borders // evak ; skam

chapter seven

You guys, almost 200 more reads in one week - that is insane!
Thank you all so so much, I hope you enjoy the chapter 🌷🍂

ISAK VALTERSEN
THURSDAY, 21. September, 01:32.

*[fy faen = damn, fuck]
*[takk for alt = thanks for everything]

By the time the clock had hit 01:32, I was still awake.
I'd been trying fall asleep for hours, but oddly enough Even didn't seem to leave my mind. I was probably overthinking this, but there was something about the blonde-haired boy and especially tonight that confused me from head to toe. Although I was sure it wasn't what I thought it would be, I still couldn't quite exclude the faint feeling of liking Even in a way I hadn't liked other friends before.

Staring up at the ceiling, I was left all alone with my thoughts.
Disastrous.

"Isak, hei"
– "Vi sees."

His voice echoed through my head, followed by pictures of him that raced through my mind.
Was he feeling this too?
Was this how true friendship was meant to feel?
No, definitely not – we hadn't known each other for long enough and I'd never experienced this with Mahdi or Magnus. Not even with Eva or Jonas, who I had been pretty close with for quite some time now.

Sitting up in my bed, I breathed out soundly and wiped the back of my hand over my forehead. I wasn't one of those people. It was late and I couldn't think clearly, obviously. Sleep was more important than irrational overthinking, especially because I had a test tomorrow, which I hadn't studied for.
Sighing in frustration, I decided to try to suppress those thoughts as much as possible and fall asleep as soon as possible.

THURSDAY, 21. September, 07:54.

"Boooh!"

"Even, *fy faen!", I turned to him, still shocked from the jump scare but now with a stupid smile on my face, "What was that for?"

He grinned.
"You preferred sleep over me yesterday night, so I had to get revenge at some point."

A lump formed in my throat, but I shrugged it off by smirking and rolling my eyes: "I had a good reason – uh-... I have a Biology test and I wanted to catch some sleep before today."

"Doesn't seem like your plan worked."
A quiet laughter of his sent chills down my spine.

"I gotta give you that, the fact that I'll probably fail kept me awake for longer than planned."
I closed my locker and turned the key in the hole.

"What lesson and what topic?"

"Sixth. And DNA. PCR, Translation, Transcription – all that shit."

Even looked at me again, now softer.
"I had that last year and I have a free period in that time, so if you manage to hide your phone well enough I could help you."

Feeling my cheeks heat up, I replied stammering a bit: "You'd save my ass by doing that", I smuggled in an odd smirk, "You don't have to though."

"I'll gladly help you, but under one condition."

"Which would be?"

"Come watch my dodge ball match after school?"
Raising his eyebrows, the dark-blonde was awaiting my answer.

And promise, I was willing to answer – yet the knot in my tongue made it impossible to speak. The reactions the older boy had triggered in my body overwhelmed me.
Finally, after embarrassing moments of silence, I was able to nod and stuttered my response: "S-sure. I'll-... I'll be there."

A satisfied smile formed on his lips.
"Good, well then- I suppose you'll text me later?"

"I will Even, thanks."
Leaning against my locker, I smiled at him as he gave me a short wave and turned to head to his class. I had truly been thinking about talking to Eva about whatever had been happening to me regarding Even lately. I'd have to make up something else though, there was no way I was going to tell her that-

"That guy again, huh?"
It seemed like that possibility came faster than expected.

"Eva- ...hei", I looked at her, "Even's preventing me from failing."

She smiled.
"So he tutored you? That's really nice of him."

A breathy small laughter left my lips.
"Yeah, not exactly... By the way, did you study for Biology?"

The light-brunette rolled her eyes before nudging me with her elbow: "Are you kidding? Of course I did."

"Of course you did...", I smiled, "Then I won't have to wish you good luck, do I?"

"Keep the luck to yourself", she burst in laughter and I just kept smiling. I knew she didn't mean it like that.

THURSDAY, 21. September, 13:11.

To my luck, I still had Even's contact from Facebook so we could text. Facebook direct messages would've made this a lot harder.

You: How many nitrogenous bases are there in DNA and how do they
pair?

Even: Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine & Guanine. A&T and C&G.

You: What is a codon??

Even: Three of those bases combined.

You: Last one: What is on the other side of an anti-codon in tRNA?
What the heck is tRNA even hahaha.

Even: An amino acid.
You were the one who chose not to study, so don't complain ;)

You: I have to hand in, *takk for alt!!

Letting my phone slide into my pocket, I released my breath quietly and got up to hand in my test. I had cheated on a lot of exams, but I had never felt that good about it. Even really seemed to know what he was talking about, so I was positive that my mark wouldn't be too bad.
The bell rang and I picked up my bag to finally escape the room I had been locked into for the past 50 minutes. Being prepared to find the blonde haired boy waiting for me outside the classroom I was a little disappointed to see that this wasn't the case, but I remembered short after that he was probably in the sports hall already. I sped up too prevent myself from being late again, but I just couldn't resist to have a look at my phone.

[13:23] (1) New message from Even.

Even: No problem!

See you in 20 :)

20 minutes.
His text was from 13:23 and now it was 13:36, meaning I had about 7 minutesleft to get to the school gym. That was manageable.