Chapter 7 - Worlds Apart

Chapter Seven

25.12.
 
Elena helped her mother to prepare a late lunch the next afternoon. Working up all her courage, she looked up from the vegetables she had been chopping after a while. “Mom, I... can I talk to you about something?”
Her mother stopped stirring the sauce and dried her hands. “Sure love. What’s wrong?” she stepped closer, caressing her daughter’s cheek. “You look exhausted, are you alright? I’ve been worried about you today.”
Elena sighed and put the carrot and the knife down in the sink. “I’m not feeling well, Mom.” She admitted and turned around, resting her back against a cupboard. “I told you about those dreams I’ve had for a few nights now.” She started, kneading her fingers nervously. “It’s weird, I seem to fall asleep but I wake up in this dream only minutes after and... whenever I wake up it is the day before or even earlier and I... I seem to live every day twice. One time with you and one time with... with this man! And now... everything has become so complicated, I... I used to date one of his friends years ago and... I don’t know, everything seems so real and messed up, I... I don’t get enough sleep because I seem to be awake constantly and... I was wondering if you could maybe tell me what to do or prescribe me something for better sleeping.” She shook her head and stared at the floor. “I feel exhausted, Mom. I wanna sleep again and I don’t wanna dream for a few nights!”
Caitlyn hesitated but the pleading look in her daughter’s eyes made her nod. “I will figure something out for you, ok? I don’t wanna prescribe any anti-psychotics, but there are a few things to help you sleep.” She nodded encouraging. “I will get you something for tonight, ok?”
Elena breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Mom. I... I only want this to be over. I really need some rest!”
 
