When everyone went out to the buses the next morning, they saw Raven’s stuff neatly piled up by Tokio Hotel’s bus. They all looked away as Bill was the only one to help her get her stuff on the bus.
Ville didn’t so much as glance their way as he climbed onto his bus last. He didn’t look at his band mates either as he walked past them to his bunk. He didn’t come out until the bus pulled into the concert venue’s parking lot that night.
He climbed off the bus and was met by Shona. He tried to ignore her but she quietly kept pace with him as he walked to his dressing room. He finally spoke as he grabbed different clothes.
“Uh, could you…?”
“Yeah I was going to turn around or whatever anyway.” She didn’t look back around until she heard a quiet “okay.” “So, Ville, I think we need to talk.”
“If you mean Ra—her,” he changed what he was saying and Shona saw the pain flash in his eyes, “then no. I’m very busy as you can see. I really need to concentrate so go away and leave me alone.”
Look at you! You can’t even say her name. RAVEN, RAVEN, RAVEN!” She yelled at him and got an ounce of satisfaction at seeing him flinch every time. “Ville Valo, when I say we need to talk, we NEED to talk. No one says no to me.”
“Okay, okay. We can talk but not right now. I really do need to concentrate and I can’t with you yelling at me. Meet me at the bus after the show.” He sighed as she left to find Davey. He was so not ready to go through this yet.
He wished the time would somehow go slower, but wishing only made it go faster. First he was watching The Rasmus; now he was going onstage; he saw Shona patiently waiting by his bus; and finally he was sitting on the bed in the back room with Shona.
He didn’t know where to begin so he sat and fiddled with his necklace. He kept glancing at his guest and saw she didn’t know where to start either. It didn’t help that thoughts of Raven kept drifting through his mind. Finally he caught Shona’s eye and she talked.
“So, about Raven. Let me tell you about her first.”
“We met in the sixth grade and we’ve been friends ever since. We went to high school and college together. She’s the sister I barely see but a sister nonetheless. So basically we’ve been through a lot.
“Even on this tour we’re going through stuff together. I hate to see her get hurt and I thought she would if she continued with Bill.”
“Continued with Bill? For what?” Ville interrupted.
“Remember when we went to that park with the giant bird?” She waited as he thought about it and nodded. “Well Bill kissed Raven. She didn’t want to tell you because she didn’t want you to be mad at both of them. She was so excited about having a new friend.
She got mad at him and avoided him until the other night at the concert. They made up and she was ultra-happy to have her friend back.
“Then, she started being so secretive with us. I think it was because of Bill. Not that he was controlling or anything, but because she didn’t want us to know. You know Raven would never let anyone try to control her.”
“But she should’ve just told me! I could’ve helped her with all this,” Ville burst out. He got to his feet and paced a small circle in front of the bed.
“How could you have helped her? By telling her to stop loving Bill? That is way easier said than done. Trust me, I know.” Shona looked somewhat sad. “And you should now that you can’t tell Raven to do something like that and actually expect her to do it. You can’t tell someone who to love.”
Ville held his head in his hands, still pacing. “I know. So what else can I do? I love her so much. She’s my world now and I don’t know what I’d do without her by my side.”
“Please stop pacing, Ville. You’re making me dizzy.” She pulled him down next to her again. “I know how you feel…it’s just that I don’t know what to tell you. Other than that one thing.”
“What ‘one thing’?”
“You know, ‘if you love something, set it free and if it comes back it was meant to be.’ That thing.”
“Oh, yeah, ‘that thing’.”
“Unless you wanted me to tell you to grovel on your knees and beg for forgiveness for something you couldn’t control. Or I could tell you to find someone else and make her jealous. I find that usually works.”
A small smile spread across Ville’s lips. “Haha. Given the choice, I’ll choose the first Jealousy is unbecoming and I only wanna be on my knees for one thing. But if she doesn’t come back, I guess I won’t be needing these anymore.”
He pulled the ring box out of his pocket and handed it to Shona. Her jaw dropped and she stared when she saw what was inside. She turned them over and saw their names and shut the box with a snap. She hurriedly handed it back, as if it were poison.
Ville looked at her and was surprised to see tears in Shona’s eyes. He pulled her into a one-armed hug. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
“Because,” she sobbed out, “because you’re not. Because you did this wonderful thing and I didn’t know! I could’ve stopped is. She told me when it was happening. I’m crying because my best friend doesn’t know she has the most amazing guy in the world!”
Now it was his turn to comfort. “Shhh. It’s okay. You yourself just told me that no one can help who they love. I can’t help it that I love Raven. I love her as much as you do, which is quite a bit I see.”
Ville smiled as he heard a very wet giggle. “But you don’t have to cry for me. I can take care of myself as well as anyone else. And thank you for crying. I haven’t known you for very long but I can tell you’re a good friend. We’re good friends already.”
They sat, Ville with his arm around Shona, until her hiccups died away. They hadn’t been bothered at all. Finally Ville stood up and walked around toward the door. He turned around and smiled.
“Thank you, and goodnight.”
“You’re welcome, and goodnight.”
YOU ARE READING
And Love Said No (Ville Valo Love Story, Part 2)
FanfictionA continuation of 'Your Sweet Six Six Six.' Our heroine and her rockstar love continue on in their fast-paced lives.
