Scream Me a Dream

“Can we be excused?” Olivia asked, smiling prettily at her father who nodded as both Olivia and Aid pushed their nearly empty plates towards the middle of the table before quickly rushing out of the dining room giggling to each other.

“Dinner was wonderful Toni.” Soya said pushing her own plate away. Dinner had been a small gathering, members of the band and their significant others along with their children. While Aida and Olivia had played together, Lara, Gas and Natali’s three year old daughter had been content in following them until she’d fallen asleep on the couch watching cartoons.

“Ah, it’s always a pleasure to cook for more then myself, Linde and the little one.”

“Well it was great.” Burton grinned reaching for another roll.

“We should probably be getting home soon.” Ville said, rubbing Soya’s hand that rested on the table next to his own. “Aida’s got school in the morning.”

“I’m sure that once they stop chasing the dog and cats around, we’ll find them passed out on the couch next to Lara.” Toni said with a wave of her hand.

“And where is home for you guys this week?” Mige asked absently, smiling at his wife as she poured more iced tea for both of them. “Soya’s flat or Ville’s tower?”

Natali laughed. “Oh haven’t you heard Mige, Ville and Soya moved in together.”

“You moved in together?” Gas asked looking between Soya and Ville. “When did you move in together?”

Ville frowned. “What does it matter?”

“It matters!” Burton cried, causing all eyes to turn to him as he clicked the keys of his cell phone. “When was it?”

Soya frowned at her friends; even Gas was shifting impatiently in his seat as they all stared between her and Ville waiting for an answer. “I…I don’t know, we decided, what?” She asked looking at Ville. “Late Sunday evening? It was nearly midnight when we talked about it.”

“Vittu!” Burton cursed quietly, causing Ville and Soya to stare at their friend in surprise.

“What?” Ville asked.

Burton looked up at them with a scowl “Was it past midnight or before midnight?”

“Why is that important?” Soya asked impatient herself. “You would think the fact that Ville and I decided to combine households was more important then the when of it.”

“It was before.” Ville answered having an idea as to what their friends had done. “Did you bet on this?”

“Of course we did!” Mige said looking back at Burton. “So?” Burton just held up his hand in a gesture to wait as he looked through the names of their friend who had placed bets.

“Wait! You bet on when Ville and I would move in together?” Soya asked not fond of the idea of her friends putting money on a milestone of her and Ville’s relationship.

“We bet on everything with you guys.” Linde answered, only to turn red in embarrassment when Soya stared at him, her gaze annoyed.

“What do you mean everything?” Ville asked, looking between all his friends.

“It’s all in good fun, you know that Ville.” Vedrana said with a wave of her hand. “You guys did it when Mige and I got together, and then again when Linde and Toni got together. Of course,” Vedrana smirked. “Your relationship was twice as much fun to bet on.”

As Soya berated her friends on betting on her relationship, Ville watching her amused, Burton looked at his phone trying to figure out just who was the lucky bastard that got to keep the large jar filled with money that had been sitting on his kitchen counter since August. Rosalind had had the day of the 15th, but someone had taken that entire week, which started on the 14th and went on until the 20th.

When he saw the names that sat on that block he began to laugh, cutting off Soya’s rant. “Soya, I really wouldn’t be to mad if I were you.”

“Why? Why shouldn’t I be mad?” Soya asked crossing her arms over her chest turning to glare at Burton. “You bet on when I would move in with Ville.”

Linde hesitated, before clarifying. “Really we didn’t bet on when you would move in with him, it was when you would both move in together, meaning he could have moved into your flat and it would have satisfied the bet.”

“And that makes it better how?” Soya asked looking at Linde with a raised eyebrow.

“Because you and Ville won.” Burton answered causing the occupants at the table to turn to Ville and Soya in surprise.

Ville shook his head. “I think I would remember if Soya and I bet on when we would move in together.”

Burton nodded with a chuckle, remembering the night they had placed their bet “You would, but we kind of tricked you into betting on yourselves, you believed you were betting on when Toni and Linde would get engaged.” Burton turned to Soya. “How is it okay for you to bet on Linde’s relationship but not okay for us to bet on yours?”

