Forth sat in his class staring out the window. His notebook page was completely blank and he had no idea what his professor was talking about at the front of the classroom. He and Beam had eaten lunch together the day before and Forth just couldn't stop thinking about it. He couldn't stop thinking about how much closer he felt to Beam and how his desire of wanting to see him was increasing more and more.
He pulled out his phone to check it. No messages from Beam.
He wanted to go to lunch with him again but Beam had a full day of classes and skipped lunch for today. Even though it hadn't been that long, Forth had become familiar with Beam's class schedule; so he knew that today Beam would have a twenty-minute break between his afternoon classes. If Forth could get over to the school of medicine quickly enough, he thought that maybe he could catch him before his next class.
Forth honestly didn't know why he was so eager to see Beam again. He saw him yesterday, and it's not like they didn't practically live right next door to each other. Only a few rooms away from each other, Forth could honestly see Beam whenever he wanted.
"Alright, class. That's it for today. I'll be posting the powerpoint online..." Forth didn't stick around to hear the rest. He was out the door before anyone else could even close their notebooks properly.
Lek and Oat watched in shock at how quickly their friend exited the classroom. Especially since they normally always walked together.
"Hurry up!" Oat hissed at Lek. "I'm gonna catch him." He said as he darted out the room after Forth. Lek, being the only student in class that used plain paper instead of a notebook to take notes, shoved his loose papers sloppily into his bag then ran out the room after Oat.
"Forth! Wait up...hey Forth!" Oat called out to him. But Forth was on a mission and didn't hear him. Oat had to put on a small burst of speed as he maneuvered through students to catch up to him.
"Forth!" He grabbed his shoulder.
"Oh, hi Oat." He seemed a bit surprised that someone was there. "What's up?"
"Why'd you rush off like that? We always walk together."
At that moment, Lek came running up to them, huffing slightly. "Jeez, you guys walk fast." He breathed. "Why such a hurry?"
"Sorry. I'm trying to catch someone." Forth said quickly before turning and speed walking again.
Oat and Lek exchanged looks then darted after him.
"Is it really that urgent?" Oat asked. He was struggling to keep up with him.
"Go back to the dorm, Oat. I'll catch up with you guys later." Forth rounded a corner without slowing down. Oat had to jump out the way of someone that had rounded the corner at the same time they did. Lek, on the other hand, wasn't as quick and ran smack into them.
"I am so sorry." He waiied at the person then continued after his friends.
"Why are you being so secretive?" Oat asked as he skipped to keep up with Forth's long strides.
"I'm not. I just have something to do."
Forth had one thing on his mind only and that was to try and see Beam before his next class. He could always wait until tonight to see him but for some reason, he just couldn't wait. Tonight was too far away.
They rounded another corner and Forth stopped in his tracks as he looked out at the tables of students. They had just arrived at the faculty of medicine. There were many tables outside on this side of the building, and students were sitting in groups either talking and relaxing between classes, or they were studying. Forth spotted Beam almost instantly.
Oat ran into Forth's back because of his sudden stop and Lek ran into the back of Oat. Forth was unfazed by the commotion behind him as he could now only see Beam...and the person next to him that was showing him a bit too much attention.
Oat followed Forth's gaze and when his eyes landed on Beam he started to snicker.
"Oh ho hoooo. So that's why you're in such a hurry. Well? What are you waiting for? Get over there." Oat said as he gave Forth one big shove.
Forth stumbled forward a bit but quickly regained his balance. His eyes kept darting from Beam - whose face was down in a textbook - to the the guy next to him - who was sitting too close and staring for too long at Beam.
Forth eased his way over while Oat and Lek waited for him at a distance, but close enough to still hear.
"Come on Beam. Come drinking with us." The guy was saying. Forth absolutely hated the way he was looking at Beam. It was more than obvious that he was trying to flirt. With all the guys and girls that had tried to flirt with him after becoming the runner up for the Moon and Star pageant, he was all too familiar with the way the students at this school tried to "run game". The body lean in, the flirtatious look, the sensual voice. Forth couldn't stand it, and it added to why he hated all the attention he would often receive.
Why was no one else at the table seeing what was happening?
"I can't." Beam answered, never looking up from his book. "Our workload is already starting to get heavy, you know that."
"Not studying for one night won't hurt you. Everyone knows you're super smart." He said, scooting closer.
Forth could feel his face starting to get hot. Everyone else at the table was talking or scribbling in their notebooks. Where the heck were Phana and Kit? They wouldn't allow this to happen, would they?
"Sorry, man. No drinking for me tonight." Beam said as he scribbled down some notes. The guy stared some more then reached over to stop Beam's hand from writing. When Beam looked up at the guy, Forth had had enough. He coughed loudly before fully approaching.
"What's up, Beam." He said. His voice was still louder than it needed to be and it had taken on a hard edge to it.
Beam looked up from his books and immediately broke into a smile. "Forth?"
