Searching for Estelle.

“It was gnarly as fuck, man,” Bam declared before downing the rest of his beer.

I giggled with the others at Bam's enthusiastic retelling of one of his recent adventures. We were all sitting in a Helsinki bar, Bam having decided that “partying” was the order of the evening.

Bam turned his attention to me and I felt myself begin to grow nervous.

“Estelle,” he said, a slight smirk on his face.

“Yes?” I asked nervously, clutching Ville's hand under the table.

“How do you know the rockstars?”

“Um,” I bit my lip “Just.. sort of ran into them.”

He raised an eyebrow at me and I shrugged, blushing a little.

“It's true,” Jyrki said “Literally with Jussi...”

Jussi and Ville laughed and I felt my face flush.

“I'm really sorry about that, by the way...” I said, smiling sheepishly at Jussi who just grinned at me.

Bam just shook his head. “Whatever. You don't sound or look Finnish.”

“I'm not. I'm from Australia.”

“How long have you been in Finland?” he asked, actually seeming genuinely interested.

“Um,” I frowned, thinking “About a week?”

He raised an eyebrow at me. “How long have you known Ville?”

“About a week,” I said shyly.

Bam looked surprised. “Really?”

I nodded, looking at my feet.

“Valo, I think that's a pretty stupid move, man,” Novak said, slurring his words ever so slightly.

Ville sighed. “I'm going to regret this, but what the fuck are you talking about?”

“Dating a chick you've only known for a week. She's probably just gonna go back to England and brag to her friends about fucking a rockstar.”

I felt my face burn and Ville grip my hand in a vice-like manner

“Shut up, Nudie,” Bam said before turning to Jyrki and beginning to chat with him about Ruisrock.

I looked at Jyrki and noticed he was talking to Bam but glaring at Novak who was now talking to Jussi.

Despite that, however, his comment was generally ignored by the whole table.

“I'm sorry,” Ville murmured in my ear, wrapping an arm around me.

I shrugged. “It's fine.”

He kissed me on the cheek and sighed. “He's an ass and he has no idea what he's talking about.”

I smiled up at him and kissed him.

“I know. I'm from Australia, not England,” I replied with a cheeky smile.

Ville laughed before leaning down to kiss me again.

“Would you two quit your humping, already,” Bam said with distaste, spoiling what would've otherwise been quite a nice moment.

I blushed and quickly let go of Ville's hand, scooting away from him slightly, towards Jyrki who was laughing.

Ville frowned, looking offended and quickly grabbed my hand again, pouting at me.

I giggled and Bam rolled his eyes.

“Estelle,” Jyrki said, nudging me gently “Thought any more about staying?”

I bit my lip and looked up at him. I wasn't sure how to answer.

Truth was I had thought about staying. Quite a lot since I left this morning.

I'd decided that I really wanted to stay but I wasn't sure if it was a sensible thing to do.

Jyrki was looking at me intently through curious blue eyes and I nodded.

He continued to look at me expectantly. “And?”

I took a deep breath.

“I want to.”

Ville squeezed my hand and I looked at him to see he was grinning like an idiot.

I blushed and looked away.

“So, does that mean I'm finally going to have a housemate?” Jyrki asked with a smile.

I nodded. “I guess so... but I'm not sure how long I'll stay.”

“Hang on... what?” Ville asked, frowning.

“I invited Estelle to move in with me,” Jyrki explained, playing with his wayfarers and looking particularly indifferent to Ville's look of concern.

Ville turned to me and raised an eyebrow.

I felt my face grow hot as I became uncomfortable. “What?” I asked, completely oblivious.

“You didn't tell me that.”

“I hadn't even made up my mind yet...”

I looked down at my feet, feeling guilty for whatever I'd done wrong. I felt Jyrki touch my hand and I looked at him and he smiled at me reassuringly.

I forced a smile back and, taking a deep breath, squeezed Ville's hand, forcing him to look back at me.

He smiled at me and stood, pulling me up with him.

“We'll be back,” he informed the others, giving a brief salute before leading me outside.

As soon as we were standing outside and alone I looked up at him hesitantly.

“I'm really, really sorry...” I said quietly.

Ville's face dropped and he pulled me into his arms.