For a few nights her sleep was deep and dreamless and Elena started to feel a lot better. New year’s eve was coming up and she decided to go out with Lilly and Kilian. Even Cedric and Lea joined them in a local pub after all of them had enjoyed a long dinner with their parents.
The party was great and the five of them kept drinking and dancing with some of their old friends from school that had returned home for the holidays as well. It was after two and still the whole pub was full of singing and dancing people, making Elena smile. The Finnish definitely knew how to party even in the smallest places. Fighting her way over to the loo after a while she felt her head spinning. She loved beer, maybe she had loved it a bit too much tonight. Grinning to herself she grabbed the next person in reach, trying to stabilize herself. The young man reacted quickly, laughing along with her. “Ye alright, sweetheart?” he held her by her shoulders for a few seconds until she nodded with a grin.
“Guinness’s gonna be my death one day!”
Laughing he raised his pint. “As well as mine.” Carefully he released her. “Come back before, will ye?”
Elena couldn’t help giggling. “I surely will!” she promised before slowly continuing her way over to the restrooms. There was the typically long queue of girls in front of the lady’s room and Elena sighed in annoyance. Nobody was entering or exiting the men’s, so she decided to get inside after a while because she couldn’t wait any longer. Freshing up her make-up, she remained standing in front of the mirror for a few minutes, arranging her hair and her white and blue dress. Even though it was cold outside Lilly and she had decided to wear dresses over pullovers and thick woollen tights. It was a Finnish night out in Helsinki, so it had to be the flag! Quickly she checked her eye make-up one last time, cursing lowly because she had forgotten her bag with her eye shadow somewhere with her siblings. To hell with it. She looked nice enough for a drunken crowd! Nodding at her reflection she pushed herself away from the sink, reaching out her hand to grab the door handle. To her surprise the door suddenly opened and she was faced with a staggering man.
He stared at her in confusion, quickly checking the sign at the door. “Lady’s is over there!” he pointed right.
“I know, I...” Elena fell silent, gazing at him with disbelieve. “Riku?” she whispered after a few seconds of shock, still staring at the man that was holding on to the door handle for balance.
He exhaled in annoyance. “Not tonight, sweetheart! Not tonight!”
Elena felt the entire colour draining from her face. There he was. Riku Rajamaa. Her last dream came to her mind. His words, the hurt in his eyes and the kisses they had shared, innocent and soft but yet so intimate because of their long history together. Feeling her legs giving in, she stepped back, grabbing the sink in her back for support. She was completely out of words. Little stars were dancing in front of her face and she felt her vision darkening. He grabbed her when her legs gave in eventually, trying to prevent her from falling down onto the dirty floor.
Drawing a few deep breaths, Elena rested her forehead to his shoulder. It was Riku. Her friend Riku. Quickly she tried to make her own feet support the weight of her body again and stepped back. “I... I’m sorry.” She mumbled, realising in surprise that he even smelled the way he had in her dreams. Completely confused she stepped back. “I’m sorry. I might have had a few beers more than it is good for me! I gotta go back to my siblings now.” When she tried to rush over to the door he suddenly stopped her.
“Do I know you from somewhere?” he asked, resting his back at the wall to watch her with narrowed eyes.
He had obviously been drinking as well and Elena wasn’t sure what to answer. ‘Sure, we’ve been in a relationship eight years ago before you broke up with me and I married Samu. Wait, sorry, just my imagination!’ seemed a bit weird, so she only tried to smile. “We... we went to the same school. You finished high school the year before I earned my degree. One of my brothers was in Sami’s year or above, I think.”
“Oh!” suddenly a small smile crept over his face. “So you still live around here?”
“My parents. I moved to London a few years ago for my studies. But now it’s family gathering for the holidays and we all decided to stay over new year’s as well.” Elena returned his smile, feeling her heartbeat slowing down when his smile grew wider.
“You never leave Finland completely, right?”
“Never!” she even managed to wink at him before she turned over to the door again. “So have fun tonight, alright? Happy new year!”
“You too. See you around!”
She left the men’s before he entered one of the toilet cubicles, heading for the bar. She definitely needed another beer now.
“So you came back!” smiling the dark haired man from before stepped aside to give her some space at the crowded counter.
She returned his smile. “Tank is empty, space for more!” leaning over the bar she ordered another beer, chatting along with the man that introduced himself as Mike, a sales manager from Dublin on Holiday. Suddenly someone tapped her back and she turned around, astound to find Riku, smiling broadly.
“Forgot to ask your name.” He shouted at her over the loud music.
“It’s Elena. Elena Heikkinen.” She took his outreached hand.
“Alright then!” he smiled at her, throwing a quick gaze at Mike. “I’ll see you around!”
“See you!” smiling she waved at him. When she turned back at Mike he grinned.
“Friends with the celebrities, hum?” grinning he nodded in the direction Riku had disappeared into.
Elena laughed. “Not exactly, we went to the same school about a hundred years ago, so...” she shrugged. “I just bumped into him in the men’s room. What?” chuckling she shrugged again. “There was a line of 10 girls waiting in front of the lady’s and I needed to pee!”
He threw his head back and laughed. “You’re definitely special, girl! But listen, I gotta go soon, my friends want to go to a club now, d’you wanna join by any chance?”
“Actually I’m here with my siblings and we... well, I could ask, but I assume that they want to stay, it was our pub long ago, our local, you know? But go ahead, have fun! Happy new year, ok?”
“You too! Happy new year!” he gave her a hug before she waved him goodbye to find the rest of her group in the crowd.
They stayed until the pub closed down at about five. Ced collected their coats, handing them over to his siblings and his wife. “Are we complete?” smiling he hugged Lea, obviously proud that she was still standing and even though her belly was huge she hadn’t been complaining all night long. “Come on you guys, let’s get home!”
On their way outside Elena saw Riku in a group of men. She raised her hand, waving at him. He returned her gesture, walking over to her with his jacket in his hands.
“Are you going home now?” he asked, grabbing a chair to regain his balance. Elena chuckled. “We are actually. But we don’t live far, so... What are you up to?”
“Not much.” He grinned. “Going home, getting some sleep.” His gaze ran over the group in front of him. “So these are your siblings, hum?”
Elena nodded. “My brothers Kilian and Cedric with his wife Lea and my sister Lilly.”
Riku took a little bow that almost made him loose his balance again. “Nice to meet you, people!” he slurred, tapping Elena’s back. “See you around, Elena Raikkönen.”
She laughed, quickly grabbing his arms when he was about to stumble across his own feet. “It’s Elena HEIKKINEN, mate! Nevermind, you’ll have forgotten my name anyway as soon as you wake up!”
“No!” he held on to her arm firmly. “I won’t! Promise! You’re nice! You even let me pee without watching or wanting to gimme a hand! Wait!” from the pocket of his jeans he took his mobile. “Elena HEIKKINEN. Alright. Phone number.”
“What?”
“Gimme your phone number!” he looked at her, dangerously swaying from side to side. “We could meet up when I get back to Helsinki, or in London if you want to. Just a chat, a few beers, what d’you say?” grinning he winked at her. “See, I remember you told me about London.”
Completely astounded Elena looked at him. “Alright, so it’s...” she gave him her mobile number, repeating it four times because he hit the wrong buttons, cursing himself under his breath.
“Here we go!” breathing a sigh of relief he let go of her arm, stumbling back a few steps. “So have a good night then! See you around!” waving happily at her siblings, he tried to get into his jacket, failing miserably. Quickly Elena stepped closer, pulling up the zipper. She couldn’t help giggling. He was just like the man she had been dreaming about. Utterly pissed and annoyed, but totally lovable. “Goodnight, Riku!” she waved at him. “Get home safely, will you?”
“Promise!” grinning he grabbed one of his drunken friends. “As long as someone tells me where I live I’m gonna be fine!”
As soon as her group had exited the pub, Lilly grabbed her sister’s hand. “Am I blind or what???” she squealed and started jumping up and down. “That was Riku Rajamaa for fuck’s sake!”
“I know!” Elena laughed. “I bumped into him by accident and we started chatting for a bit.”
“And now he has your phone number! Fuck! D’you think that he will call?” Lilly was still jumping.
“I don’t know! Most probably he will stare at his mobile tomorrow, wondering who the hell Elena Heikkinen is!”
“Good lord, sis! At least you ARE in Riku Rajamaa’s phone book!”
“Excuse me,” Kilian pulled up the zipper of his jacket. “Who was this guy? D’you know him or are you just flirting around, Leni?”
“She’s NOT!” Lilly clapped her hands. “That was Riku Rajamaa!”
“You certainly said that, Lil, I was asking whom he was!”
“He’s the lead guitarist in a band! Remember the tickets Ced got me for Christmas? It’s for his band! Sunrise Avenue!”
“Oh. So this drunken fry was a celebrity then? Let’s get back inside and take some humiliating pictures, come on!” Kilian was about to turn around, but Cedric held him back.
“Come on, Kili! That’s not funny! I went to school with him, one of his friends was in my soccer team and actually quite nice, let him party, most probably he never gets a break!”
“God, you are such a boring lot!” frustrated Kilian kicked a pile of snow. “We could have earned a fortune! He was as pissed as a newt!”
“Boring, hum?” grinning Ced grabbed his younger brother, effortlessly throwing him over a small fence and into a big pile of snow. “Are you bored, little one?” he yelled after him, breaking into laughter when Kilian started throwing snowballs from behind the fence. Soon they were all jumping around in the deserted streets, throwing snow at each other.
It had been a perfect night and Elena realised that she was actually a little absent minded because of Riku. Her dreams were still so close and she could hardly believe that she had just met him. Savouring the smell of his cologne she smiled to herself. He was definitely a nice guy. In her dreams and also in real life. But she knew for sure that he would never call her. This was real life, they didn’t have a history together, hadn’t been dating. He was Riku Rajamaa, the rockstar. She was Elena Heikkinen, medical researcher. That was it. No history, no future. But meeting him, talking and laughing with him had been fun and she returned her sister’s grin when they were hiding behind a parked car together. “Riku Rajamaa, hum?” Lilly smirked. “So what happens to Samu now?”
“Well,” Elena tried to catch her breath. “It’s just like my dream: I was dating Riku but we broke up because of Samu.”
“Well, actually, you are still dating Doc Terrence. But I would break up with him in a split second if Riku Rajamaa wanted my phone number!”
“Don’t you be mean!” Elena nudged her sister with her elbow. “Breaking up with Rob because of Riku’s not an option, you hear me? My relationship with Rob is real, Riku Rajamaa is... well he... he’s not real!” she finished her sentence eventually, not finding the right words.
“Your name’s saved in his phone register!”
“It’s still not real! Lilly! You know what I mean, right?”
Before Lilly could answer the two girls were hit by three snowballs, jumping up squealing.
“Gotcha!” Kilian jumped up and down, dancing madly. “Hiding doesn’t help! I’m the snowball-Master! I...” he was cut off by a snowball from Lilly that hit his face.
Elena cheered. “Go Lilly!”
 
