10. Burning flame of love
Joel
I just arrived to Aleksi's place, since we have our band meeting here. He has a small studio and all, so it's comfortable. Or I don't know if it's comfortable at all, I just wanted to stay home and sleep.
Sleep? Yeah, my brain and body doesn't know that word. I slept maybe two hours last night, and I feel like shit.
Aleksi opened the door for me and stepped aside so I can get in.
"Hi, how are you doing?" Aleksi smiled as he closed the door behind me. I was taking off my shoes and jacket. Rilla was also shaking her tail on the floor, looking up at me with happy face, so I had to pet her a bit.
"Feels like a truck has driven on top of me. I have no idea why you suddenly wanted us to have a band meeting." I sighed. We were walking towards that room where Aleksi's small studio was.
"I thought it would be good to finally talk about this band's future." He responded. I opened the door and others were already sitting here and there. Rilla really wanted to squeeze herself between my legs to the studio room too. I shook my head amused.
I took a seat from a couch where Olli was sitting too, but it looked like that he was sleeping. It made me confused. I poked his arm but he didn't react.
"Does Oscar really keep this man awake at night so much?" I questioned and everyone's eyes were on Olli then. Their faces were just as confused as mine.
Joonas walked in front of Olli and studied his face, then carefully he gave two slaps to Olli's cheek, but he didn't wake up. It's not new that he always sleeps deeply, but it's weird that he sleeps like now when we have some important things to do.
Joonas took grip from Olli's shoulders and started shaking him.
"Olli! Bass artist!" Joonas shouted and then he flinched awake, looking like an owl. Joonas let go of him, everyone were kind of amused, but I wasn't at all. Neither was Tommi.
"What..?" Olli mumbled.
"You were sleeping. Why?" I asked confused, but he just rubbed his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. I turned my eyes on Tommi who was sitting in a chair near us.
"Uhm.. I was awake for the whole night. I felt so restless and most of the time I just sat and stared at the walls." He explained tired.
"Because of Freya?" Tommi frowned. Immediately I moved my eyes to him worried. What does he mean?
"What? Has something happened to her?" I asked.
They didn't answer. They only looked at each other like "should we tell or not?" It made me even more nervous and frustrated that they stayed silent.
"I need to know!" I raised my voice.
Tommi sighed and tried to find the right words.
"Last night she slept in my apartment. She had an argument with Gilbert a day ago, and at night he was drunk. She didn't want to stay there. Apparently Gilbert lied to Olli and Eevi that she was high and told Gilbert that she's going to fuck someone. A while ago when I drived her back there, Eevi and Olli haven't slept at all at night and.. well, as you can see." Tommi pointed at Olli.
What. The. Fuck. Why did Gilbert lie?
I turned my head to look at Olli, and he tried to keep his eyes open. It looked like that he has been drinking or something. It's hard to explain, but I bet that there's something weird going on.
"And you thought it's a good idea to leave Freya, Eevi and Oscar alone there with that crazy man?" I questioned irritated from Tommi. He didn't respond.
"Why Freya would've been high?" Niko asked confused. Oh, yeah, they don't know that one of her bad habits was to get high sometimes.
"Well she wasn't. Gilbert lied. And I know that there's something going on..." I tried to think and think that what would it be.
"Like what?" Joonas raised his other eyebrow. I shrugged my shoulders. But this situation is strange.
"I have fucking bad feeling about this. I'm going there." I stood up and I was ready to leave, everyone started talking to me at the same time some shit, but I didn't listen. They all followed me to the hallway, sounding a bit panicked. Maybe they thought that I'm going to challenge Gilbert to fight or something.
"You're not going alone!" Niko's tone was serious. So he walked past me as I was putting my shoes on, and he started doing the same. Well I didn't mind about company, at least I have someone with me who can justify if Gilbert does or says something.
"Guys, what if everything is okay and you just piss of Freya for nothing?" Aleksi questioned unsure. I looked at him, and then my eyes moved to Olli who was leaning against the wall. He didn't look well at all and his skin was pale.
"I'm coming with you..." Olli then mumbled and took couple steps towards us, but apparently he felt dizzy and took support from Joonas.
