Sander and Robbe, Minute by Minute

At The Park

They are hanging around the public park that afternoon. They have made up yesterday, after Sander apologized over and over in different sentences, that he was really busy with homework and he just needed some focus. Britt finally shrugged her shoulders, and they kissed a bit after that. She wanted to hang out at his house, but he persuaded her to go to the park instead. He doesn't want her to meet her mom today. He is not in the mood to have both of them looming over him, constantly hounding on him over this or that.

It is a cool day, the sun hasn't set yet, mild breeze blowing through the trees, stirring the leaves into whispers of green and yellow. A lot of people are out. Parents, running after their children, laughing and scolding in turn. Couples, young and old enjoying themselves, not hurrying anywhere. He sees a single leave with red at the edges, falling, caught by the wind, drifting around in mid-air, pushed to the right and pulled forward the next second, unable to touch the ground. It lands on the water at the fountain nearby, floating on the slow current. It's beautiful.

"Sander?" Britt's voice breaks his thought.

Sander looks at her. She is smiling, her eyes shine, she looks happy. He tucks strands of hair that has blown to her face to the back of her ear, smiling back.

"Are you listening to me?"

He takes her hand and continue walking, "ya sure, go on".

Britt looks suspiciously at him, but resuming happily, "so Amber was so annoyed and embarrased. I will be too if I was her, having a stupid boy following you around like that. It's so creepy. He and his idiotic friends have this stupid vlog thing called the Broers. I really don't like them, but they are friends with Jana and the girls."

Sander has no idea what she is talking about. But it's easier to just let her chatters, and zoom out now and again.

"Jens, my ex, you know, is on them.." she trailed off, looking at him.

He doesn't know what he suppose to say. He can not remember if Britt ever mention this particular ex, he really couldn't bother.
"Oh." He added a frown because he thinks Britt expected him to be jealous.

Britt looks satisfied, leaning her head on his shoulder, "Don't worry, I don't care about him."

Sander just nods and smiles.

"Anyway, Noor is hooking up with one of them, Robbe. She's too good for him. I don't know why they all like those stupid boys."

Sander stop walking. Is it him? He hurriedly walking again. Keeping his voice casual, he says, "Oh, I don't know about that. What does this Robbe looks like?"

"Ehm, brown hair I think, wearing headphone everywhere he goes. I don't know, he's not my friend. Why you ask?" her eyes are narrowing.

"What? Nothing, aren't we just talking?

"Do you hang out a lot with Noor?"

He is so confused with the question, that it takes him a minute to understand what she's implying. It's funny how people just assume things sometimes. He burst out laughing, which apparently is the wrong thing to do. Britt looks angry.

He cut his laugh with a cough. "No, I am not really friends with her. You know that Britt. She is your friend right?"

Britt doesn't say anything, but she looks calmer.

Sander kiss her cheek lightly. "Come on, let's not talk about it anymore."

They continue strolling. Sander pretends to look around casually. But he is screaming inside his head. Now he has a name to put with the face. Robbe. The boy's smile filling his eyes again. His heart beat faster and energy running through his body. He feels like running or jumping. He doesn't know why he's so excited by a name. He try to keep his face neutral, even though he want to laugh out just to release his emotion.