We were only invited with the rest of the competing companies to make the partners look good. The chances of speaking to the chairwoman directly were incredibly low. Beforehand, we were instructed by the competition manager to not approach or speak to the chairwoman unless spoken to. So why? Was I going to be thrown out? Publicly scolded? Many ideas filled my head as she led me to the other side of the table. It wasn't until we arrived at Jaran's seat that I realized.
"Why not find another seat?" Khun Sampatistri suggested to the man seated next to Jaran.
He got up, bowed and stepped away. I could see the confusion on Jaran's plastic expression.
"Sit," she instructed, gently shoving me onto the seat beside Jaran. She signaled Jaran and I closer, lowering herself to whisper something to us. We drew closer, avoiding each other's gaze. "Couples should always sit together," she whispered.
Jaran and I fell apart, eyes widened, shaking our heads in an attempt to dispel her assumptions once again.
"Shhhh." She winked at us, refusing to understand our explanations.
With a gentle tap on my shoulder, she began her journey back to her seat, leaving us speechless and uncomfortable. Awkward glances flew across the table in our direction. Nat was the most confused one of them all. I shrugged at his questioning stare, turning away only to meet Jaran's cold stare. We huffed and hissed at each other in contempt.
"Well," Khun Sampatistri spoke, reclaiming the table's attention as she took her seat. "Innovation. One of the many things that separates us from animals. And this table is overflowing with it."
Everyone clapped.
"I believe a better, bolder, stronger Thailand is at hand for us all. If we can imagine it, we can dream it, if we can dream it, we can build it." She raised her glass and so did everyone. "Cheers to a better, greener Thailand!"
"Cheers!" we said in unison and took a sip of our wine.
"I'm too old to stay up any longer." She got up and so did the rest of the table. "I'll let you all enjoy the night without having to kiss my ass."
Soft laughter swept through the table. We all bowed as she turned away.
"Do not leave until you are too drunk!" she ordered, playfully wagging a finger, and the laughter returned.
As soon as she was out the door, the table became rowdy and loud again. Everyone returned to eating, drinking, and laughing, but Jaran and I remained seated. She put me there, it would've been disrespectful to get up and switch seats, everyone saw it, there could have been cameras, I couldn't risk it, even though it was awkward and uncomfortable.
Once the dancing began, the beaming guests found their way to the dance floor, leaving Jaran and I seated. We waited for who would get up first, just so in case it came up someday, we could blame the other person. It was petty, but petty was a language we understood all too well.
"If we just moved to the dance floor, it would not be so obvious," Jaran said without looking in my direction.
"Alright then, you go first," I encouraged.
"Why do I have to go first?"
"Because it was your idea." I turned to him.
"You go first."
"You go first."
"Get up Jaran!"
"You get up!"
I let out a loud sigh of frustration.
"Fine, whatever! Let's get up at the same time."
"Ok."
"One, two, three." I paused and so did he, none of us getting up. "Whoa... Jaran, this is pitiful!"
"I just knew you haven't changed your deceitful ways! Don't you have any shame?"
"As if you are any better!" I glared at him, and he snarled at me.
We turned back to our plates, sitting in silence.
"I'm done with this, sit there and keep acting like a child!" I hissed, springing up too fast, not realizing how inebriated I was.
My head spun and I began to fall. Jaran caught me in time, a mere reflex action.
I fell into his arms, my hands clinging onto his chest and shoulder, his hands holding me close by my waist and upper back. I could hear his rapid beating heart, feel the softness of his shirt against my face.
Slowly, I raised my face to meet his eyes staring down at me. I had never seen his eyes from that angle, they were so brown and so innocent. They warmed and stilled me.
"Comfortable?" he asked.
Before I could form words, he let me go, allowing me fall to the ground. I groaned, cursing him. He watched me grumble in pain for as long as it pleased him, then walked away with a proud smirk on his lips.
I staggered up, retrieved another glass of wine from the table and wobbled over to Nat who had claimed the dance floor. We danced and laughed for a bit before Nat pulled me away to the balcony for some star gazing, snagging another bottle of wine.
"Is it the alcohol, or is the sky the clearest it's been this year?" he asked, looking up at the dark, starry sky.
I moved my gaze from the sky to him. His brown skin beautifully absorbed the yellow balcony lights. I smiled at him, moved closer and threw my hands around his shoulder, letting him rest on me as we drank.
"It's the alcohol," I replied.
"Really?"
"Yes," I lied. He smacked me and we both chuckled. "All that money in there..."
"I know," Nat replied, taking another sip. "Us in a few years."
"If we're lucky."
"It's not about luck, Kit, just good old fashioned hard work and talent, two things you have in abundance."
"You're too kind to me, Nat." I grinned.
"You're welcome. You just need to start being more optimistic and positive."
"I am..."
"Only when things are well, life doesn't work that way. You have to see the bright side even when you're in the dark."
I exhaled, nodding and turning my gaze to my feet. "Only you will say corny shit like that."
He laughed. "So would your mother."
"True." I joined him in laughter.
My phone buzzed and I dug it out of my pocket, swiping to read the text message.
I miss you. It was so good to see you.
I scrunched my forehead at the unknown number. "Who is this?" I texted back.
Sud. Please don't block me again.
"Shit," I muttered.
Can I see you? I won't come by the house unless you say so.
"What is it?" Nat asked, craning his neck to look at my screen.
Can I take you out to dinner?
"For fuck sake, Kit."
"I'm not replying."
"I also do not see you blocking him."
"I—"
Nat snatched the phone out of my hand, and in seconds Sud's number was blocked.
"This is over, it's been over for a year, don't make it a thing." He sighed, turning back to the view. "What was all that with the chairwoman, anyway?" He began drinking from the wine bottle.
"Ugh... she thinks Jaran and I are together."
Nat spat out his drink. "Shit! What?" His eyes widened. "Wait, why would she think that?"
"Long story."
"We have time."
I began to tell him all about the coat room rendezvous when Varawut joined us, his punch drink in hand. He rarely drank alcohol, which made him our designated driver whenever we went out together or needed an impromptu pick up. He joined Nat to listen to my story and laughed his heart out.
"Oh! That was a tale!" Varawut said amidst laughter. "An eventful night for sure." He sipped his punch.
"It's not that funny, Wut," I said.
"But it is." He continued laughing. Our bland faces forced him out of his laughter. "Ok, ok, I'll stop, but it might not be such a bad idea for her to think that from what I hear."
"Wut, now is not the time for your Jaran love fest. This is a competition," Nat stated.
"I know, that's why I said it. From what I hear, marriage is a criterion for winning this competition."
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"The chairwoman is very traditional. She believes the best people to build the future of Thailand are people who intend on building a future for themselves."
"So? What better people to build the future if not us, the young ones," Nat replied.
"In a marriage," he continued. "Simply put, she will most likely give the contract to a married contestant."
"Huh?" I furrowed my brows.
"Shit!" Nat cursed at the same time.
"And you know who the only two unmarried competitors are?"
"Jaran and me," I replied, shutting my eyes.
"Bingo!" Varawut grinned.