Win enters the bar noticing it seems very busy for this time of day. He hears the ABC gang before he sees them, "What is going on here?"
"We all quit the club so we are celebrating." Bee empties his glass.
"What the hell Dean?" He finally takes in all the people actually in the bar and notices the whole swim club is there, as well as a few add-ons, Manow, Pharm, Del even Alex.
"It was not my idea and I had nothing to do with this. It was your ABC gang and their shenanigans." Dean just shakes his head sipping his drink.
"Don't worry Team will be here soon, we invited him. We also know that Team would have quit after what happened, so we decided to do it first so that he doesn't do it. We don't want him to lose his scholarship." A starts telling the story to Win.
Win doesn't know whether to hug the kid or smack him. "I am very humble by everything you all have done for us but did you guys even consider that neither me nor Dean nor Team would want you guys to put yourselves straight in front of the presidents target like this?" Win is concerned because he knows that most of the boys in this squad would not be able to fight back should the university decide to single them out and make an example of them. He feels a headache coming along, knowing this is tension. He orders a drink and has it all in one go, ordering another immediately after.
"Woah slow down P'Win." Bee takes his drink, "We know what we did and we are ready to accept the consequences. Besides this is about right and wrong. The university is nothing without its students. That kids mother cannot cover the tuition for all students who the university decides to make an example of. We have all the power here. If we don't stand up for what we believe then there will be other students who suffer because some students have a bigger bank account then the rest of us. Plus we are friends, and if your friends don't stand with you in times of need then who will? We all learn from example and if every student in the club hasn't felt any unfairness by you and Team then how can a kid who is here for less then 3 months claim so?"
For some reason this makes Win extremely grateful, knowing that the club stood by them. He had also worried that they would feel the same way because they didn't exactly ask anyone their opinion when he and Team started dating within the club. He is relieved to know that they hadn't made the others uncomfortable or created an environment where they would begin to resent Team because of him dating the vice-president. He takes his glass back and raises it in the air, "Lets show the university who is in charge." Everyone raises their glasses and cheer at his words. He decided not to be the nice guy anymore and try to protect these boys as much as he could. "Thank you guys. I know that when I leave the university Team will be in the best hands with you three." They smile at him widely and nod. He has come to like these three very much. They may be crazy but they are loyal.
He smiles to himself, something inside him settles and he finally feels peace. He has never experienced fully letting go of himself and just being. Its a different feeling altogether. For the first time in his life he feels true acceptance. He was never one to care what others thought or did when it came to him but knowing that these people stood up for them even when they weren't around was a great feeling. Finally he doesn't have to be the one taking care of everything for everyone, just this once he will allow others to be his voice and stand up for him. He looks at his Dean, "You just get replaced by ABC." He clinks his glass with his.
"You would not last a day with them and you know it, you would probably kill them all." Dean sighs, "We really are in the crap with this one, aren't we? We really should come up with a plan before this gets out of hand, currently half the university knows about this because all our friends spread the news to their clubs."
"Shit, I left you for an hour and you let it get so out of hand."
"You ungrateful bastard! Do you think you could do any better? Before I even finished a sentence half the member were at the club waiting in line to quit. It was so funny, you should have seen the look on their faces. I swear that kids mothers brain was popping."
"It was pretty funny Hia, you should watch the videos." Everyone turns to see him. Manow screams his name loudly. He shakes his head, "Can any of you behave, even for just one day?" He is amused at their antics. Watching them here you would think that they won the lottery or something. "Okay so tell me the details, I'm listening."
******
Waan's POV
He feels his phone vibrate, he checks it and its his boyfriend just as he expected. He swears this kid is obsessed with him. He smiles to himself, "I think you are obsessed with me."
"P'Waan we have a problem, how soon can you be in Bangkok?"
"What the hell? Are you in trouble?" He begins to panic a little, sitting up straight instantly. This is the downside of working away from home.
"Not me but Win."
