Author's Note: Hi guys! Thanks so much for all your comments, I'm so glad to see you guys are as invested in the story as I am. in the mean time I was a bit worried about posting the last chapter but I'm glad you liked it : ) so here is another chapter for all you wonderful people, read and enjoy!

Chapter 8

I wanted to think things were back to normal between me and P'Arthit. I went to pick up my car from Anya's place, which was surprisingly and thankfully a good distance away, the following morning and we talked properly and agreed that we didn't have much in common and that it was best to be friends.

We parted ways on good terms and when I called P'Arthit that afternoon I told him about it and he seemed pleased.

Since it was a work week, P'Arthit and I couldn't see each other in the night. I wanted so badly to know where we stood. That morning hadn't really cleared anything up; we had both been in a hurry to leave for work and to be honest, I was too anxious to bring it up.

I had thought we were okay since P'Dean, but I guess not. That was a long time ago but it was like that moment in our lives would never let us be unless we deal with it.

So I was looking forward to my weekend alone with P'Arthit, who knew my parents would invite him for some weekend vacation I wasn't even told of.

"P'Arthit, "I said as I watched him pack his things. "Why are you the only one invited for this vacation when I wasn't even told?"

He glanced at me and shrugged, his silence told me he was keeping things and doesn't want to have to lie by saying anything.

"P'Arthit?" I wouldn't let up; he didn't expect me to be okay with this did he? "Will you answer me?"

P'Arthit sighed and turned around to look at me. "I'm sorry okay. Your mom cornered me at my workplace to talk," he said and his expression was not delightful.

"Not about me and Anya, was it?" he gave me a thumbs up and I groaned.

"Anya said she was going to talk her out of it, I guess that didn't work out."

"Maybe it did. Anyway, she diverted to talking about your father and how she wanted to take him on a vacation from work and said I should come along." He raised his hands and shoulders at my look of dismay that he agreed to go on a vacation with my dad and mom, without me.

"What could I say, you know how your mom is." He said and pulled the zippers of the backpack he was taking.

I did know how my mom can be when she wanted something; still, I was hurt that I wasn't even invited. She must be mad at me about something, she is even taking P'Arthit! It can't be punishment for Anya, could it?

"So what am I supposed to do while you are in Koh Samui enjoying yourself around old people?" I asked.

"Read?" he glanced at the pile of paper work I had taken home with the intention to work on it one step at a time. I frowned and he walked into the bathroom.

I followed. "P'Arthit, the weekend is practically the only time we get a full day to be together."

"We were together on Monday and on Tuesday, "he counted on his fingers, "take that as your weekend."

"Why are you in a hurry to join them anyway, you don't sound like you don't want to go at all," I eyed him with rising suspicion. "What are you hiding?"

He gave me a wary glance while putting paste on his toothbrush, "nothing."

"P'Arthit," I stepped warningly into the bathroom. He started to crack, a smile showing forth.

"I'm not hiding anything," he said and took a step back. I tackled him and we started struggling and laughing as he tried to get away from my grip.

"Okay, I yield, let go." He said. I let him go and he took a step away from me. It was a pretty tiny bathroom so there wasn't much space for him to run till he has confessed.

"Guess what my bribe was?"

I tilted my head, unable to follow. "Why would you need a bribe?'

"Your mom actually wanted to bring you but she was worried you wouldn't want to come, so she bribed me to go and you will follow me."

"Huh," I scoffed at his confidence, "go on."

"She offered me home made meal."

"What?! You sold your boyfriend for a cooked meal, P'Arthit," I was feigning an affronted look but I found it pretty funny. "Don't I cook well enough for you?"

"Kong, you burn water," P'Arthit argued

"Shut up," he was right, I couldn't cook but I tried and there were always convenient stores. I guess I could see the lure if we are talking about my mom's cooking.

"You know one thing I can do better than my mom and you don't want to leave without?"

He had a teasing look on and provoked me,"yeah? What's that?"

"This," I pulled him to me and trapped him by the wall next to the sink. He laughed and shook his head.

"You will miss it faster than I will," he argued. I just wanted to kiss that mouth till it cannot do more than sigh and moan.

"For your sake, I should go with you," I said, trying to convince him otherwise. "It's two whole days, you can't last."

"Huh, uh, yeah right." He pushed me away and started to brush his teeth.

I folded my hands and leaned on the door post. "I guess I could come along, " I said.

He met my eyes through the mirror, "but I don't know that it would be wise."

