Protect Me (The Protective Archives, Book 1)

Neljätoista/Fourteen - Daniel

"What the hell did you do to Janne?" I barked as I jogged up the steps leading into the tour bus, instantly narrowing my eyes at Jarmo.

He sat contently in one of the few booths onboard, not once tearing his attention away from the Acer laptop set up in front of him. The faint illumination from the screen bathed half of his face in white light, shadowing his defined features. A green candle was burning on the opposite side of the table. The small flame danced rhythmically in the utter silence, carrying the distinct scent of sage throughout the interior of the bus. Mixed amongst it, the fragrance of lavender and basil from other candles flickering intermittently nearby.

"Jarmo!" I bellowed, making my way over to the seat adjacent.

When he still refused to look up at me, I leaned over the table and pushed the top of his laptop shut, scooping it up underneath my arm. He shot me a vexatious look, folding his arms firmly across his chest.

"Do you mind?" He snapped, his voice climbing to a yell. "I was in the middle of writing up a song!"

"Good," I fired back at him, not particularly caring for his misfortune. "I hope you lost all of your saved work. You deserve it for upsetting Janne and making him feel like dirt!"

Jarmo sighed, massaging his fingers in slow, small circles against his temples. "He was the one who took Asko from me. I was so close to getting him; so close! Do you have any idea how much it hurts to see Asko mooning over him, like the sun shines out of his -

"Ice cream anyone?" A familiar voice asked from the aisle, abruptly cutting off the end of Jarmo's tirade.

Both of us directed our attention towards the first set of bunk beds. Matti gingerly leaned against the thick wooden framework, digging the side of his dessert spoon into the scoops of vanilla ice cream within the small plastic lime green bowl in his hand. A thin layer of blue heaven topping was squirted all over the scoops in an erratic pattern, as if he had been in a rush when fetching it.

"Not now, Matti," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. It was becoming sleek with oil; an indication that I was long overdue for a shower. Actually finding the energy to take a shower was the last thing on my mind right then. All of my focus was on persuading Jarmo to apologise to Janne for what sounded like an irrational dispute. "If Janne and Asko want to date, that's entirely up to them, Jarmo. You don't need to throw a hissy fit over it, just because you're not getting your own way. Would you rather Asko be with you and feel miserable, or be with Janne and have a healthy, happy relationship?"

Jarmo glanced down at the metal edging surrounding the red square shaped table, picking aimlessly at a loose strip that was hanging off. A small sized circle was visible from where I stood; an indication that one of its screws was missing. "I just want him to be with me. God knows he'd be much better off with me, because I would remain loyal. You and I both know what Janne can be like, Dane. Don't you see what he's doing?" His gaze flickered up to my face suddenly, his expression transforming from angry to serious. "He's only going to cheat on Asko with someone else! It's exactly like what happened with his last relationship."

"I've known Janne longer than you have," I responded brusquely, easing myself down onto the cushioning. Jarmo looked straight ahead at me, finally grasping the seriousness of the conversation. "While I may not agree with how he represents himself, I honestly do believe that things will be different this time around. I've seen the way he looks at Asko. It's not a look he gives most people; like he's graced by their presence. We're all growing older,
which includes Janne. Maybe in due time, he can finally find some closure."

Jarmo dug his hand into his pocket, drawing out a crumpled packet of cigarettes. "Want one?"

"Why not?" I shrugged, reaching out across the table to pluck one from the silver foil lining the inside.