Sophea

"Grrrrr!!!!!"

Anurak's phone has been ringing for some time, but he found it very difficult to wake up.

To Anurak's chagrin, the room was still as cold as when he woke up in the middle of the night. His eyelids were heavy, and his lips were dry. He could feel the cold in his joints, and his muscles felt like crap. He knew that if he wasn't careful, he could have a muscle pull. So Anurak took his time to unwrap himself from his tangled duvet.

After dumping the old duvet on the bed, he gave it a reproachful look, as if to blame the duvet for his predicament.

I will have to buy new ones. The ones I brought with me are old and tiny for a room equipped with a functional AC unit. He thought to himself.

Signing sadly, Anurak climbed out of bed slowly. His beddings were some of the things he got after his mother's death that he still held dear. The thought of having to stop using them, because they were not original or too old, was heart-wrenching for him.

Once he was on his feet, He picked up his ringing phone and wobbled into the bathroom on quivering legs. He couldn't even stand straight.

As expected, the bathroom was warm and welcoming. Anurak signed in relief and then checked his caller. It was Sophea; his beautiful girlfriend.

Anurak smiled indulgently at her smiling picture on his screen, but instead of picking up the call, he disconnected it and then sent her a text that he would call her back in about an hour.

If Sophea should get to know that Anurak nearly froze to death because he left his AC on for too long, he might not hear the end of it. Sophea wasn't just a mother hen, she was a naggy one. Anurak could do without that on his first morning in his new school.

While brushing his teeth, Anurak quickly opened hot water and let it cascade down his body. Luckily, he had the heater turned on the previous day.

As he was showering and brushing at the same time, his mind wandered to last night and the things New told him.

Anurak couldn't stop thinking about King. He found it hard to analyze his reaction to the guy.

This wouldn't be the first time he would react to a boy. Especially fine boys. But this was the first time he felt this strongly about anybody. It felt more than just admiration, but he was unable to figure out the rest of it.

To make matters worse, he was unable to take his mind off it, and his heart wouldn't stop beating for a long while.

He had tried to ignore the guy, but when he discovered that the guy was watching him too, Anurak felt goosebumps all over his body for the larger part of the night. So he kept drinking until he got drunk.

No matter what, he is a man, and I am a man. I shouldn't be scared of him.

He quickly shook off the chill as his mind wandered to what had happened at the car park earlier that night.

New told him a lot of things last night. Except for what he really wanted to know.

Who is Tharn?

Why didn't New want to help the guy?

What did the Bank guy mean when he said he had warned New to stay away from Tharn?

Those guys clearly wanted to take Tharn away. Why? What did they want to do to him?

Was it a gang issue?

What type of gang are they in?

If they are in a gang, is New also in a gang? Is that Why they know each other?

Recalling New's change in demeanor when addressing that guy, Anurak slit his eyes thoughtfully…

New legit behaved like a gang member. If he is in a gang, then we can't be friends. I have to find out before things get out of hand.

Knowing that thinking wouldn't give him the answers he wanted, he focused on getting as warm as possible before getting out of the shower.

By the time he was done, the bathroom was steaming, and his muscles had relaxed.

Once he was done bathing, Anurak got ready for school and then called Sophea. It was a video call, and she picked on the first ring, apparently eagerly waiting for his call.

"Babe!" Anurak smiled at her with sparks in his eyes.

Sophea never failed to make his heart race. He loves her so much.

Come to think of it, that guy made my heart race faster than this… They are different. This is love, that is fear… I have to stop thinking about him.

"*Mæw khxng chan" (my cat), she murmured teasingly in a soft, low, and raspy voice. "I was so tired last night and slept off. How did it go?"

Anurak had told Sophea about the bike race and the two of them were hoping that once he gets into the game, he would be able to earn from racing and, at the same time, use the racing events to create content for his YouTube channel. It would be a good deal for them if everything pulls through.

"I met New's brother last night, but he said I have to wait until Saturday to meet his other friends. He already gave us passes. They are with New."

"That's good. Congratulations, Mæw khxng chan."

"What about you? Have you gotten a job yet?"

"Mai." Sophea's voice dropped and her eyes dimmed.

"What happened?"

Sophea's Mum is a stylist who has her own salon and make-up studio back at home. Growing up, Sophea learned the trade, including pedicures and manicures.

Just like Anurak planned to find a mechanic job while making videos for his YouTube channel, Sophea also planned to find a stylist job, preferably within her campus, while running a make-up recommendation show on her personal YouTube channel.

