Page 2 of Friend Ship
“I mean it, Sud. If I’m the reason you get a bad grade, or don’t win the contest, just know that it’s your fault our friendship died.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to be an actor? Because that was pretty dramatic. Anyway, if the time you threw a ball of my mom’s fabric dye into the bathtub with me and turned my skin pink for a week didn’t ruin our friendship, messing up this video isn’t going to.”
“I thought it was a bath bomb,” I mutter.
“And the whole time I was pink, you made fun of me, calling me the newest Telly Tubby.”
“Pinky Winky,” I say, giggling.
Sud’s laugh is deep and throaty. Across the room, the group of girls blush and sigh, and I really can’t blame them. Sud’s very handsome. Tall, sleepy-eyed, hair that always manages to look artfully wind-tossed, and a knee-weakening smile. Notmyknees, of course. Girls’ knees. And some guys, sure. But definitely not mine.
“Who else is working on the video?” I ask.
“Koman wrote it, Save’s filming, and Bekki’s directing. All three of them thought getting you to be my partner was a great idea.”
“Bekki your ex from tenth year?” I ask. “I thought she hated you now.”
“Yeah. And, no, we’re friendly now that we’re both in the same major. And she’s dating some guy going into dentistry.” His look turns soft. “Thanks for doing this with me, Noi.”
My sigh is as long and beleaguered as I can make it. “Don’t make me regret this.”
Suddenly, Sud jumps up and grabs me out of my chair, lifting me off my feet and swinging me around the crowded room. A few students sitting around us take pictures with their phones.
“Put me down!” I say, smacking at Sud’s shoulders while trying to wiggle out of his grip.
He sets me down and ruffles my hair. “You’re so cute when you blush.”
Completely mortified, I sit down and hide my face behind my textbook, muttering, “I’m going to kill you.”
“I’ll get your copy of the script to you later today, and we can start going over our lines together.”
“Fine.” I set down my book. “Can I get back to my work now? You know, formymajor?”
“Sure. Thanks again, Noi. You’re the best.” Before I can dodge his hand, he ruffles my hair again before striding off. Glancing around the room, my cheeks burn at the number of people staring. Ducking my head, I turn all my attention back to microeconomics, shutting them out.
Chapter Two: Sud
“Are you sure you’re willing to do this scene?” Bekki asks after reading the script.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be? What’s wrong with it?”
She wrinkles her nose. Bekki’s pretty, but she’s the fussiest girl I’ve ever met. Everything about her has to be perfect. Her nails match her outfit, and her makeup and hair look like a professional did them. It’s too much.
“It’s just really romantic, and you’re doing it withMeeNoi.”
“What’s wrong with Noi?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.
“Nothing. I mean, he’s grown into a really handsome guy. But you and him?” She wrinkles her nose again. “Isn’t that kind of incestuous?”
Okay, so maybe I stretched the truth a little when I told Noi that Bekki was all for him doing the video with me.
“We aren’t real brothers,” I tell her. “You know that.” Noi’s lived with my family for years, but we aren’t blood related. Myparents wanted to adopt him, but that didn’t work out. “We’re close, and that’s going to work in our favor because I won’t be all nervous like I would with some other guy I have to act romantic with for the first time. I want the Rainbow TV execs to see I can do real boys’ love material.”
Bekki looks doubtful. “You don’t think Ez might be a better choice?”
“Ez is a terrible actor. You said so yourself,” I remind her. “This is your grade, too, you know.”
Bekki sighs. “You and Mee Noi better start rehearsing, then. If we’re going to be on schedule, we’ll need to start filming next week.”
