A Photograph of You & I

Ville's P.O.V

"Jonna's here." Ryan said softly, glancing behind me at Aina. I turned a fraction to watch her get in the car and close the door behind her, she seemed to be looking for something.

Without a word, I ran a hand through my hair and brushed past Ryan to get back into the club. I could already hear Jonna demanding to know where I was so she could kill me. I sighed wishing that she were serious because I was growing damn tired of my existence.

"Ville Hermanni Valo!" Jonna's piercing screech reached my ears as I walked into the small and less than accommodating dressing room backstage.

"What?" I asked flatly, growing quite annoyed that she was acting like she was my mother. Bam, the only other person in the room, glared at Jonna quite virulently.

"Who the hell do you think you are? You left without me!" She cried, throwing her hands up and getting in my face.

"I believe you just informed me of my name, Jonna." I answered sardonically as I brushed past her toward the mini-fridge. "And Bam picked me up, so technically, he left without you."

She scoffed at me. "You should have stopped him!"

Bam glared at me from his perch. I snapped a beer can open and downed half of it in one gulp. "Should have. Didn't." I replied shortly.

"You're fucking lucky I don't leave your ass right now! We're supposed to be working out our problems, Ville! Not creating more of them."

I turned my back on her and whispered, "I wish you would leave."

"What was that?" She spat, apparently having heard me.

I turned and crunched the can that was in my hand. Luke-warm liquid flowed over my hand and I snapped it to the ground. "I said 'I wish you would leave!'"

She looked as though I'd slapped her in the face but the look was only momentary. "This is about Aina isn't it?"

"This is neither the time nor the place, Jonna." Bam said mutely.

"Why? I think it's a perfect time. Ville can explain why he wants to give me up for a girl who left him, how many years ago?"

I looked to Bam. His lips were pursed and I could see the rage building behind his eyes. I heard him crack his knuckles once and then he hopped down from the stool to stand by my side. I watched as he opened his mouth to speak but a quite voice cut him off and sent a wave of shivers down my spine.

Aina's P.O.V

As soon as I had shut the door behind me, I buried my face in my hands and burst into tears. I shook with sobs and cries that threatened to consume me.

I berated myself for thinking that I could possibly make it past him without my heart shattering into a million pieces. Nothing would ever rid me of this pain; no matter how long or hard I tried to deny it. I was in love and even though my stubbornness would let me believe I wasn't, there was no getting around it.

Hot tears poured from my eyes as I finally admitted to myself what Bam had been trying to tell me all along. They flowed also because I knew that I would never be able to know happiness with Ville.

A soft knock sounded on the window and I jumped. I turned my red eyes and found Ryan looking at me with worry evident in his eyes. I opened the door and he pursed his lips.

"Oh Aina..." He held his hand out to me and I took it as I got out of the car. He pulled me into a tight embrace and I broke down all over again, soaking though his shirt quickly. But he didn't seem to mind -- he only rubbed my back and tried to soothe the sobs that racked my body.

"Aina, please calm down...you're going to make yourself puke." He told me quietly, a hint of laughter in his voice.

I pulled away from him slowly and his hand reached toward my face as he carefully wiped my tears away with his thumbs.

"I'm sorry about your shirt." I mumbled quietly as I noticed the slight smudge of black from my makeup.

He chuckled. "Doesn't matter. It's Bam's."

I gave him a weak smile. "Come on," he said. "Let's get inside. It looks like it's going to rain."

I looked toward the sky. It's color rivaled my emotions easily. Dark and gray and threatening to burst any moment.

As soon as we walked through the doors I could hear yelling. I looked to Ryan cautiously and he raised his eyebrow.

"This is about Aina isn't it?" I heard a female voice shout. I knew who it belonged to immediately and I started toward the source.

"Are you sure you want to go over there?" Ryan asked, halting me in my steps. I turned and looked at him with a wan smile.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks Ry." He nodded at my words and I took off toward where I heard the voices coming from.

"Why? I think it's a perfect time. Ville can explain why he wants to give me up for a girl who left him, how many years ago?" I rounded the corner in time to watch as Bam tensed as soon as those words left Jonna's lips. She looked smug as Bam got down from his perch and went to join Ville. He opened his lips to speak but I spoke first.

"He's not giving you up for me Jonna." I said quietly, but loud enough so that she could hear me. I felt her icy gaze land on me with disgust but I continued. "He gave me up for you and your child."

"You know he's still in love with you!" She took a few steps toward me but Bam stepped in her way. She continued. "He cares nothing for me!"

I pursed my lips together and allowed my eyes to rest on Ville for a moment. He stared at me with nothing but devotion and I felt the shame rise in me. She was right.

"I can't help that Jonna."

"No, not that you'd want to. Whore."

"Jonna! Shut up!" Ville bellowed, obviously having reached his breaking point. He stormed up to her and Bam had to restrain both Ville and Jonna. I stood by helplessly as I watched the exchange.

"Don't you dare call her a whore! Ever!" Ville spat. Jonna looked back at him defiantly but I saw as something wavered in her eyes.

She said nothing and Ville threw his hands up in frustration. He stormed right past me without a second glance and I turned my eyes on the floor.

"Jonna, one day soon, karma is going to come back and bite you in the ass. I only hope I'm there when it happens." Bam said quietly as he walked away from her. He paused and looked at me, offering his arm but I shook my head. He looked at me warily and I nodded him away, trying to silently assure him that I would be okay.

He nodded and stepped past me, probably going to find Ville and talk to him. I watched as Jonna slumped down on a beaten up couch and stared at the old carpeting.

I took a tentative step forward. "I'm truly sorry, Jonna." I whispered. She glared at me with venom in her eyes.

I turned slowly and walked away, leaving Jonna to stew in her misery.