Seeing how quickly Beam smiled at him made Forth go soft inside. See, you idiot? He doesn't care about this loser next to him.
"What are you doing over here?" Beam asked, checking his watch. "Don't you have class in 30 minutes?"
He remembers my schedule too...
"Y-yea...but I wanted to catch you first." Forth's voice had softened too.
One of the other guys across from Beam finally looked up from his book and his eyes went wide. He was a small, mousy looking guy with glasses that were too big for his face. "You were the Campus Moon runner-up." He smiled and waiied. After he said it, the other guys looked up too and stared.
Great...
"Oh, this is Forth. Forth, these are my classmates." Beam said.
Everyone greeted him and Forth greeted them back.
"Welcome to the table. Please, take a seat." The mousy one said excitedly as he cleared away the multitude of papers that were covering the table and motioned at the space next to Beam. Forth gladly took the seat. He looked at Beam and Beam looked back. It didn't take long for him to blush and look back down at his book. The guy on the other side of Beam noticed.
"So uh...what did you need?" Beam asked, fiddling with his pen.
"Me? I uh..." 'Because I just wanted to see you' was what he really wanted to say but that was too cringey. And he definitely couldn't say that in front of all these people.
"Well you caught him at a bad time, Fifth. Sorry, but we're just trying to get some quick studying in before class." It was the guy next to Beam speaking. His voice was polite but Forth could see right through it. And what did he just call him??
Forth's voice hardened again and his eyes narrowed when he locked eyes with the guy. "I'm aware." Forth turned back to Beam and his voice went right back to the soft, friendly tone that only seemed to make appearances for Beam. "Would you like to get a coffee milk before your next class? It's quite hot out today."
Beam raised his eyebrows. He definitely wasn't expecting Forth to come all this way to ask him if he wanted a coffee milk.
"O-okay."
Forth smiled and they both stood up, Beam closing his textbook and notebook.
"I thought we were going to study." The guy said, clearly surprised that Beam had agreed so easily. Forth looked at him as he picked up Beam's bag and tossed it over one shoulder.
"Don't worry. You still have plenty of time." Forth said to the guy. The guy gave him a hard look then turned away. Beam looked from the guy, to Forth. He was aware that something was happening but he wasn't quite sure what. Did they already know each other?
As they started to leave, the mousy boy called out. "Nice to meet you, Forth. Come join us any time!" He grinned and waved excitedly. Forth nodded and gave a polite smile then turned to leave with Beam.
"Is he always so excited?" Forth whispered.
"Always." Beam whispered back. "Don't get too close."
As they walked, Oat and Lek came up behind them, rounded either side of them, and blocked their path. Forth halted and Beam jumped in surprise.
"Forgot about us, didn't you?" Oat said, crossing his arms.
"Hello again...Beam, isn't it?" Lek asked. Forth tried hard not to roll his eyes.
"Forgive us for butting in, Beam. But our dear friend Forth here, seems to have ditched us. Where ya headed, Forth?" Oat grinned.
"Oh, we're just gonna get some flavored milk." Beam answered, completely clueless to the mischievous tone in Oat's voice.
"Well isn't that something! We were headed that way too. We can walk together." Oat grinned harder as he fell into stride right next to them. This time Forth did roll his eyes. Why in the world did he have such annoying friends?
****
After they got their drinks, Oat, Lek, and Forth walked Beam to his next class. Before walking into his building, Beam turned back to thank Forth but his eyes landed on Oat and Lek behind him. Oat, with that same mischievous smile on his face, and Lek who was sipping away on his pink milk as he swatted at a large fly.
"Um...thanks for walking me to class."
Forth handed Beam his bookbag. He had actually forgotten he had been carrying it. "I'll see you later."
Beam nodded. He glanced back at Oat and Lek. Oat smiled and waved. Lek raised his pink milk in salute. Beam gave a small wave then walked inside his building. When he was out of site, Forth whirled around on his friends, startling Lek.
"Really guys???"
"I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about." Oat said simply.
"There was no fuss!"
"Of course there was or you wouldn't have mowed down everyone in your path after class today, just to get over here. But he's nice. I see why you like him." Oat nodded.
"He is quite pretty, isn't he?" Lek nodded as well. Forth looked at his friends with a mixture of shock and annoyance.
"Pretty. That's a perfect description. I wonder why he wasn't in the Moon and Star competition. I think he could have gone quite far." Oat turned to Lek.
"Oh, you know how these types of competitions go. They want the sexy, manly guys or the super cute ones. He's not really either of those categories."
They both fell into a conversation about the Moon and Star pageant and how pretty Beam was, completely forgetting about Forth and his annoyance which only made him even more annoyed.
"Ugh!" He exclaimed and stormed off.
Oat and Lek looked up as he stomped away. "What's with him now?" Oat asked, confused. Lek shook his head and and shrugged, and they both followed after him.