"No you're not. Look at yourself! You stay here and guys, please give him something to drink." I said and pointed at Olli. He didn't like what I said.
"Eevi is my wife and my son is there too!" He raised his voice.
Niko went closer to him, and placed his hand on his shoulder.
"She's my sister. We'll go there and figure it out that what's happening." Niko told him. Olli nodded silently.
We arrived to the house. I had so bad feeling somehow. Maybe it sounds silly that I still care about a woman who left me and ran away with other man and convinced that she's living her dream life now. And I have been so angry to my friends and shouted to them that I don't give a fuck about her.
In reality I still love her, and that feeling is so pure and strong that it will not fade away. It's like a burning flame in my heart, and that flame burns for Freya.
And if this man, Gilbert, has done or will do something to the love of my life, I swear.. I fucking swear that he will suffer. And he will suffer for the rest of his life.
I rang the doorbell, Niko was standing on my right side.
"Why we didn't take Olli's key?" He looked at me confused. I opened my mouth, then I sighed.
"We're so professionals..." I mumbled, turning my gaze back to the door. I just wish that either Freya or Eevi would open the door.
The door opened normally, no insecurity or anything. Like the opener was owning the house.
And for my bad luck this brown haired man in a white polo shirt was the one standing there. He didn't look suprised. To be honest, he even had a small smirk on his face. It annoyed me.
Niko tried to look past him, but I just kept staring at this.. motherfucker. He changed his eyes between us.
"Where is Eevi? Freya? Oscar?" Niko started asking calmly. I have no idea how he's so calm. I didn't even blink as I tried to see through that man.
"Sleeping." Gilbert answered, having no longer that smirk.
"At the middle of the day?" Niko questioned, raising his eyebrows.
"Naps are usually taken then." Gilbert said back coldly. I frowned a bit. He doesn't act like himself at all. Or whatever his true self is.
"Freya never takes naps." I decided to say, my tone was as cold as his. He turned his eyes on me, quickly he looked down at me, then up again.
"People change." He tilted his head a little bit to the left as he narrowed his eyes.
"Apparently." I quietly said as Niko took a step closer to him.
"I'm going inside now, it's my right." Niko said determinedly. Gilbert lifted his eyebrows a bit up, then he stepped aside just so Niko could squeeze himself inside to the house. I was about to follow Niko, but Gilbert took the step back. He stared at me coldly.
"I want to talk with Freya. Now." I said, but he rolled his eyes and then looked around.
"If I were you, I'd choose a better time to talk." He had a weird gaze. His eyes were.. different. Like, well, someone who uses drugs or something, I don't know.
"If you want to switch positions, no thanks." I tried to hide my smirk. I enjoyed this little teasing. I should do this to him more often, because that confused face he had was a pleasure to see.
"I thought you were jealous and wanted Freya back." He leaned his hand against the door frame. Even his words made me almost laugh. Is this man doing this all only because of wanting to make me jealous? I'm so honored.
"I'm not jealous to you. Why would I be? You're pathetic, annoying and god knows what monster you deep inside are." I looked at him up and down grinning, he clearly tried to stay calm.
He stayed silent as I went a bit closer to him.
"If I'm honest.. you should be careful. You have no idea what's coming for you if you ever, ever, hurt Freya or anyone else around us. Haven't you seen all the people who cares for Freya?" I continued my speech quietly. He swallowed. He was getting nervous.
"Are you threatening? You know, I have the best lawyer on my side who would win a case or two for me." He said as quietly. I smirked again, then I shook my head as I studied this pathetic man's face.
"What a lawyer can do, if there's no one they could stand for?" I silently questioned. Then his face turned white, and he moved aside. I guess I'm going in.
I didn't even bother to take my shoes off or anything, I needed to find Freya immediately. I think Niko was upstairs or something. I checked Eevi's and Olli's bedroom, but she wasn't there. Neither was Eevi, so I think and hope that she's there where Niko is.
Then I went to the living room, and I had to stop for a second.
Freya was on the couch, looking tired and I don't know if she was sleeping. I let out a sigh of relief, but won't celebrate yet.
Fastly I walked to her, and then I sat next to her. I placed my hand on her arm, she opened her eyes, but didn't look at me.
