The Boy Who Couldn't Hold His Breath Underwater ✔

Hi, Mum, It's Me

I made my way back to the cabin, my shoulders slumped down and my head hanging low. I felt so sad but I had no choice but to suck it up. Even wanted and needed space and I had to give it to him. He would come around, I had to believe in that. This didn't mean the end. If it was another way around I would want Even to respect my wishes therefore I had to do it too. Space. That was all he wanted. I could give it to him. I could wait that he comes back to me.

I opened the door and stepped inside the cabin. Mahdi was lying on his bed, reading a book while Magnus and Jonas were sitting on the floor, playing poker. When I stepped inside they all turned their eyes on me and when they saw my face their smiles faltered.

"Didn't go well?" Jonas asked.

I shook my head. "He said he needs space."

"Oh."

"Yeah." I sat on my bed. "Guess I don't have a choice but to deal with it and wait that he's ready to talk."

"He will come around", Magnus said. "He just needs to clear his head. He just broke up with his girlfriend who he had been dating for a long time."

"Yes, I understand that", I said, biting my lip. "It's just... hard. I can't explain it. I just feel so worried and—yeah. I don't know."

I felt like there wasn't enough words to express how I felt. I felt frustrated but I had to calm down.

He. Just. Needs. Some. Space.

No big deal.

I could handle that. We were nothing serious, I shouldn't be so pressed about this whole thing. I should be chill and just wait and see what happens.

That sounded like a good plan. I nodded at myself.

Yes.

Be chill and go with the flow.

Suddenly my phone started ringing. I searched through my bed sheets and finally found it under my pillow.

It was my mum. I pressed the green button and lifted the phone to my ear.

"Hi, mum", I said.

"Hi, Isak", she replied. "Finally you answer my call."

"Sorry, I've been busy."

I stood up and waved at my friends. They nodded understandingly and I left the cabin, walking towards the lake.

"How's the camp? Are you having fun?" she asked.

I nodded until I realised that she couldn't see me. "Yes. We have had so much fun here. Just like every year."

"Good, good", she said. "Your father says hi, by the way."

"Is he home?"

"Yes, but he's just about to leave to the grocery store."

"Oh."

"So tell me, what have you been up to?"

I told her about our days on the camp and about the horses. She laughed when I told her about how terrified I had been when I first brushed a horse. I also told her about our upcoming performance, about the practices and how my clock looked awful and how we needed to do chairs next. I also told her that I had learned a little bit of how to play piano. She was proud of me and said that she wants to hear me play sometimes. I explained her about the archery and how I had quickly learned to shoot arrows in the middle of the target. She laughed and said that it's amazing how many new things I have learned on the camp.