Soya clamped her mouth shut leaning back in her chair and glaring at Burton, still not happy with him.

“So…we won a bet on ourselves.” Ville laughed, “All right then, how much did we win?”

Burton laughed. “Well, you know that jar full of money that sits on my kitchen counter?”

Ville nodded having seen the large glass jar many times, only to raise in eyebrow in surprise. “Seriously, that’s ours?”

Burton nodded. “Yeah, moving in together was nearly as big as when you guys would get engaged, your wedding date is third biggest pool.”

“There’s more?!” Soya asked, looking between Toni, Vedrana and Natali, at their grinning faces she knew that it wasn’t just the boys who’d bet on them, and she had a feeling that it was a lot more people then just the members of HIM as well.

“Just how many more bets did you place on us?” Ville asked, looking between his friends. “And just how many people are involved in this?”

“I won your first kiss.” Mige said with a grin. “But that was just with Linde and myself.”

“I thought you’d pussy out of kissing her at Bam’s.” Linde shrugged, grinning at Ville.

“Technically I kissed him.” Soya frowned.

“Dammit!” Mige cursed, grabbing his wallet out of his pocket, glaring at Linde.

Linde grinned accepting the twenty Euros from Mige. “I knew Ville wouldn’t be the one to kiss you first.”

Ville groaned. “What else?”

“Uh…” Burton scrolled through his phone looking at the past bets and their winners, as he had recorded it all. “Lets see…I won when you would get together, I knew you wouldn’t last past Sonisphere Ville, the way you acted on the bus. Mige and Linde said you’d hold out until after we all got back to Helsinki.”

“I didn’t even know Soya would be at Sonisphere.” Ville argued.

“But Linde and Mige did.” Soya said narrowing her eyes. “And they told Burton and Gas.”

“You’re so smart.” Mige teased.

Soya shook her head. “Go on, what else?”

“Well…there is one that has yet to be settled.” Burton said looking at Soya; somewhat embarrassed, granted he had placed that particular bet before he really knew Soya. “And we know it’s happened, we just don’t know…when it first happened.”

“Well…” Toni hedged with a grin. “Natali and I know when it might have happened.”

“When what might have…” Soya caught on faster then Ville did as she caught Natali and Toni grinning at each other. “You did not bet on when Ville and I would sleep together!”

“We did.” Vedrana laughed. “So, give it up and don’t tell us you haven’t! Jesse has already told us how he nearly caught you two earlier today in your kitchen!”

“My brother has a big mouth.” Ville muttered.

“Aida eats in that kitchen!” Mige teased, causing Soya to groan as her friends laughed at them. “And Ville your mother cooks in there!”

Ville crossed his arms, trying hard to keep his blush down, though he could feel his face heat as he withstood his friend’s laughter. “Toni, you said you and Natali know when it may have happened.”

Natali giggled answering for Toni. “We know it happened during your vacation.”

Ville looked at Soya, who waved her hand, giving him the sign that he should just tell them and get it over with. “Technically Halloween.” Ville looked at Soya who was still red of embarrassment. “I’m not really sure if we made it back to our room before or after midnight though.”

“I think it was after.” Soya said with a shrug, not quite remembering herself, she hadn’t been focused on the time that night. “We stayed at the club a while and they started playing around 11.”

“Lets say the 31st to be safe.” Ville shrugged, looking at Burton who was scanning the names on his phone only to laugh.

“Jussi, Jyrki and Rosalind won that one.” He turned to Ville. “You couldn’t keep it in your pants another month? My bet was for your birthday!”

Soya shook her head. “How many people are involved in this?”

“Well the moving in one…that one involved a lot of people.” Mige admitted. “Most of everyone at Sonisphere who saw you together placed their bets for moving in together as well as your engagement date, as for these smaller ones, just us, the Eyes, and Rosalind.”

Ville finding his opening turned to Burton. “How’s the engagement pool looking?”

