Scream Me a Dream

“What the hell are you doing here?” Ville asked harshly, glaring at the older woman on the other side of the door.

“Excuse me?” Elizabeth asked just as harshly, glaring back at Ville.

“If you’re here to talk to Soya, I won’t let you.”

“Soya is an adult.”

“Damn right she’s an adult, not some child you can…”

“Ville?”

Ville turned, seeing Soya walking out of the hallway towards him, only to frown when she caught sight of her mother. “Mother, what are you doing here?”

“I came to speak to you, but that boy…”

“He has a name.” Soya said calmly, turning her back on her mother and turning to Ville, resting her palms on his chest. “Ville, sweetheart, go get dressed, we still have to go meet Jyrki and Rosalind soon.”

“But I have so much to say to your mother.” Ville said his jaw tight as he glared at Elizabeth.

“Yes, sweetheart, I know.” Soya assured, raising her hand to rest on his cheek, getting his gaze away from her mother and on her. “But you’re not very intimidating, half naked and wrapped in a bright yellow towel. Go change, please.”

Ville nodded sharply, turning on his heel and walking back into the bedroom, Soya winced when he slammed the door shut, even though she knew he wasn’t angry at her but at the situation she’d forced him away from. Soya tightened the towel around her chest as she turned back to look at her mother.

“What are you doing here?”

“What is that boy doing here?”

Soya sighed. “Once again, he has a name: it’s Ville, he’s my boyfriend and he has every right to be here; you, on the other hand, do not. What are you doing here?”

“Watch your tongue Soya.” Elizabeth warned.

“Why?” Soya asked with a raised eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. “You said it yourself, I’m an adult. What are you doing here?”

“I’m leaving town for a few months.”

“Months?” Soya asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I’ve decided to make use of the vacation homes your father left me.”

“Of course.” Soya muttered.

“You are, of course, in charge of Aida’s welfare.” Elizabeth said.

“Of course I am.” Soya nodded.

“Niina is packing more clothing for Aida, call Nathan and he will drop them off; if you need anything else you can go the house and gather more. After Niina is done, she’ll be spending time with her family until I return. Nathan, as always, will be at your beck and call.”

“I can drive myself.” Soya said. “I’ll give Nathan a call and tell him to spend time with his own family.”

“He’s being paid for a reason.”

“Yes.” Soya said patiently. “I didn’t say stop paying him, but what’s the point of him staying in Sipoo if I’m not using him? I can drive myself. If that’s all you came to tell me, I have to start getting ready, I have some friends to meet.”

“I take time out of my schedule to come tell you all this in person and you kick me out?”

Soya looked at her mother in shock. “A simple phone call would have been sufficient; and, isn’t it considered rude to show up at another person’s home without warning? You’re the one in the wrong here. I have plans with my boyfriend and our friends; I would like to get dressed to go meet them. So yes, I’m kicking you out.” Soya said with a shrug.

Elizabeth shook her head. “This new attitude of yours doesn’t sit well with me Soya.”

“It sits perfectly fine with me.” Soya said with a shrug. “Is that all you came to tell me?”

Elizabeth gave a sharp nod. “I leave tonight.”

“All right, thank you for letting me know.” Soya said, chewing on her lip as she watched her mother turn and walk back down the hall. Closing her door and making sure it was locked, she walked into her bedroom to see Ville dressed in a pair of dark jeans, his converse and a black band tee; from the writing she could tell it was his ‘Black Sabbath’ shirt that had probably been laying on her floor for the last month.

“I’ll change quickly and then we’ll go.” Soya said, running her fingers through his rapidly drying hair as she walked to her closet.

“Why did you tell me to leave?” Ville asked, looking over at her.

Soya sighed as she threw a black grey and blue striped long sleeved sweater on the bed next to him. “I know that you’re angry, especially with what I told you last night about Aida.”

“And all the shit she’s said to you Soya.”

“And I understand that anger, Ville; trust me I do, but you yelling at her doesn’t make the situation better.”

“Holding in my fucking anger doesn’t make it better either.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Soya agreed with a nod, moving to stand between his legs. “But even I don’t feel better for yelling at her, Ville, and I have several more reasons to do it than you do.” She rubbed his cheek with her thumb. “I thought we decided to be happy today.”

