Chapter 20: First (and maybe last) fishing trip
———
I let out a long, drawn-out sigh, staring at the sky that was slowly brightening with the first hints of morning light. The air was crisp and sharp, making the hairs on my arms stand on end, yet it didn't bring even a hint of freshness to me. Yesterday, I had foolishly promised James that I'd come fishing with him bright and early.
"It's five o'clock already, damn it!" I groaned, following behind James as he lugged his ridiculously heavy fishing gear. "Why the hell do we have to come this early?"
Yes, after yesterday's utterly exhausting outdoor escapade, I had expected to sleep in, to rest long and hard. My ass still ached from the previous day. Every step made me wince. Note to life: P'Theer is a man who is possessive, demanding, and frighteningly strong!
And here I was, sore and groaning, forced out of bed by my damn friends at an hour when even the roosters hadn't started crowing, dragged along for fishing—and they hadn't warned me in advance. Life, seriously?
James looked back at me with that annoyingly bright grin. I wanted to throw a pillow at his face.
"To catch fish, you need patience and focus," he said, laughing softly. "Stop whining! Today we'll catch the big ones for an amazing dish!"
We finally arrived at the riverbank. The water lay still and serene, golden sunlight gradually spilling across its surface, painting a picture so beautiful it could be in a gallery. I could see the others—Jan, Maria, and Thomas—already there, each absorbed in their own fishing.
"Ray! About time!" Jan waved at me. "You're seriously late!"
I walked over and sat beside him, inhaling the mixed scents of water and damp earth. "Why so early?" I muttered again.
"You have to be early!" Thomas replied. "Fish eat bait in the morning, you know!"
I pulled a face. "And how many have you caught so far?"
"None," Maria said wearily. "Been sitting here ages, no sign of any fish."
James laughed loudly. "Haha! You guys… to get fish, you need patience!"
He then went to his spot, skillfully unpacking his gear. I watched, dumbfounded. "You act like this is normal."
"Of course!" he said. "I've been fishing forever!"
I exhaled, then turned to Jan. "How many do you think they've caught?"
Jan shrugged. "Probably none," he said. "I've never caught one either."
I chuckled softly, picking up a fishing rod, completely clueless. "So… what do I do?"
Maria glanced at me. "Hook the bait and lower it into the water."
I frowned. "Bait? What bait?"
Maria pointed to a small plastic box containing fat, white worms crawling about. I turned pale. "Ew! Worms?!"
"Yes! That's what fish love!" Maria said, grinning.
I made a disgusted face. "No way! I can't touch that!"
James burst out laughing. "Hahaha! You guys… scared of this?"
I glared at him. "Then you go do it yourself!"
James shook his head quickly. "Nope! I'm in charge of the gear!"
Finally, Thomas volunteered to put a worm on my hook. I stared at the wriggling white worm on the rod, shivering. "Hey! Stop moving!" I muttered.
Thomas laughed. "Relax, it won't bite you."
I slowly lowered my line into the water, careful. The once still surface now rippled lightly. I sat silently, trying to calm myself, but my mind kept flashing back to the wriggling worm.
Time passed slowly. No one spoke. Only birds chirped and the water lapped gently at the bank. The atmosphere was so peaceful it was almost suffocating.
"Hey! My rod's moving!" James shouted excitedly.
We all turned to him. James was pulling his rod hard; it bent sharply, threatening to snap. "Whoa! This is a big one!"
We all stood, hearts racing, watching as he slowly reeled in his line. Finally, a fish surfaced—a tiny, surprisingly small one.
"Hahaha!" we all laughed. James looked disappointed. "That's a tiny fish!"
"Smaller than the worm!" Thomas teased.
James pouted before releasing it back into the water.
I glanced at my own rod. Nothing. Not even a twitch.
"Maybe the fish here are scared of my good looks," I joked.
James laughed. "Keep dreaming! If you were really handsome, your bucket would be full by now!"
I chuckled, looking back at my rod, still motionless.
"Hey! My rod's moving!" Jan shouted.
We turned. Jan's rod bent, his eyes shining with excitement as if he'd discovered treasure. He slowly reeled in a massive fish.