Linde raised an eyebrow, “What does it matter? You and Soya both told me you’re not looking to get engaged anytime soon.”

Toni looked at Natali before turning to her fiancé. “What does it matter when they get engaged?”

Linde shrugged. “It doesn’t, I mean other then to see who may win the bet.”

Burton, ignoring the conversation that Linde and Toni were having, looked at Ville. “It’s looking pretty decent. Why?”

Ville shrugged. “Just wondering who had October 27th.”

It took a minute for the words Ville had spoken to sink in with each male member of the group; it only took Vedrana, the only woman who didn’t know, two seconds, before she was squealing and rushing around the table to hug Soya who was laughing at her friend’s reaction.

“Oh lets see it then!” Vedrana cried excitedly, Ville wincing at the high decibel of his friend’s voice, as she pulled Soya's left hand to see the ring that had been sitting there since Ville had slipped it on. “Oh Ville you did wonderful on the ring!”

“Didn’t he?!” Toni asked with a grin.

“Glad you girls approve.” Ville shook his head watching as the Natali and Toni converged with Vedrana and Soya, moving into the living room leaving the men to sit at the table.

“Shit, I knew you two were moving fast but…” Burton shook his head, feeling sincerely ecstatic for his friend. “Congratulations Ville, really, that’s wonderful for both of you.”

“Thanks.” Ville grinned.

“How’d you purpose? How’d you keep it a secret?” Gas asked then frowned. “Why did you keep it a secret? I mean, I’m happy for both of you but you could have told us.”

Ville shrugged. “Why we kept it a secret? Because we really didn’t want to tell anyone, my parents knew the night of and Jesse and Aida knew because they helped me and we agreed that for that moment that was enough people. We just wanted it to be ours for a few weeks, before we told you guys and then the press got a hold of it.” He eyed Linde who was playing with his glass before forging on. “As for the how we kept it a secret, Soya always wears rings on her ring finger no one notices when she doesn’t change rings.”

“How’d you purpose?” Mige asked, repeating Gas’s first question.

“That part of the bet as well?” Ville teased, causing Burton, Gas and Mige to laugh, while Linde was steadfastly silent. “Jesse and Aida helped me set up my backyard, we had dinner out there.”

“Proposed under the stars did you?” Mige smirked.

Ville nodded. “I did,” He looked up at Linde, knowing that if Linde was angry now, the next part was probably going to get his usually calm friend to show that anger. “We decided to get married this coming May. We’re starting to plan, it’s a lot of the reason Soya wanted me to tell you guys now, so you wouldn’t find out through the magazines when they take pictures of her trying on dresses.”

“So if you weren’t getting married so soon, you would have waited to tell us?” Linde asked.

Ville shrugged not brothering to lie. “Probably.”

“Ville…” Linde started.

“This is exactly why I didn’t want to say anything.” Ville said looking at his friend. “Because both Soya and I knew you’d come prepared with a lecture.”

“You told me a month ago that you and Soya hadn’t even talked about marriage, let alone thought about it!”

Ville nodded. “Which at the time was true, then we talked about it...and then we got engaged.” Ville wasn’t about to admit to Linde that the transition was all within at 48 hour span, it would just add fuel to a fire that Ville didn’t even want to start burning.

“And now apparently you guys are getting married in May!”

“Why is it such a big deal Linde?” Ville groaned. “You didn’t bitch this much when I was with Jonna.”

Linde rubbed a hand over his face. “Truthfully Ville, I knew you’d come to your senses eventually with Jonna, I also knew you weren’t going to listen to what any of us had to say on the matter.”

“And what makes you think I’m going to listen now?”

“Because it’s Soya.” Mige said with a wince, having not really wanted to get involved in the conversation.

Linde sighed. “I just…feel that this is all going to fall apart Ville, I don’t want to be the one to say it, I hate that I’m the one that has to point this out, but as much as I love both you and Soya together, I just can’t see it working between you two…right now.”

“Why not?” Ville asked in surprise. “Why don’t you see it working between us?”

