Somewhere Else

Chapter 1: Arrival (iii)

The rest of our week as tourists in Helsinki ends all too quickly. The Monday after is the day Aksel has to return to work, which also means it is the first day I am left to my own devices.

The first day that real life begins again.

The past week has been fun, mostly because it's been reminiscent of our exchange days in Edinburgh. We got to explore the city like a couple of travellers. It had felt like we were simply travelling and were due back home in a few days. But now, watching Aksel all dressed in formal office wear for work, it hit me that this is supposed to be home from now on.

"Don't worry," he tells me, kissing me goodbye after breakfast. "You'll be fine. Take your time to settle in first. Job-hunting can wait a while more."

I have a good amount saved up in the event I don't find a job immediately, but I do need to get a job as soon as possible. Aksel hasn't discussed the details of the rent for our apartment with me, but I want to start contributing to our life together. And for that, I need a job. But first...

"I'm thinking of going to the supermarket today," I tell him. "You know, check things out, buy some groceries I'll need."

He pauses by the door, as if thinking about something. "I could get my friends to go with you," he says, "I know some of them are free today."

I frown at him, not understanding why I would need his friends to accompany me to the supermarket. It's a supermarket. Isn't grocery shopping the same all over the world?

"There's no need for that," I say, "I can go alone."

Besides, meeting his friends without him around to break the ice? It sounds far too awkward for my liking.

"It's fine," he insists, already reaching into his pocket for his phone. "I'll get them to meet you downstairs in an hour, okay?"

"Aksel," I say, but he leans in for another quick kiss, which distracts me.

"I have to go now," he says, pulling away. "Remember – downstairs in an hour, all right?"

"Aksel," I repeat, but he's already gone. I pout at the door for a minute, feeling somewhat indignant about being assigned babysitters for a trip to the supermarket, of all places. But it would be rude to leave on my own now, now that he's contacted them. Sighing to myself, I turn back to the bedroom to get ready.

An hour later, I make my way slowly down the stairs to the main entrance of the building. On the last landing closest to the ground floor, I see them. Aksel's friends. There are two of them, and they're both leaning against the wall near the front doors, chatting quietly in Finnish. One is a tall, slender blonde girl, and the other is a well-built brown-haired guy who looks even taller than Aksel.

I slowly walk down the rest of the way, my boots tapping steadily against the cement steps. The two look up briefly, run their gazes over me, then turn back to their conversation again. I pause on the last step, knowing that Aksel didn't mention my heritage to them.

Then again, he has never focused that much on the way I look. To him, I've always been German. Aksel sees me a little differently from how other people do.

I briefly contemplate walking straight past them out of the door, then shake my head at myself. It's not their fault for assuming, at first glance, that I'm not the German girl they think they're waiting for.

Before I can lose my nerve, I walk up to them. "Hi," I say awkwardly. "Are you... Aksel's friends?"

They both stare at me for a long moment. I can see the flicker of surprise in both their eyes as they readjust their original expectations. Finally, the girl clears her throat and smiles, a little belatedly. "Hi. You're Emilie?"