“I am, but…”

“I know.” Soya nodded. “But look at it this way: she’s leaving for a couple months, so we don’t have to deal with her.”

Ville laughed lightly, giving a nod and standing up. “I’ll let you change.”

Soya nodded, feeling him drop a kiss on her temple before he left the room, allowing her to change. Going to her dresser, she put on her underwear before pulling on a pair of straight leg dark blue jeans and shrugging on the sweater she’d put on the bed. Searching the bottom of her closet, she found a pair of black suede ankle boots with bows going up the side. Pulling out a dark blue purse, she put in her wallet, also grabbing a black hoodie from her closet for herself, and picking up Ville’s coat from the bed.

“Ready?” Ville asked, accepting his grey pea coat, a black scarf already wrapped round his neck.

“I am.” Soya nodded, grabbing the keys and cell phone from the coffee table and sticking them in her purse as Ville held out her hoodie, raising an eyebrow as he caught sight of the back.

“Traitor.” He teased as she pulled the black hoodie on and zipped it up.

“It’s warm.” She said snuggling up in the soft fabric.

Ville rolled his eyes as he saw the large lettering that went across her chest, “The 69 Eyes” the back of the hoodie holding a large Ankh outline. “No rings today?”

“Ah.” Soya held up her finger as she rummaged through her purse and found a ring. “Threw it in here a while ago.” She said as she held up a silver ring with an oval red stone, slipping it on her ring finger. “Okay, now I’m all set.”

“One more thing.” He said, stuffing his hand in his jeans pocket, Soya watched with a frown as he pulled out a silver chain only to gasp when she saw the teardrop diamond pendant that hung from the end.

“Oh!”

“If I put it on you again, you swear you won’t take it off?” he teased.

“Promise.” She nodded, pulling her hair away from her neck as she turned, allowing him to clasp the necklace. “Thank you.” She whispered, her fingers playing with the pendant.

“You’re welcome; now let’s go.”

Soya followed him as they left the flat, her fingers interlocking with Ville’s as they walked down the steps and towards her car that was parked on the street.

“I hope you know Jyrki and I are risking our lives by going out to that shopping center today.” Ville teased as he got into his car.

“So you sign a couple of autographs, take a few pictures…all in a day’s work, right?” Soya teased back. “I would think it would be better here at home, what with the fans and all.”

Ville shrugged as Soya pulled off the curb and started towards the shopping center. “I get my space; we all do for the most part, but all four of us going out today…” Ville trailed off with a raised eyebrow.

Soya laughed, “Put on the beanie you left in the back, don’t take off your sunglasses and you’ll be fine.”

Ville turned towards the back; sure enough, one of his beanies was sitting in the back. He grabbed it and pulled it on over his head. “Thank you.”

“Hmm.” Soya hummed. “You’re welcome.”

Thirty minutes later, Soya parked her car in the parking structure, dropping her keys in her purse and getting out of the car, watching as Ville unfolded himself and grinned at her. She walked around the car, taking his hand as he locked the car and followed her out of the parking structure and towards the elevator that led them to the shopping center.

“Are they here?” Ville asked looking down at Soya as she pushed the elevator button.

Soya dug around her purse with one hand, never letting go of his, getting her phone out and checking her messages. “Looks like Rosalind’s already dragged Jyrki into Mango.”

Ville raised an eyebrow. “Fruit store?” he asked with a smirk.

“Clothing.” Soya laughed. “Very nice clothing.”

Ville shook his head as they walked into the mall, which was slightly busy with the morning rush although it had just opened.

“Mango is this way.” Soya directed as they walked towards the store. Ville frowned when they walked closer, seeing Jyrki standing outside the door, dressed in a pair of distressed jeans, a black band tee, and his usual leather jacket.

“Why aren’t you inside?” Ville asked as they came closer to Jyrki.

“I refuse to be seen next to-” Jyrki trailed off when he caught sight of Soya. “You both fucking planned this.”

Soya blinked. “Planned what?”

“You’re wearing one of our hoodies.” Jyrki accused.

“Yes, and I paid good money for it.” Soya said with a raised eyebrow. “Why? If I give it back, are you planning on giving me a refund?”