“Because you guys haven’t talked!” Linde said, pushing his chair back and standing, feeling the need to pace as he tried to get through to his stubborn friend. “You’re both so blinded by the perfection of your relationship that you’re not realizing just how much there is to figure out still!”

Ville scoffed. “I have no idea where you got the idea that my relationship with Soya is perfect Linde, but it’s far from it and I’ll be the first to admit it.” He watched his pacing friend and shook his head. “What is it you think Soya and I should have talked about?”

“Where the hell are you going to live Ville?”

“What do you care Linde?” Ville asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Is Soya going to quit dancing?”

“Of course not! Linde! Stop! Just stop!” Ville yelled, feeling his annoyance rise, and judging by Linde’s glaring gaze he could tell Linde’s agitation level was rising as well. He didn’t want them to be so far gone that they’d say something that they’d regret. “This isn’t something you need to worry about! This is something between Soya and myself! Why is it that with everything that I tell you Soya and I are planning to do, I get lectured? Why is it you can’t just be happy for me? For us?”

“I am!” Linde argued.

“It sure as hell doesn’t seem like it!”

A clearing of a throat caused everyone at the table to turn towards the door, to see Soya standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. Ville rubbed his face, while Linde groaned.

“I just came in here for some water…but do you boys mind giving me a minute alone with Linde?” Soya asked, though her voice was low it left no room for questions or arguments. Burton, Gas and Mige stood up quickly and left the room, leaving Ville and Linde alone with Soya.

“You too.” She said looking at Ville.

“Ah, I’d rather stay here and keep the peace.”

“And I’d like you to go into the other room.” Soya said, keeping her gaze steady.

Ville sighed, giving a quick nod, knowing there was no arguing and getting up from his chair. He kissed the top of her head before leaving them alone in the dining room.

Soya shifted in her heels as she looked at her dreadlocked friend who seemed to be avoiding looking directly at her.

“We knew telling you about our engagement was going to warrant a lecture.” Soya said quietly, still looking at him.

“Ville told me.” Linde nodded.

“I just didn’t realize that it was because you didn’t like the idea of me being with Ville.”

“That’s not it at all, and you know that Soya.” Linde said looking up quickly to look at her.

“Do I?” Soya asked, before shaking her head. “I don’t need you to be happy for us Linde.” Soya said, moving forward to take a seat at the table and gesturing him to do the same. Linde did as she quietly suggested taking the seat opposite her, feeling very much like a child being reprimanded. “But I can’t say that having one of my best friends so earnestly disapprove of this doesn’t hurt me a lot, and I know that it must hurt Ville as well.”

“Soya…” Linde sighed, “I just…”

“I know that you must be hurt as well.” Soya forged on. “Especially after we both told you that we weren’t even thinking of getting married and now telling you that we are.”

“I just think you’re both moving so fast that you’re not realizing just what goes into a relationship like this Soya. Ville loves you…so much.”

“And I love him.” Soya frowned.

“Not like he loves you though.” Linde said then winced at his words.

Soya stared at him before shaking her head. “I wasn’t aware that this was a contest as to who loved the other more.”

“It’s not that he loves you more Soya, its just…it’s a different type of love. This is your first relationship, your first everything when you really think about it whereas Ville’s been in more relationships. I’m not mad at Ville for proposing.”

“You’re mad at me for accepting?!” Soya asked her eyes wide as she started to understand what Linde was saying. “Because I’m not experienced enough to be with him?”

“That’s not what I said!” Linde said quickly, wondering why the hell he was so tongue tied, and how the logical arguments he had had in his head, had gone and hurt one of his best friends.

“Yes it is!” Soya argued. “Just because Ville may be my first in a lot of things doesn’t make my love for him any less or any different then his love for me Linde.” She stood and crossed her arms over her chest. “I can understand you being upset about the speed in which Ville and I are taking our relationship; it scares even me sometimes, but to say that I don’t love him enough.”

“That’s not at all what I meant.” Linde said quietly.

