that's not how it should be

Jonas let his arms drop, faking a pout at her dismissal of their embrace. He knew he’d done wrong in turning up late, but he was trying his best to fix her annoyance. “Hallo, beautiful.” He grinned, intertwining his fingers with her own, and choosing his following words very carefully. “I was with Gus. Planning for tonight.” Jonas used his free hand to gesture to the backpack he was wearing. He shook a little, so that she recognised the sound of beers clinking together. He’d also picked up a few grams of weed, but avoided mentioning that, knowing she wouldn’t be impressed.  

Of course, nothing actually dire had happened in his absence, but for Eva, it was enough to have caused some panic. When Jonas wasn’t by her side, she didn’t know where he was, what he was doing, what he was thinking. It was a spiral she hadn’t learned to stop yet, and so had to continue down its path. She’d wait for an explanation, let her anxiety settle, they’d kiss and make up, and then go and enjoy themselves. It was the only way she knew. 

Kelly was unsure why she’d ended up in the nightclub. Rick had warned their group to stay close, to travel in pairs, at least until they’d found some semblance of trust with the rebels and their town. Yet here she was anyway, alone and disoriented, the music a dull throbbing in her ears. Perhaps she’d been desperate to rekindle with her old self, to find a glimmer of normality. The younger rebels seemed to be doing a good job at holding onto their innocence, but seeing Eva now, Kelly realised that part of herself was long gone. Her refusal to speak didn’t stem from their past, from their lost friendship, or their triangle with Jonas. It more so stemmed from fear, of how she might sound, of someone noticing the change. Rick, Daryl, Camden – none of them had known her before. Eva had. Kelly was far from prepared for the comparison, the reminder of a life that seemed so far out of reach.

Eskild gasped when he looked up from his phone, equal parts surprised and pleased to see her. "— Is that Eva?! Hei, kjære. What are you doing loitering out here?" He pulled her in for a hug and kiss before moving back, holding her at arm's length for a moment. "Girl, do not tell Noora you saw me here tonight, I mean it. She will kill me. She made me promise not to come but I was far too curious to stay away."

"Hei," Eva responded in a rush, also initially startled but equally relieved. Finally, a familiar face. She smiled, returning the greeting, grateful once again for her growing friendship circle. She hadn't even thought of reaching out to Eskild. "Oh, I'm just waiting for Jonas. I wasn't sure who else was coming," she shrugged, sheepish. It was technically the truth but it still made her feel embarrassed that she'd been caught waiting around, which was exactly what she'd wanted to avoid. But Eskild's next words pulled her from her worries, confused by the comments. "Okay, I won't. But.. why would she care if you came? Isn't she sick?" And what, exactly, was he curious about?

Eva took a few deep breaths, considering her options. She could always wait for a familiar face to pass by. That felt like the most comfortable option, but it seemed embarrassing. Why couldn’t she just go in alone, make some new friends, like everyone else seemed to? But she'd already made friends, ones she loved. She didn't want to start over, just for a night. It didn't make sense to her. Sighing again, she crossed her arms. She was about to pick up her phone again, just for something to do, when arms embraced her. Despite her annoyance, she felt an overwhelming surge of relief at his presence. Takk gud.

“I think so too. If we are spending the rest of the year with these people, it is best we know them.” Noora was nervous about the idea of meeting so many people at once, but she trusted that Eva would ensure the environment wasn’t too out of control. If Noora became uncomfortable, she had the girls as a safety net anyway, already having confirmation that Sana and Adeline were also in attendance. She wanted to get to know them better, more than anything else. “Ladies first is the best rule. But hei! What is wrong with Biebs? Everyone will sing along, even the cool boys. You know you love me, I know you care,” Noora sang, trying to supress her laughter.

“Avtalt. Before the war, we moved districts. I had to start over completely — new school, new friends. It was horrible, walking those halls and knowing no-one. That’s… how I met Kelly.“ She looked down, uncomfortable, before attempting to move on. "I only wish someone had thrown a party like this for us back then.” Eva sighed, glancing around the room. She only hoped what she’d organised would be enough. “So, are you excited? Is there anyone you wanted to meet?”

Eva bit her lip in anticipation, unable to hold back a grin when her phone buzzed in response. To her, it seemed like forever since the two of them had spent time alone, and she couldn’t wait. She understood he still had close friends and she didn’t anymore, but that irrational side of her never wanted him out of her sight. Today meant she could finally have him alone.