Jyrki sighed, and pointed towards the entrance of the store, both Ville and Soya turned, only to catch sight of Rosalind easily as she was wearing bright red tights and a bright pink sweater, with black and white striped sleeves, pink faux fur lining not only the cuff of the sleeves, but lining the hood as well.

“That does not look like one of yours.” Ville said, looking back at Jyrki.

“That’s because it’s not.” Jyrki muttered, before giving a sharp whistle, causing Rosalind to turn her head, hang up the dress she was looking at and come over to them, showing them the front of the sweater she was wearing. Soya clapped her free hand over her mouth and looked up at her boyfriend who was staring at Rosalind in disbelief.

“Take it off.” Ville said, his gaze settling on Rosalind’s sweater, which displayed his picture from the cover of Razorblade Romance.

“Why should I?” Rosalind said crossing her arms over her chest. “Soya gets to wear her band hoodie, why can’t I wear mine?”

“One, you don’t even like my band.” Ville pointed out.

“No, I just don’t like you.” Rosalind corrected teasingly.

“And two, Soya’s hoodie isn’t displaying Jyrki’s face.”

Soya blinked. “I think I have one that does…. it might be Josef’s though.”

“Good to know.” Jyrki muttered.

“Take it off, Rose.”

Rosalind shook her head. “Nope, I like it. It’s cute; I’m keeping it on.”

“Where in the world did you find it?” Soya asked with a laugh.

“You type ‘HIM hoodies’ into Google, you find some pretty amazing things, including this gem.” Rosalind grinned, before looking back at Ville. “I’m not taking it off Ville, get use to staring at your own face.”

“You have to see the humor in it.” Soya chuckled.

“I do!” Ville assured quickly. “I’m not even embarrassed by the sweater, I like it! I’m embarrassed by her!”

Soya bit her lip to keep from laughing, “Take it off Rose, you’re annoying my boyfriend.”

“Fine.” Rosalind sighed, unzipping the sweater, showing the black and white striped top of her dress, with the red belt settling at her waist before falling into the black ruffled skirt that fell mid-thigh. “Such a party pooper.”

“And you’re an annoying bi-”

“She took the sweater off.” Soya laughed cutting Ville off, holding her hand out to Rosalind, Rosalind rolled her eyes and handed Soya the sweater.

“I can run it out to the car.” Ville offered.

“Yeah, why don’t you and Jyrki go do that, while Rosalind and I go get something for breakfast; all I had was coffee this morning.”

Ville nodded, accepting the sweater and keys from Soya as he and Jyrki left the girls alone.

“Your girlfriend’s a fucking nuisance.” Soya heard Ville muttered.

“Yeah,” Jyrki sighed, looking back at a winking Rosalind. “But I love her.”

Soya turned towards Rosalind. “You just love getting on people’s nerves don’t you?”

Rosalind nodded. “I really do. That, and Ville has the patience of a saint, so getting under his skin is double the fun, just like when I get under yours.” Rosalind teased, pinching Soya’s cheek. “Coffee and a muffin? I’ll buy.”

“You better do that.” Soya muttered as she followed Rosalind towards the Café that was on the same floor. “That and apologizing to Ville.”

“The man said he liked the sweater.” Rosalind defended.

“But he doesn’t like you.” Soya mocked. “And I thought you liked HIM?”

“I do like HIM.” Rosalind laughed. “Just fun to say I don’t in front of Ville.”

“Annoying.” Soya laughed, as she looked at the pastry cases that sat in front of her, biting her lip.

“Hey, you can give the sweater to Aida.” Rosalind suggested.

Soya laughed. “I think I’ll give it to her on the same birthday Ville gives her porn.”

Rosalind looked at Soya with a raised eyebrow. “That sounds like a story you have to tell me.”

“Buy breakfast first, then I’ll start talking.” Soya assured.

Once they got their coffee, along with cups and pastries for their boyfriends, they sat down at one of the tables as Soya recounted the story of Aida finding Ville’s copy of ‘Star Whores’.

“That’s great!!” Rosalind laughed, as the men came back and took seats next to their girlfriends.

“What’s great?” Jyrki asked, kissing Rosalind’s cheek when he saw his own muffin and coffee sitting in front of him.

