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Sports Day

Part 5

"The annual sport day is coming up in 2 weeks," Mrs Suthiluck was chattering as she served dinner. "I hope to see both of you in the same relay together!" She sighed blissfully.

"Mama, they're not even in the same class. How can they be running together?" Daniel broke in impatiently, annoyed with his mother. Then he glared at me as if it was my fault. I glanced quickly at Kongpob Suthiluck hoping to see some kind of reaction from him. However, he was just eating away silently as normal, ignoring the rest of us at the table. I heaved a silent sigh.

"Arthit can't run anyway," Dad contributed helpfully, "they'll definitely come in last!" I scowled at him angrily – how's that for loyalty? Thanks a lot, Dad!

Daniel started laughing, "My brother always gets first place." He threw me a scornful look as I pretended not to be affected, scooping more vegetables into my mouth. Daniel can be such a brat.

However, there is no denying that Kongpob Suthiluck shines at all types of sports, especially tennis. He's the school's star tennis player and the only one with the privilege of turning up for practice whenever he feels like it. I have been, okay I still am, one of the people who swoon over him each time he plays at any competition intra or inter school. I remember several times when he beat the tennis coach effortlessly — that's the only reason why he can escape practice. Just as he hardly ever studies, Kongpob Suthiluck also doesn't have to practice to excel in sports. That's what I call being "extremely gifted".

During all the sport events, there has always been fierce competition between my F class and his A class. Although it seems stereotyping, my classmates are very interested in sports and spend most of their time playing sports. The people in A class are typically nerds except for a few popular ones like Kongpob Suthiluck. Thanks to this handful of them, they've actually managed at times to steal several trophies from us.

Suddenly, I thought of a plan to make Kongpob Suthiluck notice me – I'll take part in my class relays and beat their class!

I put my plan in action the very next day. I started training very hard every morning and evening, getting all kinds of useful tips and advice from everyone and anyone. Whenever I bumped into Kongpob Suthiluck, I was always in my tracksuit and pants. However, the most extreme reaction I got out of him was a lifting of his eyebrows when he saw me get up really early Sunday morning. I was never the type to wake up early, especially on a weekend. To my own surprise, my stamina started improving, as did my speed.

Then I put the next part of my plan in action. I started getting my classmates to train just as hard as I did.

"Arthit, please can I have a break?" May was panting as I jogged merrily in front of her, Max and another guy.

"Nope, come on you can do it!" I cheered her on. "I want to beat A class this year!"

Max was all for it as well. "Come on, we will beat A class and show those arrogant bastards who are the best," he added. There was an unholy gleam in his eyes. I knew he had something against A class and one especially Kongpob Suthiluck, probably because of my liking for the latter.

I was jogging back towards the house one day when a basketball bounced onto the road and a little kid ran out to after his ball. Unfortunately, there was a cyclist riding up and he couldn't see the kid from where he was. Almost as a reflex action, I ran and pulled the child out of harm's way as we both toppled to the ground.

The next thing I knew, I felt an excruciating pain in my ankle as the cyclist rode over my leg, unable to stop in time. He was very apologetic and quickly took me to see a doctor at the hospital, who told me that it was a fracture.

A fracture? The sports day was next day!

I really wanted to rant and rave, but what good would that have done?

I quietly limped home, hiding my injury from everyone and gritting my teeth each time my injured ankle touched the ground.

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As I was walking to the school field, I suddenly felt a heavy hand on my shoulder, followed by the most irritating voice near my ear, "Kongpob, you think you're so great, huh? Watch F class whip your ass today! Isn't that right, Arthit?"

I tried to contain my irritation when I saw that big idiot Max with the largest sneer on his face. I ignored his taunting as usual, putting it down to the weird quirks of the intellectually challenged. Why on earth do these morons in F class want to challenge me all the time? Obviously, they can't find anything else better to do in their spare time. Unfortunately for them, "yours truly" here has much better things to do then converse with half-illiterates.

Plus, why was that idiot Max always clinging to Arthit? Everything was about Arthit to him and I didn't like it. He was so annoying...

"What's the matter with you, Arthit?" I suddenly heard Max exclaim aloud and stopped walking. Yes why was the usual chatterbox keeping a death-like silence? I looked past Max at the baka who was staring down at his feet, still not answering.

I frowned slightly, what was up with the baka? As if sensing my gaze on him, Arthit suddenly seemed to pull himself together as he lifted up his head and stared defiantly at me. "You wait and see, we'll beat your class this time!"

A small smile made itself across my face. There he was, the baka.

"I await the results of this competition with bated breath," I said with mock politeness as I turned away and left them, tired of this conversation that was leading nowhere. I left Arthit behind, looking after me with a defeated expression on his face.

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"Go class A! Go class F! Goooo!!!"

The crowd was cheering, their screams deafening, but all I could focus on was Arthit running past my classmate, about to beat everyone in his run. He was much faster than I had thought. I guess the hard training really paid off.

"Come on Arthit! You can do it!" The idiot Max was jumping up and down like a mad person next to me, suddenly with more vigour than before.

But then I noticed Arthit's steps falter, becoming more unsteady, until gripping the fence for leverage. Something wasn't quite right, he was dragging his left leg behind him, looking rather hurt. Comprehension flooded me instantly. Obviously he had injured himself — how on earth did he get hurt though? He was close to finishing, reaching us waiting to run the last round, when suddenly, he thrust the baton into my face.

