Festival Of Love
One rainy, lonely and hell-like day - that she called heavenly later - Lola was going home from work and as she was staring the ground a yellow-orange card lying in a dry spot caught her gaze immediately. She didn't know what it could be as it was face- and upside down. She picked it up and checked the text on. It was written something like "weekly ticket" but she just couldn't figure out if where it would be useful. Then she inverted the ticket and her heart skipped a beat. It was a ticket for that Sundsvall Summer Festival that she'd have loved to go but didn't have the opportunity - and that would begin in three days. The ticket itself cost a fortune and all the ten-thousands have been sold out in one day each year. These festivals are usually about a topic - last year was about Having Fun and she really wished to go but finally didn't get her salary on time and so she couldn't buy the ticket; but this year - Year Of Love, what a ridiculous idea - would be somehow else. She had money to buy food and drink there and the passage was in her hands.
It crossed her mind that she should write it on facebook that she had found some kinds of ticket and she readily handle it back to its rightful owner but she skipped the idea because she couldn't know if it was really his or he just said that.
As she got home Lola threw her bag on the armchair and went for having a hot bath because she got soaking wet outside. In the bathtub she began thinking of the performers that would come to the festival but as she had thought this year's topic would be ridiculous she haven't referred it yet.
- Uhm... Who cares? - she shrug her shoulders in the warm water and began enjoying life.
When she have finished her bath she went back to her living room as to check the musicians - but she had no internet connection.
- No, that bastard neighbor who gave me free Wi-Fi went on a holiday 'til this whole festival-procedure would end. What a miser! Ah - she hit the table as she got up; then she went for having some dinner before going to bed. This week had really tired her - and it hadn't ended yet.
Two days later she could finally check the performers - while she was going to the valley nearby where the festival has been held. Now she had everything with her: tent, because when once she was in she didn't want to go home for anything (she could have a bath there as well and she would probably miss something important if she went home); clothes and cosmetics, mirror, hairbrush, camera and the rest of the needed things.
- But where's my...? - she froze. What else would have she done if she couldn't find her ticket? But fortunately it was under her perfume. - What a luck... - Lola murmured as she passed through the gates.
I did it! - she thought - Finally I did it! I got into that fucked festival! And even for a whole week at first time! What do you think, Life, am I skilful enough for you as to pay more attention on me and especially on making my life better? Huh?!
It took half an hour to find a suitable place for her tent but finally she could get one which was close to the bath and not far from the food-stands and the stage as well. Of course she could go to another stage too but it was easier to stay at one because every performer went to every stage so people didn't have to change place to see everyone.
It turned out that she was one from those who came early - both of her neighbors arrived six hours later than she did.
The first part of the day passed with hanging around and looking for people she would know and when it came to time the first concert of this whole festival began. It was nine in the evening and near Lola's tent a pop-rock band began their show. She wasn't really interested in them so she just withdrew to have a rest but the volume of the music and the voice of the singer who introduced the band's members didn't let her sleep. It was somehow familiar to her and so she went closer to be able to check what was going on.
- And now, ladies and gentlemen, welcome the singer - the bass-guitarist said - Yohio!
The crowd that was full of 15-16 year-old girls began to scream as one person. They would have loved him or what.
She looked up to the stage and lay her eyes on the skinny brown-haired demigod at the microphone. His face was also familiar for her but she was sure she has never heard his name or at the outside she wouldn't had been able to connect his name to his face.
- Hi everyone, great to see and hear you, are you looking forward to this festival? - he asked.
- YES! - the mass replied at one time.
- This is the first time that I can perform here so I just want to say thank you that you chose me last year! I love you! - he shouted and Lola felt déjà vu for a minute. She was sure she has heard this voice saying thank you and I love you but... when?
Another rainy day; this summer was eve wetter than it usually is. Lola walks down the street to buy something from a small shop when she can hear a dog whining near her leg. She looks down and she can see a black puppy alone. The dog looks at her as it was asking for her help. She stoops to check the collar - it writes her name is Luna.
- Hello, girlie - she pets her. - I'm Lola. Have you been lost? Come, show me the back of your ticket and so we can find your owner - she says and turns it. She can see a phone-number there so she dials it fast.
- Yes? - a male voice answers drowsily.
- Good evening, my name is Lola and I have found your dog, Luna - she says.
- Luna? - he asks more lively. - Has she run away? Where are you?
- In the town center... - Lola replies and he gives her an address where she may take the dog.
- Do you know where it is? Wait there and in ten minutes I'll be there as well - he hangs up and our heroine takes the black pet to the given place. It takes her only five minutes to reach the seaside where their meeting will be held. She waits five more minutes and then a slim man in sunglasses nears her.
- Hi, we have been talking - he pulls his hand out. - Thank you for bringing her back to me - he says and then turns to his dog. - Why have you been running away, huh? My angel, I'm so glad that she took you back. I love you - he says as the dog licks his lips and he leaves.
