Acting On Love

I didn't own a car, so Ville had decided to pick me up in his one. Obviously I couldn't be seen getting into a teacher's car, so first I had to walk a safe distance from the university - to the town centre - where he would pick me up. I still didn't know what he had planned for the weekend, and I didn't know how long we'd be gone, since he wouldn't tell me anything. I didn't want to test my luck by packing any clothes - as if he'd actually meant it to be a little weekend get-away. He probably just meant coffee or lunch...

I walked down the crowded New York City streets, feeling the bitterness of the air fill my lungs. Winter was definitely on it's way. I watched the street signs pass me by, until I finally reached the right one. I scanned the busy road for his car, though I didn't know what it looked like. There were several cars parked on the side of the road. I checked to see if he was sat in any of them.

Suddenly, like an powerful, burning candle lighting up a dark room, he stepped out of the front door of a car to my right. He smiled my way as he closed the door shut behind him. I smiled back and stepped forward to meet him in front of his car. He pulled me into a hug which unmistakably let me know that I'd kept him waiting.

"Sorry I'm a little late," I amended.

"It doesn't matter," he grinned, pulling away from the hug that was keeping me warm. "Although I was getting a little worried that you were never going to turn up..."

"Why would you think that?" I laughed. I couldn't imagine a reason that would stop me from missing this.

"Well..." he paused, looking a little embarrassed. "I didn't think you'd want to spend the weekend with me. Afterall, it is a little quick..."

My heart flipped in my chest. So it was for the weekend... I began to smile uncontrollably. There was no better way I could think of spending my two days off.

"Of course I would," I smiled, stroking his cheek, until my fingers reached his bristly chin. He grinned back at me, placing a hand on my lower back, gesturing for me to follow him towards his car.

"Shall we?"

I nodded, still smiling.

It was a relief to step inside his car, out of the cold morning air. I rubbed my hands together and placed them on the air vents that provided the car with it's warmth.

"Mmm..." I sighed.

"Are you cold?" he asked, strapping himself in.

I nodded, rubbing my hands together once more. He smiled slightly and took my hands into his. His hands were surprisingly warm.

He rubbed them gently, and within moments they were already warm.

"Better?" he asked.

"Much," I replied gratefully.

He grinned, showing his cute teeth, before he began to pull out of the parking space.

"So where are we going?" I asked curiously.

He smiled even more. "No, I can't tell you that. It's a secret."

I sighed, looking out of the tinted window as the city flashed past us. I began to feel quite sleepy, especially since my lack of sleep from the night I'd spent with Ville in the theatre. I yawned. Ville seemed to notice this.

"Are you tired, Kristen?"

I loved hearing him say my name. No-one else said it in the way he did. Whether that was because of his slight Finnish accent or not; or because of his deep, poetic voice, I wasn't quite sure. But whatever it was, I could never get enough of it.

"A little," I said, beginning to yawn again.

He chuckled. "Sleep, if you want."

"I don't want to be anti-social," I laughed.

He smiled. "I wont mind. You look cute when you sleep, anyway," he said, looking out of the windshield.

I blushed. "Alright. Wake me up when we're there, though."

"Of course I will," he said, turning to look at me again. He reached out with one hand and took mine in his, wrapping his fingers round mine.

I looked out of the window of his car, watching as rain began to run down the side of the window. The blurry droplets meant I didn't have much of a view outside, so I wouldn't be missing much whilst I was sleeping, anyway.

I closed my eyes and drifted off quicker than I had expected to have.