Lai

With a long pause, P'Kit took another deep breath and hiccuped, I gave P'Nodt a concerned look. It was like he was struggling to form the words.

"Just start at the beginning," I offered and he gave me a watery smile.

"Ok, yeah I guess. Last night, when we left you guys. I brought Jun back here. We often do that when one of us is drunk, my place is closer. I wasn't as drunk but close enough."

He gave a self-deprecating laugh that cut to my heart. P'Kit looked like he was in pain and no amount of laughter would help. I knew that from experience.

"I managed to get him to take a shower, and had to help him of course. Everything was fine, but then something changed in him. We stumbled onto my bed and I ended up underneath him. Jun seemed off, angry even. He gripped my face and grumbled something about me never getting it. Then he kissed me."

I shared a knowing but shocked look with P'Nodt who smiled and nodded.

"We … We slept together. We were both drunk and I did regret it in the morning but not because it happened. Just from the way it happened. I've liked him for a long time, and I wished it hadn't happened when we were drunk."

"I awoke before him and was thinking about the best way to approach this with him. I figured we could talk it out. I wasn't sure what I was expecting but the look of pure horror and regret on his face wasn't one of them. He couldn't get dressed and leave the room fast enough."

"I tried to stop him but he either didn't hear me or ignored me. I've tried calling him all day but it just goes to voicemail. He reads but doesn't reply to my messages. I've lost him. I've actually lost him."

P'Kit burst into tears and I squeezed him as tight as I could. I really wanted to slap both of them.

"You haven't lost him, Kit," P'Nodt said coming to sit beside him on the other side. "Just give him time to sort everything out. He might have felt like you, regretting how it happened, not that it happened."

A look of hope flashed over P'Kit's face. I nodded agreeing urgently with P'Nodt when P'Kit looked at me.

"Yeah! Just give him a few days. Let him sort out what happened and then I'm sure he'll contact you."

"And if he doesn't I'll beat him up for you," P'Nodt joked, which made P'Kit and I laugh.

---

We went straight to P'Jun's the next day. P'Nodt had told me about visiting him and I had insisted on coming along. I wasn't going to take no for an answer. Not that I needed to, P'Nodt was happy, eager even, to have me tag along.

As we drove, I wondered about his recent behaviour. The kiss on my cheek, asking me to the movies and for a meal. Then there were the looks he had given P'Kit and me when I was holding him. If I didn't know better I would have said he'd been jealous.

I was about to ask him about it when we pulled up to P'Jun's apartment. He smiled as he held my door open for me as well as the door to the building. A small part of me, or rather a large part, wondered if all this meant he liked me. I didn't want to let that particular flame ignite any more than it had.

When he eventually opened the door, P'Jun looked just as bad as P'Kit did. He let us in, reluctantly, and P'Nodt made sure he sat next to P'Jun this time. I didn't want to read into that but I couldn't help it. He was acting very jealous.

"We talked to Kit already," P'Nodt told him. "He's very upset."

P'Jun's head shot up like a bullet. He stared at P'Nodt with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"Upset? Does he hate me? Have I lost him?"

I couldn't help it, I laughed. The sound made them both stare at me. P'Nodt smirked but P'Jun looked confused.

"Sorry P'Jun," I said as I moved to sit on the small table in front of him. "That's exactly what P'Kit said. He's afraid he's lost you too."

"Why would he be afraid?" he asked, his eyebrows crossed. "I was the one that took advantage of him. I ruined everything."

"Tell us what happened?" P'Nodt suggested.

"Well, when we got to his place, he helped me wash up and I kept thinking how nice it was. How he takes care of me and then I started getting frustrated. I wanted more and I knew I couldn't get it. So, when I landed on top of him on the bed I couldn't resist. I knew we were drunk and that it wasn't a good idea but at the time I didn't care."

His eyes drooped and his shoulders sagged.

"When I woke up and realised what I'd done, I panicked. I needed to think so I left."

I took his hand, not missing the look P'Nodt gave our joined hands and looked into his eyes.

"P'Jun, ever since I met you I've noticed how you feel about P'Kit," his wide eyes almost made me chuckle. "I've also noticed his feelings for you."

His eyes grew even wider as he stared open-mouthed at me. P'Jun glanced at P'Nodt, who nodded, and then back at me as if he couldn't quite believe his eyes.

"It's true. Everyone can see, everyone except the two of you."

Without a word, P'Jun shot up and raced out the door. We laughed as we followed him out but he was long gone by the time we made it back to P'Nodt's car.

"Any guesses where he's going?" P'Nodt laughed.

---

The following week we weren't at all surprised to see P'Kit and P'Jun so wrapped up in themselves that they jumped when we arrived. I didn't miss the way P'Kit's arm leaned a little too far under the table to be resting his hand on his own leg.

We teased them about it, naturally, and even tried to get details but they just smirked and looked at each other. No matter what, they wouldn't say a thing.

After classes were done, I decided to head over to Tines. I needed to ask his advice about P'Nodt. During breakfast and lunch, when we sat together, he purposefully sat next to me. He was a little too close than he needed to be. Which meant that our bodies were always touching, not just a passing touch, fully touching so much I could feel the heat of his body.

Tine smiled as he moved aside to let me in. I walked comfortably into his apartment and slumped onto one of the beanbags he had for chairs around a small coffee table. He chuckled as he grabbed us both a beer and sat next to me.

"What's up?" he asked whilst passing me my drink.

I guzzled down maybe half of the bottle before turning to him. His face held a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"I'm guessing it has something to do with P'Nodt?" he asked and I nodded.

"How'd you guess?"

"I've seen the way he is with you and the looks you've been giving him lately. I'm guessing you're a little confused and want some advice from me."

Again, I nodded. Confused didn't really cover what I was feeling but I couldn't think of a better one at the moment.

"Lai, look at me," Tine ordered gently. "Is it that inconceivable that he could be interested in you?"

"Guys like him don't go for girls like me Tine," I mumbled quietly.

Tine sighed and took the beer from my hand before taking my hands in his.

"What type of girl are you Lai? You're beautiful, kind, generous and an amazing woman. Any guy would be lucky to have you as their girl. I know I am lucky to have you as my best friend. P'Nodt isn't blind, he can see you and much more and he likes what he sees."

"Tine, he's the hottest guy on campus. He could have any girl he wants so why would he want me?"

I could feel my eyes starting to fill and I didn't want to cry.

"Yeah, P'Nodt is the hottest guy here and he could have anyone he wants and he wants you, only you!"

"I'm not so sure….."

"I am!" he insisted. "Whenever we meet up he always sits next to you. He always finds ways to touch you, stroking your hair, patting your hand. When you talk no one else can pull his attention, it's always on you. I saw him go after you the other night at the bar when he saw you leave. When you guys came back he was holding your arm a lot. You even told me about the date he took you on."

"It wasn't a date!" I demanded lamely.

"It was Lai. He asked you to the movies, insisted that it was only the two of you, took you for a meal, paid for everything and walked you home. Trust me, he thought of it as a date."

It was a date? It couldn't be! There's no way he thought it was!

Tine sighed and pulled my focus back to him.

"Just talk to him. Tell him what you've been thinking about. I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised."