Never mind, Forget About it.

“Chris, hey Chris, wake up!” Jenny tugged on Chris's arm as the trunk popped open. The car idling in neutral, Chang got out to remove the luggage, followed by Jun.

“This is my pad, well Jun stays here too,” Jen stroked her hair, “Anyhow, she's going over to Chang's condo so you can sleep in her bed today.”

Chris yawned rubbing his eyes. He looked at his bare wrist. Habit. “What time is it anyway?”

“About half past five .” The two got out of the car and helped to finish unload their luggage in front of the sole elevator.

Chang had parked right in front of the elevator with his hazard lights turned on even though there didn't appear to be anyone in sight. Chris saw from the indicator on the right side of the sole elevator that there P1-P3, 4-15 floors and L, which he guessed must have been a lobby. From where they stood at ground level, there wasn't any type of lobby or anything that resembled an office---just a parking lot. There were about 40 or so cars parked in between large columns, with motorcycles and bicycles at the far end. At the building entrance, there was a small post with a security guard sitting inside, snoozing away.

There was no way they were going to fit so much onto one elevator so they decided to make two trips. Chang volunteered to go up with Jenny on the first load while Chris waited with Jun at the bottom. With such a gesture, Chang was trying to be composed not letting any jealous feelings show. Jun could drive Chang up the wall just by being herself. He knew she was a keeper by the way other guy's heads turned whenever they went out. Though Chang was financially secure from a rich family, had a nice car, and steady job, he knew that Jun was still young. And so Chang became uncomfortable when Jun was around handsome guys her age. Not only was Chang ten years older than Jun, but he wasn't nearly as handsome as Chris, not to mention a tad overweight.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, Jun turned to Chris. “Are you sleepy?”

“Huh?,” Chris returned her gaze.“Yea, kinda.” Every moment he was near this sacred and fragile creature, the more he forgot about his exhaustion. She opened the passenger front door, bending over the seat to grab something. Chris tried not to stare, but it was difficult. Her back end curves sent sexual signals straight to three of his organs. His heart racing fast, he felt his pride stiffen in his pants, sending naughty thoughts to his mind. ‘Stop, control yourself. Discipline, you need some sleep.' He told himself.

At that moment, there were sounds of footsteps coming from the parking lot entrance. Chris quickly turned his attention to the man in a brown security uniform walking towards them.

“Ja hai phom chuay arai mai krup?” The man addressed Chris. Clueless, he nodded to Jun, who turned around from the car facing the man.

“Mai pen rai pee. Riap rowy laew ka.” Jun came off polite. The man walked back to his post.

Chris leaned against the wall next to the elevator door. Jun leaned on the car checking her face in the side rear view mirror. Chris tried not to watch directly, but couldn't help it. In this sheltered parking lot during the dark morning hours---his first hour in a new country with the smell and wrath of humidity in the air, he became vulnerable to this girl's smile: a powerful yet unintentional spell.

She slowly rubbed her breast bone while stroking her hair . He had an eye for kinesics but fought himself hard not to read into anything. After all, this girl was taken. Exotic thoughts began to enter his mind.

“You got butt of love.” Chris surely must have misheard Jun's words; Selective hearing and a hazy exhaustion on top of an unfamiliar accent.

“What was that?” He scratched his ear.

“I say you got lot of stuff.” Jun repeated her words more slowly.

“Oh stuff, that's right,” Chris smiled “I misunderstood. Yea.”

Jun chuckled. “What you think I say?”

Chris smiled back. “Never mind, it's not important.”

In the elevator, Chang inquired about Jenny's new friend. “You say you just meet this guy. He might dangerous. Rape girl. Kill. You know there is crazy guy so much. I drop him off hotel, It better…”

Jenny cut in, “Don't think so much, you came with me the first night we met.”

“It different. I…”

“Don't worry Chang, I can take care of myself. Maybe he has to worry about me more.” Jenny smirked. “Anyway, I think khun kuan huang fan maak kwa chun. . You guys seem tense now. How's the relationship going anyway?” Jenny shifted the conversation smoothly.

“We fight again. Last night we go to pub. I get angry at her. I don't like clothes she dress up. Every man mong bap yaak nawn duay . Too Sexy.” Chang was irritated just talking about it.

“You should take it as a compliment. She's your girlfriend, not theirs.”

“I know but poo ying riap rowy can't do like this in Thailand .”

