Four Broken Pieces ✓

Nineteen

I woke up feeling slightly better than the previous evening but decided to call it a day off from school anyway. I trudged downstairs, absentmindedly putting my hair up into a messy bun before entering the kitchen. The sight that greeted me was wonderful. Alexei was propped up on the kitchen counter, a mug of coffee in his hand. Mikhail was cooking something delicious, his shirtless back facing me and Ivan was leaning against the fridge with a bagel in hand.

I hated to ruin the scene in front of me what I'd seen last night, at their house with Amelia had kept me up the majority of the night. I hadn't thought to ask the night before, and I was still debating on whether prying into their personal lives was a good idea. I'd feel uncomfortable if they ever asked about my mother.

"Roe god I'm so sorry," said Mikhail as he turned to face me, before quickly grabbing a shirt and throwing it over himself, a blush lighting up his face. Alexei practically choked on his coffee as he realized I'd entered the room to see Mikhail shirtless.

"I think she was enjoying the view Mikhail," said Ivan with an amused grin as he raised an eyebrow at me. I rolled my eyes and ignored him, turning back to Mikhail whose eyebrows were furrowed.

"Is something bothering you Roe," he asked and the amusement vanished from Ivan's face. I think both he and Alexei knew that Mikhail always read me best.

"Nothing, just my stomach," I lied, not wanting to dampen the mood. Mikhail saw straight through my lie but all he did cock his head to the side as if asking me why I was hiding anything. He had said the night before that none of them would be leaving me anytime soon. There was no harm in asking, was there?

"It's just, last night it was raining and I had to drive one of the kids home from the rec center. She, she gave me your address," I said nervously. All three of them avoided my eyes like the plague.

"I met a man there, and he seemed a bit, a bit off," I said, my voice trailing towards the end as I saw Ivan tighten, balling his fists. Even Mikhail looked angry, his eyes burning a hole into the ground. So they knew exactly who that man was. It was finally Alexei who broke the tension, sliding off the counter and making his way to me with ease.

"He's an acquaintance darling, nothing you have to..."

"You're lying," I said, a bit too harshly as I cut him off halfway. I hadn't expected an explanation, but neither had I expected to be lied to. Alexei flinched back before darting forward, his hands reaching blindly to clutch my hand in his own like he was afraid I'd leave.

"I don't need an explanation of any kind. I just wanted to tell you that I came by your house and why I probably won't come back again," I said. All three boys looked hurt and I realized they thought I was pushing them away.

"You guys are always welcome here though," I said quickly and the disappointment vanished. Ivan was still careful though, cautiously watching me as if I were about to explode.

"That's it? You're not going to question who that man was," he asked incredulously, one eyebrow raised in disbelief.

"No. I prefer not to speak of him again. And besides, even if I ask you you'll only lie to me anyway," I said with a shrug as I moved to the fridge to get a glass of orange juice. I avoided Ivan's eyes as I dug through the fridge, so he wouldn't see a slight hurt I felt at being lied to. With their reaction towards my story though, my curiosity as to who this man was only increased. I would let it be for now though. It wasn't any of my business. But I couldn't deny the fact that I was curious.

"Anybody else wants orange juice," I asked as I poured myself a glass. All I got was a chorused no. The mood in the room had dampened considerably and I realized the secrets we kept were slowly threatening to tear us apart.