"From SRF...? Wait!" Her eyes skimmed over the words and the phone almost slipped from her hands in shock, "Zöe, please tell me I'm reading this right." Her hand clasped over her mouth, tears forming in her eyes. "I can't believe it. "
"Well you sh...
The plane had just landed in Oslo, the last three hours spent curled in her seat listening to her Eurovision playlist. Zöe had rushed her straight to the hotel, as the darkness of night approached.
It was only one day until she would meet some of the other countries' representatives, and hear there songs live for the first time. There would be Sissal, Vaeb from Iceland, Emmy from Ireland, Albania, Latvia, Poland, and of course, Kyle Alessandro.
Ella had this weird feeling whenever she thought of him - she didn't know why, especially as she'd never actually met him before. Her heart just beat slightly quicker, her chest lightened, her smile seemed to widen without her permission. It could be jealousy, for how good he looked on stage, for how his choreography seemed so effortless, how he moved, how he spoke, his easy smile, his soft curls...
But she was afraid it was much more than that. She'd always developed crushes easily, but this really wasn't the time to get one. This was a boy who'd she be seeing for the next few months, and would surely not reciprocate her feelings. Even the idea of him was messing with her concentration, and any move she made would mess with the chance she had been given. She would have to try to forget him, act normally, ignore the way her heart raced.
It was stupid really. She hadn't even met him yet.
But that would change by tomorrow.
...
March 20
Dawn rose like a bird - but a bird like a pigeon, or an annoying parrot that just lifts off out of nowhere. The light came quick, practically yanking Ella out of her peaceful slumber, and rudely reminding her off that day that lay ahead.
She turned over in bed and groaned into the pillow, knowing that Zöe would soon be along to drag her to an interview. The hotel alarm clock read 7:24, but outside, the sound of life could already be heard. She may as well start to get ready now.
She showered, almost screaming out at the ice cold water before it adjusted; burned her neck in the process of curling her hair; blinked rapidly to get out the mascara she poked in her eye. She pulled on her outfit of the day, dark trousers and a navy blouse, before finally breathing out in relief; she was definitely not stressed.
At all.
She clicked onto Kyle's Instagram, hovering over his new post for about 12 minutes before finally deciding to like it.
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His caption read: 'Oslo!!!! Are u ready for Saturday? See you all at sentrum scene i can't waaaait!! 💌'
She even left a comment: 'Excited to finally see you in person :)'.
He'd replied: 'I actually exist in more than just a rectangle'.
See, she could handle being friends.
...
Sure enough her first interview came, asking basic questions on how she felt, how she liked Oslo, what her song was about. She answered them all confidently: she was excited, Oslo was full of pretty buildings, her song encouraged kindness towards everyone. She told the interviewer that she was going to meet Sissal and Kyle, he asked about the Live stream. She bade him goodbye, he wished her good luck, then out she was to the newfound freedom of Oslo.
The city unfolded at the edge of the fjord, where the grey-blue water met a skyline of glass and stone. Oslo was a quiet hum of life, modern yet ancient, tucked between forested hills and the shimmering expanse of the sea. Sleek trams glided through clean streets lined with minimalist architecture and cozy cafés, while the scent of pine and salt air drifted in from the surrounding wilderness.
In the distance, the sharp angles of the Opera House jutted out like a sheet of ice rising from the harbor, and behind it, the city stretched inward - past the old ramparts of Akershus Fortress and the narrow, cobbled alleys of bygone centuries. Statues stood frozen in the Vigeland Park, their stone expressions echoing the stillness of long Nordic winters.
Yet beneath the calm, Oslo pulsed with a quiet confidence. It seemed like a city where art bloomed in galleries, ideas sparked in co-working lofts, and conversations drifted from open-air markets in a dozen languages. It was a city where past and future sat side by side, and nature was never more than a short walk away.
Sissal and Kyle were waiting for her in a small café off the high streets. She had got lost two times already trying to find it, so when she turned down the right lane to see the sign outside, she let out a sigh of relief. She had survived her interview, she could survive this.
The door swung open with a small tinkle of a bell, the scent of fresh pastries and newly brewed coffee welcoming her. In the back corner, a brown haired boy looked up to see who the new arrival was. His face broke into a wide smile in recognition, and she couldn't help but send a shy smile back. The boy nudged the woman next to him, her blonde hair whipping round as she spun to see who he was talking about. They both stood up, the boy quicker as he stepped across the room to pull the newcomer into a tight hug. She smiled into his shoulder before he pulled her back to look at her.
"Wow, you looked shorter on my screen."
Ella tried to hide her blush, but allowed her smile to grow wider. "And you looked taller."
It was followed by an indignant "I am tall."
She was soon pulled into another hug by the blonde woman, who started talking about how Ella had saved her from Kyle's company. Sissal was exactly like she had seemed on the live: warm, comforting, funny.
She was led to their corner table, with Kyle following close behind, and the smile never leaving her face.
"So... How do you like Oslo?" That was from Kyle.
"It's big, I guess. Well, I got lost a couple of times on my way here so... yeah. But don't tell my team that, they won't let me go anywhere alone again."
"We'll tell them you're with us, Kyle knows his way around. Don't you Kyle." She nudged him, it really was like having a family. A super talented family.
He brushed Sissal off and waved over a waiter. "You don't drink coffee right?" He was addressing her. Without waiting for confirmation he added, "I think you'll like Solo - it's orange flavour."
The waiter came, and Kyle ordered in Norwegian, laughing at something the man said before turning back to them.
Sissal noticed it too, "and what was so funny Kyle?"
"Nothing." But he had a small smirk on his face.
"So... Solo? Like your song?" It came out before Ella could stop it.
He seemed surprised, one eyebrow raised. "You know my song?"
"And you know I don't drink coffee."
That little smirk again.
Sissal broke the tension, "Well since you two seem to know each other so well," that shut them both up, "I suggest after this we go back to the hotel. There will be others arriving by now."
Ella didn't look towards him again. The drinks arrived, an orange Solo for her.
He was right.
...
[1229 words] Guys I kept switching to second person. I kept saying 'you'. Please help me stop this. I hate it it's really annoying I had to go through it all to check I hadn't messed up. Like I started it in third person so I can't just change it now, but also I'm not supposed to like second person. It feels like betrayal that it sounds alright when I'm writing in. But thank you for reading <3
