Injured - Kris Guštin

CHAPTER 30

Kris's Point of View

We were working on a new project. We were writing a very interesting song for a hypothetical future album; but we reached this point of writer block. We worked so hard on this our brains couldn't even process what we were doing, even if we're still doing it.

We were upstairs, above the studio, all gathered in the sofas, desperately searching for inspiration. And man, that was hard. Well, I had written a few songs of my own, but the calm, loving mood was not really in the vibe of what we wanted for this. And I must be honest, I'm not quite ready to show them to the boys. I must ask Katrina if she's okay first. It's always quite stressing when I submit a song; as usually it's Bojan who does this.

"Kris! Phone!" I heard Mark yell from downstairs. He threw my phone and I had to catch it (hopefully I grabbed it with the tip of my finger). It became quite a habit to throw each other our phones. After I had to repair it twice, I invested in a better phone case.

"Who's it?" Bojan was nearly entirely lying on me. He's always like this when he needed to distract himself. I swear sometimes I understand why her big sister broke his nose when he was young. He can be quite invasive.

"Mia, now fuck off," I pushed him on the other side, right on Jure.

"Hey, I don't want him either!"

"I really feel loved with you guys, thanks." I rolled my eyes at Bojan and took the call.

"Hoi Mia, hoe gaat het met je?" I said in Dutch, just to annoy a bit more our singer. (Hi Mia, how are you?)

"Hallo Kris. Kunnen we even praten?" she said. Her tone was suspiciously serious. (Hello Kris. Could we talk a bit?) I frowned. Mia don't call me often, she always prefers texts, and she really seems worried.

"Een probleem?" (A problem?)

She agreed and I got up, receiving weirds look from the boys. I just made a sign to go on without me, while I went downstairs. I locked myself up in the small kitchen we had (we barely never use it, because the delivery guy is our best friend).

"I'm alone now," I told her. "What's the matter? Are you okay?" I remembered the night Katrina went to save her from her father; a shiver ran down my spine.

"Yeah I'm great, thanks. It's about Katrina."

My heart started bumping faster, and my grip on the phone tightened.

"What happened? Is she safe?"

"Well, you see..." She sighed, she seemed exhausted. "I thought she would have told you."

My heart stopped for a second. I didn't know anything! Last time she called me, she was smiling so brightly, and we laughed for hours...

"She hasn't told me anything. Has something bad happened?"

"I don't really know... You know she was pretty excited, even more after she came back from your birthday thing, but now she just seems... dull. She has lost her sparkles. She barely speaks, and I'm not telling you about her eating... She's zoning everytime, she can't focus, even on a conversation. She just seems... sad, lost, I don't know." I was so taken aback with what I heard that I couldn't speak. She took a big breath. "So I wondered if something happened between you 2."

"What? No no no! I'm still with her!" I exclaimed. I couldn't even think not being with her. "Yesterday she was so joyful! I did not see the same Katrina."

"I think she's really good at faking smiles; even if with you they are true."

"I'll call her right now."

"Thanks, you keep me updated?" She asked.

"Sure."

She ended the call. I was so stressed now. Even Mia, her best friend since kindergarten don't know. She hasn't told me. What can possibly hurt her, and still she doesn't want to speak about it to her boyfriend?

I stared to her profile pic. I was the one who took that photo. She was beautiful, smiling like no other can. Her eyes were lit by this simple joy she carried everywhere with her. I couldn't imagine not seeing this light anymore.

The phone rang a few times. I was taking big breaths to control myself. She finally answers.

"Hi dragi!" Her voice seemed joyful; but now that I'm aware, I could notice her voice getting higher.

"Hey moja Katrina," I couldn't help but smiling when I pronounce her name. It's like a magic word. "How are you?"

"Great! And you?"

"I'm... fine. But you're sure?"

"Y-Yes, why?" Her voice started to shiver.

"Hey Kate. I'm here for you. Something is off, Mia noticed it, and I only see it now. You can talk to me."

"K-Kris..." she started sobbing.

"Oh god Katrina, I'm here, please tell me," I whispered. I would anything to hold her in my arms.

"It's just, it's just... No It's nothing, don't worry. I'm just depressed cause it's always raining here, don't worry about that, I'm fine I swear!" she exclaimed. I could hear she was trying to control her breathing.

"Please Katrina, don't lie to me. I'm your boyfriend; and I just want to help you. I know you're definitely not okay. It hurts me to see you like that. I want you to be happy."

"So far from you it's difficult," I could imagine her sad smile. She always wished to be nearer from Slovenia, and so do I. Long distance relationship is really hard for her. "I'm sorry."

"What? Why are you sorry?"

"I don't want to bother you with my uh..."

"You don't bother me, Katrina. You can't ever bother me. But I want to listen to you. So please, just tell me."

"It's just a small problem at work, nothing really bad-"

"Katrina, the truth."

"I... okay..." She was openly crying now. I wanted so bad to be there to wipe her cheeks, but we were so far. "I feel overwhelmed. There's a new supervisor, she's always talking shit about me, always find a way to mock me in front of my older colleagues... She created rumours, so I've lost students and she try her best to have me removed from the orchestra too... I feel like I'm constantly harassed by everyone. I'm losing my mind."

I just don't understand how can people do so much harm to others; and why her? She's the most genuine, happiest, kindest person I've ever met. Why breaking into pieces such good people?

"I'm here draga. You need a break, far from all of this. You need to rest. Are you at work?"

"Y-Yes," she was wiping the tears of her face.

"Go home, take a moment to rest please, you sound exhausted. You'll come to see me sooner, okay?"

"Yes, I want to hug you." Her voice sounded so weak, broken. I wanted to cry with her too.

"Me too, ljubezen, me too."

I stayed online with her until she was home. I made sure she was safe and calm. I needed her by my side. I couldn't bare knowing she was sad so far from me. Hopefully, she'll stay a bit longer, this time.

As usual, the Dutch comes from an oline translator! So please if it's not correct tell me so I can update! Love <33