He listens as Tul tells him everything that happened. Damn this kid, why didn't he call? "Okay slow down Tul, tell me again the name of the woman." He writes down her name. He begins to worry for his brother, he knows Win can stress and often doesn't open up to anyone when it comes to what he is going through. "Listen, I need you to check on Win. Dont tell him that you told me or he will end you. I will look into this and get back to you. Love you. Bye." He cuts him off before he can say anything more. He dials 3 on his phone, "I need you to look into something for me, its very urgent. I want an answer in an hour. I emailed you all the details that I have." He sits back in his chair and interlocks his fingers. Who would dare mess with Win? He sighs knowing his brother is going to hate him getting involved, he should probably bring his boyfriend here for safe keeping too, knowing Win, Tul is dead meat.
******
Win gathers the swim team around, "We need a plan. We cant take a shot at the university like this and have no proper plan. I also don't want you all to put a bigger target on your back." He takes in a deep breath, "Any ideas?"
"As far as I know the university wouldn't want this leaving the campus. They will try and resolve the issue before people start posting about it all over. This works in our favor because we can negotiate with them. I also might have told the kids mother that I will in-fact press charges against her son just because I was mad at the time so we have that as a bargaining chip too." Dean turns to Sea who has his hand up, "Yes?"
"The university has a competition next month, this is one they cant back out of because our times and performance will determine who goes on to represent the university at the next competition. This is big deal because its our rival university, without you, P'Win and P'Phruek it means the seniors have no representation. The only people who can compete is Team and the 1st years. They need the swimmers to fill the rest of the races."
"I will not compete." Team looks at Win.
"Yes you will, you cannot refuse." Win looks at his boyfriend angrily. He never listens.
"I will not. As Sea said, they need the swimmers. I am the best swimmer there is in this club, they need me. If they threaten to pull the scholarship then I will compete." Team is determined to help in any way that he can.
"No, this is not something that you can play with. Do you think your friends did this for fun? They knew you would act like this. For once just listen to me, please."
A joins Win in rejecting Teams offer, "He is right, none of us here have a scholarship so they cant kick us out of the university simply for quitting the club. They don't have a valid reason from the code of student ethics to kick us out." He puts his hand on Teams shoulder and squeezes.
"Fine, but I wont go to the club." He decides to compromise.
"That's okay, I will train you at home." Win winks at Team.
Dean rolls his eyes, "So what exactly are we asking for? You can take off my going back to the club as the president."
"Me too. I don't want to go back to the club. So we should just ask that the kid is punished and a contract be drawn up about the conduct of the club members, outlining the punishments too. This way all of you will be protected." Win is startled when a kid from the club slams his hands on the table and stand up. "Respectfully, no!" Win is pretty sure he has never heard him even speak before. He looks tipsy. They all look at him shocked probably thinking the same thing he is.
"The reason we all quit was so that order is restored. This is the last year that P'Phruek, P'Dean and P'Win will be in the university. You have been swimmers since the first year you joined and we wont accept that you will end university not in the club that you gave your whole university life to." He stops to take a breath, "Its either we all are back or none of us are back. I get that you are probably disappointed in the university and you don't feel like going back but think of your brothers. We trust you and we look up to you, most of us would have left already if it wasn't for the two of you. So no, we reject your offer. "He stabilizes himself, "Now if you excuse me, I need to relieve myself."
Team walks over to his friends, "We agree." He looks at Win then Dean challenging them to go against them. He knows they won when Win breaks eye contact and turns to Dean. He smiles smugly to himself.
Dean looks at Win questioningly, Win stares back at his friend. They both know arguing will get them nowhere so they agree for now. For a bunch of university students, they sure can accomplish a lot. He wonders if the university will accept their proposal, that's a fight for tomorrow I guess. He decides for today he will just drink and enjoy the company. He watches Dean interact with Pharm, Manow with P'Phruek, he watches A, Bee and Sea all argue for the millionth time, he turns and sees Del and Alex in their own little world.
"Amazing isn't it Hia?"
He turns and looks up at his boyfriend, "What is?"
"The feeling of being loved and respected because of the type of person you are. I'm glad you got to see this, and I'm glad you know that no matter what happens you will always know that its not just me and P'Dean who are on your side." Team sits down next to his boyfriend and takes his hand.
Win squeezes his hand, glad to be in this moment with these people, his people. HIS PEOPLE.