Four Broken Pieces ✓

Thirteen

We said nothing to one another for a brief second. Alexei still looked downright confused, as he probably had no idea I was standing in front of him. Ivan looked everywhere but my face before finally settling his eyes on the ground and Mikhail just stared at me, relief evident in his features. He was an open book I realized, so at odds with the green-eyed boy beside him.

"How, how are you," asked Mikhail hesitantly, his eyes now scanning my body before rising back up to meet my eyes. His black hair was mussed up, like he'd run his fingers through it one too many times. Alexei finally realized what was happening and his entire posture turned wary, lean body coiled. I had after all eavesdropped on their conversation.

"I'm alright now and I'm sorry for eavesdropping. I realized you were talking about me and I kept listening but I should" I rambled on, becoming more and more nervous with each word before Mikhail cut me off abruptly, moving forward to pull me into his arms. I fit perfectly there with my head on his chest, his chin grazing the top of my head. My heart thundered at our sudden proximity and without meaning to, I clutched tightly to the back of his shirt. His muscles flexed under my touch and that sent a strange thrill through me. 

"I'm sorry."

I was so lost in Mikhail's embrace that I barely caught Ivan's quiet words, and even then, it took a few minutes to process. I withdrew from Mikhail and I looked to Ivan, confused. He was looking at me straight in the eye and for once, I could read him perfectly. He felt guilty, though I didn't know why. Had he done something wrong that I wasn't aware of?

"For what," I asked, before recalling the conversation I'd eavesdropped on. Right, he felt guilty for not stopping me.

"I should have stopped you." His voice reeked with guilt that I wanted to ease so badly. What I'd done had been my own decision, which he was in no way responsible for. It was absurd that he blamed himself for this. It was my own stupidity that led to this, not his inaction. Although a part of me did wish he'd stopped me. If I were in his place, I would have certainly stopped the other person but then again, no two people were the same and I couldn't expect him to react the same way I would have.

"You did nothing wrong. What happened was my own fault," I said but Ivan interrupted immediately, his cheeks flushed with sudden urgency.

"I should have still stopped you Roe! You could have died," he said, suddenly angry and I stepped back at the harshness of that outburst. He was angry with himself, but why did this bother him so much? I was merely an acquaintance to him. Why was he reacting so strongly? Of all the three of them, he'd always seemed to have the most walls up that prevented emotion from blazing through. What happened to them?

Almost as if in reflex, Mikhail's hand came up to quiet Ivan down. We were in a hospital after all. I waved his hand away, and instead stepped forward to take Ivan's hands in my own, locking my eyes on his. I hated the slight anguish I saw there but I knew what I had to say to make it disappear.

"You're right, you should have stopped me. But you didn't and your regret won't turn back time either. Instead of wallowing in guilt, move on. Don't allow your closed off nature stop you from doing what's right Ivan, or you'll only feel the same regret you're experiencing now and that time, it might be too late," I said and he looked shocked at my words. I realized that this was the most assertive thing I'd ever said in his presence, but I needed to say what needed to be said and it needed to get through to him. Soft words didn't always work. They were only meant to comfort. 

"Everyone make mistakes Ivan. Please don't blame yourself," I said softly and for a second, his eyes softened in return. That intense green became muted and calm, like a blade of grass. Beautiful. I could probably drown in them if I stared long enough. It was then that I realized how close we were standing, with our hands clutched together between us, and I abruptly pulled back, a hot flush coloring my neck. Goodness, how did two boys make me so equally flustered in the span of just 2 minutes? 

Troy, Violet and I shared our dinner on my hospital bed before the two had to leave to get some work done. After all, they'd spent practically the whole day by my side. Ivan and Mikhail had left as well, both looking equally concerned for some unknown reason, which left just Alexei and my grandfather with me. Nonno was currently snoozing on my hospital bed so I chose to leave him there to go for a walk. I was getting dismissed from the hospital first thing the following morning and I'd have to work two shifts at the rec center tomorrow to make up for my absence today.

"Care to walk with me?"

I snapped out of my thoughts to see Alexei leaned against the wall, his eyes vaguely focused on where I stood. For the first time, I realized how tall he was. He was easily close to 6ft5 even, and his spiky black hair only made him seem taller.

"I'd love to," I said and he came to walk beside me, his pace slowly so I didn't have to run to catch up with his long strides.

"So how does it feel to be so close to meeting Death, only to be rejected last second," he enquired playfully. His humor on death may have seemed too dark for some, but it put a lighter twist to my situation. It was nice after facing overwhelming concern the whole day from everyone else.

"I just can't believe he blew me off," I responded, equally playful and Alexei laughed, his sightless eyes twinkling with delight.

"Well I'm very glad he did, otherwise we would have had a serious problem, he and I," he said. His voice was still playful but I could tell he'd been concerned for me as well. As we turned a corner, I noticed him stumble at the corner of my vision, before he gritted his teeth in frustration. Without thinking, I reached out and took his hand in my own. His long fingers interlaced with mine and squeezed lightly. He didn't glance down at out hands intertwined, instead just acting as if we held hands all the time. 

"You know, I never quite understood how holding hands was romantic in any way," he said, briefly glancing in my direction. I opened my mouth to contradict him but he spoke before i had the chance. 

"But that was before I met you," he said softly, a small smile appearing on his face. A slow heat spread through my heart at his simple words and it took me a minute to regain my lost breath.

"Aphrodite?"

"Yes," I questioned, a heartbeat later. I would never get over how beautifully he pronounced my name, his tongue seeming to caress every syllable.

"Would you like to go out to dinner with Ivan, Mikhail and I tomorrow night," he asked, not looking the least bit nervous as he turned to face me completely. He already knew I would say yes. 

"I'd love to," I said and a dazzling smile lit up Alexei's face that had my heart skipping a beat and me losing my breath all over again. 

Hope you liked this chapter!! These three boys just keep getting better and better. They're all so wonderful around her, but then again the relationship is still brand new. I still think they aren't truly themselves around her just yet, but we'll see. 

You guys excited for the next chapter?? One little hint: it's not going to be all sunshine and rainbows so don't get your hopes up just yet. 

If you're loving this book so far, don't forget to comment and vote! Your support so far has been absolutely amazing. Thank you so so much <3

Love

-ASH