Inner Desires

3.

Indeed, the karaoke evening was a great icebreaker. Soon Kim and Terhi were quite integrated in the group and started hanging out with them more often. Sometimes, though, they would simply call Hanna to go out for lunch or a coffee, just the three of them. It was nice to enjoy some girly talk every now and then. Thanks to those meetings, Hanna also got to know her new friends better.

Many times she would wonder how two people who seemed so different would have ended up being friends. However, that also made their get-togethers more entertaining. Terhi Koskela was a chatterbox, never afraid to say things clearly – or even bluntly – and always full of energy. After their second dinner together, Hanna already had the feeling that she knew everything about her. She was working as a makeup artist, although apparently she had moved to the states hoping to become an actress.

"You know, in Finland there are just two options – either you commit suicide or you join a metal band. And I don't like metal, so I chose the third option, which is moving to another country" she explained on one occasion.

Apart from singing, she and Hanna had a surprisingly large number of things in common, such as a passion for writing poems and short stories. The Finn kept insisting that one day they should meet to share their works. Both of them were also really into old-style clothes (Kim would often joke that they looked as though they had just escaped from Moulin Rouge or like pin-ups), so shopping together was also another project on their list.

Then there was Kimberly Page, who was poles apart from her friend. Terhi's cheeky ways were a stark contrast to Kim's personality. She tended to speak only when she had something important to say, which made her a good listener and observer. Also, she was quite calmer and rather timid. Yet that did not mean she was boring at all. In fact, Hanna felt that her attitude gave her an aura of mystery. She was convinced that, as soon as she opened up, she would be surprised, and couldn't wait to discover Kimberly's other side.

Proof of that was that she was more cheerful, even crazy, when they were on their own or just with Terhi. Besides, she found her shyness cute in a very particular way. Apart from that, the fact that Kim hardly talked about herself, made her curious. All she knew was that she was a lawyer and lived by herself, close to the restaurant where she worked.

"How about this one?" Hanna asked, turning around to show the red, Asian-style dress she was wearing.

Zach tilted his head, studying it. Finally, he gave her two thumbs up and nodded.

"I like it!"

"Good, then I'll wear it" she smiled as she walked to the mirror next to her bed, her toilet bag in her hand.

"Just don't wonder why it is if the girls start hitting on you" Zach said with a singing tone as he sat on the bed.

"Not gonna happen" she replied with the same tone, without turning around, as put some make-up on.

"How do you know? Besides, who knows, you might like it"

She glared at him playfully through the mirror.

"You're so hilarious! Maybe if I were hot..."

"Aw, don't be stupid, you know you are" Zach threw one of the cushions on the bed at her, hitting her side "By the way, how are things with Adrian?"

The girl sighed gently. She took the eyeliner and began doing her eyes as she replied.

"Same old. He always disappears as soon as I'm ready to attack"

"You need to be more aggressive" he shook his head, placing his hands on her shoulders from behind "You have to use your charms the way you know"

Hanna observed her reflection in the mirror, wondering what those charms were. To shake the negative ideas away, she began thinking of what to do with her hair. A bun held with a chopstick would look nice with the style.