"Freya? Hey?" I asked gently, but she was only staring at the wall. I got worried, this made my heart beat faster. She was like in another world.
"Freya? Darling..?" I asked quietly as I shook her a bit. Suddenly she started blinking, and then she turned her head to me. She looked confused.
"Joel? What are you doing here?" She asked frowning. I smiled a bit, gladly she seems to be okay.
"Tommi told everything, I got worried. I had to see you." I said a bit nervous. This might be so weird to her, I've been so horrible towards her and suddenly I'm caring. She nodded, still confused.
Then there was steps coming down from the upstairs, we both turned our heads to that direction.
"I have no idea why you guys came here." Eevi was explaining, holding Oscar. Niko was following his sister a bit nervous.
"We were just worried! You should've seen Olli, he was so weird. How could we know that you guys are even alive?" Niko defended himself. Eevi chuckled, but it was because of disappointment. Her face told everything, she looked at me, and I think I know what she's thinking. That I'm overreacting. She knows that I don't like Gilbert at all, and maybe this seems like that I'm trying to make him the bad guy.
"Why you didn't call then?" Eevi turned to look Niko again. He shrugged his shoulders.
I had to move my eyes back to Freya, and she was already looking at me. But she didn't look so disappointed, more like.. that she understands or something. But it was strange that she was keeping her eyes closed at first, then she stared at the wall, then me. Like she was in trance.
"Everything is fine.. don't be worried." Freya said quietly when Eevi walked to the kitchen, Niko following her and they were talking about this all.
"How can I be sure that you're fine?" I asked quietly.
She looked down at my hand that was still on her arm, so slowly I slided it away. But she kept staring at her hands.
"I hope we get to talk everything clear.. but later. There's something I need to do first." She was suddenly whispering. I kept studying her hair, nose, eyelashes and lips. Then she looked up at me again. I nodded.
I stood up, ready to leave. But Freya stood up too and came in front of me, it made me tense my body. She hasn't been this close for long time. And everything I need is.. that she wouldn't leave. That she would stay there.
"I hope you understand, because I don't have much time or anything. I need to figure this.. one thing out before Gilbert takes me -" She continued, but that one annoying voice interrupted us.
"Everything is fine here?" Gilbert asked. I had to inhale, and then exhale. I would give my right kidney for free if this man would disappear from this whole galaxy. Freya just answered yes, and I followed Gilbert with my eyes as he made his way to the kitchen. Freya was about to follow him, but I took her arm and it made her turn around.
"He takes you where? What's going on?" I whispered confused, maybe a bit panicked too.
"Away from here. Back to.. home. Or more specifically, to Caribbean." She explained unsure. I frowned. No. That crazy man is not going to leave again and brainwash Freya.
"And what's that thing you need to figure out?" I kept asking, she sighed and looked at me with her worried brown eyes.
"It's better if no one else knows." She answered nervously. She was about to turn around again, but I stopped her.
"I can help." I offered, but she only shook her head. It made me frustrated.
"But I-"
"Please, Joel. Let me do this myself. I know what I'm doing and I want you to stay out of this and not make Gilbert any more angry." She explained quietly. The last sentence made me even more confused.
"Angry? Has he been angry to you? For fucks sake Freya, tell me if he hurts you or does anything bad!" I started to lose my patience, but I talked as quietly as I could.
"Nothing bad happens!" She defended.
"Yet! I have so many fucking questions and it makes me lose my mind." It really felt like that my head was going to explode or something. Or my heart. Or both. She took my hand and squeezed it. Literally in this situation I got shivers from her touch.
"And you will get the answers eventually. Right now I just hope and wish that you focus on yourself and won't lose your mind." She stared at me straight to my soul, and it made me speechless. Also when she let go of my hand, I started feeling sadness.
"Okay Joel, let's go back to the meeting before Eevi kicks us out." Niko said from the hallway, but I kept staring at Freya. I stared at her until she turned around and went to the kitchen. I had no other option but swallow, bit my teeth together and leave her there with Gil.. I don't even bother to think his name.
What might be Freya's plan? Is she going to find the thing out? But Olli's and Freya's behavior was weird.. is Gilbert doing something to them possibly?
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I hope you all a good week, remember to take care of yourselves!
Stay safe and strong🖤