Soya opened her mouth to speak, closed it thinking about what she wanted to say before opening it again. “I just…I can’t even…”she looked away from her friend with a disappointed shake of her head. “I’m done trying to defend my relationship to you Linde, you and the guys sit here and bet on our relationship, when we’re going to kiss, when we’re going to officially state that we’re together, when we’re first going to have sex, and even when we’re going to have kids! Yet you’re mad when we take one of those steps.”

“If you look at my dates for your engagement,” Linde started, only to snap his mouth closed when Soya cut him off.

“I don’t even want to know what your dates were.” Soya said glaring at him. “I knew even when we first became friends that your loyalty was always going to lie with Ville, Ville would always have you and Mige siding with him, and the same is true now. I just would have hoped that when push came to shove I would get the benefit of the doubt. I have done nothing to show you that I love Ville less, and Ville and I have done nothing to deserve this ire.”

“Soya,”

“I can’t even look at you right now Linde.” Soya said turning and walking out of the kitchen. She found the rest of the group talking quietly in the living room, Ville sitting stiffly at one of the chairs while Aida slept on him.

“Hey.” She said leaning down to kiss his cheek. “Ready to go?”

Ville nodded with a frown, “You okay?”

“Fine.” She nodded, smiling lightly at the rest of the group. “I think we’re going to go home, put Aida to bed.”

“All right.” Toni nodded, smiling back. “I was just telling the girls we need to get together and have lunch soon.”

“We will, I’ll give you a call tomorrow and we’ll set something up.” Soya nodded, letting Toni lead her towards the door, grabbing her jacket along with Ville and Aida’s along with her purse.

“I’m sorry for Linde.” Toni said quietly as Ville started walking to the car with the keys to put Aida down.

“You shouldn’t apologize for him.” Soya said with a shrug, pulling her hair out of her jacket and giving her friend a small smile.

“He is happy for you both.”

Soya shrugged. “The thing is I’m pretty sure he’s not.” She leaned in and kissed Toni’s cheek. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“I’ll be waiting.” Toni called watching as Soya got into her car, turning to Ville when he said something to her, and watching her laugh before pulling out of the driveway. Closing the door, she walked into the kitchen where she found Linde sitting at the table staring at the wood.

“You fix this.” She ordered glaring at her fiancé.

“Toni…”

“No, you have to fix this and you have to fix this tonight.”

“I’ll give her time to calm down and then I’ll go and apologize.”

“No, tonight.” Toni said firmly. “And when you get back you’re sleeping on the couch.”

Linde groaned, he was not winning with the females tonight, he thought before getting up and leaving the kitchen to go upstairs to his bedroom. He was searching through the shelves of his closest when he heard a clearing of a throat.

“I’m going to go Toni, I’m just looking for something.” Linde muttered.

“Not Toni.”

He turned and saw Mige standing in the middle of the room an eyebrow raised. “Oh, well then you can tell Toni I’m going to go I just need to get something.”

“Since when do you not like Soya?”

“Fuck, that’s not what I meant or said!” Linde argued looking over at Mige. “I love Soya, she’s like a sister.”

“So why wouldn’t you want Ville to marry someone you consider like a sister?”

“It’s not that I don’t want them to get married!” Linde said cursing when he found the box he was looking for in the corner of the closet.

“Then why are you making such a big deal about this?!” Mige asked, “It has to be more then just the speed in which their taking things Linde.”

“Mige, just drop it, I have to go talk to Soya.”

“Better take something for your knees.” Mige said, causing Linde to pause as he pulled the small shoe box down.

“My knees?” he asked turning towards Mige.

“They might hurt after all the groveling you’re going to have to do.” Mige smirked shaking his head. “She’s not sixteen anymore Linde, an ‘I’m sorry’ and a dazzling smile isn’t going to win her over anymore.”

“Yeah, I figured.” He held up the box, “It’s why I had to find this first.”

“Good luck.” Mige said leaving the room, not bothering to find out what was in the box. “The faster you apologize to both of them, the less likely it is we have to find a new guitar player.”

“Asshole.” Linde muttered, though he smiled at Mige’s retreating back and uncovered the shoebox, smiling at the items inside. Hopefully being a sentimental fool was enough to show Soya he was sorry.

