Unforgettable!

XX Free falling

20.1 Mark

Nam is waiting for me across the road from Soi 99's back door. He's casually leaning against his black Lexus, looking down at his phone. He's dressed in short burgundy shorts and a beige knit T-shirt, looking like a model from the sixties.

How come mosquitoes haven't eaten him alive? He must be too toxic even for them.

Nam looks up at the sound of the door closing behind me. He smiles. His face looks so open and honest as if he's happy to see me. As if we are friends.

I already regret ever texting him.

Is it too late to bail out?

"Get in," Nam says, getting into the car.

Damn.

As I fasten the seat belt, Nam hands me a paper bag. "Here," he says, looking straight ahead and starting the car. '7 Rings' starts playing on Lexie's stereo system. "I thought you might be hungry," Nam says over the 'breakfast at Tiffany's' line. I peek inside the bag. Sandwiches carefully wrapped in tissue paper are lying there, smelling divine.

"Soi 99 serves food as well," I say tightly, but my stomach traitorously rumbles.

"You can throw them away. But please, humor me – try one. I want to know what you'll make of them." Nam glances at me, eyes pleading.

I have no idea what I got myself into. I'm clearly out of my depth, and there's no easy way out, so I decide to play it cool. I shrug and bite one of the sandwiches.

Oh, it's so delicious I almost moan. I don't though. I'm not Luc. Luc would definitely go into his food-porn mode over this sandwich. There's crispy, fatty bacon, avocado, fresh lettuce, some nuts, and something sweet. Even the bread is tasty.

"Where did you find them at 4 am?" I ask because Luc should try them too.

Nam smirks. "Good, yeah?" I hum in vague response. "I made them," Nam says and throws a careful glance at me again. "Oh, fuck's sake! Don't you dare to frown at them! They are not poisoned. They are absolutely safe to eat. I had one myself while I was waiting for you. And somehow, I'm still alive."

"You made them..." Well, I'm really trying to be cool and mature. I do. But I'm also kind of shy and disconcerted. "For me?"

"Who else would I meet at 4 in the morning? Huh?"

"Thanks," I say. For the sandwiches and for agreeing to meet me for God knows what. I don't say that last bit of course. What are we even doing? Should I tell Nam I've never done it before? Or can I fake it? I look at the sandwich in me hand. It looks steady. You can't tell I'm actually shaking in my boots. Maybe if I try hard enough, I'll pass as a cool guy with some experience.

What the fuck am I doing?

Luc would laugh at me if he knew.

Suddenly, I'm so nervous I can't even swallow a piece of bread. I cough, pathetically.

"There's water in the glove compartment," Nam says. Still coughing, I find a bottle of energy drink lying next to a box of tissues. "Trust me," Nam smirks again, "you'll need some extra energy tonight." He winks at me, but I'm paralyzed with fear.

We park at an empty parking lot in front of an office building.

"Come on," Nam says, getting out of the car.

What are we doing here? Does Nam live here? Would I look like a complete idiot if I ask? Nam hops over a low fence and jogs to the main entrance. Wordlessly I follow. Why bother asking – I'll find it out soon enough.