Chapter 1
I remember our beginning as you remember a favorite film you haven't seen for a while, but you know by heart and which made a lasting imprint of emotion.
It was a Saturday afternoon early in the Summer.
I was sitting at the back corner table at Carly's overlooking both the café and the beach as he walked in.
I saw him before he noticed me and when he did he looked straight at me for just a second before picking up an order and walking towards the door.
Then he stopped turned around and walked towards me instead.
Not knowing what to do I just looked at him approaching.
I hadn't been able to take my eyes of him since he walked in. I was sure he knew and expected some kind of lesson.
Instead he kindly introduced himself as Perry and asked me to join him and his friends for a game of Kubb. He saw the sceptism in my eyes and pointed to a small group of people on the beach near the café. "We´re an odd number and could use an extra player. You´d be helping us out. What do you say?"
Still surprised I just kept looking at him as having forgotten how to speak. His eyes told me that he almost smiled as amused over my surprisedness but to polite to show it and said" Meet us there in 15 minutes?" I found myself nodding before I got around to say no. He smiled, gave me a quick nod back then left.
I watched him leave then felt the usual sense of doubt set in.
For a brief minute I thought about not showing up and simply avoiding the café and the beach for the rest of the Summer. How hard could that be?
But since they were both some of the best places to be, I hesitatingly decided against it, while instead attempting to convince myself that it would be fine. It was just a game, he had invited me cause they were a player short and as long as I would not stare at him too much or make a fool out of myself somehow, it might even be fun. I sighed shock my head and watched the minutes pass both wanting them to pass quickly as ever and not pass at all.
When the time was almost up I finished the rest of my lemonade, packed my notebook and slowly walked towards the group of friends.
When I got there they were about to set up the game Perry had talked about.
He smiled at me and introduced the others. Hannah, Loui, Allison and Calvin.
“I'm Camilla” I said. Then we played. I don't remember the teams or who won. I just remember thinking there was something about him.The certain sense of calmness I was looking for for myself. As he belonged whereever he was and would be fine with whatever curveball life would throw at him. Maybe that was why my eyes kept going in his directing whenever I wasn't paying attention. So I consciously tried to look more at at the others, and make my attraction towards him less obvious. My doubt had hushed down, there where simply no room for it between me focusing at the game, looking at Perry, not looking at Perry and actually having fun.
It made me relax in my own nervousness.
I wonder if they knew.
It doesn't really matter.
I knew he knew.
