In Love and Lonely (Ville Valo Fanfic)

Prologue

Spring 1981

Aava stood at the front window, her nose pressed firmly againt the glass as she watched the birds pecking at the ground. She scrunched up her nose and let out a squeel.

"Eww!" she exclaimed.

"Aava, what are you doing?" her mother called from the kitchen, pots clanging as she washed dishes.

"Watching the birds. It ate a worm!" she said with a giggle.

"Birds do that." Her mother said with a light chuckle.

Aava went back to watching the birds then looked up as the front door to the home across the street opened. A pretty woman ushered her son out the front door, his curly brown hair bouncing at his shoulders as he ran down the sidewalk then came to a stop and looked in her direction. Aava smiled wide and waved at him giddily from her spot at the front window. The boy waved back shyly then ran back to his mother who had taken to sitting on the front step.

"Äiti! Look a boy!" Aava said as she pressed her hands against the window bounced on her toes.

There wasn't any kids her age in the neighborhood which left her to play on her own with acception of the occasional playdate at the local park. Her mother walked into the livingroom, drying her hands on a dishtowel as she reached the window. She smiled up at her mother in excitement and her mother laughed.

""Honey, hands off the glass. Your going to get fingerprints all over it."

She quickly puled her hands off the glass and placed them on the windowsill as she looked back out at the young boy.

"They just moved in a few days ago, would you like to go say hi?" her mother asked as she knelt down and straightened the strap of her overalls.

"Can we?" Aava beemed.

"Of course. Go put your shoes and coat on."

Aava squeeled in excitement and ran to the front door and pulled on her purple boots, struggling ever so slightly. Her mother slid on a pair of boots then grabbed Aava's sweater off the hook and helped her slide it on. Aava turned the handle on the door and bolted out the front door with her mother following behind her.

"Aava! Stop at the sidewalk."her mother called after her.

She looked back at her mother and waited anxiously for her to reach her side and take her hand so she could cross the street.

"Did you look both ways?" her mother asked as she looked down at her.

Aava turned her head left and right.

"No cars." Aava smiled up at her.

Her mother smiled down at her and led her across the street to the new neighbor's house.

"Moi!" Aava exclaimed with a wide smile as they reached the sidewalk.

The woman smiled at her and waved.

"Moi!," she pulled at the young boy who had taken up hiding behind her and he emerged cautiously. "Ville say hello."

He shook his head no then looked down at his feet and his curls fell in front of his eyes. Aava's smile fell and her heart sank.

"It's ok honey he's just a little shy." the woman said with a warm smile.

Aava looked up at her mother for direction. She didn't understand what the lady meant. Why wouldn't he say hi?

"It's ok. Go introduce yourself." her mother said as she nudged her.

Aava released her mother's hand and ran up to the boy as her mother made small talk with the boy's mom. She came to a stop in front of the boy and smiled.