𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨 - 𝚛𝚊𝚖𝚒 𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚔

six-foot-tall.

12 days later

It's been over a week since Rami gone home. I've been spending more time with Garrett now, updating him on everything that's happened in Norway. He always seems surprised when I add a new detail. We've been friends for years, and I feel like he's the only person I can share this stuff with.

Rami has been calling me every day, sometimes at dawn for hours, sometimes over lunch for a few minutes, but it's always good to hear his voice. He always tells me how his day is, what he's going to do and how he misses me. I have been trying to tell him that I love him, but my hesitation leads me to deny my own feelings. I always complain about how much I miss him and how much I adore him.

"He's been calling me every day," I say, with a smile from ear to ear.

"I know, you don't seem to let go of that cell phone," he says, with a silly smile.

"He's gone for a week and it feels like an eternity," I complain, lying on his bed.

He lies next to me and touches the tip of my nose. "I'm glad to see you like this. Cheerful, with a glow in your eyes. In love. He's good for you, but I'll kill him if he hurts you, I'm warning you."

I giggle. "I'll give you the gun if that ever happens," I say, raising my eyebrows.

He lays his head on my leg and we lie on his bed, in complete silence. A twinge in my chest throbs again, since that morning in Oslo, as if something was going to happen at any moment. A discomfort that stunned my mind and two nights ago, left me awake. But I haven't told Rami.

We spent the rest of the night talking, cooking and relaxing. And I missed those moments when Garrett stopped being my makeup artist and activated the 'best friend' mode.

I walk down the stairs when I decide to go home and have a nice hot shower. I put on my shoes when I get close to the door, where they are placed next to each other in perfect symmetry. "Drive safe" he says as I cross a stone walkway in the garden in front of his house.

"Bye, baby," I say, opening the heavy metal gate.

My car is parked across the street. The trees on this block are tall, full, almost covering the light poles. My car is one of the dozens of cars parked near the houses of this suburb. I unlock the car and enter, closing the door on entering. I start the engines and slowly maneuver until I get out of my seat, accelerating down the empty street at this time.

Until my house, it is exactly 17 minutes away, which gives me time to see if the restaurants located on my way home are still open. Only Ogawa's is open, a familiar Japanese restaurant one block from my home. I decide to stop and buy their famous yakisoba.

The atmosphere is cozy, with black walls and lights on the tables. I ask for my usual yakisoba - I even know the cashier's girl, Ogawa's daughter. After a few minutes, I see my order in a white plastic box with my chopsticks.

Thank you, heading for the way out.

I get a message from Rami.

rami ❤️: in five minutes, i'll call you

I park my car in my garage, I have to go around the front because my garage is a mess, with boxes everywhere, and a pile of boxes blocking the door that leads straight into my house. I close the large gate and go to the front door. A shadow approaches as I walk. The shadow takes shape and traces. Family traits.

A six-foot-tall person, leaning on the wall draws my attention, he's near my door. A man. I feel my heart racing and echoing in my ear, with marching beats and making my blood boil inside my veins. My steps shorten until I stop three meters from the man. My body trembles at the thought of what might happen to me tonight. The man slowly approaches with steady steps in the concrete. I take two steps back and my hand searches inside my purse for my cell phone. The man approaches and the light from the street slowly illuminate his body. Finally, I can see the man's features, long nose, and thick eyebrows.

It's Oliver.