It took the five of them about half an hour of snowball-fighting to reach their parents’ house. Completely out of breath and wet they entered, trying to keep the noises of their steps and giggling as low as possible.
Still thinking about Riku, Elena lay down on her bed after dressing in her warm pj’s. Sweet and handsome, of course. But even after meeting him in real life she realised that he was actually as much part of a fantasy as he was during her long nights of dreaming about the Sunrise Avenue-lads. Quickly she took one of the pills her mother had given her and lay back again. Life was definitely strange sometimes.
She was about to drift away on the waves of sleep, when she heard her mobile beeping. Sleepily and surprised she sat up. Her first impulse was to ignore the textmessage her phone had just received. But maybe it was Rob. He never had the time to text and she didn’t want to ignore him, now that he actually texted her for once.
Feeling around her clothes in the floor she finally found her mobile. It was an unknown number and she narrowed her eyes, not willing to get up completely and find her glasses.
The message was short: “N8, Helsinki-girl.”, and she couldn’t help giggling. Quickly she answered: “N8, Helsinki-boy.”, before she put her mobile aside. Pensively she stared at it again, picking it up to save Riku’s number. Smiling she typed “Helsinki-boy” and arranged her pillow. She had already closed her eyes, when it beeped again. “U still awake?”
“No, I use to text in my dreams.” She answered with a grin, yawning silently. Sitting up a little she waited for his answer. Actually she didn’t like mobiles too much and she used hers only for work. But this was fun.
“Nice one! So what r u up to?”
“Sleepy in bed. Y? Wanna climb up the rain drain and join me?” she couldn’t refrain from a little chuckle. He was definitely cute and fun in her drunken state of mind.
“Don’t tempt me, Helsinki-girl! Have nice dreams, ok? See you around!” his answer came promptly and she opened a new message.
“You too, Helsinki-boy! See you in London! Sweet dreams.” Yawning again she put down her mobile. And he was definitely full of surprises.