Her bed had never been more comfortable. The angels in heaven would envy how soft and blissfully lush the sheets felt against her skin.
As she curled up under the covers, Schanulleke pressed safely against her chest for companionship, she couldn't help but let out a sigh of contentment.
The night was almost over, and yet, it felt like it could last forever.
Suske had done something… impossible. No, that wasn't the right word. He'd done something… remarkable. Wonderful. Marvelously unexpected. Something to set her alight in hope and change her outlook on the world forever.
At that moment, she almost wished they still shared a room (privacy notwithstanding) so she could watch him slip into dreamland from only a few feet away. She imagined him sensing her staring, and he'd slowly open his eyes to acknowledge his roommate, giving her one of his captivating smiles, dampened slightly from sleepiness.
She giggled, flashing her pearly whites to an invisible audience.
Oh, how happy she was.
Wiske flopped her body up and down in sudden restlessness, the springs in her mattress protesting with every movement.
"Schanulleke, can you believe it?" She said out loud to her beloved childhood doll, though not loud enough to be heard by anyone who might be lurking in the hallway. "This is real, it really happened. It happened to me."
The duo danced across the well-polished hardwood floor. Any outsider would assume they were caught up only with each other, failing to notice the room around them.
"And I learned this move from the King of Lupliabia," Suske said, twirling Wiske in and out under his arm.
"Oh, you did not, you liar," Wiske let out a laugh. "There's no such place."
Suske stuck out his tongue. "You don't know that, maybe I've been having awesome adventures while you're hiding under your bed like a baby."
"Hmm, I doubt it. You can't even find your shoes in the morning without my help."
"Shows what you know, Miss Genius."
"Very nice. Did you get that comeback from the back of a cereal box?"
Suske whirled her around more aggressively in retaliation. She held tightly to him, not minding in the least (but still feeling a bit dizzy from the sensation). It was a good thing the floor wasn't waxed.
It was going to take some time for them to squash the tension from Wiske's little time traveling adventure (and she'd definitely be grounded when they got home. Maybe, if she was lucky, she'd be a free woman by the time they graduated). But, if this moment was any indication, it wouldn't take too long for their relationship to get back to normal. She hadn't lost him.
Still… she couldn't fully relax and give in to the enchanting sensation of dancing with the one she adored without learning more about Betje. How could she bring it up without bringing everything down? Why would he act the way he did if he had a girlfriend? Wouldn't she get angry and dump him the moment she found out?
"So," Wiske said slowly, trying to broach the subject with care, "did you beat your score in Battle Demon X while I was gone?"
Suske puffed up his chest in pride. "Oh, I did that last month. Had to stay up all night, but it was worth it. Besides," he added, giving her the side eye, "I've been too worried about you to play video games, anyway."
She blushed. Suske loved playing video games, just like any functioning teenager, so this made her happy. "Um, yes, well… yeah. Anything happen at school? Make any new friends, or, um… any new female friends?"
"Female friends?" he frowned in thought. "Nope. Nobody I haven't told you about. Well," he clicked his tongue. "Oh yeah. I just started a school project with this girl. Betje."
Wiske tried to keep her face neutral. Now they were getting somewhere. "Oh? Do you like working with her?"
He gave a non-committal "hmmm."
"So, you don't… think she's girlfriend material or anything?"
She inwardly grimaced. That wasn't obvious or anything.
Thankfully, he didn't seem to grasp what she was trying to do. He glanced upward and took a moment to give her a response.
"Gosh, no! She's completely weird, never stops talking about her pet hamster, Booboo. What kind of name is that, anyway? When she got a rash on her arm, she had to tell me about it. Makes me do all the work, too, like I'm some kind of servant." He rolled his eyes. "Why so curious?"
"No reason." Wiske moved in a little closer to him to avoid bumping into another dancing couple, something she didn't mind doing at all. She hoped she didn't sound too delighted.
He squeezed the hand he was holding. "Silly, you know I'd tell you first if I ever got myself a girlfriend. She must go through the Wiske filter, you know."
She felt as though the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders. It took everything she had not to engulf him in a bone crushing hug and kiss him until he fainted. That wouldn't be the best idea, though. Definitely not.
Then, without warning, Suske made his own move and kissed her on the head. "I'm really glad you're safe, Wiske. Next time you feel the urge to get away… come get me, and I'll come with you. France. Zimbabwe. The bottom of Lambik's sock drawer, which probably smells like rotten eggs and whiskey or whatever. I'll go anywhere if we're together."
Fighting back the tears that threatened to fall again (she'd done her share of crying lately, definitely), she could only push out the words "I promise."
Betje was just a classmate that Suske had to tolerate – an annoyance, really. Suske was still her best friend and closest companion (unless you counted her treasured doll). And, Suske loved her – maybe not in the way she'd badly wanted all these years, but it was a start. It was something. She could work with it. Someday soon, perhaps he would look at her the way a man looks at his cherished sweetheart. There was still a chance she could be the one to introduce him to the wild and wonderful world of romance.
Maybe, if things worked out, he could be her very first, serious, real kiss. The time and place? Not important (though, she wouldn't object if it happened under the stars at a candlelit table, just the two of them).
In any case, she was his number one. His important person. The one he held above all those good-looking girls who caught his eye. Take that, ladies.
As expected, Auntie immediately declared a punishment the moment she walked through the front door. She couldn't leave the house unless she needed to go to school, and she still had to occasionally help Auntie pick up groceries (with the amount of people who seemed to make their way through her home at any given time, it was always a considerable task).
But it was worth it. It was all worth it.
~xxxxx~
True story time: I used to have a coworker who, if she so much as developed a rash, had to tell me about it. Needless to say, I tried my best to avoid her. Why she felt the need to share her various health problems with me, I don't know.
I really hope you enjoyed the story. I plan to write a lot more Suske and Wiske stories in the future, so please stay tuned! If I got something wrong about Dutch culture, or you'd just like to chat, please send me a message.