behind your back ~ andrei svechnikov

Chapter Three

I woke up to find my digital clock reading 12:05 a.m. It was completely pitch black outside, and there was no light to help me maneuver around my room to find the nearest light switch.

I took my phone off of the charger and used the light emanating off of the screen to find the light switch.

I was in my pair of black shorts and Andrei's sweatshirt that he had given me to wear when I spilled my drink all over my black dress.

After everyone had left the party, I was pooped out. From having to wake up early to catch my morning flight to Raleigh, then Jaccob threw the welcome party for me, I just needed to lie down and rest.

I found the light switch and flipped it up to spark light into the room.

I had woken up with an extremely dry mouth, so I turned the light off and quietly opened the door to find a blackened hallway with only a singular, dim lamp on a glass table lighting the end of the hallway.

I quietly took a deep breath and ventured through the dark hallway to get to the kitchen.

I turned the light on for the ceiling fan and looked through Jaccob's fridge for anything worth drinking. I found a half-drank bottle of water and with my mouth begging for something to hydrate it.

I grabbed the bottle of water and twisted the cap before resting the opening on my bottom lip.

"Much better," I muttered after I chugged the rest of the water down that was remaining in the bottle, tossing the bottle into the recyclables bin next to the trash.

I closed the fridge and I nearly got a heart attack.

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed as I saw Andrei on the other side of the closed refrigerator door.

Andrei quickly cupped his hand over my mouth as he pinned me to the countertop. "Shh! Jaccob is sleeping in the room next door, and I don't want us to cause a scene," he whispered as he glared into my green eyes.

I nodded my head, then he lifted his hand over my mouth.

"What the fuck are you doing up at midnight? Why are you here?" I angrily asked in a whisper, pushing Andrei away. "I thought you left with the rest of the team,"

He quietly giggled. "Your brother didn't tell you? I'm staying at his place for a few days. I have a...rough situation going on and he stepped in to help," he quietly said as he rummaged through the fridge to pull out a Coca-Cola.

He twisted the cap and opened the bottle, creating a faint popping noise as a translucent smoke emanated from the surface of the bottle. He sipped the bottle, his massive larynx bobbing up and down after each sip.

I blushed. "Oh, like your crazy and controlling ex-girlfriend from Moscow?" I asked.

He nearly choked on his soda as if he just seen a ghost. "How do you know about that?" he questioned as he tightened the cap on the bottle.

"Earlier today, when you were glaring at me in the pool while I decided to grab something to eat." I responded. "Jaccob was telling me about it since he found the two of us were swimming together for a brief moment,"

Andrei nodded his head. "That shithead," he muttered with a smile as he looked away from me.

I giggled again. "Was he not supposed to tell anyone?" I asked.

"Sorta. Nobody knows from the team that I'm staying with Jaccob. But since you're Jaccob's little sister I'll let it slide," Andrei responded as he looked back at me. "Nor does anyone know that I broke up with her,"

I smiled as I veered closer to Andrei's body covered in what I was assuming was his pajamas. He was decked out in Carolina Hurricanes gear, a red top that read "Hurricanes Hockey" with the alternate hurricane warning flag logo, and a pair of black Nike shorts with the main insignia on the left leg near the bottom.