“Ville leaving porn out for Aida to find.” Rosalind teased. “By the way, if you really want to give Aida porn for her eighteenth birthday, Edward Penishands: that’s the way to go.”

Ville snorted. “I don’t know, she’s pretty insistent on Star Whores. That, and Edward Penishands was horrible, Rosalind”

“By horrible, I hope you mean amazing.” Rosalind laughed.

“Please stop planning on giving Aida porn for her birthday.” Soya said, her cheeks flushing red as her friends laughed at her.

“I just think it’s the perfect present for her coming of age; that and the sweater you stole from me.” Rosalind teased.

“I’m not giving her the sweater.”

“I thought you liked it.” Soya said looking at her boyfriend.

“I do!” Ville said. “I love that a fan took the time to make it! It’s amazing, but it’s Rosalind using it to annoy me that I don’t like.”

Rosalind rolled her eyes. “As if that’s the worst thing I’ve done to annoy you.”

Jyrki nodded. “She has done worse things.”

“Like what?” Soya asked.

“We don’t like to talk about it.” Ville muttered, looking away and taking a sip of his coffee.

Rosalind laughed. “Ville doesn’t like to talk about it, but since you won’t share what the Dudesons did to you, we won’t share what I did to Ville.”

Soya shook her head. “I’m fine with staying in the dark.”

“So, where are we heading to first?” Jyrki asked looking at his girlfriend, who was looking at Soya amused before looking over at her boyfriend.

“Well I was going to make it up to Ville and take Soya upstairs to Change.”

Ville raised an eyebrow. “And how does it make it up to me?”

“Because I’m going to buy your girlfriend sexy underwear.” Rosalind laughed.

Ville smirked. “What’s the point if it ends up on the floor?”

Soya hit his arm. “Ville!”

“What?!” Ville asked looking at her. “It’s true.”

Soya shook her head. “Rosalind and I are going to head upstairs; we’ll meet up with you boys later.”

Jyrki frowned. “What was the point of us coming if we’re going to split up anyway?”

“Because eventually, we’re going to spend time with you guys.” Rosalind said, leaning down to kiss Jyrki lightly. “We won’t be but an hour.”

Jyrki rolled his eyes. “Just keep in mind that Ville and Soya do need to leave early to go pick up Aida.”

“I promise. See you in the book store?” Rosalind asked softly.

Jyrki nodded, stealing one last kiss from her. “That’s where we’ll be.”

Rosalind nodded waiting for Soya as she grabbed her purse while placing a kiss on Ville’s lips, promising to meet up with him soon before turning to her and allowing Rosalind to lead her out.

“Thanks, by the way.” Ville said, picking at his napkin.

“For?” Jyrki asked.

“Dragging Rosalind away this morning.”

Jyrki snorted. “Rosalind dragged herself out. Did you and Soya get some time alone?”

“A bit.” Ville shrugged. “Her mother stopped by this morning.”

“How did that go?”

“I yelled at the woman, would have yelled some more had Soya not come out of the bedroom and forced me to go change.”

“Change?”

“I may have answered the door in a towel, but that’s beside the point.”

“Of course it is.” Jyrki chuckled. “Other than that… did you guys get some time alone? It’s been awhile.” Jyrki smirked. “And now with Aida staying with Soya, it’s going to be hard getting alone time with her.”

Ville shrugged. “I don’t mind Aida, I like having her around.”

“Definitely the ‘daddy genes’.” Jyrki laughed.

“How do you deal with Rosalind’s brothers hating you?” Ville asked after a moment’s silence.

Jyrki winced. “Her brothers don’t hate me.” He said slowly. “Just one of them does, and I don’t even consider it hatred, its more disappointment than anything else. Hugo and I are fine; it’s Luis that tends to have a problem with me.”

“Then how do you deal with that?”

Jyrki shrugged. “When I’m in Spain visiting, I don’t see him very often. Rosalind makes sure to reserve that time for me, her and Impi. Her brothers aren’t welcome.”

“That could be the root of the problem.” Ville pointed out.