“You know she's a descent girl so what does it matter how she dresses when she goes out. Relax big guy. You'll work it out.” The elevator dinged as it reached the fourteenth floor.

Jenny held open the elevator door as Chang wheeled Chris's large piece of luggage carrying Jenny's medium backpack in his other hand.

“You remember which room is mine right?” Jenny teased.

“You go America not long time. Just two munt...Jun live here too. I'm come here almost every day.”

“So in other words, my room is reeking of sex. Did you open the window?” Jenny asked playfully eyeing Chang's groin area before mocking him more “Oh Chang, you're so big, oh, it hurts…it hurts.”

Though there was no one else in sight down the long corridor, Chang was embarrassed. “Shhhh. People is sleep. Farang girl crazy jing jing .”

Jenny unlocked room 1409 and an awkward feeling came over Chang. Sure, he had been here many times over the last few months with Jun, but the last time he was here alone with Jenny was a night he wished he could erase.

Chang sat down on Jun's bed and picked up a framed picture from the nightstand in between the two single beds. It was a nice picture, but

It was taken the night Chang had met the two in a trendy night-club on Ekamai . Even though he danced with Jenny first, he had his eye on Jun from the start. Eventually, Chang got Jun to open up making some jokes. Unfortunately for him, Jun had to go to her parent's house early because some relatives from upcountry were visiting. Chang drove her to the Bangna residence while intoxicated Jenny dozed in the back seat. Jenny wanted to go back to her and Jun's condo. Chang saved Jun's number on his mobile phone as he waved goodbye. As Jenny now sat in the passenger seat, she requested they stop at 7-11 for some wine coolers. He couldn't refuse the invitation for such a one-on-one after party. It had an exotic appeal as he had never been with a western girl. One bottled turned into two, three, and so the story went. Chang ended up staying with Jenny that evening.

He didn't even take her number when he left the next morning. On top of the retched hang-over, all he could think about was Jun. Jenny was still sleeping as Chang quietly slipped out of the apartment. He called Jun as he got into his car.

Jenny looked at herself in the mirror. There were small bags under her eyes blended with smeared mascara. She was a pretty mix of Irish and German with a medium straight nose that pointed upward. Her shoulder length hair was a mess. As she brushed it, she watched Chang in the reflection---lost in a daze, staring at the photo he had taken. Jenny and Jun held up their glasses in a cheers pose.

“Can't forget that night can we. I Can't believe it's already been a year. So how have you been big guy? We haven't had a chance to really talk about it since then. Hope you have been taking care of my girl.” She sat down across from him on her own bed.

“I love her. You hate me? I so sorry.” Chang's guilt surfaced as he grabbed her hand.

Jenny pulled her hand away to rub her neck. “Sorry for what? You kit maak . Don't be so serious. One night stands are normal. At least we're still friends. You just worry about Jun. Don't break her heart.”

“I can not do that but I no want her to know about us. You not tell her, do you?” Chang asked

“Of course not, Never mind, it's not important. Lets go, ok.”

Jenny's easy-going attitude made Chang feel better, as if a burden had lifted. Though Chang was deeply in love with Jun, there still remained some obligation toward Jenny. The guilt ate at him for the past year. Though many guys in general might entertain easy sex without remorse or responsibility, Chang was the sensitive type. He felt responsible as if he owed Jenny something, even if he didn't have romantic feelings towards her. In the end, his loyalty to Jun always persisted---even when Jenny had made small passes at Chang after the fact, Chang was disciplined and tried real hard to act oblivious. Perhaps Jun sensed something, but Chang never let his emotions show.

Lingual Footnotes

Ja hai phom chuay arai mai krup? จะให้ผมช่วยอะไรไหมครับ : (masculine) Do you want me to help out with anything?

Mai pen rai pee. Riap rowy laew ka. (feminine addressing senior) Don't worry about it. Everything is taken care of

khun kuan huang fan maak kwa chun. คุณควรหวงแฟนมากกว่าฉัน : you should be more worried about about your girl(boy)friend than me

mong bap yaak nawn duay มองแบบอยากนอนด้วย : staring as if they wanted to sleep (with her/him)

poo ying riap rowy ผู้หญิงเรียบรอย : a descent/accustomed lady

jing jing จริงๆ : Really

Bangna บางนา : A district on the eastern flank of Bangkok

Ekamai เอกมัย : A (semi-posh) boulevard/area in Eastern Bangkok

kit maak คิดมาก : To think too much/seriously

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