Buried Alive By Love

4. You Can't Run Forever

My mom looked back and forth to me and Ruby, completely puzzled. "Hi, mom. This is Ruby, a friend. I brought her for a tea. Ruby, this is my mom, Anita."

"Nice meeting you, Ruby." Anita gave her a kiss and she smiled. "Come, it's so cold."

I helped Ruby removing her coat. My mom was clearly not knowing what to do. "What about a coffee, mom?"

"Sure, I have some snacks."

"Sit, Ruby. I'll help my mom, be my guest."

I followed my mom to the kitchen. "Who's she, Ville?"

"I told you, she's a friend."

"Friend. Sure she is."

"I mean it."

"I know that sparkle in your eyes."

"Whatever, mom. I don't know what I'm doing here, anyway."

"You seem nervous around her."

"Maybe a bit. She's... She makes me unnerving, but in a good way."

"So I met two of your girlfriends, is there any other I should know of?"

"She's not my girlfriend, mom. Well, not even Nat. I don't know."

"I was only joking, don't get nervous."

"Just help me out here, mom."

"Go fetch her."

Ruby was near my old piano, looking at some photos. "Do you play?"

"No."

"I can teach you."

"I'm good."

I chuckled, she was always so straight to the point. "Alright. Come, let's have some tea."

She walked into the kitchen with me, my mom was serving us some coffee and tea. She had a cake and some biscuits. "Tea or coffee, Ruby?" My mom asked her.

"Coffee, please."

It was a bit awkward. Ruby was looking at her cup, with her absent gaze. My mom was eyeing me, and I was thinking what to say. "Ruby is an Art student."

"Oh, that's nice. We are fans of Art in this home."

Ruby nodded. "Do you want cake, dear?" My mom cut a slice and gave it to her, and she handled me a slice as well. "Kiitos."

Ruby ate and observed the cake very well. "Did you made it yourself?"

"Yes, did you like it? Ville enjoys it, as he can't eat dairy products, it's done without it."

"It's really good, it tastes like home." I smiled, that sound sweet but at the same time, I could see some melancholy behind her eyes. Maybe she had problems back home? She mentioned she didn't want to go back to Norway.

"Where are you from, Ruby?"

"Norway."

"Oh, it's a lovely country, where in Norway?"

"I was living in Oslo before coming to Helsinki."

I decided to ask. "Have you always lived there?"

"No, my family comes from Stavanger."

"And how did you two meet?" Anita asked, curious.

"Through Art. I was at the Helsinki Art Museum." I said. "We were admiring the same exposition, from Schjerfbeck's works."

"I see." My mom was trying to get a glimpse of us.

"Ville sings very nicely." Ruby said out of the blue and I smiled. "He does, dear. He's very talented." Anita smiled at me. I felt like I couldn't hide anything from her.