Just between us

Chapter One

2017

Toota double checked the number on the door, he was at the right place.  The neighborhood wasn't the best, he knew he this had to be a mistake.  Letting out a deep sigh, he knocked on the door anyway.  Nobody responded, so Toota kept knocking.  The person he was here for should be at home for sure.

After a couple of minutes, the door opened.

"What do you want?" came the angry response.

" Ai Bright... I..."

Toota stammered at the sight of his old best friend.  Bright's eyes were bloodshot and slightly droopy.  The stubble on his face made him look much older than he actually was.  He smelled of cigarettes and cheap alcohol.

Bright blinked hard a couple of times peering at Toota.

"Toota..." he said in a gruff voice.

His eyes narrowed, "What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in for a minute?" Toota asked quietly.

Bright shrugged and moved aside letting Toota in.  Toota scrunched his nose in disgust.  The house was a complete mess littered with empty takeout containers and bottles.

"Have a seat," Bright said coldly.

Toota pushed some clothes off of a chair and took a seat.

"I spoke to Prem," he said looking at Bright meaningfully.

Bright scoffed rolling his eyes, "Of course you did, I should have gone to Arthit instead."

"Why are you doing this Bright?  How did you lose your job?  What happened to you?  Prem told me it has been eight months since you lost your job."

"Two years," Bright said suddenly.

"What?"

"That's how long it has been since we have seen each other."

"Whose fault is that?" Toota spat bitterly.

"You broke my heart!  Now you have the nerve to come to my house and question me about my life!" Bright shouted.

"Don't talk to me like that."

"Why not?  Does your little heart feel bad for me Toota?  It's too late now, just go.  Haven't you hurt me enough?"

"Bright, please listen to me," Toota said calmly.

"Why should I?"

"Because I am your friend and I'm am here to help you."

"Friend?  Huh... right.  You are the asshole who broke me."

Toota lost the last bit of patience he had.  He pushed the chair back and stood up, glaring at Bright.

"Bright, we were never in a relationship.  You keep saying I broke your heart.  How could I have broken your heart when we were never together."

Bright walked towards Toota and grabbed him by the collar looking at him straight in the eye.

"You and I both know it's not the truth Toota."

********************

2009

Bright's friendship with Toota had started in the most uninteresting way possible.  Bright didn't have any close friends in particular.  But he was loved and was friends with almost everyone.  Just like his nickname suggested he was, in fact, a bright, and cheerful person.  He never got moody and hated to see anyone feeling down.  Bright would always do his best to cheer them up.

Bright being asked to work in pairs was both a blessing and a curse.  It meant he didn't have to concentrate too hard.  It also meant no one would want to work with Bright because everyone knew how lazy he was.  When their history teacher had asked them to work in pairs, Bright looked around trying to figure out whom he could leech on to this time.  His eyes fixed on a boy who mostly kept to himself.

Toota, the new student who had mysteriously transferred in the middle of the school year.  He was the quiet and creepy kind.  Even Bright kept his distance from him.  There were rumors that Toota was there because he had gotten into trouble in his previous school.  The stories varied from assaulting a teacher to dealing drugs.  Bright personally thought the rumors were ridiculous, but he didn't want to take any chances.

Unfortunately, desperate times called for desperate measures.  He was terrible at history and needed a higher grade in this project if he wanted to get his average up.  Bright noticed that Toota was a smart student.  Which made him more curious as to why he was kicked out from his previous school.

He gave himself a pep talk and approached Toota with the best smile he could muster.

"Hey... do you want to work with me on the history project?" Bright asked.

Toota stared at him uninterested.  "No, I can do it by myself," he replied coldly.

Bright felt all the blood drain out of his face, but he didn't want to show his irritation.  It's for the greater good, he told himself.

"Listen here buddy, there is an even number in the class now, and it's not a solo project.  One way or the other, you will have to work with someone.  I will get straight to the point.  I suck at history so you can do it however you want.  Just put our names on the pair, and I will be out of here."

"What's in it for me?" Toota asked.

"Uh... someone who wouldn't interfere?"

"Fine... but I need you to do certain things."

Bright looked at Toota confused, just when he thought he got out of a sticky situation.

"What is it?"

"I will let you know when it's necessary."

"Ok then, that's it, I'm Bright by the way," he said extending his hand.

"I know that I'm Toota."

********************

Bright let out the breath he had been holding.  He didn't have to worry about any tedious projects anymore.  He was slightly suspicious of what Toota needed from him.  His mind was making up worse case scenarios.  He remembered the rumors.  What if Toota asked him to smuggle drugs?  Maybe he should just ask someone else.  Was it too late now?

"Ai Bright?  Are you alright?  Why do you look so scared?  You are creeping us out," one of his classmates, Win, asked.

Before he could answer, Toota was walking up to him.

"I forgot to get your number," he said.

Just as Toota left Bright's friends looked at him in disbelief.

"What was that about?"

"Ai Toota is my project partner."

"What the hell?  Are you crazy?  Haven't you heard what he did to his teacher?"

"I don't care as long as I don't have to read books about who killed whom for the throne."

"Well if you get stabbed don't say we didn't warn you," Win said sternly.

Bright stared at the back of Toota's head, what was his story? Toota seemed normal to him, but there had to be a reason why he was in their school.

Toota seemed to have sensed his staring and turned to look at him, Bright smiled politely.

There was no going back.