Langour ・❥・Joost Klein・❥・

39.

'I didn't mean it, Fenne! I just... I got angry and I'm sorry! Just open the door, okay? I don't want you to go! That's the last thing I want!'

Joost's voice was muffled through the door but she heard its crack. It was the same crack that she knew her own voice would do if she were to speak. The wetness on her cheeks turned from warm to cold as she dashed about the bedroom.

Grabbing her laptop and a change of clothes, Fenne stuffed it all into a backpack. She sniffled, wiped harshly at her face and caught sight of herself in the mirror.

She hated to see her lashes clumped together and the redness in her nose. If she wasn't so angry, Fenne would have forced herself to stop her pathetic tears. She didn't want swollen eyes in the morning, but instead, she shoved her arm through one strap and heaved the bag onto her back.

'Fenne, please,' Joost got his wish when Fenne appeared in place of the doorway.

He straightened up from the frame with hopeful eyes, but they dulled at the sight of her. Fenne could barely look at him as she collided with his shoulder, sending Joost to the side. He stumbled before catching sight of her backpack.

'W-Where are you going?' he asked, trailing after her. When she didn't answer, he quickened his pace down the stairs in desperation.

'Fenne?'

On the bottom floor, everyone gathered in the hall. They watched, not knowing if they should interfere, as Fenne bounded down the stairs with a wet face.

Hanna intercepted the woman and stopped her before she could head for the front door. This gave Joost time to jump over the last step and ignore Teun's call to wait.

'-Appie will drive you. I'll stay the night if you want,' he caught the last part of Hanna's whisper as he stepped around the two to be in their path.

'Liefje, hey, what-where are you going?' Joost said and looked at Apson nearby. 'Where are you driving to?'

'I'm going to stay with my parents, Joost.'

Joost looked back at Fenne and swallowed painfully. He hated to see how dark green her eyes were and how she struggled to look at him.

'What? No, you don't have to do that. You live here. You'll always live here.'

Another crack in his voice made Fenne slowly look up from Hanna. Her friend's gaze flickered between the two, making sure to wear a harsher look when looking at Joost. But he didn't care for it, because Fenne's sniffle took all of his attention.

'I quit. I don't want to work for you anymore,' she said, wobbly. She tried to appear strong in the face of her friends, but it was a pathetic attempt when her eyes were bloodshot and her nose leaked.

'Don't say that, Fenne,' Joost begged, his own vision blurring. 'I can't work without you. W-What about Eurovision?'

Fenne opened her mouth to speak, unknowingly holding Joost's sanity in her hesitancy. But Apson appeared beside them, joining Hanna in proximity of the tense couple. This made Fenne look away from Joost and plead silently to the man whose keys were in hand.

Hanna had already established that Apson was the driver. But at Fenne's watery eyes and Joost's resistance to stepping away, Apson gulped at the situation he was in.

'I think it's good if you guys have a night apart,' he said, looking between them. 'Don't make any decisions tonight. I think we're all just... tired.'

'Speak for yourself,' Stuntje mumbled.

'After Hanna's packed a bag, I'll take you to your parents house,' Apson said to Fenne, avoiding Joost who scoffed in disbelief.

'Can I wait in the car?'