Your Sweet Six Six Six (Ville Valo Love Story, Part 1)

Chapter 4

                The sun had set when suddenly Ville jumped up with a mischievous grin on his face. He grabbed Raven’s hand and dragged her down into his house. They arrived in his kitchen where he promptly dropped her hand and started raiding the cupboards.

                Raven sat at the island counter, amusement in her eyes as she watched Ville rummage around. This felt good, she thought. If only it could last forever. She thought about how lucky she was to have met him, as she sat and smelled the cooking food. And they had become friends. Now how to get that to the next level was a different thought train altogether. Ville only seemed to like her as a friend as far as she could tell. But up on the rooftop he had said that comment about her so casually, she’d thought for sure that he was kidding. Looking back on it he’d looked so sure and earnest about it.

                Her thoughts were interrupted as Ville told her it was dinner time. Raven blinked in startled surprise at the dinner set out on the table. She hadn’t realized she’d been thinking for that long. He’d even lit some candles. Raven could feel her heart melting and her cheeks getting hot.

“You didn’t have to do this,” she said, embarrassed.

“Of course I did. You’re my guest and frankly it’s better than Chinese takeout again. Besides, I like to cook in my spare time and,” he said, shushing her protests, “it’s not every day that I get rid of Linde. Now let’s eat.”

After their meal, Ville took Raven to his living room where he popped ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ into the DVD player. They sat on the black squishy couch and watched the first half-hour without saying anything.

“Uh, about… about the thing I said earlier, I really meant it.” He stopped and watched the movie, so deep in thought that Raven thought he was done talking. Then—“You looked even prettier in the candlelight.”

“What did I tell you before? Quit joking around.” Raven said it softly, but thought that he might actually be serious.

“I’m being heart-attack serious, Raven.”

“Okay, Ville, whatever.” She thought she saw a flicker of hurt in his eyes as they watched the rest of the movie in silence. But once again she was unsure.

When the movie ended, Ville walked Raven back to the hotel and to her room. Outside her door she found her key. Ville wished her a good night and took his leave.

In the morning Raven walked down to the lobby, hoping to catch Ville. He’d been kinda cold and detached the night before, like he’d been hurt.

She got to the lobby and saw the guys hanging around the front desk. She walked over to them and Burton was the first to notice her presence.

“Hey, guys, look. It’s Raven.”

Mige looked at her. “Where did you go last night? You and Ville were there one second and gone the next. We hit up an awesome party.”

“Yeah and Linde almost got us arrested. Again,” quipped in Gas.

“Hey, it wasn’t my fault. I didn’t know she was an ex-cop! She looked like any other hooker to me.”

“Uh-huh. See what kinda trouble you get into, Linde, without me to babysit you?” Ville appeared, and looked pained at Linde’s confession. “Hey Raven. Did you just get here?”

“Yeah. But I think I should’ve come later.” She faked seriousness, then smiled. “So do you know any exciting places around here? I need something to do.”

“Of course,” all four of them chimed, making Raven laugh.

“But I’ll take you,” offered Ville. He then turned around and yelled. “Gerrie, I’m leaving now!”

“Why do you get to show her around?” Linde sounded like a jealous child whining.

“Yeah. We should get to escort this fine lady around too.” Gas, the gentleman, smiled at Raven.

“Okay, fine.” Ville lost patience with them and allowed Raven to be dragged out the door in four different directions before calming down. “But we should take turns before we rip Raven into pieces. What would we do then?”

They all laughed and agreed with him. Then the guys played Rock, Paper, Scissors to see who would go first. Burton won and headed north down a side street. The rest fell in line until they reached a park.

“That was so fun and awesome!” Raven exclaimed.

Ville walked around a corner and stood in front of his house. “Well of course it was. We are the most awesomest band ever. But we had to save the best one for last.”

Inside the house of Ville Valo once again, Raven noticed something she hadn’t before. On the walls were pictures of Ville, his family, and Ville with some pretty woman. Instantly Raven was jealous. In most of the pictures the two were hugging and they looked very happy.