XxxxxxX

“Well she fought it for a good ten minutes but Aida is in bed.” Ville said, walking into their bedroom, only to sigh when he found Soya sitting with her back against the headboard her face buried in her knees. It was her shaking shoulders that gave him the clue that she was crying. Moving forward he sat next to her, pulling her closer to him and kissing the top of her head.

“I just thought we were friends.” She whispered through her tears.

“You are!” Ville assured.

“Then why is he being like this Ville?”

Ville pulled her closer and sighed. “I…” He shook his head, hating that he had no idea what to say or do to make her feel better. “What do you want me to say Soya?”

Soya gave a watery laugh hugging him tightly. “There’s really nothing to say huh? Just hold me.”

Ville nodded, “That I can do.” He told her before moving them around on the bed, so they were lying on their sides, Ville’s hand underneath her shirt so he could rub her back as her face buried itself in his chest. Soya felt a calm wash through her and though she was feeling her eyelids get heavy at the soothing motion of Ville’s hand sweeping up and down her back, she refused to let her mind rest as she ran over the argument she had with Linde.

Ville watched her, her eyes were closed but by the frown that marred her forehead he knew sleep wouldn’t be finding her anytime soon. He was about to tell her to speak to him, as he didn’t want her holding everything in, when he heard the doorbell ring.

Soya opened her eyes and looked at him her frown deeper. “Are you expecting anyone?”

“No,” he kissed her temple and moved off the bed. “I’ll go see who it is.” He left the room and went down the stairs towards the door; looking through his little peephole and raising an eyebrow in surprise before pulling the door open.

“Really?” Ville asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Toni won’t let me back into the house until I fix things with Soya.” Linde admitted.

“But you’re allowed in, even if you don’t fix things with me?” Ville asked.

Linde shrugged. “I figured if I fix things with her, I fixed things with you.”

Ville nodded slowly, accepting the logic before stepping outside closing the door behind him. “You’ve really hurt her you know.”

“I know.”

“No, you don’t.” Ville said narrowing his eyes on his friend. “Soya is upstairs crying right now because she thinks you’re not her friend anymore.”

“Can I just talk to her?”

Ville gave a humorless laugh as he stared at Linde in disbelief. “If I had made Toni cry would you let me talk to her?”

“Good point.” Linde nodded, “I’m sure that in addition to not wanting me to talk to her, you also want to hit me.”

“Badly.” Ville agreed.

“But I know what I said was…stupid of me and I’d like to apologize and explain myself better.”

“So basically you want to tell her in a much nicer way, why it’s such a bad idea for us to get married.”

“I would rather just talk to her.” Linde said.

Ville sighed, starting back towards the door. “I’ll see if she wants to talk to you.”

“Tell her that even if she accepts my apology or not, I still have to sleep on the couch this week.”

Ville covered his mouth as he tried not to laugh walking back into his home, he was about to start up the stairs when he saw Soya already sitting on the steps, waiting for him.

“Linde’s outside.”

“I heard.” Soya nodded.

“So, I guess you also heard that he wants to talk to you.”

Soya nodded slowly as she stood. “I think I’m going to go outside to hear what he has to say.”

“All right.” Ville nodded, “If he offends you again feel free to hit him, I’m sure Toni won’t mind.”

Soya gave a quiet laugh as she pulled her jacket over her pajama shirt and stuffed her feet in her Uggs. She stepped outside, closing the door behind her and crossing her arms over her chest as she stared at Linde. “I should warn you, that I’ve been given permission to hurt you if you say something I don’t like.”

“Consider me warned.” Linde said smiling lightly at her before gesturing her to sit on the stoop. Soya sighed and took a seat, Linde sitting next to her, setting a shoebox that he had tucked under his arm at his side.

“I would like to start off by saying I’m sorry.” Linde said, before grinning teasingly at her. “Mige reminded me tonight that you’re not sixteen anymore, and I tend to forget that since you’ve been with Ville you’re not afraid to talk back when you’ve been hurt. You’re very intimidating when you’re mad.”

