The Storm

"P'Arthit I told you taking your car was a bad idea. It's literally a junk box. Why couldn't we just take mine?"

"And I already told you, atleast a hundred times now, that this meeting was supposed to be with the local suppliers. Who are simple, hardworking farmers. And bursting in with that flashy red sports car of yours wasn't going to win us any favors"

"At least we would have made it to our meeting."

I stole a quick glance in Kong's direction as he sat next to me in the 'junk box' as he called it, arms crossed against his chest while he stared outside the window with a rather obvious pout. Or tried to look outside which as of now was next to impossible seeing how we were surrounded by the worst rainstorm we have seen in decades. The actual disaster coming from the fact that not two seconds after the storm had been unleashed my windshield wipers decided to simply not cooperate, which was why we were currently driving at close to 5 miles an hour speed on a deserted little road near an abandoned village that was actually more of a forest than not. A journey that should have taken just over four hours was now in hour eight and we were nowhere even close to our destination. To be quite honest actually, I think we may be lost. But that would be one thing I didn't have the courage to accept to Kong just yet.

Stealing another quick look in his direction I sighed softly before turning my attention back to the road. Squinting my eyes as much as possible to try and see anything at all on the road ahead.

And in that very instant having been stuck in the same car with Kong all day long, I wasn't entirely sure if it was a good or a bad thing. I mean if I had to be stuck with someone for the entire day it had better be Kong seeing how we have been coworkers for the past two years and had become best friends in a heartbeat. We had formed an almost instant connection to each other from the first day he had joined and after two years we were almost inseparable. But then there was also that annoying little fact that I tried to forget as much as possible that at some point during the time our acquaintance had morphed into a steadfast friendship I had managed to develop this unshakable crush. And when I say annoying, I truly do mean the most frustrating feeling under the sun. Not only did my virgin brain have absolutely no idea how to process these newfound feelings I had discovered about my friend, but Kong, on the other hand, was also famously the most non-gay man I had ever met. So much so that I bet you would need a supercomputer just to keep track of his long string of easily replaceable girlfriends. I had long since stopped trying to remember their names anymore whenever Kong invited me along as the third wheel.

Surely I must have the most masochistic tendencies too, cause why else would I actually tag along like a fool? Perhaps I wanted to prove to myself more than anyone that I was thoroughly capable of getting over this ridiculous crush, but after one year and six months of continuing to pine after the same man, I have a feeling those attempts don't seem to be super convincing. Or maybe I torture myself just to make sure his latest fling was truly just that. Even I am don't know anymore. All I do know is that sitting next to him all day, inhaling his musky smell for eight straight hours, gave me the bittersweet pleasure I wanted to run away from as far as possible all the while hoping this day never comes to an end. Even if I had to watch him exchange mushy texts with his latest girl every few minutes. A silent shiver ran down my spine as I daydreamed about being on the receiving end of such a message from him for once, even though I was fully aware it would never come to pass.

"Are you cold, P'?"

Reaching out he began fidgeting with the knob on the car to turn up the heat until it snapped right off with a 'pop' sound that echoed loudly within the car. Kong's lips forming a flat line, as he gave me the most exasperated expression possible.

"You know P', it's moments like these when I want to say 'I told you so'..."

"But...?"

"But then I remember I am dealing with the most stubborn mule under the sun. I know your dad bought this car for you before he died and you love it more than life itself, but how about we go put in some museum or something instead of sticking it together with duct tape?"

"Quit complaining so much, will you. It runs just fine. It's just small things here and there that needs fixing."

"Runs? Exaggeration of the century. It doesn't run at all. It barely walks. Hell, even crawling would be an upgrade as of now. By the time we reach home in this tin can my parents will have reincarnated and graduated college already."

"Do you always have to be such a drama queen? I know you are dying to get back to your Tina tonight, but I am going as fast I can manage. And I know you like to blame everything on my car but I really doubt it is responsible for this storm."

