N'Wad."
Arthit volunteers, "I will take N'Kongpop to his dorm. His dorm is adjacent to mine."
"I will take N'Wad," I say, knowing he is coming to my dorm and as if I will let anyone else take him.
"Ok, that is solved. I will ask around and see if this has happened in other faculties or not." Professor Thorat says as he frowns before he gives us a small smile, "I will give you a week to finish tonight's lab. You guys might drive me crazy, but you always do the right thing when it comes to being good seniors." Patting Knott's shoulder before he walks out.
Bright says, "Ai'Arthit. Ai'Prem. Here are your backpacks. I thought Professor Thorat would blow a gasket when we came back in the lab, but when we told him why he just ordered us to follow him. I am glad it was to here and not the faculty office." We all laugh at this.
The nurse comes over and tells us, "They can go now. Take something for pain when you get to your dorm."
N'Wad and Kongpop stand up from the beds, as we wai. Arthit grabs Kongpop's backpack as I grab Wad's.
"We are going to get going," Arthit looks at us. "Ai'Prem and Ai'Knott message me when you have reached their dorms and yours, so I don't have to worry." We both nod in agreement.
"Geez, Ai'Arthit, I am hurt," Bright says as he is giving Arthit a pouty puppy face. Wrapping his arm around Tutah, he adds, "Do you care nothing for us."
"Fine. Ai'Bright and Ai'Tutah, message me when you get to your dorm. Happy?" Arthit playfully shoves Bright's head as he and Kongpop leave.
"Aww... I feel so loved," Tutah yells after them.
I look at Wad, "Let's get going. It is getting late," I say as I turn to my friends, "I will message and thanks, guys."
"Feel better, N'Wad," Tutah says as we walk by them.
Wad follows quietly behind me. I stop when we get to the stairwell and pull him inside.
"P'Prem...," Wad begins before I cut him off with a kiss. He was talking, so I took that opportunity to slip my tongue in and run my tongue along with his. As much as I wanted this to be a soft and tender kiss, it was not. It is demanding and needy. I deepened the kiss pulling him closer as I dropped the backpacks. He opened his mouth more, meeting me with the same intensity. I kiss him like he is the air I need to breathe, and I had been deprived of it. We pull apart, panting. He rests his face in the crook of my neck. I just stand there wrapped around him, finding comfort in the fact that he is whole and present. I was so afraid tonight I would lose him.
"P'Prem," Wad says breathily, "I am ok. I am ok. I am ok." Saying it three times like a prayer.
I look at him and give him a quick kiss on the forehead. "I know. Let's get going. We still need to pack and shift to my dorm tonight." I grab his hand and lead him out of the stairwell after picking up our backpacks.
"Thank you," I hear from behind me.
"Huh?" I ask as I lead him down the hall.
"Thank you for coming," Wad says quietly, "I hoped you would, and you did."
"I will always come. Always," I know Wad can't see my smiling face, so I squeeze his hand. A hand I know I will never let go of. Not. Now. Not. Ever.
Knott's POV
Prem and Arthit have left with their nongs, and I turn to look at the one I claimed before my brain was functioning properly. When a frantic N'Tew ran in, all I could focus on was his face as he took in the scene and tried to catch his breath.
I suddenly heard myself say, "I will take N'Tew to his dorm. N'Tew asked me to help him with calculus." I am beginning to think I am losing my mind or losing it when this nong is near me.
Bright begins to say something when Tutah grabs him, "Let's go, Ai'Bright. You need to make sure I get home safely."
"Hey, what about me," Bright demands, "I am too special to be kidnapped."
"Special is the word," Tutah laughs as he and Bright leave.
I can hear them bickering as they go down the hall. I smile, listening to them.
"P'Knott, you don't have...," N'Tew begins, but I cut him off.
"You heard Professor Thorat," I huff as I turn back to him. "Let's go."
Walking out of the building, I go to turn only to realize I don't know where N'Tew lives. I am still trying to figure out how I ended up with N'Tew, but I promised to get him to his dorm.
"Which way?′ I ask.
"This way," he points to the right. We walk on without talking.
"I lied," I hear him quietly say.
"What?" I stop and look at him. "You lied? Lied about what?
"Ai'Kong hadn't messaged me," N'Tew tells me. "You called. I was worried."
"Yes, I called," I explain. "We were worried about N'Kongpop and N'Wad. They were not picking up our calls. We needed to find them." Why does he look disappointed?
"Oh," he hums as he starts walking again.
We go around a corner, and I can't help myself, "How did you figure out we were in the infirmary?"
"I followed you," he states.
"Followed us?" I am beginning to worry myself. "From when? Were you there? Did they try to attack you?" I stop. Pulling him under a street light, I begin checking him to see if he was hurt.
"P'Knott," he grabs my hand. "I saw you, P'Bright, and P'Tutah go into the building. I followed you to the lab, but I hadn't got there when I saw you leave with Professor Thorat. It just took me a bit to catch up."
Realizing I had basically just felt him up as I checked him, I can feel that I am blushing. Why can't I keep my hands to myself when it comes to this nong. I am never this touchy.
"Come on, it is late," I rub the back of my neck and motion to N'Tew to lead the way.
After a couple of blocks, he stops in front of a dorm. I look up and am shocked. N'Tew stays here. Here. It has to be a joke. It has to be.
"You stay here?" I ask, still looking at the dorm.
"Yes," he says. "Even though it normally doesn't house first years, I was allowed to stay here since it was the only dorm with an available room when I applied. It helped when I had to get signatures of seniors."
N'Tew stays here. Here.
"Oh, P'Knott, since Ai'Kong probably won't be able to tutor me," N'Tew looks at me. "Do you think you can?"
I nod.
"Great! I will message you tomorrow," he smiles. "Thanks for walking me to my dorm. I hope it wasn't too far from yours."
"OK. Your welcome," I am on autopilot answers. "It was fine. It wasn't out of my way. Good night."
"Night, P'Knott," N'Tew waves as he walks into the dorm.
Oh, this is not good. Not good at all. This is my dorm. THIS. IS. MY. DORM.
2808 4-3-19