Until US

Chapter 2

As soon as Win and Team arrived in his room, Team fell onto the bed, groaning. "You need to take a shower first", Win said. Team tried to sit up. "I am disgusting, aren't I?", he asked, gazing at Win with a sad look on his face. The vice president smiled. "You should really take a shower", he replied with a soft voice. Team giggled. "What is so funny?", the other one asked. "Your voice sounds different", he said. Win frowned. "What do you mean, different?", he was asking. "I don't know. You sound nice. You haven't been this nice to me for so long." Win could hear the sadness in Team's voice. "I am sorry", he answered. "What are you sorry for?", Win asked while bowing down to him, who was sitting on the bed, holding his knees with both of his hands. "I did not want to make you worry. I am sorry." Hearing those words from Team felt strange. "What are you talking about? I am not worried. Not that much. Just try to sleep and everything is ok." Team nodded and laid on the bed. Win covered him up. When he was about to go, Team gripped his hand and pulled him back. "I am so sorry for making you worry. I promise this won't happen again." "Just try to drink a little less the next time, ok? And don't worry. I was not that worried. I just did not want you to embarrass yourself in front of others." He lied. He was worried about Team. But he could not tell him. He did not want to tell him. He should not know. Not yet. Maybe someday. Maybe never.

The next morning Win was having breakfast when Pharm and Dean came. "Morning", Pharm said. "Morning", Win replied, without looking at him. "Ok, what is wrong with you?", Dean asked, concerned. "What do you mean?", said the boy. "Pharm and I come together to breakfast and you did not even smile or ask what happened last night? What is wrong?" Dean knew his friend. He knew Win would have asked him what the two of them did last night and who was on top or something like that, but he said nothing. Something must be wrong. "Where is Team?", Pharm asked. "He is sleeping off his drinking spree. He was pretty drunk last night." "He still could not sleep, could he?", Pharm was asking. "What do you mean?", Win said. "I can't tell you. Team should tell you. But you have to know, that it was not the first time that happened. Team has had sleeping problems since he is little. Once when we were 13 years old, he was staying at my home. At 3 o'clock he woke up screaming, because of a nightmare. He never really told me what the nightmare was about, but he said, it was not the first time he was having that kind of dream. I do not know what he dreamed, but I know, that it must have been something terrifying because of his screaming and he was sweating all over his body. When Team was old enough to drink alcohol, he started to drink whenever he was worried about getting those nightmares again. Whenever that happened, alcohol seems to be the only thing that helps him sleep. It bothers me, that I can't help him. But he won't tell me what it is he was dreaming about that night. I think, being away from home has brought back some bad memories of his past. Whatever happened when he was a child, it still has a huge impact on him." Win was even more concerned now. What kind of nightmares does Team have all night? Why does he not want to talk about it? And how was he supposed to help him?

"I don't think, this was a good idea", Team sighed, while they were sitting in the cantine, staring at the plate of eggs in front of him. "Maybe I should have stayed in bed today", he sighed. Pharm shook his head and put an arm on Team's shoulder. "You got yourself into that. Now you have to take the consequences. Don't worry. I take care of you today. I promise", he said with a smile on his face. "I just want to sleeeeep." Pharm could not hold back a giggle. "What happened the other night? You got really carried away. Are you ok?", he asked, his voice sounding worried. "I just could not sleep. That's all", Team answered and tried to give his friend a smile. He did not want him to worry about him. Nobody should be worried, because of him. Never. "So, what are we gonna do today?", Team asked with a smile, changing the topic. "Today we are going to the waterfall. It's going to be a lot of fun. I've never seen a waterfall before", Pharm said with a big smile on his face. Team loves seeing the excitement on his friend's face. Pharm was always excited about the little things in life. Like he was too. That's one of the things which make them best friends in the first place.

After breakfast, the bus was waiting for the class to take them to the near waterfalls. Team was still pretty smashed, but he did not want Pharm to see that. He would be concerned again, and that means he would not enjoy the vacation. So Team tried to cover the effects his hangover had on him. But it was hard for him, because Pharm was so excited, that it was almost impossible for Team to keep up with him, while they were going up a hill. Suddenly he made a wrong step and stumbled back. Before he landed on his back, he got caught by two strong arms that felt familiar to him.

"Don't get hurt on our first day here", Win chuckled, while holding Team tight. "I don't." "Should I go next to you? Just in case it happens again. I could catch you when you fall", the blond one teased him. "No, thank you. I can go on my own", Team replied sulkily. "It was just an offer." Team felt strange. He did not know, why he reacted so silly. He knew Win did not really laugh about him. But when Win held him with his arms, preventing the smaller one from falling, he felt strange. He was embarrassed. Sure, that was no reason to respond to him like that, but the situation was just weird.

A few days later, the class was back at school. It was Friday. Weekend. Most of Team's classmates went home. Pharm said he wanted to spend the weekend at Deans's, so Team was all alone in his room.

Team was lying awake in his bed. It was already pretty late- Far past midnight. But the fear of having another nightmare of his past kept him from sleeping.

No matter how often he tried to get some rest, the thoughts in his head were too strong. Whenever he closed his eyes, memories of his past came through his mind. Bad memories. Memories he wanted to forget about, but couldn't. After two hours of trying to get some sleep, Team got up and left his room. It was already two a.m. Everything was quiet. Team was wandering through the corridor until he stopped at Win's door. "What the hell am I doing here?", he asked himself. "This was a stupid idea", he muttered. As he was about to go back to his room, the door opened and a sleepy and shirtless Win stood right in front of him. His blond hair, which normally was tied back in a ponytail, was open and hang down into his face. Win was looking at him with confusion in on his face. "Team? What are you doing here?", he asked. Team couldn't say anything. He turned around and wanted to leave, as his arm was gripped by the other one. "Wait. Team? What is wrong?", Win asked worriedly. He knew something must have happened when Team knocks on his door, in the middle of the night and he would not let him go until he tells him. "Have you had a nightmare, again?", he asked gently, while stroking Team's arm up and down. "How do you know?", he asked, facing the floor. "I know you", Win replied softly. "Besides, it is not the first time, we are standing here. You know, you can always come to me, if it happens again." Win's voice seemed so different now. Normally he fools around and makes jokes about Team. He loves teasing him. When he does that, his voice sounds playful and much higher than it does at the moment. But right now, his voice was a lot deeper, more serious.

"So, are you going to tell me, what happened, or are you planning to keep standing in the doorframe forever?"