Soya laughed as she looked at him in disbelief. “Am I?”

“So intimidating.” Linde laughed. “I forget that you’ve grown up a lot and that Ville has helped you so much with that. It’s never been a question of whether or not I’m happy for you guys Soya. I’m very very happy that you guys are getting married.”

“Then why say you aren’t? Why tell me that I don’t love him enough.”

“When Ville falls, he falls fast and he falls hard Soya.” Linde said slowly, “You were probably the worst of them all.”

“What?”

“Ville didn’t just like you as a friend back then Soya, he loved you so much. It ruined him when you left. Had you stayed, everything would have progressed at a rate that’s normal in relationships.”

“You should know by now that Ville and I are far from normal.” Soya said with a small smile.

Linde nodded slowly. “I just think you guys got into this relationship so fast, that emotions are running high for both of you and you’re not realizing that it’s not as easy as just getting married. I worry that you guys are avoiding a lot of issues that eventually are going to bubble over and just…”

“Break us up?” Soya whispered.

Linde nodded. “We lost you once Soya and that hurt. I don’t think Ville would come back from losing you again, especially after waiting this long for you.” Linde sighed, rubbing his face tiredly. “I fear that you’re going to be what causes that man to start drinking again.”

Soya opened her mouth to argue only for Linde to quickly cut her off.

“But you’re also the thing that keeps him sober Soya. You have the power to break him and I don’t think you realize that. I don’t want this all to go to hell and for me not only to lose you in the fray but lose Ville as well.”

Soya bit her lip, as she stared at Linde, only to shake her head, raise her hand and smack the back of Linde’s head.

“Ow!” Linde said glaring at her, “What the hell did I do?!”

“You have got to be the biggest idiot in Helsinki!” Soya cried jumping up to tower over him.

“See! Intimidating!” Linde said gesturing to her towering form as she placed her hands on her hips.

“Oh will you shut up for a minute! Don’t think I won’t smack you again!”

“Sorry.” Linde muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

“You keep saying Ville is the one that will get hurt in all of this, Ville is the one that will break. Well what about me!? He has just as much power to break my heart as I have to break his! It’s not like I’ll be able to just skip back to fucking New York, happy as can be, if this were to end Mikko!”

“You just…”

“Did I say you could talk?” Soya asked, her eyes narrowing.

“No, ma’am.” Linde muttered, trying to hide the smirk over Soya not only cursing, but using his real name. She only used Mikko, when she was extremely sentimental or extremely pissed off.

“Ville may be more experienced in relationships Mikko, and while I’m new at this, even I know I don’t want this with anyone else. Ville is it for me, whether we get married seven months from now or three years from now, this is it for me. I don’t need your permission to say ‘yes’ to the man I love nor do we have to discuss every aspect of our relationship with you.”

Soya crouched down next to Linde, her voice softening. “I understand where your fears lie, you have no idea how much being with him scares me. Everyday I wake up wondering if today is the day he’s going to wake up and realize he doesn’t want to deal with me or my family, but that’s my issue with Ville to work out, on our own. You’re not going to lose us Mikko, just because we don’t talk about our issues with you doesn’t mean Ville and I don’t talk about them.”

“It’s unbelievably hurtful how little faith you have in us and I know that was never your intention. I understand that you fear we’re going too fast and while it may be fast for you, I feel like it’s going tortuously slow for Ville and me. This is our speed, our relationship. I’ve told you before and I will tell you again, you are not my parent and you are not Ville’s parent to tell us what’s right to do and what’s not. While we don’t need your support, it would mean to world to us if you would just shut up and be happy for us.”

“I’m pretty sure your lectures are worse then mine.” Linde muttered.

“Just more eloquent.” Soya corrected cupping her friends pale cheeks. “I love you like a brother Mikko, respect you like one too but please don’t assume you know what’s best for me. I’m not sixteen anymore, I don’t need you or Mige to hold my hand anymore. I have Ville for that, and even then he’s not doing much in the hand holding anymore. I don’t want this to ruin our friendship; I don’t think I could stand it.”

