TIED FOREVER

ONE

MEW'S POV
"Who is he?" My bench mate whispered. Suddenly my eyes shifted from the origami I had been folding to the front door of our classroom. Principal sir entered and followed him a timid looking  , wheatish  skinned boy, too thin for his age , as if undernourished . He carried his heavy backpack and new notebooks . A'V' formed on his forehead and it didn't take much time to understand that he was struggling with the heavy load he was carrying. His round framed spectacles were too big for his face. He gave one or two glances to the room full of students. And I ......I kept staring at him.

Principal Sir introduced him as Gulf Kanawut and added that the school was indeed very lucky to have him. Gulf was the Class 10 Board Exam topper and held the national record of 98.8%. "He is a very bright and amiable child", Principal Sir said to Lewis Sir ,our homeroom teacher.

           My bench mate and best friend since elementary school, Tul ,once again decided to whisper in my ear "What's so bright about him ? We will soon have to find out". 

I was too dumbfounded to speak. Generally a newbie meant bullying and ragging for a couple of weeks , the newbie then gave a party to the whole class and came under my wing . ....but here  I was sitting with a dry throat admiring the view ...................and a mighty appealing view ......i  must say. The twinkle in his large black eyes , the shy smile he gave when Principal sir praised him , the tiny mole below his lower lip ....which he nervously kept biting , his beautiful nimble fingers that tucked away the stray hair that had come  in front of his eyes , the tiny golden stud which proudly sat on his right earlobe . I could find a hundred other things bright about him just by sitting on the last bench . A closer look would lead me to write his biography. .......Seriously..... how could Tul be so blind.

The only thing that I wanted to do right  now is to run to him , hug him tight and hide him under my blazer. REASON??...Don't ask...I didn't want the other students in my class the see him.

"HEY................HOLD ON", I scolded myself. " Am I not the Prince of senior high school? Even the boys of higher classes were scared to cross paths with me. Girls were a separate chapter altogether . They gave me cards and love letters which I had absolutely no interest in . A few bolder ones even confessed their undying love for me but when I looked into their eyes ,I don't know why ...I didn't see sincerity in them. And you know what ...a few days later they would be with some  other guy. 

My fame is well known. Good in music , good in sports , super handsome , cool, stylish but poor in studies.....who cares? Being the only son of Dr Phillip Suppasit , renowned cardiologist , who also owned the SUPPASIT CHAIN OF SUPER SPECIALITY HOSPITALS around Asia ... I could say I am a rich kid.I have  everything that an average kid could wish for....a large mansion , cars with personal drivers , servants to tend to all my needs, and obviously much more money than I can spend . 

Keeping my emotions on check , I simply stare at him .

During lunch break I instructed everyone to leave the class saying I wanted Mr newcomer all by myself .Nobody dared to oppose and the class room was empty in no time . Tul who had been waiting to rag Gulf wasn't much happy when I told him to leave the class too . With a grumble he too left. The class now  only had me and Gulf .

I saw him nervously twiddling his fingers. How could I tell him that I was as nervous as he was . Why?? I kept thinking. I just wanted to play my cards right and make a good impression on him.

I went near him and said in a low voice 'HI'. 

He just looked at me and said nothing.....I could see his plump lips quivering. Thinking that he did not hear me the first time, I attempted again

"Gulf right?". I said to strike a conversation and he nodded  this time.

Before I put my next question forward my stomach rumbled and made an annoying sound. This is so embarrassing . Out of all the times , the elephants inside my stomach have decided to declare that they are hungry now. MY FIRST IMRESSION ....gone down the drain. Hearing my rumbling belly ,he looked straight into my eyes and asked "When did you have your last meal?" his voice had a touch of scolding.

"Yesterday night...was late getting up today ,so skipped breakfast". I replied

"Isn't it lunch break now ? Why are you not eating your lunch?" , he enquired. I was shocked at being scolded . Look at the audacity of this kid. No one had ever talked to Prince this way...my sensible brain reminded me but....but....but my inner self was doing triple somersaults as it was Gulf scolding me. GOD WHAT HAS GOTTEN INTO ME...... Hiding my emotions I only showed a poker face to Gulf . Actually , I had stopped bringing lunch boxes to school since 7th grade . It seemed so childish to carry lunch from home .

"Didn't bring any today". I replied 

'Oh !' He muttered and shifted to the other side of the  bench . "Come ...Sit ," he said patting the empty space he had just vacated. With trepidation I complied and sat beside him . " Eat my lunch , I had a heavy breakfast ... so not really hungry", Gulf said while pulling out a lunchbox from his bag and giving  it to me. I took the box from him like an obedient child and opened it . A huge grin appeared on my face . Inside the box were chicken sandwiches, my favorite . "You really don't want any?" I asked Gulf . "Nah ! You eat , I'll eat this apple ." He said and took out an apple from his bag . "Seriously ,Mamma packs much more than I can eat", He kept muttering. Before my stupid mouth could check itself , the words were already out " You have a Mumma?". "Huh!...What did you say?", He asked waiting for me to repeat the question . "Nah! Nothing " I replied flustered at my own stupidity. Suddenly I was very hungry and gobbled up the food in a matter of seconds. He handed me his water bottle and I drank from it .. Well fed ... My heart was contented.

'Hi' I said again "I am Mew"

'Gulf' He said and we shook hands. His hand was so soft and warm. 

"I have heard others calling you Prince" He asked frowning , confusion evident in his big black eyes .

" Mew is my real name , Mew Suppasit. My friends call me Prince" I said to clear his doubt .

"Why ? Mew is such a sweet name ", He blushed as he said this .

"You can call me Mew if you want ." I said 

"Really?" He asked ...his eyes shining like gems. How could my weak heart refuse this angel? I nodded smiling and he smiled back .

Mew Suppasit my official name is seldom used . My friends and foes call me Prince and Dad calls me Rony. And now Mew. Even though I have had this name for the past seventeen years of my life ....it had never felt this special .

When I reached home that evening my house stood like an empty monument screaming in silence . I was in no mood to go out so I went to the kitchen to find something to eat . Dinner was ready in the fridge to be microwaved . The cook and the maid thought me to be a spoilt , rich brat and preferred to leave before I came back from school . No one except Somsak Uncle and my near non existent Dad are allowed into my room . Somsak Uncle had come with my Mamma from her home town when my parents got married . "Somsak is my dowry", My Dad sometimes joked. He lived in the outhouse  in the rear of our bungalow . Since Dad was an absentee for almost ten months a year , I have practically lived alone these eleven years after Mamma died. The  six year old me  had to grow up overnight , learn to hide his tears and be strong. I had to hide my soft core under my brutish crust.

I took a few spoonful from the food the cook  had prepared and threw the rest in the thrash bin. In bed I dreamt of HIM.

Why was this stupid grin again ?? AM I SMITTEN? Well I didn't care . I was loving what was  happening to me. 

Suddenly realization  got better of me .I was getting attracted to a boy and nothing felt abnormal. Was that the reason I was never interested in those girls who had shown interest in me??