- I'm sure it was him - Lola said as she turned back to reality. She looked up to the stage once more and decided to talk to him again. When the concert and the dedication ended (it was half past eleven yet) she was yet waiting for him near the backstage.
- I'm not giving autographs yet - he said as he passed by her.
- I'm not here for an autograph I just wanted to ask if your angel was fine - she replied calm and told him a phone-number. He looked at her surprised but answered though.
- My dog? - he asked. - Come sit down - he invited her inside. - Yes, she is but why are you interested in? And how do you now my phone-number?
- It was me who found her - she said.
- How much do you want? - he asked suddenly.
- What? - Lola reacted huffily. - Do you think that I want to sell it?
- Then why are you here? - he looked at her curiously.
- This is what I ask myself as well - she murmured. - Well, I don't know. I got to this whole festival accidentally and I saw someone to whom I took his pet back... and this person is a star. Isn't it interesting? - she asked by bending closer to his face.
- Well - he began. - Would you like to have a beer with me?
- Why are you asking this so suddenly? - she asked back.
- Uhm... I don't believe in chance so I want to know why Fortuna directed you to me this second time. Here - he gave her a pack and opened his one.
- Thanks - she replied.
After having their beer - and chatting about Lola's life and Yohio's interests - it turned out that they got on really well with each other.
- You said you didn't like the topic of this year's festival - Yohio looked at the girl's eyes curiously. - Then why did you come?
- Well, it's an interesting story... - she stuttered. Actually it wasn't her who had paid for the ticket so she felt she was here illegally.
- Don't you wanna tell me? - he asked. - Then where's your accommodation? Here?
Lola was thankful that he changed the topic because she thought she would die if this cute boy got to know how she got here.
- Yes, my tent is over there, the pink one - she pointed at one.
- It's close to the stage... well, I'll remember it - he winked. - Any time you need some help for example because it's raining and you get soaking wet with your stuff just call me, I live on my tourbus this week. You know my number, right?
- Well, yeah - she smiled embarrassed. - But now I should go and sleep some. Bye - she said and went back to her place.
I have chatted with a cute and sexy singer and I also know his number - she thought by stressing every little word. - I am a superhero.
As wide smile was on her face as never before when she lay down. Then she could feel her phone vibrating.
"It's you, right, dogfinder?" - she could read the message. It was from Yohio. She decided to call him instead of sending messages to each other.
- It's me, right - she said when he picked the phone up. - How did you remember my number?
- I saved you as "never again answer" - he chuckled.
- Oh, and how many "never again answer"-s do you have? - she joined his chuckling.
- A lot - he confessed. - And how did you remember my number?
- When I saw you I searched for it on my calling-list and I learned it while waiting for you.
- Great - he said. - You can't imagine how many other fans got this message.
- So it wasn't only me to whom you sent it? - she asked surprised.
- I didn't remember on which day had Luna run away so I wrote this to many people. Does it dismay you?
- No, it doesn't - she said but she was still shocked by what he has just said.
- But... do you believe in love at the first sight? - he asked suddenly.
- No - she answered by letting out a small laughter. - In that case you didn't leave me in the rain when you took Luna home but asked me to walk you home.
- Right, I just wanted to ask - he said and it could have been heard that he was grinning.
For a whole minute they didn't say anything just listened to the breathing of each other. It was Lola who broke the silence.
- Hey, I'm tired so I hang up. Bye - she said and touched the big red button on the screen. Then she fell asleep immediately.
In the next morning she could find a little piece of paper in her tent. She checked it rapidly and her hears skipped a beat.
"I don't want it to be too obvious so let's meet at the café at half past eleven. Dogowner"
Lola looked at her watch: it was twenty past eleven. She had only ten minutes to conjure a woman out of herself before she would meet him. She actually didn't want to attract him - okay, he was a sexy demigod, of course she would have enjoyed if he liked her - but a woman always has to look great, isn't she?
New clothes, some hair brushing, a tiny amount of make-up and she was ready to meet people.
- Good morning - she welcomed the people as she went in. Just the owner and someone in a hoodie were in as it was late for waking up but early to have lunch.
Shit - she thought - he's nowhere. But then why did he ask me to come here?
- Good morning, what would you like to order? - the owner asked.
- Anything cheap and edible - she said and sat down to the bar near the man (?) in hoodie.
- Hi - a familiar voice said from her left.
- Jesus, you frightened the soul out of my chest! - she touched her chest above her heart fast.
- Ah, sorry - he stretched his hands out as to catch her and he accidentally touched her breasts.
- Hey! - she yelled and grab at her chest. - Those are mine don't you dare to touch, to even look at them!
- I'm sorry it wasn't by will but accidentally!
- Hey, I was just pulling your leg, I didn't really get huffy for this, I know you didn't want it - she smiled at him.
- In this case - he stretched his hands out again but Lola hit at it.
