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I turned my head and there was Kongpob walking with Joss down the hallway, not too far away from us.

And for the first time in while, there was no trace of a teasing smile on Kongpob's lips as he looked at me with a dark look in his eyes.

Uhoh...

Why did I have a feeling I had something to do with that?

Though I had to admit I wanted to know what was up with Kongpob, my pride would never let me ask him about it directly. Besides, I didn't say I was dying to know, I was just a bit curious...

But May was actually concerned enough to want to ask him about it. "I think I'll ask him about what's bothering him. It's the first time I've seen him sad like that." She said, her forehead furrowing.

"I'm sure it's not that serious. His dog just probably died or something." I responded sarcastically.

She looked at me with a raised brow. "How could you say that? It looks pretty serious to me." She defended, and then grabbed my arm. "Come on, let's ask him."

"Why do I have to come with you? And besides, wouldn't you seem strange if you suddenly ask him about his problem when you aren't that close in the first place?" I tried to reason, not wanting Kongpob to think I actually cared for him.

"Who said we weren't close? I once played a badminton game with him, you know." She remarked proudly, pulling me towards them. "And you are coming because I know deep down, you want to know the answer too."

If I hadn't known better, I would think she was trying to set me up with Kongpob. But I knew that she wouldn't do something like that because she was aware that I would never like him. And though she was pulling me right now against my will, I was sure that she was just embarrassed to talk to Kongpob alone.

"Umm...Kongpob." She called as we neared him.

When Kongpob saw us near him, his serious expression didn't change and he actually looked quite angry.

"Is there a problem?" Joss spoke for him.

"That's what I'd like to know." May replied, turning to Joss. "What's wrong with Kongpob? Did something bad happen?"

This time, Kongpob spoke for himself. "Why don't you ask Arthit? He's the one who knows." He said in a hurt tone like I had done something extremely evil to him.

What? Why does he sound so angry and sad at the same time?

May and Joss looked at me suspiciously, as if they were asking what it was that I did to make Kongpob that way. "Yah! Why are you looking at me like that? I didn't do anything." I tried to defend myself. Then I turned to Kongpob with a frown. "Why are you blaming me for doing something I didn't do?"

"Who said that I was blaming you? I'm just saying you know the reason." He remarked.

"And why would I know? It's not like you and I have ever shared secrets." I answered back sharply. What was up with him?!

"I guess you forgot about yesterday then." He said, turning to May and Joss, who were clueless about what he was talking about.

I was as clueless as they were! So I decided to bring up the rose he stole from me to get even. "Speaking of yesterday, why did you steal the rose I got from Daniel? You were jealous, weren't you?"

"What are you talking about?" Joss asked, probably unaware of what Kongpob had done.

"I'm talking about your dear friend opening my locker and stealing my pink rose." I explained to him, hoping to get him on my side. Then I shot a harsh remark at Kongpob, squinting my eyes at him. "I know that you did it, so explain why."

Of course Kongpob didn't answer my question, but instead threw another question at me. "Didn't you like my present better?"

"No!" I instantly exclaimed loudly. "Why would I?"

"Why not???" he asked again, visibly getting angry. Somehow, with or without his smile, the way he sounded so irritating still didn't change.

"Because I like Daniel!" I answered defiantly. But then I remembered May's presence so I quickly added. "A lot more than you."

Kongpob was about to answer to that when May interrupted him. "I'm sorry to leave you guys now, but I have this big calculus test I have to cram for so I'll see you guys around." She spoke with a sheepish smile before she started walking away.

"You don't even like the person who gave you that rose." Kongpob beckoned me with a knowing smirk.

He didn't even want to say Daniel's name. He must really be jealous of him. "And how can you say that? He's way better than you in a lot of ways, so why wont I like him?" I shot back at him. "And why are you smirking?"

"Cause it annoys you." He remarked, changing his smirk into his usual irritating smile.

Annoyed by his childishness, I found myself once again aggravated. "Give me back my rose." I asked of him.

