Winter Swan

A secret place for the two of them.

After a nap in the storage building, Silje returned home.

She was a dutiful daughter and she would never forget her responsibilities to her family. Silje was determined to always remember to appreciate her adoptive parents.

The time Silje and Kail spent together in the storage building was like a beautiful dream. The next day, however, she stored it away in her mind and acted as if nothing happened.

Thankfully, it was the weekend the next day and things went on normally for her. Silje helped her adoptive mother Olga prepare the meals. She took her showers and followed her family to Sunday service at church.

There were moments when the memory of that fateful day popped in her head, but she needed time to rest and process it all. Not having to go to school for the weekend was a blessing.

It was especially needed because of the physical pain. Due to what Felicien and the gang did to her, Silje suffered severe headaches and she needed time to recover. Prescription painkillers helped, but when Silje checked her pill bottle, she realized she only had seven pills left.

As long as she took a pill, she didn't have to go to the hospital. Silje refused to burden her parents with medical bills, and this meant that she had to endure it by herself.

'Let's take one pill at a time whenever the headache comes on. And when I'm done with this, perhaps aspirin will help.'

At night as she laid on her bed after taking one of the pills, she felt better. Her room was quiet, reminding her of the time she spent in the storage building with Kail.

They fell asleep together listening to Luna. It was such a peaceful yet memorable time. She pretended as if nothing happened, but Silje knew that everything had changed.

Kail said to her that they were the same.

She wanted to deny it, but when she saw him in pain and covered in blood, she couldn't leave him. Besides, she already admitted that she couldn't live in a world that didn't include Kail.

She was the one who called out to him. It was too late for her to reject her feelings and need for him.

If she really tried, perhaps she could return to before. To her old life before all of this happened.

But it wouldn't be a life worth living. It wouldn't be right. Like the aurora in the night sky, what had happened between them was going to remain in her heart forever.

Silje knew that without him, her heart wouldn't be able to take it.

Silje tried to think coldly and objectively. Was she attracted to Kail because of his looks?

No.

She was a selfish person. He was physically attractive, but if it was just that, it wouldn't have been hard for her to resist. She was so close to becoming independent and free from her miserable life that Kail was only going to be a burden for her. He was going to make everything difficult and complicated for her.

It wasn't his looks; it was something else entirely. He was her own kind, and she couldn't leave him in the snow. She knew that if she did, she would feel an unfillable void for the rest of her life.

She would have to live in pain.

So that was why Silje chose Kail. She chose to live in peace and to do so, she accepted Kail and admitted her feelings for him.

It was the practical thing to do.

She knew this was a life-changing decision, but she had no regrets.

She felt at peace. It was a difficult decision, but once she made it, she would not change her mind.

Silje helped Olga prepare dinner. Despite what had happened to her with Felicien and the gang, at home, it was like any other day.

The house was quiet as usual. Other than the wind blowing outside against the windows, there was no noise inside her home.

Silje looked rigid as she stood next to Olga to help.

Tonight, Frank had to work late so it was just Silje, Olga, and Valter. After dinner, Silje patted her brother's head and brought him his favorite snacks.

Olga watched her children silently.

"I'm going to bed now."

After the dishes were done, Silje told Olga she was going to sleep, and Olga nodded.

"Alright. Goodnight."

When she returned to her room, Silje sighed in relief.

Silje let her hair down and changed to her pajamas. It wasn't time for bed yet, so she plugged in her earphones and turned on the radio.

"Today, we bring you the famous Mozart's classic from the movie, 'Out of Africa'. It is a romantic movie about…"

After the announcer's brief explanation, the beautiful music started playing and Silje closed her eyes.

She felt sleepy. Listening to the music, safe in her room, Silje was happy. Her bullies couldn't get her here.

"Silje! Silje!"

Silje fell asleep when suddenly, she thought she heard her name.

Was it just the wind?

Her eyes still closed, she listened carefully and realized that someone really was calling out to her. A scratching noise was heard on her window and someone was yelling her name from the outside.

"Silje! Silje!"

Silje stood up quickly and went to the window.

"Silje!"

She became worried that her adoptive parents might wake up as well.

Could it be?…

Kail?

If her parents found out that a man had come to see her in the middle of the night, she was going to be in huge trouble.

Silje quickly put on a thick coat and ran out the door. She opened the front door quietly and whispered, "…Kail?"

Silje walked out to the freezing weather. She was rarely ever out this late, so it felt strange to be out in the dark.

When she turned around, she saw Kail leaning against a silver Audi, waiting for her. When she ran to him, Kail tilted his head to study her.

"Kail! What are you doing here? Why did you come here? You should've told me if you were going to come."

She was breathless from running, and Kail raised an eyebrow.

"You look different than at school. Maybe it's because this is your territory. Don't worry, I won't hurt you."

At his stunning voice, Silje shrugged her shoulders. She acted normally, but she still felt slightly anxious around him.

Kail continued to stare at her. His dark hair danced in the wind and he looked at her hungrily.

When he didn't say anymore, Silje asked again, "Why are you here? Did something happen? It can't be that you came here just to see me."

Suddenly, Kail reached out to her and hugged her tightly. Finding herself in his arms, Silje flinched and looked up at him.

"Why?"

Silje asked in a calm but questioning voice, "Why are you doing this?"

"Hmm… What do you think?"

Unlike her uncertain eyes, Kail looked relaxed.

She felt his hot breath against her hair. Still staring at her, he squeezed her and breathed in her scent deeply.

"Can you guess why I am doing this?"

His husky voice made her shiver.