Letters To A Stranger

Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now

"Dear Isak,

You probably won't believe me when I say, that right now, at this moment, I am lying right next to you. I know, I find it hard to believe, too.
Everything that happened yesterday just seems so unreal. That you cried in front of me, that I held your hand, that I caught you, that I fell asleep in your arms.
When I woke up today, I found it so hard to open my eyes because I was so afraid that you'd be gone. That it really was all just a dream.
But there you were, looking so innocent and pure as you slept, little snores escaping your mouth. God, I could look at you all day and never get enough of you.
I'm thinking about getting up right now and making the best breakfast you'll ever have for you. But no, I'd rather stay here and enjoy this moment while it's still there.
I can't get over the fact how beautiful you are. I wonder what you will say when you wake up. I hope you're not too embarrassed about yesterday.
Wait, I think I just heard my parents in the kitchen. I have to end this letter but who cares, I mean YOU are lying right next to ME.

Talk to you soon my sleeping beauty,

Even."

Even put away the pen, folded the paper and stuffed it under his pillow. He would really need to find a new place to hide them if Isak were to sleep in his bed more often.
More often? Who was Even to dream.

Before he got up, Even turned his face once more to look at the most beautiful man he ever saw. He just looked at him for a while, taking in his messy blonde hair, his cute nose and his pink lips which were slightly parted as little sighs escaped them from time to time.
Even couldn't help but lift a hand and softly place it on Isak's cheek, slowly caressing it.

Why couldn't they just lie here like that for eternity?

Even heard another noise coming from the kitchen, so he slowly got up and out of bed. He gently closed the door between his bedroom and the hall, so that Isak wouldn't be woken up.
Then Even made his way to the kitchen. He realized how many empty and full red cups and beer cans were still standing around and some of the body paint must've somehow found his way to the walls, because the one right next to him had a bright pink heart drawn onto it.
Great, Even thought, He. Was. F*ucked.

He opened the door to the kitchen to see both of his parents holding enormous blue garbage bags in their hands, full of 'leftovers' from the party.
His mum was the first to notice him. Her eyes formed to slits.

"Good morning son." she said suspiciously calm.

"Good morning." Even answered. Now, his dad had looked up, too. Even could see the disappointment in his eyes.

"We thought..." he began, aggressively stuffing another red cup into his garbage bag. "We thought-" he continued "-you would be old enough to have the responsibility it takes to host such an event. But, as it seems, we were wrong." Even gulped.

How could he explain to them that he would've perfectly cleaned up yesterday, if it weren't for a 17 year old boy asking him to sleep next to him. And not any boy, but the one Even has completely fallen for. A boy that was still lying in his bed.
Both of his parents stared at him, as if they expected him to speak up and defend himself.

"There are these stupid cups everywhere and why is there a neon yellow stain on my carpet?" his mother yelled, emphasizing the word 'stain'. She looked like she was about to faint. Evens father stepped up again. "This will be the last time you ever hosted something like this in our house, do you understand?" he said, lifting up his index finger and pointing it in Evens direction. Even nodded.

Without saying a word, he walked past them, grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water. Then he opened several drawers in the sideboard till he found some painkillers. Isak would definitely need them.
He ignored the comments of his parents about him having a hangover and went straight back to his room.

The glass and the painkillers in one hand, he climbed up the ladder to his bed just to find out that Isak was no longer lying there. He was gone. Even felt the disappointment spreading through his body. No. Even lifted the blankets, as if to make sure Isak wasn't hiding under there. But no, he was really gone.

Even's thoughts were racing through his mind. Maybe Isak didn't remember anything from last night and had panic because he was in an unfamiliar room. But he couldn't have left through the window, Even's flat was in the second floor.
And if Isak left through the front door, he must've passed by the kitchen and someone must've seen him.
Even climbed down the ladder and placed the glass and the painkillers on his desk. Then, he made his way through the hall and to the closed bathroom door. Even's hand was almost wrapped around the doorknob, as the door was opened from inside.

There he stood, his face sprinkled with water drops, his phone in one hand. Even assumed he had just washed his face. 
Neither one of the boys said something. Isak opened his mouth, then closed it again. Then he stormed past Even, along the hallway and grabbed his jacket which was lying on the hall-stand next to the front door.

"Wait!" Even called out, causing Isak to stop moving. Slowly, the younger boy turned around.

"I don't know what happened yesterday or why I was in your bed but if anyone will hear about this, you will regret it." Isak said calmly, in his voice still a trace of sleepiness.

"I think you're getting something wrong there, Isak." Even answered, slowly walking towards him.

"You  were the one begging me to let you stay yesterday.You  were the one wanting to spoon me as you fall asleep. And now you make it look like I'm  the bad guy?" Even questioned, his feet coming to a stop right in front of Isak.
The boy looked at him, in his eyes Even could see traces of confusion, mixed with..was it guilt?

Isak looked away. "Just stay out of my life." he hissed, then he turned around, opened up the door and left.
Even was left breathless. What had just happened?

"Who was that?" he heard his mother ask. Even turned around. Behind him, he saw his parents standing in the hallway, confused looks in their eyes.
"No one." Even said dryly.
He noticed the phone his father was holding in his hand.
"Sonja is on the line. She wants to speak with you." his father said seriously, holding the phone in Even's direction. Even sighed.
Could this day get any worse?