"Firstly, it is Raina, and secondly I just got dumped. So I am really hoping we can reach sometime before the year ends cause I would very much like to forget my breakup looking at the bottom of the scotch bottle."

"Oh. I...I'm sorry. What happened?"

Was I really sorry?

I wasn't.

Fuck! I am a horrendous friend.

Instead of actually answering he gave a barely noticeable shrug before he turned his head around to stare outside the window once again. My heart instantly clenching at the thought of him looking so melancholic. I reached out a tentative hand, about to place it on his knee comfortingly when I hesitated and pulled it right back. Knowing full well that even a simple touch will send tingles through my body for hours.

Seriously, I'm the shittiest friend on the planet. Surely even I could be there when Kong needed me without focusing on my silly crush first. Hardening my heart from all the emotions I know would come pouring in, I stretched my hand again, just about to cover his hand with my palm when all of a sudden I heard him yell out in surprise.

"P' watch out!"

"Oh shit!"

As I caught sight of the sudden animal dash across the road I swerved to the side to avoid running over it, the tires losing traction over the slippery roads as I lost control while we were thrown off to the side crashing straight into the stubborn tree that easily crumbled the front of my car.

And in all the commotion, the boy sitting next to me had stupidly flung himself across his seat, wrapping both his arms around my head to prevent it from hitting the steering wheel before the airbags got deployed. I am not sure if he had saved my life or endangered his own, but only moments after our brains had stopped shaking within our skulls, Kong untangled himself from around me, grabbing my face between his palms as he looked over me in concern.

"P' are you ok? Are you hurt? Are you injured?"

Extracting myself from his tight grip, I lowered his hands from my face, still slightly shaken up from our accident.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. What about you?"

"Phew, P' you gave me a heart attack right there. C'mon we need to get out of this death trap before something bursts into flames."

"Get out? What do you mean, get out? We are in the middle of nowhere and if you haven't noticed its raining cats and dogs outside. We will be soaked to our bones in two seconds."

"I have noticed actually. But turns out I also noticed the smell of petrol all around us and that not so pleasant lightening that keeps showing every five minutes. I think I would much rather deal with some wet clothes than stay inside this metal case waiting to get fried any second. And also if I am not mistaken I think I saw a motel a couple of miles back."

"I don't think I remember seeing anything. Are you sure about it?"

"Nope. But just one way to find out I guess. Here take my jacket."

"What? No! You keep it on. You are barely wearing anything underneath anyway."

"But you are the one who has been shivering even inside the car. Plus I almost never fall sick."

"Kong that's just dumb..."

But before I could argue any further he had shrugged off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders before throwing the door open and jumping out into the rain. I quickly followed him, running around the car to go stand in front of him, about to launch into my own tirade about just how reckless he behaved at times when he placed his palm across my lips, still warm despite the cold rain beating down on us.

"Let's not argue anymore P'. I just really want to get out of this rain to find someplace warm and dry. And if we don't find the motel soon it won't matter how many layers we are wearing anyway."

His voice sounded low and tired so I simply nodded, returning his half smile before turning to look at the crumbling mess formerly known as my car. Kong instantly understanding my thoughts as he adjusted his jacket around me, zipping up the front as he thoroughly engulfed me within his aroma.

"Dont worry P', we will come rescue her tomorrow. Promise."

Slipping his hand into mine, interlacing our fingers, he squeezed my palm tight before he pulled me towards the direction we had just come from. Both of us falling in step with each other as we quietly began making our way to the supposed motel.

Walking through that deserted road, the storm threatening to disrupt all realities, lost in the middle of nowhere yet I had not a spark of fear in me. Kong's warm hand clutching mine drove away any uncertainty there could exist. It really was weird how much I turned to Kong in my hour of need. Or maybe I never really stop needing him. Even though I was older than him, technically even his senior at work, he was the one always saving me.

