Lost in You

Chapter 27

"Come, they're starting," I shout to the kitchen when the flag lowers on the TV screen and the first jumper opens the competition. "Almost done," Maja calls back and emerges from the kitchen a moment later, somehow managing to balance a huge bowl of popcorn and a cup of coffee in her hands. I'm already cuddled under our blanket, a cup of hot chocolate between my hands. Somehow we've turned watching these competitions into what others might do during a film night. Yesterday, we've done our nails and put face masks on while watching. I sent a picture of us to Marius when he asked whether I was keeping my promise and watch. He seemed to approve of the way we spent the day. Once Maja has lit a candle and placed the bowl between us, I take another picture to send in the break. I'm still scared I might distract him if we text too much before the competition, even if he assured me that it was fine and that he didn't have his phone the whole time anyway, so I couldn't possibly distract him when it got serious. The competition today draws on for some time, it's snowing, the wind keeps changing and makes the athletes wait at the top for quite some time before there is a short moment in which they can jump. "I have to say, I don't envy them. I'd much rather sit here under a warm blanket and eat popcorn instead of being out there and freezing my ass off," Maja says after a while and throws a handful of popcorn in her mouth. I giggle and take a sip of my hot chocolate. "Me too. I mean I wish I could be closer to see him after the competition, but right now this is perfect." I take some popcorn as well before Maja has a chance to eat it all and almost miss that the competition continues now. That the countdown to the top ten starts and with it my heartbeat raises. Maja and I don't talk while we watch the rest of the first round, both entranced by what is happening on our TV screen. Only when the last jumper has landed and advertisements start playing, does Maja turn back to me. "So how is it going so far?" she asks with a look at my phone that I'm already turning in my hands again. "Good. I mean you already know that we're talking almost every day and he keeps me updated on the travel dates, where they're going, and what hotel they're staying in. Not that that information would help me much, but the little room tours I get are fascinating," I say and glance at my phone. His jump wasn't too good and I want to give him some time to gather up his things and get back up to the top of the hill. At the same time, I'm dying for a message. "That sounds good. Are you still happy?" Maja asks next, direct as ever to voice a question regarding the big concern she had when I told her that I'd fallen in love. Now I am glad that her worries so far seem unaccounted for. I can hardly keep the smile from my face, especially as my phone vibrates just at that moment. "I am. We've talked it all through on your advice and made a plan and so far it seems to work," I say and show her the photo of him smiling while taking the lift to the top that he just sent me, which makes Maja smile as well. "Looks like it," she says and gets up, most likely to get more coffee from the kitchen. You're still watching, right? I get after the photo. Of course. It's starting to become a tradition each weekend for Maja and me. I can hardly remember what we did before we watched. I like the idea of that. Your set-up looks delicious and cosy as always. He writes back, because he didn't have the chance to comment on my picture before. I like it as well. I'd wish that you were here as well, but then the tradition would never have happened in the first place. We can make our own traditions. You'll need something to do on the weekends in summer. I smile at the thought. Next to the planned trip to Greece, the reason why Maja and I looked for work in a hotel in the first place, other summer plans have come up now of course. I can't wait. I might already start making a list of things we can do tonight. Send it to me so that we can compare ideas. Sure, but I'll need some time to come with enough things to make it worth it. I won't tell him that I've already started making one, if only in my head in the late-night hours when I couldn't stop thinking about him and counting down the days to summer, when I knew for sure that we would meet again. Until then, the time was nebulous with me going to Uni and him returning home. Call you later? Sure, whenever you're free. Technically we wouldn't need these two messages anymore because they're always the same, but I still like to get it. A promise that I'll hear his voice later, a reminder that we're no longer stuck at the stage where I act like I didn't watch to get a summary of the weekend Sunday night, but that I can now ask for a message or even a phone call and be sure he'll want it too. "Everyone ready for the second round?" Maja comes back with more coffee and a piece of cake. "Sounds like it," I say and put my phone to the side to enjoy the next half an hour with my friend and the competition.