Young Royals S2

Chapter 6 - Wilhelm

I hang up the phone. He wants to meet. My heart is racing and for a minute, I don't know what to do. Finally I stand up and grab my sneakers and a coat.

I consider my options on how to sneak out. Sneaking out at Hillerska was easier, I had my room on the first floor. Here, it's impossible to get out of my window without breaking at least one of my legs. I'll have to take the stairs and leave via the main entrance.

I sigh. Why didn't I think this through? The stairs make way too much noise and there's probably a guard at the entrance. I look out my window again. Then I see it. My childhood bike, standing right under my window. No idea how it got there or what it's doing there, but I have no time to think about it. I pull the window open and put my legs over the windowsill. I lower them until my feet are on the bike. This is gonna be tricky, I could slip at any moment. I'm holding onto the drainpipe until I put my feet on the ground.

I grab the bike, even though it has become way too small for me, and bike away. Oh my god. I actually escaped. Without getting caught. Or falling to death.

When I arrive at the football field, the place we agreed to meet, I feel my heart racing. How will Simon react? Is he mad at me? Disappointed?

Then I see him. He's wearing his purple hoodie. Does he know how much I like the way he looks in that? I drop my bike and walk towards him. 'Hi,' I say. My voice is ridiculously high. I clear my throat. 'How are you? Happy new year.' This time I'm almost whispering.

Simon doesn't respond, he just looks at me. Then he opens his arms and puts them around me, tightly. I hug him back and feel that I'm about to cry. After a minute, I try to let go, but I hear Simon say: 'no, not yet.' He wraps his arms around me even more tightly.

'I'm sorry, Wille.' Simon ends the hug and I think I see tears in his eyes. Or is it the cold? 'What are you sorry for? I should be the one that's sorry,' I say.
'Yeah I know. But I also have regrets. I regret not calling you back right away when you left the voicemail, I regret not asking how you were, I regret not saying-'

He doesn't finish his sentence. I lie down on the field and put my hand in his direction. He grabs it, lies down next to me and doesn't let go. I don't really know what to say. I could've said something romantic about looking at stars, but the night is too cloudy to spot any stars.

I break the silence. 'I put you in a difficult position, Simon. I realise that now. I was acting as a coward when I denied it was me in the video. I should have thought more about you and the position you were in.'

I swallow and continue. 'Trust me, there's nothing I regret more. I would take it back if I could. But I can't.'

'It's okay, Wille. I mean yes, it was hard, it felt like you abandoned me. But I forgive you now,' Simon replies.

I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding in. 'Thank you,' I whisper.

'So what now?' Asks Simon.

'I have no idea.'

We both stay silent. We just look at the dark sky, keeping each other warm by laying close to the other.

Simon squeezes my hand.

'Wille?'

'Yeah?' I respond.

'You know I love you too, right?'