“Maybe I should help you,” said the senator.” The words ran out of his mouth like a loose dog. He was surprised to see them running away. Jatupon could see that he regretted the words.
“I need out. I don’t mean to come here with you. I want, on my own, to break from them. I can’t go back there again.”
“Which one beat up on you like that?” Jatupon didn’t say anything but looked down at his legs. The senator asked, “Does it happen very often?”
“Well, I’m not a kid.”
“You’re 14, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that isn’t manhood yet. It is an awkward age.”
“I won’t return. I hate him for doing that to me. He just left me in the puddle of my blood. I hated him so badly I wanted to kill him afterwards.”
“Which one?”
“All of them hate me. Suthep and Kumpee resented what Aunt Chusanee tried to do for me but I don’t hate them.”