Right Here in My Arms

I groaned and opened my eyes as a felt a sharp, throbbing pain in my back. I shot up into a sitting position and reached my hand to my back. I groaned and took a deep breath before looking at where I had been laying. I pursed my lips for a second before awkwardly chuckling, “Hi.”

Ville chuckled before running his fingers through his curly hair, “Hello, love.” He sat up and stood up from the couch. He sighed and disappeared into the kitchen.

I stood up and slowly followed him, “I’m sorry.”

He turned and looked at me once I had walked into the kitchen, “Why?”

I shrugged at him, “I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you last night... I-I just... I’m sorry.” My back hurt and I couldn’t imagine how Ville’s back was.

He laughed and smiled a bright smile at me, “Don’t be. You’re perfectly fine, my dear.”

I chuckled and nodded, “Alright.”

“So,” he started, opening the fridge door, “Are you hungry this morning?”

I shrugged, “No, not r-” I paused as he slowly looks towards me with his eyebrows raised. I pursed my lips and nodded at him.

He grinned, “Great.” He closed the fridge door and exited the kitchen.

I raised a brow and looked around the kitchen for a second. What the hell was he doing? I walked out of the kitchen and looked into the living room to see him holding the home phone in his hand. “What’re you doing?” I asked him, curiously.

He looked at me for s moment and then back down to the phone, “Calling a cab.”

“W-What? Why? I thought we were going to eat?” I questioned.

He nodded and pressed the phone to his ear, “We are.”

I chuckled and nodded before pulling a chair away from the dining table. I took and seat and watched Ville talk one the phone for a little while.

After Ville hung up, he looked at me and slightly tilted his head, “Do you want to change out of those clothes?”

I shook my head and waved me hand, “No, I’ll be okay.

“Okay, well, they said that a cab will be here in about twenty minutes,” he mentioned.

I nodded and looked down at my hands as I picked at my nails, “Alright.”

“I’m going to go get changed,” Ville said, being walking up the stairs.

I stood up and ran my hands through my hair, untangling any knots I found. I walked over to the couch and dug through the cushion for my phone. Once I had found it, I sat down on the couch and check for any missed calls or texts, but had none. On the one hand, I was happy that I hadn’t had any missed calls but on the other hand I was kind of upset that my dad hadn’t called. I felt bad that I let him down and I really needed to see him so I could fully apologize for my huge mistake.

“Hey,”

I looked up and saw Ville. He was dressed in a black button up tee shirt, black jeans, and a pair of black boots. He even had his little beanie on top of his head. “Hey,” I smiled, “You look good.”

He chuckled, “Thanks. Cab’s here early, let’s go.” He held his hand towards me and pulled me to my feet when I put my hand in his.

“How long were you up there,” I asked him.

“Fifteen minutes,” he mumbled, grabbing a jacket off of the coat hanger.

I laughed and followed him out of the house after him. I walked down the pathway with him and climbed into the cab first. I looked at Ville when he climbed in and smiled.

He told the cab driver the restaurant and looked at me, “What?”

“Thank you, Ville. I really appreciate you for being there for me last night,” I told him.

He waved his hand and shook his head at me, “Don’t mention it, sweetheart. It’s my pleasure.”

“I really can say thank you enough time,” I said.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed the side of my head, “You don’t have to. Like I said, it was my pleasure.”

I smiled and nodded, looking down to my hands. I had really appreciated Ville being there for me. I couldn’t say thank you enough time to him to show exactly how appreciative I was for him being there. He was such a good friend for being there for me and listening to me.

I was grateful to have Ville in my life, no matter how annoying I thought he was. He was truly a good person, he had a kind heart, he was a total sweetheart, he had a cool and laid back personality, and I even admit that he was even kind of a good looking guy – not that looks were that big of a deal, or anything.

I looked up as the cab stopped. I realized that I had kind of been lost in my thoughts for a while and that we were stopped in front of a cute little restaurant. I shook my head and chuckled to myself as Ville paid the driver. I climbed out of the cab behind him and smiled, pressing my hands to my face, “It’s so cute.”

Ville chuckled and shook his head at me, “You’re cute.”

I looked at his slightly surprised and felt my face beginning to get warm.

He grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me inside the restaurant. We sat down at the booth by the windows and pulled the menus from the little holder, quickly opening them and searching each page.

“Oh, my god,” I muttered, frustrated all ready

“Hm?” he questioned, not even raising his eyes to look at me.