The two of them already started and Sophea's channel was already doing way better than Anurak's channel. In fact, they expect her to be able to withdraw her first one thousand US dollars in a couple of months, considering the number of viewers she gets per day.

"I have not even started looking. The school is insisting on a one-week orientation program, so I really don't have time to seek employment." Sophea pouted. Her pink lips suddenly made Anurak feel an itch between his legs.

"You keep pouting like that, and I might show up at your school before evening." He smirked devilishly.

Sophea scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"What about you? How is your orientation going? Are your seniors as eccentric as mine? I swear, the things they do for SOTUS here are just excuses to go back to kindergarten."

"Which means, orientation is fun at your school."

"It's a waste of my time."

"Make sure to make videos of yourself dancing to a peacock song." Anurak teased.

"You said you will show me your room. Can I see it now?"

"*Chai! You can." Anurak excitedly got out of bed and started walking around the room, capturing as much as he could for her to see on the call.

"Unlike someone who has to share the same room with three other girls, I am staying in a fully furnished, room and parlor self-contained apartment."

"No way! You lucky jerk!" Sophea cried out in anguish.

When she called the other day and Anurak had promised to show her his room later, he didn't mention that it was a room and parlor. She had no idea that Sunny-Uni would be that extravagant.

Her failure to pass the scholarship exams didn't affect her emotions that much because she knew that she might not even attend the school even if she got the scholarship. Her father would have preferred to cash out, just like Anurak's father, and she wouldn't have been able to do anything about it.

Now that she has an idea of what she was missing, Sophea couldn't stop herself from feeling regret and getting jealous of her boyfriend. She stomped her feet, making her head bubble up and down on the screen. Anurak found it funny, and he chuckled at her misery.

"Show me your sitting room." She whimpered with a fake crying face.

Anurak went out of his room, walking slowly as he pointed things to her. When he got to his big TV, Sophea couldn't take it anymore.

She screamed.

As a film addict, Sophea loves big screens. Because of this, she would always drag her boyfriend to the cinemas each time a new movie was released, back at home.

She loves Korean movies, Indian movies, and TV shows the most. Her laptop was filled with movies, and she even had a backup hard drive with more movies than study materials.

When she saw the large TV in Anurak's sitting room, all she could think about was how comfy and relaxing it would be to just lounge on his big sofa and keep watching movies from morning until evening. It would be the perfect holiday thing to do! Netflix and chill.

"Mæw khxng chan, do they allow visitors to sleep over at your hostel?" She asked with her heart in her throat.

"Chai. Why are you asking?" Anurak squinted his eyes at her suspiciously.

"Why shouldn't I ask? Don't you want me to come visit? Haven't you missed me, Mæw khxng chan?" She feigned some anger, hoping that he wouldn't see through her.

But how could that be possible? Who was Sophea to Anurak? She was his best friend from age 3. They had met at preschool and stayed as friends until they clocked fourteen.

When Anurak discovered that Sophea wanted to be more than friends just like himself, he didn't waste time asking her out, and it has been smooth sailing since then.

Anurak may not know about many people, but he knew Sophea from the inside out. He already figured out the reason for her sudden enthusiasm, and he wasn't that pleased.

"So, all it takes is a big screen for you to rush down here, en?" He asked with a sneer.

"Okay. Since that is what you think, then I won't come. So when will you be coming to greet me? I miss my boyfriend."

Sophea refused to accept that he was right. As usual, she planned to take him through twists and turns until she gets what she wants.

"Where will I stay if I go there?" He chuckled.

They have already planned that Sophea would be the one doing the visiting until Anurak can afford to live outside the school. The plan was to stay in Aunty Chaya's house during Sophea's visits. The family knew her and they liked her. To the family, they were practically husband and wife.

"I don't care. You have to come to visit me as soon as possible, or I will look for another boyfriend." She stomped her feet."

I will see how you will get out of this one. Hurry and beg me to come over. She snarled inwardly.

Just then, someone knocked at Anurak's door.

"That should be New. It's time to go for lectures."

"Okay." Sophea was reluctant to end the call. "When will you be free again?"

"I should be able to figure out my schedule before the week runs out. By then, we will know when it's convenient to call each other. Just let's keep chatting for now."

"Okay," Sophea grumbled. "*Chan rak khun, Mæw khxng chan. (I love you, my cat.) She said in a slow, seductive voice.

"*Pom Rak Khun maak maak na." He replied with a solemn voice and wishful eyes.

Just like Sophea, Anurak didn't want to end the call.

*Chai: Yes.

*Mæw khxng chan: My Cat.

*Chan rak khun: I love you.

*Pom Rak Khun maak maak na.: I love you too.