Watching you

Preview on episode Thirty-three

“Emily, I’m so glad you called me back,” he said. “I was starting to get worried when I didn’t hear from you all day yesterday.”

“I’m sorry Luka, everything has just been so crazy these last two days and I've been meaning to text you back,” I said.

“It's fine, Emily, don't worry about it. I just wanted to talk to you and hear your voice. So what have you been up to?” he asked.

“Luka, I’m in New York,” I said with excitement. I began to smile unconsciously as I walked over to the large window. Amazement filled me when I looked out over the big City. Even with the morning fog covering parts of it, the city was an amazing sight.

“What,” Luka shouted into the phone, knocking me out of my thoughts. “Emily, are you serious?”

“Yes, I am,” I hesitated. “I needed a place to stay while the dorms are closed and a friend of mine offered to come with him,” I looked back at the door to the room where Sixten was. I smiled at the thought of us sleeping in the same bed a short while ago.

“Your friend?” Luka said. There was something off in the way he said it.

“Yes and,” I hesitated. I was afraid to learn the answer to the question I was about to ask him but I needed to know. “I think you know him.”

“Why do you think that?” He asked, yet by the sound of his voice I got the feeling that he knew what I was going to say.

“It’s your brother, I think.”

“Sixten, are you with Sixten?” He said.

“Yes, we are friends. We live in the same dorm,” I whispered. I knew my voice wasn’t helping me sound convincing at all.

“First of all, Sixten doesn’t really have any friends and especially not girls at that, sweet girl” he said, sounding a little harsh. I didn’t know how to respond to that. Weren't they brothers and therefore supposed to be more supportive of each other? I know that it wasn’t like that with all brothers but at that moment, it actually sounded like Luka didn’t even like Sixten.

“I’m sorry if I sound a little harsh. I’m just a bit shocked that you know my brother,” he added.

“Why?” I asked.

A long pause went by before Luka answered, “It doesn't matter. So did you guys just arrive?”

“Yes, we drove here and arrived late last night,” I answered.

“Great, you should really go out and explore the City,” he said. Something was sounding kind of off with Luka, almost like he was nervous. “Where is Sixten now?” he then asked.

“I think he’s still sleeping,” I said, and turned back towards the door. To my big surprise, I saw Sixten. He was standing with his back against the door and looking coldly in my direction.

My smile faded. How long had he been standing there? Did he know I was talking to Luka?

“I need to go,” I said into the phone, but before I hung up I heard Luka’s voice “Wait, what is it? Is it Sixten? Emily!”

“Good morning,” I whispered, and looked up at Sixten.

“Morning,” he said harshly. He was mad and that ensured me that he had heard most of the conversation. “Who was that?”

I looked down. He knows the answer to that, I'm sure.

“Emily, answer me,” he repeats calmly but still with hints of anger.

“It was Luka,” I whispered loud enough for Sixten to hear me.

“Luka! Your new friend is Luka,” he adds, not sounding surprised.

“Yes, Sixten. But when I met him, I didn’t know that he was your brother.”

Sixten pushed his back off the door and walked over to the sofa in the middle of the room and sat down. “When did you meet him, Emily?” He asked.

“When I was in the hospital, Markus and I were in the cafeteria and there Luka approached me. We talked and became friends,” I said.

“So, since the accident, you have been seeing my brother behind my back. That's sick, Emily,” he added.

“It isn’t like that and, besides, you were avoiding me so I had no chance to tell you about that, Sixten. You are not being fair and you know it.”

Sixten hesitated but shortly after got up and walked back into the room. He put on a jacket and came back out again. “I need some air, just stay here. Don't wander off.” He said and left through the hallway on the opposite side of the room.The same way we came through last night.

Where was he going? Was he just gonna leave me here alone?

No, most likely he just went out for some fresh air, I thought, trying to calm myself a little and also remembering Sixtens bad habit of smoking. That was probably where he was going.

I stepped back into Sixtens room, which was still darkened by the curtains covering the light from the windows.

My mind started to wander. Maybe this was a bad idea, maybe I should have just stayed back home. But I really wanted to be here. I knew that deep down I would make the same choice all over again, I wanted to be with Sixten.

Around 10 min later Sixten returned smelling of cigarettes.

“Wilhelm informed me that your room is ready so grab your bag,” He said standing by the door, waiting. I did as I was told without complaining and followed behind him.

So we weren’t going to be staying in the same room after all. It was just for last night while the room was getting ready. I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.

The longer we walked the more anxious I became. How far away was I going to be staying?