Linde shook his head. “Nothing could ruin our friendship Soya.” He took her hands off his cheek and pulled her to sit next to him. He picked up the shoebox and handed it to her. “I was going to give you this for your birthday, but I figured now would probably be best.”

Soya frowned at him, but looked down at the box; she opened the lid and set it down between them, only for her breath to catch as she looked at the contents. “Oh Mikko.” She whispered.

“There’s a letter attached to each one of them.” Linde admitted. “We all dealt with you leaving differently. Ville drank…a lot.” He laughed. “And he kept your hair pin in his pocket, rubbed it every time he got anxious. Mige use to sit outside the ballet studio hoping you’d come out, he’d sometimes stay later in the garage, plucking at his bass, saying you’d come eventually.”

Soya laughed. “Did he really?”

“Me, I kept a copy of every single CD we recorded and wrote a letter.”

“Ville told me you’d kept a CD with you, every time you toured the states.”

Linde nodded. “I would, when we saw you in New York back in May I had it in my bag. Once we come back here, the CD and letter go into the shoebox and the box goes into the back of my closet.”

Soya picked up 666 Ways to Love, running her fingers over it, turning it over to see the piece of paper folded and attached to the back. “Can I…?”

“Oh yeah.” Linde nodded, watching as she detached the paper and unfolded it, biting her lip as she read Linde’s messy scrawl.

Soya,

So you’ve left, and we’re really not sure where you’ve gone. All I know is its quite obvious without you here that you were the glue the kept us all together. Mige’s practically stalking your old haunts hoping that you haven’t left Helsinki completely, Ville’s drowning his sorrows in alcohol and me…I write you this letter and hold on to this CD hoping that one day I’ll give it to you.

I can only hope that you’re proud of the work we put into this and the work we’re going to put into the next. I hope that one day you actually find this and remember all the times you bitched about us rehearsing “Wicked Game” and smile. I hope that wherever you are you’re happy.

Hope you see and hear from you soon,

Mikko

Soya wiped her cheeks, as she looked at Linde who was smiling weakly at her. “If you don’t want to cry the rest of the night, I’d advise not reading the rest of the letters. They tend to get more depressing as they go.”

Soya laughed as she put the CD back in the box and hugged him. “Thank you.”

Linde nodded. “Am I forgiven?”

Soya laughed and nodded. “Yes, you are.”

“Can you let Toni know, because I really don’t want to sleep on the couch?”

Soya wiped her cheeks again, shaking her head in amusement. “I will let Toni know.”

“Thanks.” Linde nodded, before looking back at Soya. “I’ll stop butting my nose into your relationship.”

“Thank you.”

“And I really am happy for you and Ville, you’re both perfect for each other and no matter when you guys get married, you’ll be wonderful.”

“You really mean that?” Soya asked, wondering if Linde was just saying what she wanted to hear or if he really meant what he said.

“I do.” Linde nodded.

“Good, I’d hate to hit you again.” Soya teased.

“Please don’t.” Linde laughed as he started to get up, Soya following his lead and picking up the shoebox filled the CD’s.

“Before you go, I actually have a favor to ask of you, about Ville’s birthday.”

“Getting you Andy McCoy wasn’t enough?” Linde asked with a laugh.

“No, that was perfect!” Soya said, thinking of the very interesting and entertaining lunch she and Linde had had with Andy McCoy. “But I still need some help.”

“Are you planning a party?”

“Sort of.”

“You know he doesn’t want one right?”

“I know…but I want to give him one.” Soya pouted. “You’ll help?”

“What do you need help with?” Linde asked.

“Mostly just inviting people that Ville would want there, outside of you guys and the Eyes, and well…Bam, I really don’t know anyone else Ville would want at his birthday. I also need a phone number.”

“A phone number?” Linde asked slowly. “Do I have this phone number?”

Soya nodded with a grin. “I would hope you did, and if you don’t you probably know how to get it.”

“Whose phone number do you need?” Linde asked, taking out his cell phone.

“Kat Von D.”