P'Arthit and I didn't spend too long together around my family for good reason. What if we were not careful, what if they catch something simply by looking at us, what if they find out. I wanted my parents to know that P'Arthit was the love of my life but I wanted to tell them. It wouldn't be nice if they find out by walking in on us or by coming to their own conclusion. There would be too much hurt.

"Probably not," P'Arthit rinsed his mouth and I watched his head, still I didn't want to be apart this weekend. We'd had a tough week and I would like to start healing again.

"But we have been avoiding them a lot lately, it is going to start looking suspicious, that's why I agreed to go. So pack up and we would leave tomorrow."

He made to walk pass me but I grabbed him around the waist from behind and pressed my face to his hair which smelled of shampoo and purely P'Arthit. A sweet smell I was forever addicted to.

"What if I want to touch you, "I whispered and pulled away to catch the red on his ears.

"You can manage," he said trying to shake me off.

"I don't know that I would be able to hide how I feel about you for two days P'Arthit. My mom is perceptive, she could figure it out."

"So what do you want to do?" he asked, tilting his head towards me to meet my eyes.

"It's a risk, is all I'm saying. If they start to wonder, can we tell them?"

"Kong," P'Arthit exhaled and moved out of my arms so that he could turn. I let him go easily. "I want them to know too, you believe that right? I just want us to be in a safe place when they find out. I don't want you to get hurt by anything people say. Unlike me, you are not insignificant."

"P'Arthit, you are not insignificant either," I said with a sigh. It saddens me whenever P'Arthit looked down on himself.

"That's not how I meant it," I nodded and he pulled me down to kiss my forehead, "I just want everyone to be okay, including your parents. I need them to have something and not feel like I am...destroying you."

I shook my head, but he didn't want me negating him. I hugged him then and hoped that my feelings were clear enough to him.

We arrived at the station and my mother tried to pretend to be surprised that I was coming along.

"I already know mom," I told her and smiled at her look of disappointment. "You already bought me a ticket didn't you.
"Oh well," she sighed, "anyway, it's very interesting that you won't say yes to me anymore but you say yes to Arthit son."

Arthit smiled beside me. We were standing appropriately apart, both of us holding our own things.

"P'Arthit has better bribes," I snarked.

"Ah, so I see."

"Isn't this lovely son, our first vacation together in almost three years?" My father was dressed embarrassingly in shorts and flowered shirts.

I shook my head at him, "what are you wearing?"

"Your mother's pick, ah?" he even turned around as if on a fashion show for geeks, "you like?"

P'Arthit was chuckling secretly beside me and I just let my eyes do the talking.

"I'm sorry, am I keeping everybody waiting?"

That voice came from behind me and when I turned, Anya in shorts, blue shirt and pink tank top was waving to us.

"Anya?" I said in disbelief. Why was she here? It was hard to convince myself that she was just seeing us off. I glanced at P'Arthit to see my shocked expression reflecting back.

"Oh darling, never mind that, you are right on time." My mother was on her like bees to flowers.

"Dad?' I asked the only person left to explain.

"Oh?" he looked between me and the picture I didn't want to see of my mother and Anya, "they've become... friends. Anya said she needed a moment away and your mother thought this was a good idea."

"But it isn't. You know that we ended things right, dad, you accept our decision?" I hastily tried to confirm that this was not another scheme of my mother to get me hooked to Anya. I felt P'Arthit's hand brush mine, telling me to calm down.

My dad sighed, "I have already made my peace with the fact that you are never going to like any of the girls I pick for you, son, so I have decided to let you pick for yourself, as soon as you are good and ready."

I glanced at P'Arthit, I couldn't help it. I just needed him to see how accepting my father was. "Then mom?"

"I can't speak for your mother," he replied.

"Please, don't even start," my mother returned to us, her hand still latched onto Anya's, "I'm not going to be that kind of mother that pushes a girl on her son. Since you don't want her P'Arthit can take her."

My horrified expression must have been comical. Like hell he will, I thought vehemently, itching to hold P'Arthit's hand just then but I restrained myself, barely.

"Thanks mom, but Anya and I are just friends," P'Arthit was calmer than I could be at that moment. I glanced at him looking calm, smiling, and it annoyed me a bit. If they all knew he was mine they wouldn't be trying to set him up, I thought, and then it occurred to me how P'Arthit must have felt all those time I was being set up with one girl after another. Just the thought of P'Arthit going on a date with some girl was enough for me to spit bile.

I bit my lip and tried to keep cool.

"Are you alright, Kongpob" her voice was peaceful and kind, she was a good person and I needed to stop acting like she was pariah in my life.

"I am fine." I said. "How are you doing, Anya?"

