Peace In The Noise

Rim Tim Tagi Dim?

''You cannot be serious Ella, I hate that competition, it's a load of freaks dancing around a stage singing shitty songs'' I groaned at my sister as she almost pleaded me to help her. She rolled her eyes and sighed. ''Please Ev? I know it's only guiding the acts in from the car park but the other person dropped out, they need someone''. One thing to know about me, I'm the worlds biggest people pleaser. Did I wanna do this? No. Was I going to out of feeling bad for my sister? Duh. ''Fine, on one condition'' I told her, she smiled and nodded eagerly and this cause me to let out a chuckle. ''We can go out and get drunk after?'' She shook her head and I huffed in response.  ''We need to let them out too, can't find the good looking ones if we're drunk''. She made a valid point. I thought about it for a minute before nodding. ''Fine, I'll do it'' She hugged me excitedly and jumped up and down. ''When is it?'' I asked and she made a face, what was she going to drop on me? ''Tonight'' She dragged the end of the word out and I stuck my face in my hands before shouting, ''Ella! Det är så kort varsel!'' I had a habit of speaking in my home language when I was mad, it was easier to shout in. ''Eva, calm down'' Ella sighed. ''Please? We gotta go now if we do go, besides I need my favourite wingwoman if I'm gonna pick up a man''. I shook my head. ''Well, let's get going then'' I said as I grabbed the car keys. ''Not like that you're not'' Ella looked me up and down and I threw my head back in frustration as she dragged my upstairs to get changed.

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We stood outside the stadium, the air around us smelled of freshly cut grass and a variety of vape flavours and it was somewhat intoxicating and I couldn't stop taking deep breaths. It wasn't long before the acts starting showing up, I knew a few like Olly, Teya and even someone who went by Windows95Man. I took my own vape out of my bag and took a drag, as I did so I heard multiple conversations going on behind me. ''Zar te majka nije učila da ne buljiš, Marko?'' I turned around and seen a group of people going into the stadium. ''Who were they?'' I asked Ella who was looking into the door enamoured. ''Croatia'' She once again dragged her word out before shaking herself back to reality. ''Well obviously, but what were they saying?'' I asked, she studied Croatian at school, whilst I had a basic grasp of hello and how are you. ''I think he said, didn't your mother ever teach you not to stare, Marko?'' She began trailing off as other acts went past us. ''Focus woman'' I snapped my fingers and she came back to reality once again. ''Who's Marko?'' I asked and she shrugged. ''Whoever Croatia's representitive is I guess?'' She questioned and we went back to guiding artists into the right place.

It wasn't long until the end of the competition, I didn't really care for it so I didn't bother keeping track of the scores as I just wanted to be home. Ella however was rhyming off all the leaderboard. ''Croatia second?! No way! Han har blivit bestulen! Det är inte rättvist!'' I sighed as I took a drag of my vape as people started coming out. ''To je tvoja djevojka Marko!'' I heard someone heckle which was followed by, ''Hoćeš li šutjeti?'' I finally seen the guy who appeared to be Marko. He made eye contact with me with those sparkling orbs. He ran a hand through his silvery blonde hair and bit his lip at me before walking off. I felt my heart was about to come out of my chest as some vape smoke left my mouth. ''Damn Ev, think you got an admirer'' Ella said, in a rather jealous tone. ''Oh shut up, I don't even think he was looking at me'' I replied and we could finally start leaving. ''I'm gonna go get a drink, you coming?'' I asked and she shook her head. ''I'm okay, don't get too drunk please, I need you home in one piece'' I laughed as I started walking to my car.

I found my car and went to unlock it but dropped my keys, down the one drain in the parking lot. I let out a, ''Knulla!'' And I went to kick a stone but ended up nearly kicking someone's shins. ''Netko se mora smiriti'' I looked up and there he was, the same guy from before. I tilted my head and he chuckled. ''Sorry, I forget not everyone understands me. Names Marko'' He said as he began attempting to get my keys back. ''Eva'' I said and he smiled up at me. ''Eva, that's a pretty name. Suits you'' He said and I blushed the smallest amount. ''Thanks?'' I said and it definitely came out more as a question. ''You're not gonna get them back'' I said and he shrugged and got up. ''Was worth a try I suppose. You local?'' He crossed his arms and leant on my car. Bold. ''Kinda, 20 minutes away. Lund.'' He bit his lip slightly at me again, guessing he liked what he saw.  ''I'll give you a lift home if you want? I'm renting a car, you don't have to but it's kinda cold out now and I don't think I have it in me to let you freeze out here'' I rubbed my elbow with my hand and looked down at the keys laying in the drain, just out of reach like teasing a dog with a bone behind a fence. ''Yknow what, sure'' I said and he had the goofiest smile on his face. ''Oh, cool!'' He let out a nervous laugh and this made me smile. ''Lead the way'' I said and he did just that.

The drive back to my house was, fun? You'd have thought it was awkward but nope, we talked all the way back and there were no awkward silences, it was strange. ''How long you in Sweden then?'' I asked and he sighed. ''I fly out tomorrow'' He sounded, sad about it? ''Why do you sound so sad about that, don't you miss those cats you told me about?'' He just nodded. ''Sweden is so, beautiful though, and definitely filled with beautiful things.'' He said as he smiled at me and I blushed again, this man already had such a chokehold over me. We eventually pulled up at my house and I sighed, I kinda didn't wanna leave him. ''Eva?'' He asked, rubbing the back of his neck, I looked at him and he took a deep breath. ''Could I-Would you-Can I have your number?'' He finally spat out. I thought about it for a minute then thought, why the heck not? ''Sure'' I said as I gave him my phone to put his number into my phone. ''Thank you, lijep'' He said and I groaned in frustration. ''That's so unfair, I don't know what you're saying!'' I said and he laughed. ''Say something in Swedish then, get back at me.'' I smiled, and proceeded to say, ''Du är lite söt Marko.'' He tilted his head. ''I wish I had google translate right now'' He said and I looked to my front door. ''I guess I better go huh? Thanks for the ride home'' I said as I opened the door. He smiled at me as I got out and I waved as he drove off.

I opened my door, and closed it again. I went straight to my bedroom and flopped onto my bed. I was filled with, an empty feeling and I just couldn't stop thinking about Marko. I had known this man less than half an hour and I already felt something for him, even if I didn't know exactly what it was. Was I falling for basically a stranger?

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Translations :3 (Disclaimer: I am using google translate so I apologise if any of these are wrong!)

Ella! Det är så kort varsel! - Ella! It's such short notice

Zar te majka nije učila da ne buljiš, Marko? - Didn't your mother teach you not to stare, Marko?

Han har blivit bestulen! Det är inte rättvist! - He's been robbed! It's not fair!

To je tvoja djevojka Marko! - That's your girlfriend, Marko!

Hoćeš li šutjeti? - Will you be quiet?

Knulla! - Fuck!

Netko se mora smiriti - Someone needs to calm down

lijep - Beautiful

Du är lite söt Marko - You're kind of cute Marko.