“No, sweetheart, you have nothing to be sorry for. I just got a bit jealous.”

I leaned back and looked up at him, bewildered. “Of what?”

He laughed. “Of the fact that you might be moving in with another man?”

My mouth dropped open. “But it's Jyrki!”

He smiled. “True, I guess. And if it's between that and going to London, I know which I'd prefer.”

I blushed and wrapped my arms around his skinny waist, happily burying my head in the black scarf he was wearing.

I stood on my tippy toes and kissed him on the jaw, which made him smile. He placed a hand under my chin and tilted my head up, kissing me fully on the lips.

I sighed happily into the kiss and he smiled at me.

“We should go back in,” I said with a sad sigh.

“I don't want to,” he said, kissing me again.

“But...” I started to argue but was cut off again. I giggled and poked him in the tummy. “Your friends are in there.”

“But,” he murmured, slipping his hand under my shirt and resting it on the small of my back, sending a pleasant shiver up my spine, “My beautiful girlfriend is out here.”

I flushed scarlet and let go of him.

He frowned, pulling me back. “No, Estelle. That's not what you do when someone compliments you. You don't run away. You smile and preferably kiss me.”

“Why should I?” I said with a slight smile.

“Because they're my two favourite things for you to do.”

I blushed again and kissed him before pulling away once more and lacing my fingers through his. “Come on.”

We went back inside the bar and found the four guys doing shots of tequila.

“Uh-oh,” I said, looking at the several empty shot glasses that littered the table.

Ville smiled. “I think we're in for a night of good entertainment, love.”

I giggled and kissed him on the cheek. “I'm gonna grab a drink, want anything?”

He shook his head. “I'm okay.”

I went over to the bar and ordered a coke. I glanced back over to the table and noticed Bam and Jussi arm wrestling, Jyrki and Ville laughing as they watched the struggle. I smiled to myself and turned back to the bar, leaning against it as I waited.

I jumped as I felt a hand on my waist. I smiled and turned around, ready to chastise Ville for following me to the bar.

Instead I came eye to eye with Novak.

My stomach turned and I stepped away from him. “Hi,” I said awkwardly, looking at my hands.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he said with a sly smirk.

I coloured slightly against my will and began picking at my fingernails awkwardly.

“So, are you going to take me up on my earlier offer?” he slurred, making me realise just how much of an effect the shots had taken.

I frowned. “No, I have a boyfriend.”

“So? I won't tell,” he said with a wink.

I felt my stomach churn and turned to walk away from him.

“Yeah, whatever, bitch. You know there's only one reason any of them are interested in you.”

Against my better judgement I turned back to him, curiosity written all over my face.

“And what's that?” I asked, hugging my arms around my stomach.

“They want to see who can get you out of your twisted little panties first,” he said with a smirk.

I truly felt like I was going to throw up. “No,” I said, shaking my head “You have no idea what you're talking about.”

“Why did Ville hook up with you so soon, then? And Jyrki asked you to move in with him, didn't he?”

I bit my lip, trying desperately not to listen to him. “Shut up,” I said “Just stop.” I tried to walk away again but he called out once more.

“They've got money on it.”

I stopped dead in my tracks.

“They've got money on who'll get the tight, Australian pussy.”

I felt tears sting at my eyes and I walked quickly over to the table where the others were still sitting. I reached over and grabbed my bag. Ville looked up at me.

“I have to go,” I said, keeping my gaze firmly fixed on anything other than his face.

“Why?” Ville asked, looking concerned. I noticed the others staring at me as well.

“Not feeling well,” I lied “See you later.” With that I turned and walked out of the bar as fast as my feet would take me.

I tried to convince myself that Novak was just drunk and being an asshole but I couldn't shake the feeling he might be telling the truth. Why else would they have been so nice to me? Ville Valo could never have a genuine interest in a girl like me.

I felt sick to my stomach as I realised how stupid I'd been.

I fumbled in my bag for my phone and glanced at the time. Dani's flight was due for a stopover in Stockholm in a half-hour.

I dialled her number and held the phone to my cheek which was damp with stray tears.

“Hi Dan, it's me. Don't leave Sweden. Finland blows. I'm coming to you.”