Sander and Robbe, Minute by Minute

Act Normal

"Okay, what do you know about Aretha Franklin?" Zoe read out the next question on the card. They were sitting on picnic blankets and clothes, playing trivia while drinking white wine in plastic cups and eating snacks. The afternoon was warm, the sound of waves rolling from the sea was soothing.

Sander has been introduced to everyone else this morning. He thought they were mostly cool especially Luca; a curly brown hair girl in spectacles, Jens and Zoe. Zoe was one of those girls who dressed very fashionably, wore dark red lipstick and had straight blonde shoulder-length hair. In short time, Sander could saw, that Zoe was the big sister in the girl's group. She spoke and acted more mature than her sixteen years of age. Sander also noticed that among the boys, Robbe was closer to Jens, a handsome boy with dark eyes and dark hair.

Zoe had suggested to have picnic and playing card games on a large area overlooking the sea. Some of the boys and girls got off and wandering down around the beach. Robbe has got up shortly after and sat by himself some distance away. Sander was laughing with the others, but half of his mind was on Robbe. He glanced at him from time to time; saw him with his headphones, a distant look on his face.

Mojo was answering to Zoe's question, "Uhm, shit. Singer. Uhm. Black?"

"Stop." Zoe laughed.

"What kind of stupid question is this?" Mojo look offended. Everyone just laughed at him.

Zoe continued, "Okay, moving on to Sander. Come on."

He was naturally a competitive person; he was excited by the challenges, he fought to win everytime. Some of his friends often annoyed at him because of that. He concentrated back to the game. "Okay. Uhm. When was she born. Fuck! Eh.. 1942?"

Zoe announced, "Yes."

He cheered; Amber exclaimed in awe and Britt hugged him close. Sander saw Noor passing and walking towards Robbe. He has won the game but he didn't feel any joy. The others were chatting, and he felt Britt's hand, sometimes on his thigh, or his back, on the back of his neck. He glanced to Robbe's direction and saw him lying on the sand with his back to him and Noor's arm around his neck, kissing. He felt the muscle on his jaw tighten, his whole body has stiffened up, a hot surge of something black shot through his blood. He looked at Noor's black cloth, at her pale hand on Robbe's shoulder, and he felt so angry. His stomatch hurt, everywhere he looked, everything was so ugly.

He got up and walked down to the beach. Staring at the clear blue sky, the wide horizon and the cloud white rythm of the wave, Sander finally laughed out loud. He felt ridiculous, he felt awful, wrapped in chaotic emotion of red and black, of blue and gold, of dark and light. He heard footsteps and felt Brit's hand on his arm.

"Hey, you okay?"

Sander looked down at her concern face, "Ya, just need some quiet."

"They are very noisy aren't they?"

"That's not what I meant. They are fine."

"Good." Britt put her head on his shoulder.

*

The surrounding area around the resort and the beach was quite vast. There were small mounds and sand dunes created by the high grasses and other wild coastal plants, spreaded in large areas. The group had planned on paintball game before the trip and they were playing it this afternoon. They were all wearing protection mask, camo pants and jackets, except Aaron who was for some reason, was wearing a complete bunny costume.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way! Bunny has to pass by." Aaron thumped Sander's shoulder from behind. The others laughed at him.

"Boys against girl?" Jens asked them.

"Why so sexist?" a girl said. Sander thought her name was Janin or something.

Jens replied, "That's not sexist".

Mojo came around, "You're just afraid you are going to lose. Be honest."

Jens looked at him dissaprovingly, "Now you've made it sexist."

Walking past, Zoe said in a mocking tone, "It's okay. You just wait."

Behind him, Sander heard Robbe said to Noor, "Hold on, because I am going to end you."

"I am going to end you. Bye." And there was kissing sound.

The boys and the girls split up; the game was on.

Sander ran behind one of the big dune. The air was fulled with screams, the popping noise from the released air, and overlapping continuous shots of the guns. Sander howled, he was exhilarated, his body was flooded with energy, his spirit rose higher with every hit that he scored. The girls were losing. Everything that happened the last two days whirled in his mind. He needed a win. And he could beat everyone. Breathing heavily, he searched for Noor, he would loved to see her fall. But he can not find her. A shot hit the sand wall above him, someone had found him. He rolled away to the right and crushed into someone. Robbe looked at him from behind the mask. He grinned at him.

"There is someone over there." Robbe gesture with his head to a girl hiding behind a mound in front of them. Sander recognised her.

"That's Britt."

Robbe was taking aim, and was about to shoot. Sander was looking at Britt's figure; thrill filling his veins, his vision narrowed on her; he said to Robbe, "Wait," and stood up. He aimed the gun at her and walked closer to her.

"Hey babe!" And he started shooting. He forgot how many time he had pressed on the trigger, until Britt's shocked voice turn to shrieks. He stopped, putting down the gun.

"What the fuck!" She bellowed in pain.

She took off her mask and saw Sander. She yelled, "Act normal! Act fucking normal! Do you ever thinks before you do things?!

Sander took of his mask, shaken by the look on Britt's face and his own action.

"Britt, are you okay?" Zoe was walking towards them.

"Sorry, I.."

"Fuck off!" Britt screamed at him.

"Sander, do you realise how fucking dangerous that is?" Zoe asked in disbelief. She took Britt away.

Sander stood, rooted looking at them disappearing around the corner. The heady thrill was gone. They were just playing game and it was fun. But Britt looked really hurt. He looked at the place Britt was lying. He had been too close. How many times had he shot her? He couldn't begin to understand why he did that to Britt, or how it happened. No I know how it happened. It's because I didn't think. My mind was broken.

Robbe was standing next to him and looking at him with an expression in his eyes that Sander can not read. He felt sick. He wanted to explain, he wanted something from Robbe. But what came out from his mouth was, "I think we won." He walked away.