"Whoa!" we all exclaimed. The fish was enormous, far bigger than we expected.
Jan struggled to pull it up, finally letting out a relieved laugh. "Finally got it!"
I stared, awestruck. "Wow! That's huge!"
Maria nodded. "Yeah, I've never seen one this big."
James pouted. "Guess the big ones just like Jan's worm more than mine."
We all laughed, the earlier tension replaced by joy.
After that, we fished for a while longer, but no one caught any more big fish—only small ones nibbling at the hooks.
"Guess the big ones are all gone," Thomas complained, exhausted.
I nodded. "Yeah… I think you're right."
We packed up our fishing gear and started walking back, laughing and teasing each other along the way. The sun had climbed a bit higher now, its rays scattering through the morning haze, glinting off the water in golden specks that made the river look like a painting come alive. The air carried the faint scent of wet earth and wildflowers, subtle but refreshing.
I hadn't walked far before my eyes caught a mango tree standing not far from the riverbank. On one of its sturdy branches, a massive red ant nest clung precariously. I glanced at Jan, and like some silent signal passed between us, our eyes sparkled mischievously. A sly grin spread across both our faces without a word.
"Hey! Did you guys see that?" I pointed toward the tree, my excitement barely contained.
James, Thomas, and Maria turned, puzzled. "What is it?" James asked.
"A red ant nest," Jan replied, smiling wickedly. "The eggs are really tasty, you know!"
Jan and I exchanged another glance, that same silent agreement forming in our eyes. Chaos was about to unfold.
"Let's do it!" James shouted, practically vibrating with excitement.
We all moved toward the mango tree. Jan and I tried to find a way to knock the ant nest down, but it hung too high for us to reach.
"Want me to climb up and get it?" Thomas offered kindly.
"No way!" Jan and I shouted simultaneously. "It'll break!"
I scanned around for a long stick, anything tall enough to reach the nest, but came up empty. Disappointment was creeping in.
Then Jan's eyes lit up. He spotted a bamboo tube propped near the tree. "I've got a plan!" he declared, his grin widening.
We all looked at him curiously. "What plan?" James asked.
Jan explained a slightly complicated but undeniably fun scheme. We laughed, nodding in agreement.
James was the first to take the bamboo tube. Jan and I carefully maneuvered the ant nest, trying not to make it fall too violently. But the moment it hit the ground, hundreds of red ants erupted from their nest, crawling frantically over the dirt, their sharp, tangy smell hitting our noses instantly.
We all screamed. "Run!"
Without hesitation, we bolted toward the river. Ants were crawling up our legs as we plunged into the cool water.
"Ouch! They're biting!" Maria yelled.
"Me too!" James shouted. "Jump in fast!"
We splashed into the river together. The sound of water scattering in every direction filled the air. I floated for a moment, watching everyone laugh hysterically. Faces lit with pure joy, water droplets flying everywhere, the river sparkling like a thousand tiny diamonds.
"Hahaha! My plan was perfect, right?" Jan cackled.
James, still in the water, gave a tired laugh. "Perfect! So perfect I almost want to shove a worm down your throat for it!"
We all burst into laughter again. The tension from earlier had completely dissolved, replaced by warmth, camaraderie, and pure childish fun. I glanced around at my friends, laughing and splashing, grateful for this chaotic, yet joyful moment.
After we were satisfied with our impromptu river dip, we trudged back to the bank, dripping and exhausted, exchanging small chuckles.
"So… what now?" I asked. "Go home?"
Jan shrugged. "Let's get some food first."
We all agreed. James grinned widely. "I know a place that sells delicious Thai snacks!"
We followed him quietly, the chatter and laughter mingling with the soft rustle of the river's reeds.
⸻
Later, after filling our stomachs with snacks, we decided to head back to get ready for dinner. I trailed behind James quietly, silently wondering how this cooking mission would turn out… because judging by the group, none of us had ever cooked anything seriously before.
We reached James' cozy, welcoming home. The subtle scent of jasmine drifted into the air as we stepped inside. Everyone rushed straight to the kitchen.
"Alright! Let's make a dish out of our tiny little fish!" James declared, full of energy. "Time to show off our skills!"