Jyrki shook his head. “It’s not, because he’s been like this since Rosalind and I started our relationship. He’s more…upset with how we started our relationship and then went about it. He doesn’t like the dynamic.” Jyrki shrugged. “Most days I don’t either, but for now it’s what best for Rosalind and I and we’re happy with it. Why do you ask about her brothers?”

“Soya’s mom hates me, I mean, the feeling’s mutual, I despise the woman, but still...”

Jyrki shrugged. “From what you’ve told me though, the woman hates everyone. So, why should her hate bother you? It’s obvious that Soya doesn’t let her mother’s opinion of you color her own opinion.”

“It colors her opinion of herself.” Ville said softly, frowning at the table.

“Sure,” Jyrki said slowly. “But she’s been getting better at that. She’s very different from the woman I met back in May. I highly doubt that had you and I had a conversation about porn in May, Soya would have laughed about it.”

Ville nodded. “True.”

“You bring that out in her, Ville.” Jyrki said. “You do see that right?”

Ville nodded. “I do, I do; I see the difference in her and I’m just amazed at how much that change has brought out the Soya I remember when we were younger.”

“So?”

“I just hate that she still has this voice in the back of her mind bringing her down. You know, this morning she told me that she thinks she doesn’t deserve to be in this relationship.”

Jyrki shrugged. “This is her first relationship Ville.”

Ville raised an eyebrow. “Did you ever think you didn’t deserve to be in a relationship?”

“Every day I’m with Rosalind.” Jyrki nodded with a small smile. “She can be annoying as all fuck, Ville, and be a real bitch at others and I have no qualms in telling her when she’s acting like a royal pain in the ass, but I’m constantly amazed that I’m the one that’s with her. At how I ended up lucky enough to get her.”

“But, do you think you don’t deserve to be in a relationship with her?”

Jyrki shrugged. “I admit, I don’t deserve her at times. For all her faults I have my own. I can be selfish and a bastard; I neglect her and just give her a lot of shit to deal with, but ten years later, here I am, sitting in a café while she buys lingerie for your girlfriend in the middle of a crowded mall. Why? Because the idea of us spending time together makes her fucking happy. Tell me that some mornings you don’t wake feeling unworthy of Soya.”

Ville thought about it for a split second before nodding. “Sure.”

“Well that’s Soya too. Just like you feel unworthy of her, sometimes Soya may think that she’s unworthy of you. It’s how you know you have a keeper.” Jyrki smirked. “Did you really want to come out shopping today, Ville? I mean, really, did you want to come out? Because I know I didn’t.”

Ville shrugged. “Not really.”

“But you came because you knew it would make Soya happy right?”

Ville smiled lightly. “Yeah.”

Jyrki shrugged. “We all do things we don’t want to do for the people we love; we do it because at the end of the day, you want to feel like you deserve their love, that you did something worth loving. Something as simple as coming out to a mall just to see her smile, that’s worth loving Ville. Forget about what her fucking mother says, she’s not the one sitting in a crowded café, having people stare at her, just to see her daughter smile after a difficult time. You are.”

“I guess.”

“No, no ‘I guess’. It’s true, Ville.” Jyrki said. “You think I’m the only one that gets pulled into Rosalind’s shit? Rosalind does things for me that she doesn’t want to do. Why? Because it makes me happy. You think she wanted to come to Finland and leave her daughter behind for a few weeks? She hates coming up here Ville, she hates the cold.”

Ville laughed. “That I know.”

“You make Soya happy, Ville.” Jyrki said with a smile. “And slowly she’ll come to realize wholeheartedly that she’s worthy of you and this relationship. But everyone has that doubt, even you as you’ve come to admit. It might come from a different place.” Jyrki pointed out. “Soya’s insecurity stems from her mother, sure, but it’s that same feeling.”

“Thanks Jyrki. You’ve become wise in your old age.” Ville teased.

“Bastard.” Jyrki muttered. “Come on, let’s go to the bookstore, there are some books I wanted to check out.”

Ville nodded. “Really, thank you.”

Jyrki laughed. “You do realize that starting this conversation, you showed your own insecurity in your relationship, right? Which just proves my point.”

“You’ve already convinced me, Jyrki, you don’t have to gloat.”

“Just wanted to point it out.” Jyrki smirked as they headed to the bookstore.