Moments

Closer

Summary:Even is at home, for a change, but Isak is due to come over. He's straightening up a bit when the door buzzer rings half-an-hour early. Eager, Even jogs to the front door. But it isn't Isak who waits for him on the other side.

***

EVEN: [opens the door, surprised] Sonja.

SONJA: Hei, Even. Could I...?

EVEN: Of course. [steps back to let her inside]

Sonja removes her shoes and jacket and follows Even back to his room.

SONJA: You're cleaning?

EVEN: Just tidying up a bit.

SONJA: [looks around the room] Isak coming over?

EVEN: [nods] In a bit. [He shoves his hands into his pockets, unsure of what to do.] Do you want a beer or something? A coke?

SONJA: No, no. Thanks. I...I just came by to give you something. [She digs into her backpack and pulls out a large, wire-bound sketch pad.]

EVEN: Oh! [takes it from her] I wondered where that was, thanks. I thought I'd lost it.

SONJA: No, you left it at my place.

EVEN: [nods] Well, thanks for bringing it.

SONJA: [nods]

Even thumbs through the pages. Every once in a while a smile touches his lips. Sonja clears her throat.

SONJA: I was tempted to keep one or two of those.

EVEN: Yeah? You should. [he turns the book around] How about this one?

The sketch is of Sonja, but she has long hair. Her smile is radiant, the lines crisp and clean.

SONJA: I love that one.

EVEN: [smiles] Me too. You should have it.

He walks over to his desk and lays the book out flat, bracing his hand on the bulk of it as he carefully tears out the sketch. He cleans up the edges and hands it to her.

EVEN: Here you go.

SONJA: [takes it carefully] Thanks. [she folds it and slips it in her bag]

Even goes back to looking through the book. The first few pages are filled with different doodles and sketches. Some of Sonja, some of other people. Friends, family, random others. The rest are all of Isak, pages and pages of Isak. Isak laughing, Isak eating, Isak studying.

Sonja moves next to Even and watches the images as they pass. She's spent a lot of time with this book, unable to pass up its rare glimpse inside Even's mind.

There's one sketch of Isak sleeping, his face soft in repose. It has light and shadows, depth. Even had not only used the tip of his pencil to capture Isak, he'd used the tips of his fingers. Sonja can see the evidence in the soft edges around Isak's mouth and in the waves of his hair. The portrait is stunning.

SONJA: [softly] You really love him.

EVEN: [just as softly] Yes.

SONJA: [nods and moves away, her back to Even] There's another reason for my visit. I wanted to...I need to apologize.

EVEN: [turns to face her] For what? You didn't do anything wrong, I was the one who...

SONJA: [turns, holding up her hand] Stop. If you're going to say you cheated, you and I both know that's not really the case. You and I...what we were in the end wasn't...us. Not really.