Jan gave a small, dry smile. "Seriously? I'd rather just go buy rice."
"No way! We're cooking today!" James snapped.
Maria nodded. "Yeah, I agree."
We crowded around the ingredients, the smells of fresh herbs and fish mixing in the warm kitchen. Thomas stared at the tiny fish in the bucket, clearly bewildered. "What are we supposed to do with these?"
"Grill them!" James replied confidently. "It's the easiest way!"
Jan gave a tight-lipped smile. "Are you sure people will eat this?"
James frowned. "Of course! Just wait and see!"
He started prepping the fish on skewers, struggling as the little fish wriggled pitifully. "Hey! Stay still!" James muttered.
"Handle it better!" Thomas teased.
James glared at him, then turned to me. "Ray! Help me here!"
I shook my head. "Nope. I'm scared they'll squirm!"
James let out a huge sigh but managed to skewer the rest of the fish, many falling to the floor in the process.
"Ahh! They fell!" Maria shouted.
James went pale. "It's fine! I'll clean it up!"
But then it happened again. "Argh! Still fell! I'm grilling all of them anyway!" James shouted, frustrated.
Thomas and Maria joined in to help. The three of them worked together, struggling comically. Jan and I watched, barely able to contain our laughter.
"This is kitchen chaos at its finest," Jan whispered.
I chuckled softly. "Couldn't agree more."
Soon, the smoky aroma of burning fish filled the air. Several skewers were charred black.
"Ah! Burned!" Maria cried.
James went pale again. "No way! No way!"
He hurried to remove the scorched fish, some completely blackened.
"Look at my fish!" Thomas wailed.
James sighed. "It's fine! Still edible!"
We all looked at each other and laughed. The tense atmosphere from before had completely melted into laughter and warmth.
"So… we eating this?" James asked.
We all shook our heads in unison. "Nope!"
James frowned. "Fine! Then let's go buy food!"
Everyone agreed immediately. James grinned. "I know a place that serves amazing noodles!"
⸻
As evening fell, my friends and I sat in a circle at my house, planning for the Kwankhao (Thai Harvest House) party tomorrow. We hadn't been formally invited, but thanks to some connections, we slipped in unnoticed.
"So, what's the plan?" James asked quietly, arms crossed, brow furrowed.
I raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly. "Simple. I'll go stir things up… walk somewhere quiet nearby and see if Kwankhao follows."
Thomas frowned, giving me a wary look. "You won't get beaten up?"
I laughed heartily. "Come on, who's scared?"
Maria, hugging her knees, sighed. "Are you guys stupid or just daring?"
Jan put hands on his hips and pouted at me. "You're always this reckless. If you get slapped, don't expect me to help, Ray."
Still, I grinned at each of them, mischief in my eyes. "Trust me, it'll work. I've seen it in the movies—never fails!"
We all glanced at each other silently for a moment before James reluctantly nodded. "Fine… let's do it your way."
We spent a while planning, assigning each person their tasks. Once everything was set, my friends went home.
After dropping them off, I took a shower, freshened up, and settled at the riverside pavilion. The cool evening breeze brushed against my skin, relaxing the tension in my body. Faint floral scents mingled with the earthy smell of wet soil. The evening sun reflected on the water, casting a warm, almost romantic glow over everything.
I felt like tomorrow would be a pivotal day, a chance to set past wrongs right. But after all that, what would happen next…
I had no idea how long I'd been sitting there. If I handled this properly, I could go home, but a strange pull kept me rooted. Memories, bonds to this place—it wasn't just nostalgia; it was unfinished business calling me back.
My eyes wandered over the calm water until a shadow appeared—a lone canoe approaching. Who would be paddling at this hour? I wondered. As it drew closer, my jaw dropped. The person in the canoe was P'Theer.
Tension melted into sheer surprise. Normally I saw him in a sleek car, never paddling a canoe, and certainly not at this hour when most people were returning home. I leaned quietly against the pavilion, observing him closely.
As the canoe neared, I could see him more clearly. His usually composed face was flushed, tiny beads of sweat forming at his hairline. His sharp eyes seemed to avoid something—or someone. I watched him, equal parts curious and amused.
Why was he paddling now? And why did his face look so red?