- Your waffle, Madam - the owner said and he went further form them instead of hearing something he didn't want to.
- Ah, thanks - she looked at him with flowered face and began to eat. - Why did you ask me to come here anyways?
- I've told you I'm interested in why Fortuna directed you to me - he said seriously.
- And you think you could look at me as a woman after seeing this? - she asked and looked at him with her mouth full with food.
- I don't know we should make a try - he joked.
- Aren't you hungry anyways? - she looked at him.
- No, thanks, I've already eaten - he said and stood up. - I shall go before people come here. As you've just finished it I don't wish you good appetite. Bye - he said and tried to give her a kiss on her cheek but she accidentally turned her head in that very moment as to look at him while saying farewell and so the kiss slipped to her lips. He just smiled at her embarrassed for a moment then left because he really had to go as some people came in meanwhile.
And what about Lola? She just sat there totally frozen and waited for someone to wake her up from her Sleeping Beauty-sleep. Or whatever.
Bitch - she thought - I wanted my first kiss to be given by my future-husband and now this asshole messed it all up! As soon as I can move I'll find him and I'm gonna kill him!
This as soon as I can move actually happened in ten seconds but instead of seeking him she ordered one more waffle and a coffee because she felt her stomach was as empty as the royal exchequer after a bankrupt; and she totally forgot about it when she finished her breakfast.
Two hours later she was taking a walk because she needed some peace before the second concert-sequence began; and she accidentally bumped into that guy again.
- Wow, Fortuna directed you to me third time - he said while helping her with getting up.
- You! - she pointed at him and grabbed his neck. - You fucked my life up, bastard! - she yelled and he nearly got shocked by what she did.
- Would you please release me? People are watching us - he said calmly.
- Oh, I'm sorry - she said and did so as she realized what she was doing.
- What have you planned for now? - he asked her suddenly.
- Just having a walk and then... eat and try to make some new friends - she replied.
- Well, you've already made one - he grinned and passed near her. - Hey - he turned back - didn't you say you planed to go for a walk?
- But not with you - she announced and left to the other direction huffily.
Fuck, fuck, fuck! - she thought - Why do I always have to meet him?
She regretted she showed him her tent because when she got back there (she made a big detour because she really didn't want to meet him again) she found a small piece of paper inside with this message:
"Hey, girl, have I done something against you?"
- No, you haven't, you just simply ruined my 15-years-old dream! - she yelled in Spanish, her language when suddenly her phone began to ring. - Ah, who else might it be? Say it - she answered.
- Hi, did you get my message? - he asked.
- Yes - she said bored.
- And? - he asked again. She rolled her eyes and hung up. Being fed up with him, she just wanted some peace and silence and not a ruined holiday on the Festival.
In the next four days she could more or less manage on not meeting him (usually five times a day) or at least ignoring him and his calls (fifteen times a day), messages (twenty a day, all asking about her mood and whether she was angry with him or not), but he was so stubborn that he didn't give up on her.
It was 6 p.m. on the last day and on Sunday they only had to get their stuff and go home. As today she didn't get just five calls yet she finally dared to have a walk - she didn't think she could bump into him accidentally this day.
Suddenly her phone began beeping that showed she got a new message.
"Turn around! You will see something interesting." - she could read the lines. She actually didn't want to meet him again and wanted to escape now but she also didn't want to seem someone who never faces her problems so she decided to turn.
First she didn't see anything interesting but then she realized a small black dog coming closer to her and the prospect shocked her. It was obviously Luna, the one to whom she helped to get home just some months ago. But it wasn't the real cause of her frozen state: she was carrying one red rose with a message in her mouth and there was no doubt that she came to her - as the letter had some addressing. Lola crouched down, petted Luna and took the things out of her mouth. She told the dog to go and opened the letter:
"I have a slight suspicion what I ruined. I had been thinking this long but now I know it and I also know what I feel and I want to express it with this flower. Could it be our first date?"
Lola was surprised and pretty confused. What does it mean when you get one red rose on the first date? - she thought. - Isn't it love at first sight?
Looking up she saw a slim man in black clothes coming closer to her and gazing around everyone stared at her; even that pair that lived in the tent next to hers and didn't let her sleep during the nights.
- What is your answer? - he asked peacefully when he reached her and pulled his hand out as to help her with getting up. Lola looked up at him and as she could see his embarrassed smile she decided not to leave him in such big fix.
- Let me answer with a song - she said and began singing the chorus of that YOHIO-track, Don't let go, that she has just heard some days ago while accepting his hand.
- Okay, okay, I understood - he grinned and pushed his hand on her mouth but she didn't stop singing. - Hey, stop - he asked her but as she didn't want to he had to shut her mouth up with another part of his body. When they finished kissing he just smiled at her and said - You should never ever sing to me in the future - and he kissed her again.
And it was just the beginning of our relationship that lasted 'til the coffin.