Playing For Keeps

6. Drinks For one

Love her? How could she ask about love? She's never even said those words to me either. Ming's thoughts had been running nonstop all evening. His emotions were all over the place and he didn't know what to do with himself. Classes hadn't started yet for him, so he had no homework to do. The hazing activities were over for the day, and overall, he just didn't feel like doing anything or talking to anyone. Including Wayo.

He was mad. Mad that Pang would put them through this again. How come when she was upset, was the first thing she wanted to do was stop talking to him and then break up? Why did she feel like these actions would solve their issues?

Confusion clouded his anger as he slid down to sit on the floor in front of his bed. Pang had blamed him for everything and maybe she had been right in doing so. He didn't buy her gifts anymore, but he had a reason; she never liked them. They didn't spend as much time together anymore, but there was a reason; they were both busy. And no, he hadn't ever told her he loved her. Did he have a reason for that? He didn't know.

It was true that they had broken up multiple times before, but this one felt different. For some reason, Ming could feel somewhere inside him that this was the final time. He shook his head and grabbed two fistfuls of his hair. Was he really such a bad boyfriend? He needed to clear his head, and sitting on the floor, thinking the same thoughts over and over again wasn't helping him.

He checked his watch and saw that it was just past 9pm; not too late or too early. He stood to his feet and quickly grabbed his keys, his wallet, and his phone even though he had been ignoring it all evening.

Just one drink. That was all he needed to help him clear his head...

****

"What if he hates me?" Phana asked quietly.

Phana had been going on all night about his unrequited love for Wayo Panitchayasawad and Kit and Beam were tired of hearing about it. Phana had brought it upon himself, after all. He had been a bully to N'Yo for years. Kit knew that he only did it to hide his true feelings, but as time went on, it was getting harder and harder for Phana to hide those feelings. So, he often complained to Kit and Beam to let out his frustrations.

Both Kit and Beam stopped playing their game of pool and looked at each other. Then they looked at their friend who was now wearing a very somber expression.

"Heeeeyy, what's with that face?" Beam said walking over to him again. "It's never too late to start being nice."

Sometimes it is. Kit wanted to say, but he kept his mouth shut. Saying something like that would only upset Phana further. Phana had truly dug himself into a hole this time around. Along with Beam, Kit had been pressuring Phana to just tell N'Yo the truth; that he really liked him. But instead of doing that, Phana turned right back into his bully self and instead made a bet with the kid for the Moon and Star pageant.

The bet was: if Wayo becomes this year's campus Moon, then Phana would leave him alone forever. But if N'Yo didn't become the Moon, then he would have to be Phana's personal servant for a week. When Phana told them what happened, Beam laughed so hard he cried, and Kit scolded Phana until his throat ran dry. A bet was not how you tell someone that you like them!

"But what if he really does hate me?" Phana asked again.

"I don't think he hates you, Ai'Pha. He might be a bit angry, but hate? I don't think so." Kit said, turning to face him. He had his pool stick standing upright as he looked at Beam and nodded at him to keep playing. Beam walked back over to the table to take his turn. He leaned down to hit the ball but then stood up suddenly.