Dear friend, I love you

10. Only one way to find out

Aleksi

I waited for a moment her answer, she looked nervous and focused to pet Rilla. Did I go too far?
It made me uncomfortable too that she was, I didn't know what to say next.
"Uhm.." She then said quietly.
"You don't have to tell me, I understand." I quickly said.
"No, it's just.. I don't know. Hard." She said, still petting and keeping eyes on Rilla. I looked at her, and I fixed my hair again so I could see something.
I gave her time, if she wanted to talk about it. I saw that she tried to find the words, and where to start.
Did I ask too deep question?

"I lived on my own at Oulu, of course. I was very tired all the time, and I didn't had anyone. My mom doesn't like the fact that I want to be an tattoo artist, she's very conservative. She didn't like the fact that I wanted to move here because of my work. I wanted to live, and I still want. To see world, meet new people and get friends. At Oulu I didn't had anyone, my old friends left me behind years ago and I saw my ex boyfriend often because we lived near to each other. I wanted to go away." After that she lifted her head up and looked at me. Her brown eyes were almost in tears, and it made me feel bad.

I scooted closer to her and gently put my hand around her shoulders. Rilla also jumped off the couch and went somewhere.
Slowly Erica came a little closer to me.
"There was also one thing that happened..." She quietly said.
I looked at her, she looked at our feet, I slowly lift my hand up and put some hair behind her ear.
"What..?" I asked calmly, and quietly.
Our eyes met, and she swallowed.

"I tried to kill myself." She almost whispered, and I saw first tear coming out of her eye. I placed my other hand around her too and hugged her tight. She answered to it and wrapped her arms around my body, and she pressed her head gently against my chest.
"I'm so sorry.." I whispered as I closed my eyes.

Soon it was saturday, the week has went fast at work. We also fixed the problem with the beat, we called Olli and Tommi and asked their opinions and ideas as well. And well, then everything started to go up again, when our drummer and basist hit their wise heads together, we got a brilliant beat.
I have seen Erica twice after monday, I think that we are more close than before. Maybe because she told so personal things.

I just came back from walk with Rilla, I don't have any plans for today. So, maybe drinking with boys sounds fun?
I texted to our whatsapp group chat.
"Guys, drinking tonight?" I texted.
"I was just thinking about the same thing. I'm in." Joel texted back faster than ever.
"I'm coming with Porko too" Niko texted.
"You assholes, don't talk about this here." Tommi texted. It made me grin.
"Have your own party with Olli in there" Joonas texted.
"He's sick, so it's not possible" Tommi texted.

I remembered that I have left my wallet in my car, so I put my shoes and jacket on and left my apartment.
After I searched my car, I found my wallet and closed the door. I saw Erica walking to her car, which was next to mine.
"Hi." I greeted her as she opened the car. She smiled.
"Hi, I'm going to studio, Verneri will do me a new tattoo." She said.
"Wow, cool. What tattoo?" I asked, leaning against my car.
"I don't know, he will decide it and you know, I'm kinda nervous." She chuckled.
"I can come with you if you want." I suggested and she nodded, so I walked to her car and opened the passenger seat door and hopped in.
"Why he decides it?" I raised my other eyebrow as she started the car and drove off from the parking lot.
"I did a tattoo to him, I chose the text and as a repay he will do a tattoo to me. I maybe take a text too." She explained and I nodded.

We reached the studio and got out of the car. It was rainy and windy day, not my thing.
She opened the door and we walked in. That blonde haired man was already preparing everything ready. He saw us coming and smiled to Erica, greeting her. Then he turned his eyes on me, and he looked suspicious.
"I bring Aleksi with me, to support." Erica looked at me smiling and then Verneri.
"Nice. Your arms are full of tattoos, what are you afraid of? Don't you believe in me?" Verneri smirked and Erica chuckled. I just stood there silent. Maybe that guy made me a little tense.. I don't know. He just acted weird towards me. And towards her.
"I'm just nervous that what you will do. I want a text too, to my wrist." She said and looked at her hands, maybe deciding which wrist would be better.
Then Erica turned to look at me and showed her wrists.
"Which one? You can decide." She smiled and I looked at them in curious look, and it made Erica smirk.

"The left one." I said and she nodded smiling.
"Because you're a left handed?" She asked and I chuckled.
"Maybe." I smiled. I saw Verneri looking at us under his eyebrows. Let's play the game then if you want, tattoo boy.
"So Erica, go sit and let's start." He walked to the chair and Erica did what he told. I took a chair and sat near them, so I saw better.

After a while the tattoo was ready, Erica hasn't looked it even once, because she wanted it to be a suprise that what text there is. She then looked it.
"Trust your journey" She smiled, I could saw how that hit her, in a good way.
She slowly lifted her head up to look at Verneri, I just stared at them, they smiled to each others.
"Thank you. I love it." She said and then they hugged. I swallowed.
"I'm glad to hear that. Now we both have some deep texts in our bodies." Verneri said and then Erica stood up from the chair, I did too.
Erica looked at me smiling, I smiled her back. Then she looked the tattoo again.

We got in the car and Erica started it. I decided to ask something.
"Do you guys have something between you two..?" I asked and she looked kinda confused.
"No, he's my boss and we're just friends." She smiled quickly, nervously. Then she started to drive.
"I just saw how he looked at you." I said and she quietly chuckled.
"He's just.. flirty sometimes. I don't have any feelings towards him." She explained. I just nodded.

We were sitting at the bar with boys, about two hours already. We just disgusted about life and our problems, and laughed of course. We were little tipsy by now.
"Little man, what is bothering you?" Niko asked next to me while I have been just silent for the past fifteen minutes.
"Nothing..." I sighed and took a sip of my beer, which was almost done.
"I know what's wrong with you. That woman, Erica." Joonas lightly punched the table with his fist.
"Has something happened?" Joel asked next.
"No." I said and tried to act normal.

"Don't lie to us, you're bad at it." Niko shook his head. I sighed.
"Fine. We visit the tattoo studio today where she's working, because her boss made her a small tattoo. That man, Verneri, was so.. fake? Like he didn't like the fact that I was there with Erica and he tried to act like they would be close to each other. And the way he looked at her.." I sighed and saw how boys started to grin and look at each other, raising their eyebrows.
"So. You're jealous?" Joonas smirked.
"I don't mean that." I looked at him confused but none of them believed a word I said.
"Why it bothers you then?" Joel raised his other eyebrow and took a sip of his beer.

"Erica has had a tough life, and I don't want her to get hurt again. That Verneri seems like a player." I shook my head.
"Then you have to do something about it." Niko suggested.
"Like what?" I frowned.
"Do something that will cause Verneri to give up trying on her. Pick her up from work, visit the studio and spent more time with her so you will get more close. I don't know, you're the wise one here." Joonas said.
"I don't feel like a wise one now..." I let my fingers run throught my hair.
Are they right? Would it work? To make Verneri forget her. Is it the right thing to do? Or will he try even harder?
I think there is only one way to find out.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Thank you for the votes and comments! I'm also glad that more people have found this story, so thank you for reading this <3
Stay strong, you're all awesome 🖤