I closed the menu and put it on the table before whining, “It’s all in Finnish.”

He chuckled and set his menu down, raising his brow and me and setting his elbows on the table. “What do you want me to do about it?” he asked with a slight smirk coming across his face.

I pouted and tapped the menu, “Read it to me!”

He rolled his eyes and shook his head at me, “I apparently still need to teach you Finnish.”

“Well, it ain’t going to learn itself,” I mentioned, smiling.

He glared at me and stood up from the booth, quickly slipping into my side of the booth. He grabbed my menu and opened it, looking through the pages carefully.

I looked at him and raised a brow, “So?”

“So what?” he mumbled, flipping the page and scanning the next one.

“What should I get?” I asked.

He shrugged and looked at me. “I don’t know what you should get. Maybe you should learn Finnish so you can read the menu,” he mentioned think winked at me.

I ripped the menu from his hands and smacked him with it twice, “You’re such a dick.”

He laughed and took the menu from me, “Ow, hey! Don’t be mean.” He set the menu on the table and chuckled, “I’ll order you something.”

“Thanks,” I smiled.

He climbed out of my booth and returned to his side, closing his menu and smiling at me.

I looked at him, “What?”

He slightly tilted his head.

I chuckled and shook my head, “What do you want?”

He folded his arms on the table, “How’re you liking Finland?”

He laughed and rolled my eyes, “Finland is fine, Ville.”

A waitress with extremely blonde hair approached the table and smiled at us. “Hei, nimeni on Sansa ja minä olen teidän tarjoilija tänään. Saisiko olla jotain juotavaa?” she spoke with a thick Finnish accent.

I looked at her and then to Ville as he spoke back to her. I pursed my lips and looked down, feeling awkward. I really should actually learn Finnish. I mean, I’m living in Finland and it’s their language, so it’d probably be a good idea to. Plus, then I wouldn’t have to get Ville to translate or order things for me.

“Kiitokset, Sansa,” Ville smiled and then looked at me, “Tilasin sinulle, pikkuneiti.”

I pursed my lips and pulled my brows together. “Hm?” I asked.

He laughed and shook his head, “I said ‘I ordered or you, little lady’.” He grabbed the tea kettle from the corner of the table and a little white tea cup.

I laughed and nodded, “Thanks... And, thanks.” I chewed on my bottom lip and sighed, “Pikk-Pikka-”

“Pikkuneiti,” he said smoothly, a grin slowly coming across his face as he poured the tea into the cup.

I nodded and pursed my lips for a minute. “Pikkuneiti,” I tried.

He raised his eyes from his tea cup and smiled, “Good job.”

I grinned and gently clapped my hands together, “Yay.”

He chuckled and nodded at me, “Indeed.”

I slightly jumped as my phone started buzzing in my pocket. I quickly pulled it out and looked at the caller ID. “Shit,” I mumbled.

“Paska,” Ville mumbled.

I looked up at him then back to my phone. I pressed answer before pressing it to my ear, “Hello?”

“Hey, Rowan!”

“Ensio-o-o-o!”

“I miss you, Ro. Let’s hang out... Today,” he said.

I laughed and smiled, “Today? Okay, when?”

He chuckled along with me, “How about ten thirty?”

I reached forward and grabbed Ville’s arm, looking at the watch on his wrist. It read 10:13AM. “Make it eleven and it’s on,” I said, dropping his wrist.

“Alright, even better. Will do, ystäväni. Coffee shop as usual?” he asked.

“Yep! Sounds good. See you then,” I said then hung up. “What is ystäväni?” I asked, looking at Ville.

He took his tea cup away from his lips and looked at me, “My friend.”

I nodded, “Okay, thank you.”

“Good job, again,” he grinned.

I nodded and leaned back as the blonde waitress walked to our table with our food. She place the plates in front of us, “Onko mitään muuta voin saada sinut?”

“Do you need anything, Rowan?” Ville asked.

“Maybe some water,” I replied.

Ville turned to the waitress and smiled, “Vain vettä, kiitos.”

I looked down at my food as the waitress left and smiled. “Eggs, bacon, and hash browns- Oh, you know me so well, Ville,” I grinned.

He laughed and shrugged, “Lucky guess, I suppose.”

I smiled and began eating my food, as well as he did. I finished most of the food on my plate, before sighing and looking up to Ville. “Can we talk?” I asked.

He nodded, “Mhm, of course.”

