Memories, Scars and Survival: High School Years

Chapter 36 - Einar

Seeing Eirik's face when he came back from the other room, I suspected something happened with Noah. His face was glowing with undeniable happiness. I even heard him humming in the shower, which I cannot remember happening before.

I thought to ask, but it's their business. Together, we ran down the stairs to get to the pool again. It was packed with kids running around and I didn't see Liz or Noah. I waited in the hot tub again, but she never showed up.

Noah came in and said she saw all the people and used the exercise room instead. I sat there disappointed until the coach came and told all the players to go up to bed. There was a game early in the morning again.

Most of the room emptied, and I followed. Some parents with younger kids stayed, but not many. I didn't want to be alone with them. At least until I saw Liz coming from the exercise room. She wanted to relax in the pool and asked me to stay with her.

Before joining her in the hot tub, she wanted to swim a bit in the refreshingly cool pool. It was coming close to the pools closing hours, and the others left. We stayed to see if we'd be kicked out. Liz moved into the middle of the hot tub and folded her body under the water so just her head was above.

After asking me to join her, she wrapped her legs around my waist and kissed me. It was the most intense and amazing kiss yet. The tip of her tongue pressed at my lips and I opened my mouth to her.

It's hard to describe just how happy I was like this. I felt completely loved and good with myself. Maybe if dad caught me like this, he'd never have thought me gay. Dammit, now I'm thinking about him and how he would be happy seeing me like this.

He would think he won, and maybe his beatings worked. I pulled away and Liz stared into my eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing, I just needed to catch my breath. My nose doesn't work all that good." It's sort of true. My nose really doesn't work all that well.

The jets turned off. We decided to leave before anyone came looking for us. We held hands all the way to her room. I could hear voices coming from some rooms, but that didn't stop her from kissing me before she went back into her room.

Mom was still awake when I entered. "I'm glad you're making friends. You seem to spend a lot of time with Liz."

"Yeah, she's really nice," I said.

"Well, I'm just glad you're putting yourself out there to make friends. I'm proud of you."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed shorts from my suitcase in the bedroom. Eirik was asleep, but he left the TV on. After changing in the bathroom, I climbed into bed and grabbed my phone off the table. Charlie and Liz both wished me a goodnight.

After replying, Charlie's name flashed that he was typing. "How was your day?"

"It was good. Eirik and the team won both games, and I hung out in the hot tub most of the time," I said.

"That's cool," he said. "What are you guys doing tomorrow?"

"He has two more games tomorrow and then the finals are on Monday. I'm not sure what time the games are."

"Five games in three days, that's a lot of hockey," he said.

"Yup, playing is one thing, but I'm stuck watching them all," I said.

"Is Liz there?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, aren't you hanging out with her?"

"Yeah, I have been," I said.

"Have you two been doing anything else?" he asked.

I decided how honest I would be while typing. "We kissed again when we could. I don't want mom or to see since she knows I'm with you too. I dont know how she will react."