What the...

"Kong...Kongpob," his face twisted in pain, yet there was a slightly dazed smile on his face as he continued waving the baton at me. I felt a puzzled frown cease my forehead. Did that baka have the misfortune of losing his mind on top of everything else? I was not his teammate? Why on earth was he passing the baton to me?

"What are you doing?" I asked her baffled. As if waking from a dream, he looked bewilderingly from me to Max, his actual teammate. That silly fool was grinning at Arthit like a lovelorn calf. I gritted my teeth at the sight. I never liked how he stared at Arthit and recently, I became to hate it even more. Slowly, comprehension dawned on his face.

"Baka," I bit out.

"Indeed, I really am one," He whispered bitterly and I almost reached out as a reflex as he laughed weakly, sinking onto the ground as his injured ankle finally gave way. Then a determined expression appeared on his face as he made one last stretch and handed over the baton to a worried-looking Max, "Max, do your best! Fighting!"

With a resolute expression on his face, Max took the baton from him. "I definitely will win the relay for you, Arthit."

With a wild battle cry, he was off.

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I was still staring at Max's disappearing figure when there was a light tap on my ankle that sent intense pain flooding through my leg.

"Ouch!" I shrieked gripping onto my leg with both hands as I turned to see Kongpob Suthiluck squatting next to me. He was the one who had touched my ankle and now he was staring at it intently.

"This hurts?" He asked casually.

"Of course it hurts!" I screamed at him, biting back my tears. I could see my ankle all swollen under the sock and I could feel it throbbing in pain.

"Well if it hurts, then you're an idiot for running..." He concluded as a matter of factedly.

Sure, what was I expecting? For him to care for me?

I sighed. "But, but if I were to give up, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life!" I poked my chin stubbornly in the air as he sighed and shook his head.

Before he could say anymore, there was a light touch on his shoulder.

"Our classmate has arrived," Jessica said as a fellow classmate ran slowly up to him, panting and waving the baton. Now it was Kongpob's turn to run as fast as he could to catch up with Max.

Luckily, despite my hurt ankle, I was able to make quite the distance between me and other runners, so I was sure Max would grab the win for this race.

Yet, I couldn't stop my heart saying what it wants and of course, I wanted Kongpob to be the 1st again. "Kongpob Suthiluck, remember to do your best!" I cheered him on and I knew he had heard me even though there was no reaction from him.

He simply took the baton from the poor skinny fellow calmly and started running after Max. A slight smile formed on my face when I saw how fast he was running... No wonder he is the athlete of the year.

The result of the race was a foregone conclusion thanks to Kongpob Suthiluck's amazing speed and stamina. The A class beat us again and I had quite a job trying to comfort a distraught Max who had lost to Kongpob mere meters before the finish line.

I was limping home when I saw a familiar figure walking in front of me. "Kongpob Suthiluck," I shouted as I half-hopped, half-jogged to catch up with him.

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I continued walking, but slowed my pace slightly, allowing the baka to catch up with me. I was curious to know what he wanted.

"Congratulations!"

Again there was that huge smile on his face as he looked at me. "I've lost again. You really are the best."

His grin grew brighter as he quickened his pace in order to pass me, obediently keeping to our agreement that he was to keep a distance of 3 metres from me at all times. I was somewhat taken aback by his cheerful attitude — boy is he one good loser.

Then I thought I saw him pause. The next thing I knew, he appeared to sway on his feet and seemed to pass out. Instinctively, for god knows what reason, I ran forward as fast as I could and caught his limp body in my arms, trying to cradle him protectively against my chest. My elbow that was cradling his head smashed into the curb when we both fell onto the road. An intense pain shot through my arm and I gritted my teeth, stopping myself from screaming from the agony. I didn't want the baka to know that I hurt myself. God knows, he would cry again. Must be dislocated... I sighed at my misfortune as I maneuvered his limp body onto my back, and piggybacked him to our house.

The baka was much lighter than I expected him to be. Yet, he eats like a horse.

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I was holding onto something warm and there was something tickling my cheek. Slowly my eyes opened and I felt a gentle rocking motion as if I was carried by a soft cloud. No, a strong firm cloud. Am I on a ship?

My head started to clear and I realized to my shock that I was being carried on someone's back. Glancing down, I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw that it was Kongpob Suthiluck! A mindless joy swept over me as a yelp of joy escaped my lips. He immediately knew I had woken up from my sudden movement as I tensed on his back.

"You are such an idiot." His disgruntled voice broke into my daydreams, sending me back to earth with a crash, but his hold around my legs tightened. I was surprised he didn't let me go now that I'd woken up again.

Hot embarrassment flooded through me at the thought of being carried and I started to struggle against him. "Let me down, let me down! I can walk...I—"

"Stop moving!" He ordered firmly, irritation clear in his voice as he continued holding onto me. "It's difficult enough to carry you without you squirming around."

Oh...right.

I must be super heavy...

"I'm sorry," I whispered softly and stopped struggling.

Slowly and hesitatingly, I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders as I held onto him, my my arms clasped tighter around his neck and I laid my head against his back.

For the first time since...I couldn't remember, my heart was soaring and I experienced such pure happiness.

Please, let time stop right now, I wished dreamily as Kongpob Suthiluck carried me towards home.

Regardless of what happens, I will remember and treasure this moment for the rest of my life.

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