29. Chapter Twenty-Nine Spin

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Spin

I 'm so relieved to be finished filming and anxious to get home and see what condition my father left my apartment in. But first there's the bonfire, and I'm looking forward to that.

It's a beautiful night, with the full moon shining over the beach, and after eating, everyone gathers around a big fire, drinks in hand. P'Big plays his guitar, and everyone sings. I'm sure they're all as tired as I am but ready to celebrate that we finished what we had to do here.

After the fifth song, I glance around. P'Park said there was something he had to do and he'd meet up with me later, and I haven't seen him since. Full after the big meal, I decide to take a walk up the beach. Getting to my feet, I give P'Gift, who just walked back over to the group with a fresh drink, a hug and tell him I'll be back shortly.

Moving away from the circle of light, I walk barefoot through the surf, enjoying the feeling of the soft water creeping onto my toes before receding back into the ocean. Memories of a day long ago—the only other time I've been to the beach—flood my mind. I was around six, and my mother took me. I remember being in awe looking out at the vast expanse of the ocean and thinking that it was something alive—a sentient being that wanted to touch me. Rather than be frightened, the idea fascinated me. So much so that, when my mother's back was turned, I tried to walk into the sea, the waves lapping on my legs and then my waist. I heard my mother's cry of fear just before she latched onto my arm and pulled me back, dragging me to shore.

It was on that trip that she bought me the giant conch shell at the gift shop.

I remember how angry my father was when he found out where we went. I hid my conch so he wouldn't break it, and now it sits on the shelf in my kitchen.

I've walked quite a way from the bonfire, my mind lost in the past, when I spot two shadows sitting on a picnic bench, their heads close together. At first I can't tell who it is, and then, as I get closer, I come to a halt when I realize it's P'Park and P'Pear. P'Park is laughing, and the moon shines brightly onto P'Pear's face, clearly showing her expression.

"She's in love with him," I say aloud, the words eaten by the wind and surf as soon as they pass my lips.

They haven't seen me, and I consider turning and walking away, but what if they see me do that? Uncertain, I stay where I am and therefore witness the moment when P'Pear leans in and kisses P'Park.

Swiftly spinning on my heel, I walk rapidly in the opposite direction, not slowing down until the bonfire's in sight. Someone stands and breaks off from the group, walking my way, and the closer we get to each other, the better I can make him out.

"Nong, what are you doing all alone?"

I hug P'Daeng, burying my face in his shirt. He pulls back and tilts up my face, studying me in the moonlight.

"What's wrong? "

"Nothing," I say, shaking my head and trying to smile, but it wobbles. "I just needed a hug. I'm tired. Maybe I'll head back to the hotel."

"I'll walk with you," P'Daeng says, falling into step with me.

"Don't you want to enjoy the bonfire?" I ask.

"No. I've had about enough of Gift for today. He's driving me crazy. He's so by the book–I'm sure he has no idea how to have fun."

"That's not true." I look back over my shoulder at where P'Gift sits talking to one of the lighting guys, who hands him another beer from the cooler. "Right now he looks drunk," I add, observing the way P'Gift lists to the side and the lighting guy wraps his arm around him to pull him back.

P'Daeng stops walking. When he turns to look, his expression darkens. "Oh, hell, no," he says, striding back toward the group. Grabbing hold of P'Gift's hand, he drags him to his feet, and, wrapping his arm around P'Gift's waist, walks him back to where I'm standing near the dunes.

P'Gift's voice slurs as he says, "I dropped my beer!"

"You've had enough to drink," P'Daeng tells him. "Come on. We're going back to the hotel with Spin."

"Oh, hi, Nong," P'Gift says when he sees me, smiling unabashedly the way a lot of people do when they've had too much to drink.

"Hi, P'Gift. Are you feeling okay?" I ask, helping P'Daeng maneuver him toward the hotel by ducking under P'Gift's free arm and taking some of his weight.

"I feel good. Sooo good," P'Gift says emphatically. "Why are we leaving the fun?"

"Because you were one drink away from going home with Tar," P'Daeng growls.

P'Gift looks confused. "Who?"

"One of the lighting guys," I explain.

"Pffft. I don't sleep around."

"I bet you don't drink much, either. You're a lightweight," P'Daeng says. P'Gift trips on the soft sand, almost taking all three of us to the ground. With a curse, P'Daeng turns and scoops P'Gift over his shoulder, carrying him across the parking lot while I hurry after them.

"I don't feel so good." P'Gift looks a little green in the face when he lifts it up to me.

"Let him down," I tell P'Daeng.

P'Daeng does, and P'Gift staggers to a nearby patch of grass and vomits. P'Daeng rubs P'Gift's back until the heaving subsides, then I offer a tissue from the pocket of my shorts. When we feel pretty sure P'Gift isn't going to throw up again, P'Daeng picks him up, this time in a bridal carry, and P'Gift nuzzles his face into P'Daeng's neck as we continue walking to the hotel.

I open doors and push elevator buttons for them, and when we reach the floor where our rooms are, I ask, "He's sharing a room with you, isn't he?"

"Yeah. Nobody's got their own room this trip. Even P'Big and P'Luke are sharing. Can you get my card out of my pocket?" P'Daeng asks.

I find it, and we head to the end of the hall where P'Daeng stops in front of a door.

Once in the room, P'Daeng sets P'Gift on one of the beds while I go and wet a washcloth in the bathroom sink. When I come back, P'Daeng is helping P'Gift drink some water. He takes the washcloth from me and wipes P'Gift's face and neck, arms and legs.

"He's going to have to sleep it off," P'Daeng says when he's finished. He looks at me. "What were you upset about down on the beach?"

