Acting On Love

Ville's Point of View

"Wait here," I whispered into Kristen's ear, grinning. We'd spent the rest of the day in a similar fashion to the morning - spending time alone together. I felt like my birthday couldn't get any better - I felt as high as the heavens.

"Ok. Don't be long, though. We don't want to miss our reservation," she said, smiling softly before she turned away and went to wait outside for me. A faint, strange feeling of sorrow pass through me lightly as she walked away. It was as if part of my heart followed her wherever she went. . .

I turned round to see my mother standing against the wall with her arms folded. She looked disappointed, but there was a stronger emotion at work in her features - sorrow.

"You two are quite serious, then?" she asked quietly in Finnish.

I nodded slowly, cautious of her every reaction.

"Why didn't you tell me about her before?" she asked, in the same monotone.

"I don't know. . .I didn't think she was ready to meet you," I answered honestly.

"Ville. . ." she sighed, stepping away from the wall, towards me. "I can see how young she is. . ."

I sighed and looked at the floor. She lifted up my chin, making me look at her, even though she was much shorter than myself.

"How old is she, Ville?"

"Why does that matter. . ."I murmured, sulking.

She sighed and let go of my chin. "How did you two meet, then?" she pressed.

"Why does this matter?" I asked quietly. I knew she could already see I was hiding something - I could never hide anything from her.

"It matters to me. . .because I love you. You're my son. . . can't you even tell me where you met your girlfriend?"

"No, I can't. . ." I said, trying to turn away. She stopped me. I felt like a teenager all over again.

"Ville, don't think I can't already see it."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

She sighed and looked at the floor. "She's a student, isn't she? She's your student."

My eyes froze on her in horror. The air stopped in my lungs. "How. . .how. . .no." It was more of a protest than a lie. Her mood seemed to change quickly.

"Oh, Ville. . .Ville! What are you thinking!" she raised her voice, looking at me with pleading eyes.

"No, it's not like that. . ."

"She's your student! You can't do this."

"Yes I can," I said defiantly.

"You shouldn't be doing it-"

"What if I love her?" I said loudly, throwing my arms up in the air. We both stopped. My mother stared at me in disbelief for a long while. I stared back, trying to register what I'd just said myself. I loved her? It had just slipped out. . . I hadn't been planning on saying it. I hadn't been thinking it. . .

But it had slipped out of my mouth so naturally in the heat of the moment. Like my heart had forced it out of my lungs as the last way to defend myself.

"You're in love with this girl?" she asked, even quieter than before.

I sighed. "I don't know. . . maybe I'm not. But even if that were so, I am sure that I would be soon."

She stayed quiet for a long time. Well, almost quiet. I thought I heard her mutter a few words to herself. One that sounded like 'wrong'.

"I should go," I said quietly. "Me and Kristen will miss our reservation at this rate. . ." As I turned on my heels to leave the apartment, she said something else that kept me fixed there.

"Jonna called."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked under my breath.

"She worries about you. . . like I worry about you. She thinks you took the breakup pretty badly."

"Well, tell her I'm fine, then."

"I would if I believed you. . . " she murmured.