minute by minute / evak

029. "I'm sorry."

ok i SWEAR that things are getting better soon lol im a horrible person for writing such a dramatic ass story.

It was Sunday morning, or maybe it was afternoon already since it was 1 pm. I watched Even who was still asleep next to me, breathing calmly.
We had arrived at our place late last night, after Even's dad showed up to the party. I still couldn't believe he had beaten Even, his own son, up in front of everyone.

I played with his hair for a short time, before getting up and walking to kitchen.
Eskild, Linn and Noora were sitting in there, eating and drinking coffee. They all turned to look at me with worried looks on their faces.

"God, it's freezing in here!"

It was true. Since we moved here, the apartment had always been colder than Alaska probably ever has. I would never survive from the winter alive without having a hoodie on all the time. I poured myself some coffee into a mug, and sat down to the table.

"Is he still sleeping?" Eskild was the first one to break the silence.

I nodded and opened the newspaper, pretending to be focused on it. It wasn't about me not wanting to them ask questions from me, but i'd rather like them as quiet as possible.
Noora had been at the party, and she saw everything that happened. Why they couldn't just ask her?

"Is he, you know, okay in some level?"

"Don't know, haven't talked with him yet."

"Yes, i am awake and okay since you motherfuckers are talking so loud." Even yelled from our room, and appeared to the kitchen seconds after.

He gave me a quick kiss on my cheek, not on the lips because i hated it when he kissed me with his morning breath.
I knew everyone was going to treat him like a hopeless baby, and i also knew that for the fact Even was going to hate it.
His face looked worse than it did last night. It was at least two times bigger than usually, and it had all shades of red,  blue and purple.

"Should i make you more coffee? Do you need aspirin?"

"Eskild-" Noora started, but didn't get to finish.

"Eskild, i'm fine. It's okay"

We spent the day watching movies and eaying junk food at home, not caring to answer to anyone who called or came by our door. We all knew Even had to rest, and we agreed that he shouldn't go to school at least for couple of days so he gets to recover, or mostly his face gets to.
Noora was spending the whole day with William again, so it was just the four of us. Eskild was in his room with some guy and Linn had went to buy some food.

"Uh, Even?" I started.

He was fully focused to the Spiderman-movie we were watching, and didn't answer at first.

"It's something i saw in the party. I know you don't want to talk about it but i have to tell you."

Still no answer.

"It was Mikael."

"Wait what?" He turned to look at me for the first time, ans furrowed his eyebrows.

"H-he sent those videos to your father. And i saw him giving a lot of money to Mikael right before he left." I explained.

Even looked like he was about to start crying, but kept the tears inside. I knew how bad his anxiety could get, and i also knew i could make it worse by telling him. But wouldn't it be lying if i didn't tell at some point?
He curled up into a ball. Burying his face into his knees, he leaned himself against me and started sobbing.
I ran my fingers through his hair, as he continued on crying. I couldn't imagine how mentally exhausted he was at the moment.