Chris Schistad - Couldn't Ever

30

Monday, 11:35 am

"I'm meeting Yousef during school break, so no matter how much I want to be there, I can't", Sana explained why she left the group. "But really, enjoy it."

We were having lunch, the girls and Magnus, William, Chris and I. Chris had his arm around me, which was new but I didn't argue about it.

"We'll definitely FaceTime you two", Noora looked at Chris and Sana.

"Do you think it's a good idea to bring Jonas?", Eva looked down on her food. Magnus said: "You'll be fine. Last Friday on the party, he drank a lot and was only talking about you. But don't tell him I said that.

Also me, Isak and Mahdi bring him as a friend" She smiled at the new information.

"So the rest is coming?" Schistad asked William. "So far, yes."

"When will we leave exactly and where is it?" I asked.

"It's a two hour drive and we'll leave on Friday. About 4 or 5 pm so that we'll be there around 6 or 7 pm. I'll send the location. You gotta figure out yourself how to get there. I'll take Noora, Vilde and Magnus already."

"I can drive as well. Carla, Eva and maybe Jonas?" He looked at Eva. He wanted to know if it was okay with her. "Or maybe Isak and... what was his name? Even? I can fit 5 people in the car."

"I'd like to drive with Isak and Even, yes."  She smiled tight-lipped. He was looking at me and I nodded.

"Perfect, so 9 already have a ride. I think everyone of our bus has a driver's license so Jonas, Mahdi and Eskild should find someone as well.

Or maybe I can take Eskild too. In my car are also five seats."

"I'll ask him later." Noora said.

"So that's 10. Just another 10 to fit somehow." William rose his shoulders. "They'll figure it out."

Friday, 12:12 pm

Everyone in school had only 3 hours today because it was the last day before school break. So I went home after, to pack my things. I wanted to do that since Tuesday but I decided to do it last minute, just like everything else all the time.

I packed a lot of clothes and also a bikini- just in case the lake's not too cold- and bathroom stuff. I walked around my room for about an hour to make sure I didn't forget anything.

I packed my laptop on which I downloaded a few movies and the charger for it and for my phone.

After I thought I packed everything, my phone rang.

"Hey, what's up, Chris?"

"Are you done packing?"

"I guess so. Why?"

"Good, then let me help you get your stuff in my car."

I then heard the door bell ring. Oh shit. And sprinted down. "I'll get it!", I screamed, hoping that my mother wouldn't open it, but it was too late.

"Hey. I'm Chris." I heard him say and saw how he shook hands with my mother. "Hey?"

Then I pushed the door further open. "Mom, this is Chris, my... friend. I told you about this, uh- trip with my friends? He'll drive me and three other friends."

I saw her smiling. "Oh okay. Hello. I'm Carla's mother Louise Johansson. But you can call me Louise. Come on in." She gestured him into the living room. "Do you want something to drink or eat?"

He grinned at me and I shrugged my shoulders as if I needed to tell him to decide for himself if he's hungry or thirsty. "If that's no trouble, I'd like to maybe drink some water?"

My mother smiled happily at me. "Carla come, help me quickly. We'll get you something to drink, Chris. You can sit down."

My mother held my arm and pulled me into the kitchen. That was just a room away and she whisper-shouted: "Is that your boyfriend?" I laughed quietly at her reaction.

"Not really, I guess." I answered truthfully but spared the details.

"Why not? He is really handsome. Is he a nice boy?"

"Yes he is", I agreed and answered the same time. "But he doesn't like me like that." I tried to explain.

"But you do like him like that?"

Do I? It didn't matter, even if I did, I knew he didn't feel the same way about me and also, could I really trust him fully?

If I was being honest with myself, I knew that I already trusted him completely and that thought scared me.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Can we not talk about guys now, Mom? He's probably wondering, why we take so long for getting water. And why you need me for that anyway."

I really didn't want to explain to her, what was going on with Chris and our relation and feelings towards each other, also because I didn't understand it myself, really. I wished it was more simple but I guess Chris and I together were everything but simple.

"You're right, you go, I'll get the water."

That would be even more obvious. "But—"

"Go, sit with him!" She said and slapped me on my butt with a towel to make me finally leave.

When I walked into the living room and my eyes found him, he was trying hard, not to laugh. "I'm really handsome and a nice boy?" He whispered and I rolled my eyes. Of course he had heard it. There wasn't even a door between the rooms.

"Eavesdropping, huh? Who's the little stalker now?" I laughed quietly.

"And you introduced me as your friend?", he licked his lips, smirking. "Yes, because we're not in a relationship and to explain what's really going on, would just be too time consuming."

"You can try. We've still got a lot of time left. I kind of want to hear you explain all this to me too." He chuckled.

"So here's some sparkly and some normal water. What do you prefer?" My mother asked, genuinely happy. "Thank you, Louise. I'd like the sparkly water, please."

"Of course." She sat down on the chair next to the sofa. "Come, please sit." She gestured to the couch. And we both sat next to each other. "It's nice to meet more of Carla's friends. So what are your intentions with my daughter?"

I almost choked on my water there. Well, she got straight to the point. Chris slightly hit my back to help me breath again and rested his hands there after.

"Well I like her and we're good friends. I'm studying with her as well." He said, not even slightly intimidated by the question. Don't bring studying into this! "So we hang around a lot."

My mother looked at me confused. "So he's the reason why you're grades are getting better?" She then nodded proudly at him. "Good job, Chris. Is she paying you for tutoring her? Carla, do you need more money?"

"Oh no, she's the one improving her grades. I'm just helping a little. Also she doesn't pay me, it's a good revision for me as well and I like spending time with her as friends." He looked at me smirking.

"Mom, I'm sorry, but we'll meet up with some friends in half an hour, so we better get going." I lied, standing up. He did the same and shook my mother's hand. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Louise. Thank you for the water."

He really was acting super polite. I didn't know how to feel about this because it made me feel happy, especially when he gets along with my mom, but it gives me this stupid butterfly-feeling in my stomach, which I really, really hated.