There was that time when I had fucked the return orders for the company and had called him frantically thoroughly convinced I was about to get fired. He had stayed with me in the office over the whole weekend to help me fix my screw up. Or the time I had twisted my ankle and couldn't drive, so every day for a month he went out of his way to pick me up and drop me off from my doorstep so that I didn't have to hang around in the train. Or when I got hit with the worst bout of food poisoning and he sat next to me on the floor of my bathroom, rubbing a soothing hand down my back as I repeatedly emptied the contents of my stomach into the pot.

Or how about today itself. The moment I found out I had to drive outside the city to meet the suppliers it was just understood that Kong would be coming along with me. Even after I had gotten us thoroughly lost, drenched and into an accident, he was still walking beside me, turning towards me every few minutes to make sure I was still ok. We slowly trudged along the flooded streets until a good two hours later we finally saw the dimly flashing neon lights where half the characters were not lit or flashing constantly, but alas it truly was a motel. A dinghy little building looking like it was about to crumble under one heavy blow of wind, but a motel nonetheless.

"See, I told you."

Grinning from ear to ear, he squeezed my hand in excitement as he pulled me into the building. The decrepit little structure housing an equally old reception table that was currently sitting empty. Kong walking up and furiously smashing the bell as a half asleep old man grumpily stomped his way behind the desk. Kong flashing his most charming smile as he went about to schmooze the poor guy.

"You are a savior, my man. Two rooms for two weary travelers please."

Except, instead of falling under Kong's patented spell, like us poor mortals who always do, the man grumpily responded without even looking directly at us.

"Nope. Only one room available."

Kong's grin fading slightly as he shot a quick look at me to read my expressions before turning back to the man, his smile having returned.

"No worries good sir. One room for the night please. Can we also get a change of clothes if possible?"

"Nope. No extra clothes."

"Oh okay then. How about a laundry room?"

"Nope. No laundry."

"Uh, a drier then?"

"Nope."

"Ok, for the love of God please tell me you atleast have hot water in the bathroom."

"Nope."

"Seriously dude does this place have anything?"

It would have been comical to see Kong pull his hair out in frustration if both of us weren't soaking to our bones shivering with every breath. But even I couldn't hold back my chuckle when the man responded with slapping two towels on the counter with the tiniest bar of soap and the fakest smile that ever existed.

"That will be 1000 bucks."

Handing him soaking bills, Kong grabbed the towels and ushered me towards the staircase. Both of us silent as we finally entered the cold, dark room. But atleast it was dry. And right now that was all I could think about.

"P' why don't you go wash up and get out of those clothes. I'm going to see if I can manage to get some food out of that grump. I will be right back ok?"

Giving only a brief nod I stepped into the washroom. Fumbling around for the light switch before I realized it had no lights either. Shocking, huh? Shedding off my soaking wet clothes in utter darkness, I stood under the freezing cold water for a good five minutes as I took in everything that had happened today. Having spent the entire day alone with Kong had been taxing enough, and then there was the accident and the hours of walking to find the motel. And now we would be spending the night in one room together.

Closing my eyes as I let the freezing needle like water pinch all across my body, I hoped with all my might that atleast the night is uneventful and boring. Cause I seriously doubt my heart had the capacity to handle any more confusion when it came to Kong.

Shutting off the shower, it suddenly struck me that I all had to cover myself up with was the towel he had just handed us, getting back into my wet clothes being the stupidest thing to do seeing how Kong was right about me falling sick at a drop of a hat. Wiping down my body as thoroughly as I could manage, I wrapped the towel around my waist as tightly as possible before I tentatively opened the door to see Kong just enter the room again.

"P' no luck with food but guess who just scored this bottle of whiske...oh!"

Stopping short as he noticed my near naked state, his gaze slowly sliding down my bare chest sending an uncharacteristic shiver through my body.

Why do I get the feeling tonight isn't going to be that uneventful after all.