skins ▷ skam [o.h.]

prologue | maja

25/10/12

to our dearest lynnea and maja,

there comes a time in someones life, when they're just ready for something new. you don't know when and you don't know where, there is just this moment that makes your brain click. something happens to you where you just know; you know that nothing will ever be the same again.

growing up, we know we weren't the best parents, and now -- doing this -- we know this certainly isn't going to help us win the parents of the year award. but you have to understand: we didn't chose this; it chose us. we've been given this chance to do what we dreamed of before you girls where born. we know you'll both be mad. furious. frustrated. confused. but know that we still love you, no matter what, and that although this may be goodbye for now, it will not be the last time you'll see us.

enclosed is 1000 kroner to help you both get through the year. we're sorry it had to come to this, but you owe us this chance to follow our dreams.

vi elsker deg og gud velsigne.

-- mum and dad

❋❋❋

EVEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, MAJA STILL REMEMBERS THE DAY HER AND LYNNEA FOUND THE LETTER. Lynnea had just picked her up from her figure skating practice and it was your average Oslo day. Being Nineteen at the time, Lynnea was fresh out of school, having celebrated her Russfeiring activities earlier in the year. She had just signed a modelling contract and was looking forward to going into her twenties - when all of that changed.

They had just gotten home to their crummy, little two bedroom apartment when they discovered the letter. There it was, just sitting on the table, waiting to be opened.

At first, the sisters thought nothing of it. In fact, they didn't even notice it at first, just sitting there, in a crisp white envelope. It was when they called out to their parents, heard no reply, and went to their room only to discover their belongings discarded and missing, did they know that there was a letter and exactly what was in it.

When Lynnea read it, she cried. She didn't even make it halfway through the second paragraph before the tears filled her eyes and began to stream down her cheeks. She knew what it meant; she could practically kiss her life and career goodbye. Twelve year old Maja had no idea why Lynnea was crying so much. No parents? That meant she could have candy every night for dinner, not do any homework, and have sleepovers with Halle every night. They could do whatever they wanted! Maybe they were happy tears? Maja couldn't figure it out at the time. 

"When you grow up," Lynnea had said to her, not tearing her eyes away from the letter. "Don't ever have kids and be a shitty parent. That way, when if you want to do something with your life, you won't have to worry about the people you'll hurt to get there." 

That was the day when Lynnea changed. The once loving and kind older sister Maja knew, became cold and distant. Lynnea moved out of the bedroom they had once shared together and moved into their parents old one. She was almost never home anymore either. When she was working, she was hitting up the bar, getting wasted and bringing home any guy or girl she could find.

Now sixteen, Maja knew what her sister meant that day. Their parents had never been the best parents; and it was no secret that they cared way more for each other than they did for Lynnea or Maja. The Östlund sisters knew they were both accidents; mistakes from their careless parents. Maja had learned. 

She kept the letter they had written to them, unbeknownst to her sister, hiding it away in the bottom of her sock drawer. Part of her didn't know why she kept it, but the other part of her kept it to remind her that her parents are coming back; they just didn't know when.

"They're coming back," Maja whispered to herself. "and when they do, I'll let them have a piece of my mind."

  ❋❋❋  

and the shittest parents of the year award goes tooooooooo...

yeah. this is just a prologue. sorry if it's kind of depressing??? just a lil' backstory on the sisters - don't worry, maja's story will not all be depressing like this i swear!!!!!

norwegian translation: we love you and god bless.