I sighed and rubbed my forehead, “Ville, I really need to know the answer. Did we sleep togeth-”

“Rowan,” he scoffed and dropped his fork on his plate, causing a loud clank, “Don’t even start.”

I sighed, “Ville, I have a right to know. Just give me an answer and you’ll never have to hear about it again.”

“Why do you have to go and do this every time, Rowan? Jesus,” he asked, taking the beanie off his head and running his hands through his hair.

I was frustrated and he was frustrated. “I don’t get why you don’t just tell me, Ville,” I said.

“Because I shouldn’t have to tell you... That’s what you don’t seem get about this. I shouldn’t have to tell you whether or not it happened. Don't blame me for your mistakes... You are the one who got drunk that night and I shouldn’t be getting blamed for your mistakes,” he snapped.

“Ville,” I growled, “You should get blamed because these aren’t my mistakes. You forced me to drink shot after shot af-”

“Was I fucking holding you down and forcing you to drink everything? No. You willing took every drink that I handed you. You could have told me at any point in time that you didn’t want them but, oh, no. I heard no complaints and no denying the drinks. You are responsible for getting so trashed and not being able to remember that night,” he glared at me, “Do not blame me for this shit.”

I stared at him and shook my head, “Well, you know what, Valo? If you’re supposedly my friend, you wouldn’t have continuously handed me though drinks and let me get as drunk as I did. If you truly were my friend, you would’ve looked out for me that night and not been a total dick head and let me get drunk. Yes, I admit, that was an irresponsible thing for me to do, but you should’ve been the responsible adult there.”

He slightly shrugged, “I’m not your babysitter.”

I scoffed and shook my head at him, chuckling. “Fuck you, Ville,” I barked, before getting out of the booth and walking out of the restaurant, not even looking back at him. I walked down the street in anger. My hands were balled into fits and my jaw was clinched. I didn’t get why he didn’t just tell me to jut end it all right then and there. He was a total dick and I couldn’t stand the way he acted and was sometimes.

It was just a simple “yes” or “no” answer and I hate not know whether or now it happened. I get that I shouldn’t have gotten trashed that night, but he should’ve been the adult and took care of me... I mean... Maybe he did? Or, no? He couldn’t have. He didn’t take care of me! He took advantage of me because I was drunk and he’s irresponsible. Yeah, that’s what it is and that’s why he won’t tell me.

I sighed and shook my head. I stopped in my tracks and pulled my phone out of my pocket, looking at the time. It was now 10:53AM and it was almost time to meet up with Ensio, so I decided to head that way now before it got too much later. I began walking towards the direction of the coffee shop, trying to keep my mind off of Ville. I was thinking of how much I missed Ensio and that I’d be glad to see him today.

Before I knew it, I was at the coffee and it was 11:08AM. I walked in and immediately spotted him. I quickly headed towards him and smiled, “Hey you.”

He looked at me and grinned, “Hey. A little late now, aren’t we?”

I laughed and shrugged, “Yeah, I’m sorry. Just lost track of time, I guess.”

“How’re you?” he asked.

I nodded, “I’m alright, I suppose. How about yourself?”

He grinned, “Hangin’ in there, man, hangin’ in there.

“That’s really good. I’m super glad to hear that,” I told him.

He chuckled and nodded, standing up. “Were you out with someone else, miss latey late?” he asked, pulling me into a tight hug.

I hugged him back and shrugged, before pulling back and sitting in the seat beside me. “Yeah, I was for a little while,” I said.

“Oh, yeah?”

I nodded, “Yeeah.”

He smiled, “That’s cool, what did you do?”

I pursed my lips for a minute before shrugging, “We had some breakfast... Brunch, whatever.” I chuckled and shrugged again, looking around the coffee shop

He nodded at me and sat in the seat across from me. He rested his elbows on the table and sighed, “Were you with Ville?”

I quickly looked back at him, startled that he even guessed – correctly – whom I was with. “W-What? No. I haven’t seen him in forever... I mean, why would I see him? You told me to stay away from him,” I said.

He glared at me.

I scrunched my nose and chuckled awkwardly at him, crossing my arms over my chest, “What, Ensio?”

“Don’t ‘what’ me, Rowan. You know damn well what,” he rolled his eyes at me and raised a brow.

“Ensio, I haven’t seen Ville,” I lied to him as easily and smoothly as I could, but I could tell that he could see right through my lies.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, “Bullshit, Rowan. You are a shit liar, goddamn it. I’ve seen you two together.”