"I'm doing good. I'm glad to be joining you and your family. I don't make friends as fast as I thought, I'm sorry to intrude on a family vacation though."

"Oh what are you saying, Arthit son is here too isn't he, you are family my dear."

I swallowed around the ball in my throat. I still couldn't get used to my mother and Anya. There was just something wrong about my mother giving her this level of acceptance.

As we boarded the plane I felt Anya's hand on mine. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "I tried to get out of coming."

I turned, "so this was my mother's doing, "I said, proud to see that my suspicions were right.

"Well, I think she just felt sorry for me, but I knew that it would be uncomfortable for you and," she glanced towards P'Arthit. "Anyway, I will try to remain scarce."

I didn't understand what hidden message she was trying to translate.

I sat down next to P'Arthit later feeling confused. He looked at me, "everything alright?" he asked.

I couldn't nod or shake my head and I just smiled tightly. Below the seats he clasped my hand making me jump. I met his eyes and found some parts amusement and some parts worry. "be good, " was all he said and then his hand separated from mine.

The plane ride lasted for no more than thirty minutes, between which P'Arthit managed to catch some sleep, then we landed.

We would be living in our vacation home in busain: a grand cottage up in the hill with large fields of sunflowers and yarrows all around to see. I loved the air, the bright sunlight and I was impatient to get down. It's been too long since I came here. I wanted to show P'Arthit all my old hangouts.

We got down from the car and I took hold of Anya's things; she brought a whole box, and shyly said, "my family doesn't do vacations, I didn't know what to bring?'

"Is there a beach around, " P'Arthit asked, his eyes scanning the place with a new light. I smiled at him.

"Yes, I'll show you once we get settled in."

"Kongpob, honey," my mother was by the porch already, the caretaker, a man in his fifties seeing to our things, walked passed her. "Would you be a dear and take Anya's things to the room on the second floor?"

There were only four rooms in the cottage, I usually used the one upstairs and I was hoping that P'Arthit and I would stay together, only a wall between us.

"Mom," I pulled Anya's box with me as I climbed the short flight of stairs, "I want P'Arthit to sleep in that room."

"P'Arthit can sleep in the room downstairs," she said.

"But I –"

"What is so special about staying in the room upstairs or downstairs? Are you intentionally trying to cause trouble because I invited Anya?"

I closed my mouth abruptly because yes. Wasn't it awkward enough for everyone that she was here, now she would be right next door to me?

"Kongpob," P'Arthit was there behind me a frown on his face.

I didn't pursue the matter anymore because even as silent as we were talking about it, the others were starting to notice.

I sighed and pulled the box inside. When I am in my room I can't stop pacing and massaging the spot between my brows.

"Would you stop?" P'Arthit was keeping me company because I promised to take him around.

"What?"

"stop acting so agitated, like there is some plot that only you know about," his look was not pleased. I could tell I was annoying him but everything about this vacation stinks, and I could swear that there is more going on than can be seen.

But P'Arthit looked at me like I was insane. "If you keep acting this way it's only a matter of time before everyone starts getting suspicious. "

"How am I supposed to act P'Arthit, it's so obvious my mom hasn't given up. I'm sure she is up to something.

"It doesn't matter, we both know where you stand, so does Anya. Who cares what your mother is planning. Besides, didn't we promise not to be too obvious, how can you keep that promise if we are next door to each other?" He stood up from the bed with a small smile, "I know you, Kongpob, a thin wall isn't going to keep you away."

"Neither will a set of steps," I said softly, already aching to close the distance between us.

'"so, what are we arguing about?" he asked. We stared at each other calmly drinking in the need we could see in our eyes, taking security in that even if we couldn't touch or kiss. I begged my heart to make it enough; I needed to make it through these two days without being caught. Without exposing our secret.

"Kongpob?...uh P'Arthit, we are going exploring, are the two of you coming?"

I frowned. How did she know P'Arthit was here? "Coming," I replied back.

P'Arthit shrugged; he didn't look as worried so we went out.

"okay, we are doing scavenge hunting," my mother said," Let's go in groups." She had changed into a beautiful blue sundress and was wearing a straw hat. She looked lovely, so did Anya who was doing a nice copy of her. I shook my head internally.

P'Arthit and I hadn't changed, still in our shorts and blue and yellow t-shirts. P'Arthit pulled out a sunglass from nowhere and smirked at me, I shook my head with a smile.

"Kongpob," my mother called my attention, "you go with Anya," she said.

