The water that we drown in

The hammock near the lakes

Simon's pov:

I was walking from my dad's after stealing booze for August. He wanted me to grab some because he wanted to throw a party for the stupid prince was coming to Hillerska.

I just snuck in my dad's house and stole his booze and left. He was passed out drunk when I got there. I didn't bother leaving a note or anything and just hoping he'll think he just drank all of his booze. It was 3 in the morning and I was walking on trail near Hillerska surrounded by the night sky and the plants on the ground.

While I was walking I stopped because a hammock caught my eye. I thought it was empty until someone sat up in it. I was staring at this person wondering why the hell they in a hammock at 3 in the morning.

I was just staring at them for a second and they turned their head to look at me. They then try to get out the hammock but fall while trying to get out. I couldn't help but laugh a little.

He stood up and brushed off his shirt and walk towards me. It was a little hard to see him because it was the middle of the night. But he did look pretty.

He was staring at me for a second and then he broke the silence. "Hello" he said and extended his hand. I looked at his hand for a second and then shook his hand; He had a very firm handshake like he had to take a class on how to give someone the most firm handshake ever.

"Hello...? What are you doing in a hammock in the woods in the middle of the night?" I ask, he just stands there awkwardly and I notice that he started biting the inside of his lip.

"I just wanted to get out some fresh air you know? And um this guy august was being a complete dick so I wanted to leave to get away I guess." He said that while slightly messing with the hem of his sweater.

I slightly laugh because I knew which August he was talking about. "Yeah August is a complete dick. He's a self-centered rich jerk." I said, the boy laughed and smiled at me and I couldn't help but return the smile right back.

"Yeah he is, but I hope I don't come off as that because I am his cousin." He says, and then I realized that I was talking to Wilhelm. I was talking to the fucking prince, the one that I just stole booze from my dad for. I thought that he was going to be a full on copy and paste of August but he didn't seem like him at all.

"Well that explains the firm handshake, did you take a class on how to shake someone's hand or something sir prince Wilhelm?" I jokingly asked, but I don't think he knew I was joking because he seemed to be a little nervous.

"I actually did, but my mother made me so I don't act like a fool in front of her. And you can just call me Wille." he says, and he's was keeping eye contact like his life depending on it. I didn't know if it was because he was nervous or because that's something he was taught to do.

"Nice to meet you Wille I'm Simon." I say and then a faint smile spreads across Wille's face. "Nice to meet you too and why are you out here at 3 in the morning?" He asks, then curiosity fills his eyes while he was ooking at the bag I'm holding.

"Well I wanted to get some fresh air too and I just decided to walk through this path." I explained trying to avoid the fact that I have booze in my bag that I basically stole for him.

He nodded his head and we just stood there in silence. I expected the silence to be awkward but it just felt normal. It felt like the silence was expected like we've known each other for years and we've just stood in silence before.

We just kept maintaining eye contact. His eyes went from keeping eye contact like his life depended on it to keeping eye contact to capture and hold my attention. If that's what he was doing it was working because I just kept looking straight back at him.

We kept the eye contact for a couple of seconds before I had to check the time.

3:57am

I knew I had to get home because it was already late. Also if my mom saw I wasn't home when she woke up she would panic immediately. Probably call the police and file a missing persons report. I looked back at him and he was still staring at me like he was earlier.

"I gotta go I don't want my mom to wake up to see I'm not there, you know?" I said, he nodded and looked at his phone to check something and then put it in his pocket.

"Yeah I probably have to go back too. But it was nice meeting you Simon. Hopefully I'll see you again." He says, I then gave him a confused look.

"I go to Hillerska to so I'll see you later." I say and Wille smiles in response when I said that. I then left and started walking home and I just kept thinking about him. I really thought he was going to be exactly like august but I was wrong. I was completely wrong.