Page 48 of Eight Weeks
After a little while of me gently stroking a hand up and down Sofia’s back, she eventually calms. Her tense body relaxing, brining an instant relief to me as well. I don’t want her to be afraid of anything, not even in her dreams.
Another couple of minutes pass, me just holding Sofia close to me while she sleeps in peace… at least until she detangles herself from my body and rolls over again. The loss of her body pressed to mine almost makes me pull her back into my embrace.
But I’m not that crazily obsessed. If we’re somehow finding a way together, it won’t be because either of us forced it.
Finally, I sneak myself out of the bed, stretching when I stand. For a moment there I want to rush out already, escape a sleeping Sofia and force my eyes to look elsewhere because I cannot fucking take it anymore. But then I remember that I promised myself something.
I promised I would help Sofia. I promised I would do anything imaginable to makeherlook good. Make her seem more loved than her sister could ever imagine possible for anyone. Make Sofia’s birthday next week as special as it gets with no way of a proposal being able to top it.
And if making all this possible means allowing myself to fall, then so be it. Even if this will end in a heartbreak.
So, I take a deep breath and grab some fresh clothes from my suitcase—the one I don’t plan on unpacking. With trying to make as less noises as possible, I quickly change, grab my wallet, and rush out of the room to find the bathroom, brush my teeth, and go downstairs.
I’m happy to find Peter and Karin awake, sitting in the living room just casually talking because I need to ask them for directions. As soon as they notice me, Karin’s face lights up with a smile before she motions for me to sit. Having a talk with my fake-girlfriend’s parents wasn’t planned, but I suppose it is on the agenda now.
However, I don’t walk over to them. I decide to keep some distance between Sofia’s parents and me. They wouldn’t hurt me, I know that much, but still. I am not taking risks here.
“You’re up early,” Karin says. “I’m just going to assume it’s jetlag.”
I nod, though I’m only half convinced it’s that. “I’m not used to being six hours ahead of my usual time.”
Karin chuckles, appearing to be the nice mother I remembered, all the while Peter looks at me with narrowed eyes. It’s like he’s waiting for an explanation from me. I wouldn’t know what he wants me to explain, so as long as he doesn’t ask questions, I’ll keep my mouth shut.
“Where are you headed?” Peter then asks, nodding toward the wallet in my hands.
I look down, fidgeting with said wallet before my eyes meet his again. “I was going to ask you for a flower shop nearby…”
His eyes narrow even more. I swear, he barely even sees me anymore, that’s how narrowed they are. “A flower shop?”
I nod, slowly. “Yes, uh…, I just want to get Sofia some flowers. She seemed a bit too upset for my liking after dinner, so I figured why not put a smile on her face right after she wakes up.”
“You and your gifts,” he chuckles, shaking his head. “You know she still has that frog you gave her.”
“I have mine too.” Well, I havehers, technically. I snatched it from her before they left for Germany. I know I had one that I put into some clothes Sofia would always wear, at least color-wise, but I needed something ofherswith me while she was gone.
“You do?” Karin smiles widely. I only manage to nod before she speaks again. “There’s a rise lantern festival tonight. A few villagers are getting together for it. It’s nothing big, but I’m not sure if it might be a bit much for you, but we would love to see you there.”
Please. “I still play hockey, some of my games are televised. I think I can handle a festival.”
“Not sure, son,” Peter says. “Not everyone here speaks English. Well, mostly the older people don’t. And Sofia’s friends can be a bit… much. People will stare at you and Sofia and talk. They’re nice and all, but it’s not the kind of festival you’re used to. Besides, televised hockey games aren’t the same as people being all up in your business at a festival.”
I shrug. If Sofia is going, so will I. Then there will be some people talking about me, staring and do God knows what… big deal. I’ll get through it. Hopefully.
Eventually Karin tells me the name of the nearest flower shop, offers to type it into google maps for me so there’s no way I’ll get lost. I happily hand my phone over for that. I’d rather run around with freezing hands as it’s felt like twenty-three degrees outside than get lost in the cold… in the dark.
I’m not afraid of the dark, but I like to be cautious walking around a town I’ve never been to at five in the morning with snow covering ninety-eight percent of the paths.
“Get a hot drink from the bakery next door. They sell an amazing hot cocoa, though you might want to try using a translator app to order it. I doubt Martina speaks English,” Karin tells me, handing me back my phone. “You can try, but she might throw you out instantly.”Just great.
28
Sofia
“you say we’re just friends, but I swear / when nobody’s around”—Better by Khalid
I woke up half an hour agoto an empty room. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t expect Aaron to stay around when he wakes up, but I did expect him to come back eventually.
Who is keeping him away for that long? If it’s Leon… fuck, he’ll need someone there.