"Why should I? I know you enjoyed my gifts better." He answered in reply. Boy, he was so repetitive.

"Weren't you listening to a word I said? I didn't like your presents!" I repeated with irritation, this time saying each word as clearly as I could so he would completely understand.

He smiled even wider. "Then give them back. If you return them, I'll return your rose." He proposed a deal.

I knew that if I said I ate the chocolates already, he would definitely assume I loved his gift (not that I didn't.) "I-I can't do that, because I threw it away!" I exclaimed as soon as I thought of it.

He looked at me with a raised brow. "You threw away a whole box of chocolates with almonds?" he asked in mocking disbelief. "You, of all people, are the last person to throw away something like that. You ate it all, didn't you?"

Damnit, he knows me too well.

I let out a scoff. "Look, I don't care what you say. Just give me back my rose."

"I can't, I don't have it with me." He answered.

I knew he was just playing with me so tried to play along. And maybe, he would do what I wanted that way. "Then where is it? Did you give it to another person perhaps?"

I was losing my patience even though I was playing along with him. But I wasn't really that angry yet, until he still kept on playing with me. "It's somewhere." He remarked teasingly.

"Give it back or I swear I will never ever talk to you anymore." I threatened in an angered tone, totally losing my patience. Somehow, it was really with Kongpob that I often lost control over my words and my actions.

He still didn't turn serious, but he asked me. "Do you really want it back?" And of course, I nodded in reply. "Then you're sure you won't regret it?"

Joss nudged Kongpob lightly. "Hey, he looks pretty angry. Look at the steam coming from his head. You should give in, man." He whispered jokingly. I almost forgot he was still there. But nevertheless, I wanted to thank him for saying that.

Kongpob suddenly stopped with his games and looked at me seriously. "If you really want your rose back, then follow me." He finally said, turning to Joss for a moment. "I'll see you later."

Then, he started leading me seemingly towards my classroom. Knowing that he didn't belong to the same class as mine, I asked him. "Why are we going into my classroom? Your bag isn't there."

He turned to me with a mischievous smile. "Who said it was in my bag? I gave it to someone else already." He said, making my eyes grow big in surprise.

"What do you mean?" I exclaimed.

But he suddenly turned upon reaching my classroom and started heading towards another direction. Now, it seemed like we were going to the classroom he and I got trapped in before.

He must've seen my expression turning angry again since I thought he was still fooling with me, because he suddenly gave me an assurance. "Don't worry, I can get it back for you if you really want it."

When we reached the classroom, this time, the lights were open, and there were two people already inside. One was a girl who had her back on me, and the other was none other than Daniel, staring into space at another side of the room.

As soon as I saw them while Kongpob and I stood by the doorway, I instantly opened my mouth to shout at Kongpob, for I thought he was still playing a prank on me. But then I heard what Daniel and the girl were talking about.

"Didn't I tell you to give the rose to Arthit? How do you expect him to fall for you if you don't give him anything on Valentine's Day?" the girl complained, showing a pink rose to Daniel.

"I already gave him the rose. He even thanked me for it." Daniel replied, an annoyed expression on his face.

The girl sounded even annoyed when she answered him. And she sounded oddly familiar... "If you gave it to him, then why do I have it with me? Look, what I'm asking you isn't hard but you still can't do it properly. If you couldn't do the job in the first place, then you shouldn't have accepted it."

...Job???

Daniel suddenly stood up and moved closer to the girl. "You want me to make Arthit fall for me. In the process and make him hate Kongpob even more. But you want me to accomplish that with such a small payment." He spoke in an annoyed voice and in that moment he sounded so scary I had never seen him act like this before.

"So what are you trying to say?" the girl asked, turning to face Daniel. When she did, I finally recognize who she was.

Jessica.

Of course, of course she was...

I should have known...

"It's not worth it." Daniel responded.

That was all I could take. I suddenly felt dizzy and turned, brushing past Kongpob, running towards the bathroom and locking myself in.

Within seconds, tears of betrayal and hurt were streaming down my face.

Was everyone I knew lying to me?

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