The One || Chris Schistad

Chapter 18: It's Ok

SATURDAY 2:57AM

It was really late when Alicia showed up to the apartment's door. She thought that maybe the person on the other side wouldn't answer, so she was ready to walk away. Just then, she heard the click from behind her.

"Alicia?" The brunette turned around, "Oh, what happened?"

"Can I stay here tonight?"

Isak looked behind him to Even, both exchanged a worried look before he pulled her inside, gently. She sat down on the couch her friend's boyfriend pointed, and stayed there, her knees pressed to her chest.

Alicia could hear the boys whisper on the kitchen, but was too weak to get up and tell them to shut up because she was fine. She was too weak to lie, to move, to argue.

"Hey," Isak kneeled in front of her, "do you wanna talk about what happened?"

"I broke up with Thomas. Then..." She hesitated, "then I kissed Chris."

"Ok." He nodded, "What's wrong with that?"

Alicia looked away while a tear fell, "Chris has a girlfriend."

"But... you knew that." Isak frowed.

"No, no!" She shook her head repeatedly, "He had broken up with her but... but then she showed up and he just... he just went to her and kissed her. They – They are back together."

"So you didn't know?" Even sat down beside her, "Chris lied?"

"That's it, you know, the truth made it all seem like a lie. Everything. All the words, all the feelings and – and... After all, it isn't real. Not anymore."

Suddenly, Chris' scent filled her mind as well as the memory of their kiss. But Alicia knew it was the only thing he would probably leave. Memories to cause her heartbreak.

"Alicia," Isak caressed her leg, "you knew full well who he is. He's a Penetrator, a –."

"Fuckboy, I know." She sniffed, "I think I wanted to believe so much it was real with him, that he actually liked me... I was blind."

"No," Even smiled softly, "you're in love."

"Love." Alicia laughed without humor, "Our image of love is based on books, fiction. We expect more than we should. So how do we know what love really is? For all we know love can just be another word for pain... It would sure work."

It was clear to both boys that Alicia's beliefs in love had been shuttered. 

Alicia just sat there, looking into the blank wall in front of her and feeling a tight grip wrapped around her heart, squeezing, not allowing her to breathe. When Isak and Even went to the bedroom, slowly Alicia started to feel the tears fall down.

A beep came from her white Iphone, right beside her.

Chris Schistad: I know you hate me right now
but can we talk?
Read at 3:28AM

Chris Schistad: Alicia I know you're up
Read at 3:29AM

Chris Schistad: please
Read at 3:29AM

Alicia's breathing became heavy as she paced back and forth on the leaving room, just dying to feel something, besides the pain and the anger. She tried to steady herself against the wall, but one look at Chris' name on the bright screen made her slide down to the ground. Alicia felt herself drowning in her mixed feelings.

"Alicia?" Isak showed up on the doorframe to the living room.

When the brunette didn't answer, her friend walked to her, kneeling in front of her small figure. His hand placed carefully on one of her knees.