Searching for Estelle.

I stood on Jyrki's doorstep, my arms full of pizza and drink. Struggling to keep everything upright, I fished my phone out of my bag and checked the address in the text for the dozenth time.

I bit my lip and looked up at the number on the modest townhouse I was standing outside. It matched. I raised my hand to knock on the door when it opened, frightening the life out of me.

“Hi,” I said softy, my heart pounding and my hand still poised to knock.

“Hi, yourself. Come in,” Jyrki said, smiling and taking the food and drink from my arms with ease.

I stepped inside, feeling a little awkward and overwhelmed at being invited into someone's home.

I glanced around. It was decorated with mainly dark-stained wooden furniture with deep red and purples for accents and materials. It had a lived in feel, but was still immaculately tidy. I felt as though my standing in the house was adding clutter to Jyrki's tasteful décor.

I noticed that Jyrki was no longer standing in the front room with me and I looked around frantically for some sign of where he'd gone. I peered into a room which looked to be the kitchen and cautiously stepped inside the doorway.

I saw him at the counter, getting out plates and glasses and bit my lip nervously and wandered over.

“I hope you like horror movies,” he said with a smirk as he opened up the pizza boxes and began to load up a plate.

He nodded towards them, in an invitation for me to do the same. I followed his lead.

“Not really,” I admitted honestly.

He chuckled. “Why am I not surprised?”

I blushed. “I like some... just not anything super gory or too scary.”

“Where's the fun in that?” Jyrki asked before wandering into the lounge room, pizza in one hand and coke in the other.

I followed, carefully balancing everything, absolutely terrified of spilling something.

We both sat down on the dark leather couch and just as I went to take a bite of my pizza Jyrki spoke.

“So, what were you and Ville doing today?”

I blushed, nearly dropping my slice.

“He came over just after you called to see how I was feeling.”

“Really?” he said, raising an eyebrow and flashing me a cheeky smirk.

“Yes, really!” I said, shaking my head at him.

“Did he catch you in your knickers this time?”

“No,” I said, blushing madly once again. I looked down at my feet, trying to hide my face, knowing that it might give me away.

“Estelle, what aren't you telling me?” Jyrki said before taking a bite of pizza.

“I may have undressed in front of him last night when I was drunk,” I mumbled, still staring at my feet.

Jyrki just about choked on his pizza because he was laughing so hard.

I blushed furiously. “It's not funny! And I passed out on him at the club and then again in the taxi!”

Jyrki just laughed harder, tears in his eyes now. I wasn't sure if the tears were from laughing or the pain that he was feeling from choking.

I groaned and picked up a purple cushion to hide my face in.

“I shouldn't be allowed out in public.”

Jyrki attempted to maintain some composure, seeing that I was genuinely mortified.

“Oh, Estelle... I can guarantee Ville has done worse things than that when drunk. So have I. Don't worry. If he was offended by it he wouldn't have come back this morning, would he?”

“He probably just wanted to make sure I hadn't choked on my own vomit.”

Jyrki chuckled and snatched the pillow I was hiding behind. “Don't be silly. What did the two of you talk about for so long anyway?”

I frowned, trying to remember the content of our conversation. “Well, about me moving to London and stuff. Nothing, really. Mutual love of Tim Burton. Just stuff.”

“I didn't know you were moving to London,” Jyrki said, raising an eyebrow “I thought you were just going back to Australia after you travelled.”

I shrugged. “Never really came up, I guess.”

He rolled his eyes at me. “You didn't think that the fact you were moving somewhere that was only a few hours flight away from me rather than going back home which is on the other side of the world was something I might like to know?”

“No,” I answered honestly before taking a long drink.

He sighed exasperatedly. “Well, it is.”

I bit my lip, feeling guilty. “Sorry,” I mumbled.

Jyrki sighed again, but it was kinder this time. “Estelle, I know you're insecure but you have no reason to be. Especially not around us. We like you and intend to keep you around awhile and at least visit you when you leave.” He leaned over towards me and kissed me on the forehead.

I smiled, looking down at my pizza. Jyrki had completely summed up and eliminated most of my fears about hanging out with the guys. I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.

When we had bellies full of food and drink, Jyrki declared it movie time. He opened up a cabinet that was near the television and my jaw dropped. It was packed with hundreds of DVDs, most of them horror movies; a large portion of which contained vampires.

“Holy fuck,” I said, incredulous.

Jyrki laughed. “I don't think I've ever heard you swear before.”

I blushed. “It happens more than you'd think.”

He smiled and gestured. “Well, if you're a wimp you'll have to pick something then.”

I frowned at him before getting up off the couch and looking through the rows and rows of movies.

I bit my lip as I tried to make a choice.

“How about this?” I said, holding up the Lost Boys.

“Good choice,” he grinned, taking it from me.

I plopped back down on the the couch, taking off my shoes and curling my legs up underneath me. I grabbed the cushion he'd stolen from me earlier and cuddled it in front of my stomach.

Jyrki seated himself next to me and raised an eyebrow at how I was seated.

“Comfortable?” he asked with a smile.

“Yup,” I replied, grinning. I realised something I hadn't told him about my conversation with Ville. “I'm seeing Ville again on Sunday.”

“Oh?” Jyrki said, hitting play but still looking at me, interested.

“Mmm, he asked me out to dinner,” I replied before turning my attention to the screen.

I noticed a few minutes later that he was still staring at me.

“What?” I asked, frowning “Have I got pizza on my face?”

He shook his head. “Why didn't you tell me Valo asked you out on a date?”

“I just told you then! And it's not a date,” I said, shaking my head.

“If a guy asks you out to dinner it's a date, Estelle,” Jyrki said looking amused.

“No,” I argued “Friends go out to dinner. It doesn't have to be a date.”

“True... but this is totally a date.”

“No,” I said, frustrated “Why would he ask me out on a date?”

“Because he likes you, Estelle,” Jyrki said slowly and patiently, as though talking to a child.

I blushed. “Don't be stupid.”

Jyrki sighed and looked back at the screen and we sat in silence watching the beginning of the film.

“It's a date,” Jyrki said after a few minutes and I glanced at him to notice he was wearing a sly grin.

“Is not.”

“Is too.”

“Is not.”

“Is too.”

I glared at him and hit him with my cushion. “Don't be a child.”

He stuck his tongue out at me and I couldn't help but giggle.

“Wait,” he said, frowning.

“What?”

“Valo asked you out on a date.”

I rolled my eyes. “Did not, but why the sudden change of heart?”

“I'm not sure how I feel about that,” he said, still frowning.

I raised an eyebrow. “What on earth are you on about?”

“I don't think he deserves you.”

I blushed and shook my head but couldn't help a giggle escaping.

“What?” Jyrki asked me.

“That's what he said about you when we first met and he thought we were dating.”

Jyrki frowned, looking mildly insulted for a moment before smiling at me. “He was right.”

I blushed, but smiled at him. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me towards him in a friendly embrace. I flinched at the contact initially, but settled closer to him.

“I'm going to have to have a chat with him though,” he said and I could hear the frown in his voice.

I looked up at him, blushing. “Don't you bloody dare.”

He just laughed and we resumed watching the movie.