I opened my mouth to complain already prepared to forget what I talked about and agreed with P'Arthit but Anya spoke over me, "um sorry mom, can I go with P'Arthit instead?"

My mother looked stumped like she thought Anya would be thrilled. "Are you sure honey?" she asked, looking between her and P'Arthit like she couldn't see the point. I wasn't much happy either.

"You came here for a family vacation and you haven't been with your son in so long, I think this moment should be for the three of you," she said.

Her words were touching and when I looked at her, I couldn't see the conniving person I was making her out to be, she was just a nice girl caught up in my mother's match making schemes.

"Oh Anya," my mother sounded like she was choked on tears. She was truly touched," you think about the things that never even cross my mind, thank you darling," she reached over and kissed Anya's hair.

I held P'Arthit's gaze before he turned and left with Anya. I was left alone with my parents.

"Such a sweet girl," my mother said as we began our walk. I kept my camera handy but I was thinking about Anya and P'Arthit. Aside from the conversation in front of the new place which turned out to be called Maclearence, I don't think the two of them have ever spoken more than a hand full of words. I wondered what they had to talk about.

"Son?" my father's voice drew me to him and I couldn't get used to the sight of him in shorts, maybe because it's been a long time since I have seen him in one.

"Where's your head, son?" he asked and I squinted at him. "I have been calling you for a good number of times now."

"Oh, I'm just worried about Anya and P'Arthit," I admitted truthfully.

"Worried about what, that they would hook up behind your back?" my dad laughed and I shook my head in disbelief at my dad using the term hook up, but I smiled because it was nice to see him this relaxed.

"Not likely," I said, that hadn't even crossed my mind. I knew that for the most part, like me, P'Arthit was straight, but I trusted him. His faithfulness would never be in question, not with me.

"Why are you so confident, Anya is a pretty girl," my dad was persistent.

"I didn't say she wasn't."

"Oh, does Arthit not like girls?"

My heart skipped a beat and then went up two paces too high but I kept my expression neutral as I met my dad's eyes. "Why do you think that, dad?"

He shrugged, "I have never seen him with anyone. He isn't dating is he? It will get people wondering."

No one was wondering because at his workplace, P'Arthit was known to be dating someone, a girl. He told me how that happened, I can't say that I was glad but it did set P'Arthit's heart at ease so that was good.

I stayed silent. I couldn't tell my dad that P'Arthit was dating, he might ask me who and then I would have to lie and come up with some fake girlfriend for him and if I said he wasn't dating then we are back to the not straight conversation. I think P'Arthit would like me to stir clear out of that one. I don't think anyone would understand if we told them we are just in love with each but not gay. Though I didn't really care about what anyone labeled us, it didn't matter to me, but it mattered to P'Arthit.

"Son?" I still needed a reply for my dad.

"I don't know," I said and shrugged, "he might be dating, P'Arthit and I don't see each other often." I had to add that last part just in case my dear father thought to get P'Arthit hooked up like he had been doing with me.

"He better be, it's not a good for a guy his age to still be alone. He should move out of that apartment of his and into his own place," my dad was very sincere and firm.

"If—"I stopped myself.

"If what, son?"

"Are you two even taking any pictures?" my mother appeared before us looking quite upset and that saved me from asking a very implicating question.

"Of course we are, no one thinks your game is pointless, dear." my dad walked over to place his arms around her shoulders and I watched them.

"No one was saying that, so you think this is pointless?" she asked and I was amazed she could still make a face like that and had my dad working to get her smiling again.

I was glad that I didn't ask my question. Especially when we got back. "Anya?" I saw only her standing there and looked around the courtyard to make sure P'Arthit really wasn't anywhere around. "Where's P'Arthit?"

She pressed her lips together and met my gaze cautiously. "P'Arthit is upstairs," she said, "I—"

My brows squeezed together in partial impatience at her sudden challenge in finding words.

"Maybe you should go to him instead."

Nothing sounded more ominous than that. I didn't bother trying to get her to talk and walked past her.

"Hold on, we haven't checked who won," my mom called after me.

"It was a competition?" I heard my dad say even as I continued on.

I don't know what I was walking into or what happened but I just needed to see him. It was the simplest impulse in the world. But yet I was worried.

"P'Arthit?" I walked into my room and there he was standing by the window\balcony. He didn't answer me and I shut the door behind me. "Are you alright?"

He turned to me, his eyes shut to me like he tended to do when he was feeling something that he didn't want me to see so he presented it as anger.

"What's wrong?" I couldn't imagine what could have happened between the few hours we had spent apart.

"She knows," P'Arthit said. "Anya knows about us."