"I wasn't upset," I lie.

"You hugged me. You don't do that. Probably because Park doesn't like it."

I can't hug P'Daeng, but P'Park can kiss P'Pear.

When I don't say anything, P'Daeng asks, "Where was Park, anyway? I haven't seen him since dinner."

"I don't know," I mumble.

"Okay. You want to watch something on TV?"

I nod because I don't want to go back to P'Park's and my room and find him with P'Pear.

We climb onto the other bed and find a channel with scary Korean movies. The subtitles are off, so P'Daeng and I end up in fits of laughter. Sometime into the third movie, I fall into a doze. I wake up to find the TV is muted, and P'Daeng is asleep beside me on the bed. On the other bed, P'Gift is snoring softly.

A glance at my phone tells me it's after two a.m.

I put on my shoes and slip out the door. The hallway is quiet and I don't see anyone on the walk between P'Daeng's room and mine. Taking my key card out of my pocket, I slip it into the slot and push the door open.

The room is semi-dark, a cool breeze blowing in from the open window.

"Nong?" P'Park's voice comes from the bed in the corner.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up," I say. "Go back to sleep."

Ducking into the bathroom, I take my time washing up, but when I come out again, P'Park's sitting up in bed. I don't look at him as I change into a pair of sleep shorts and a T-shirt, and he doesn't say anything until I lie down on my bed.

"I looked for you on the beach but couldn't find you."

"I was in P'Daeng's room," I say.

Silence .

Biting my lip, I can't help but turn my head to look at him.

He looks angry.

"What?" I ask.

"You went to P'Daeng's room alone with him after I told you what he's like?"

Anger bristles the hairs on the back of my neck. "P'Daeng has been nothing but nice to me. And we weren't alone—P'Gift was with us. We watched movies." I don't mention that P'Gift was unconscious.

P'Park visibly relaxes. "I thought you were looking forward to the bonfire. I was surprised you weren't there."

"I'm surprised you looked for me," I snap before reining in my anger. P'Park never made you any promises .

"I went for a walk to look at the ocean," I say in a more reasonable tone.

Things have never felt this awkward between us before, and I don't like it. But there's no way I'm bringing up P'Pear and the kiss I witnessed. Thinking about it makes my stomach hurt.

We slept together, and two nights later, he's kissing someone else.

Flopping onto my side, I turn my back to him and face the window.

"Are you mad at me about something?" P'Park asks after a moment.

"I don't have any right to be mad at you," I say.

"What does that mean?"

The next thing I know, P'Park is climbing into bed with me me. The troubled look on his face makes me want to reach out and touch him, but I hold back, reminding myself that he's played me for a fool. He made me think we had something together. He did. I wasn't imagining it.

"Tell me why you're mad at me. "

I spend long seconds studying his face before answering. His dark brows dip toward his nose, and his eyes beseech me to talk to him while I swear his lips beg me to kiss him.

Those lips just kissed P'Pear ‘s, I remind myself.

"What is it we're doing?" I ask him. Because I have to know. We've both signed a five-year contract to be partners, and I can't stand uncertainty. I went through enough when I developed feelings for Bang last year and then had to watch him team up with someone else.

"You mean because of the other night? Nevermind, of course that's what you mean." P'Park looks flustered. "I've been wanting to talk about it, but we've been so busy."

"I've been wanting to talk about it, too," I say. "In fact, I hoped to talk to you about it tonight on the beach, but you were busy." Ugh. I didn't mean to say that.

P'Park frowns, but I can tell the second he realizes. "You saw me talking to Pear."

"I saw you kissing P'Pear," I say, pushing myself up and drawing my knees to my chest.

"I needed to talk to her. Someone told me that she's still hoping to get back with me, and I needed to set her straight," P'Park says.

I stare at him. "You dated?"

"Well, yeah. I told you that."

"You definitely did not tell me that."

"She's Khun Anong's granddaughter. We dated last year. I broke up with her."

I climb off the bed, but P'Park grabs me by the wrist before I can walk away.

"Spin, if I didn't tell you, I'm sorry. She doesn't mean anything to me. She never really did. "

I can't sort through the rush of feelings. Jealousy, definitely. Hurt that P'Park never told me. "You obviously weren't doing a very good job of setting her straight if she kissed you," I say through gritted teeth.

Swinging his legs off the bed, P'Park sits on the edge. "Spin. Look at me."

Reluctantly, I turn to look at his face.

"I told Pear I have feelings for you."

"Before or after you kissed her?"

"She kissed me, and if you were standing there for any length of time, you know I pushed her away. That's when I told her I like you."

Tugging my wrist from his grip, I walk toward the door. I hear P'Park following me.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to Daeng's room. I'll sleep on the couch."

Crowding me against the door, P'Park bows his head, pressing his face to my shoulder.

"Please don't leave. Please believe me when I tell you that I don't want Pear." He takes a deep breath. "And that I do want you."

He steps back when I turn to look up at him.

"You really don't want to be with P'Pear?"

He shakes his head. "I really don't. We've been over for a long time. I don't know why she thought she had a chance. I've barely spoken with her since filming started."

"And you like me?" I ask. "I mean, as more than a friend. Because I can take it if you don't, P'Park. We're working partners. Please don't lie to me."

"I like you as more than a friend." He touches my face. "I don't sleep around like some actors do. I swear it."

Finally, I give him a small smile. "Good," I say. "Because I kind of like you, too. "

"Kind of?" he asks, tilting my chin.

"Okay. More than kind of." Standing on my tiptoes, I kiss his lips, determined to wipe every bit of P'Pear's kiss from his memory.