Loving Astrid

13

The teams second— Astrid's first— hockey practice was scheduled for the following afternoon.

After breakfast, the group had gone their own ways.

Elias had excused himself first. After having received a call and attending to it, he abruptly announced his leave. Without so much as a chance to exchange goodbyes, he had left.

Aside from Astrid, the others showed no reaction to his behaviour, simply carrying on with their conversations and activities. Soon after, Ekrem and Thalia left, having to be somewhere.

Natasha and Nathan remained with Astrid, the three of them playing snakes and ladders on the dining table.

Astrid and Nathan watched in anticipation as Natasha moved her piece 6 places forward, as told by the dice— clearly visible was a long snake, extended to the bottom of the board, towards the end of her play, right next to it, a ladder to the finish line.

As she travelled up the last ladder on the board, Astrid and Nathan groaned, realizing she had won their fourth game.

"Eat my ass— I win!" She yelled, jumping up.

Astrid leaned back with a grumble, mimicking Nathan and crossing her arms. Though the two shared amused glances as Natasha broke into an excited victory dance, a mess of uncoordinated limbs.

Attempting to keep in her laugh, Astrid cleared her throat, pushing pause on Natasha's petty celebration.

Her eyes widened in amusement as Natasha turned towards her, eyes narrowed. "Hey, don't stop on my account," Astrid exclaimed.

Nathan stood up, grabbing both of Natasha's arms and holding them behind her, "but please, do stop on mine."

Astrid grinned, a light laugh escaping her at their antics. She quietened down a moment later, a sudden silence ensuing.

Natasha glanced towards Astrid, noticing she was silent. Breaking away from Nathan, she walked over to her with purpose.

Astrid smiled as she felt Nat's sharp elbow nudge her in the side, looking up at the friendly girl bending down next to her.

"So, Nate and I are heading to the water park downtown, with our siblings. Do you want to come with?"

Astrid glanced from Natasha to Nathan, sending Nathan a quick smile. She shook her head. "I'm okay, thank you though. I have to be somewhere soon," she replied, semi apologetically.

She didn't have anywhere to be, save for a ship named Nathan and Natasha.

Natasha led the way downstairs, followed by Nathan and Astrid. Astrid held in a smile as Nathan regarded her with squinted eyes. He knows that I know, she decided, simply shrugging in response to his squinty eyes.

As she waved goodbye to the two, she felt her phone ring in her back pocket, the vibrations making their way through her jeans. She closed the door, pulling her phone out as she began up the stairs.

Karl, she read as the caller ID. She answered the phone, holding it up to her ear.

"Karl, hello."

"Astrid, chérie, how are you?" [darling]

Astrid smiled into her phone, having missed her manager. "I'm good, yourself?"

He kissed his teeth in response, "Well without you, decent at best."

She laughed lightly, knowing Karl was indulging in his dramatics as he often did. Karl listened as she laughed, taking a pause before noisily breathing in.