Page 69 of You + Me – Against the World

“That noise… Listen!”

I strain my ears and hear light scratching at my bedroom door.

“Do you have a cat?”

“Clémentine and I are thinking of getting one, but for the moment, no. We just have Lily, who thinks she is one. She’s been doing that since she was little. It’s annoying, right?”

“Hell, yeah! Go open the door for her before she starts meowing!”

“Okay, but you’d better hide before she brings out her claws!”

With one agile leap, Vadim disappears under my bed. I fix my hair and unlock the door, cracking it open just enough to poke my head out.

“Are you okay, Alma? I heard a noise,” Lily whispers sleepily, standing there in her leopard-print pajamas.

“Yeah, I just had a nightmare. Everything’s fine.”

“Why did you lock the door?”

“So I could have my nightmare in peace. Go back to bed!”

“Why do you look funny?”

“And why are you asking so many questions? Go back to bed. It’s late!”

“Will you tell me about it tomorrow?”

“Tell you about what?”

“Um, you know, your nightmare.”

She turns and walks away without waiting for my answer. I’m not sure how to take those last words. Is this little girl in her loud pajamas secretly a grown-up who sees right through everything? She’s twelve years old, with the innocence of a child and the sharpest mind in the whole family.

“Your sister’s funny,” Vadim says, emerging from his hiding place.

“Yes, she’s one of a kind. She’s my favorite.”

“You don’t know how lucky you are to have a family, Alma. Even one like yours.”

“Okay, lie back down, I sense you need to talk,” I tease.

“No, you’ll be the one lying down, and I’ll be the one playing doctor,” he replies with a smile.

Vadim lifts me off the floor and gently lays me on the bed. He comes to settle down behind me, sweeping my hair aside to bury his face in my neck, then wraps his long arms around me.

“Your heart is beating fast,” he breathes.

“I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about,” I say, snuggling a little closer to him.

I press my back against his chest, tangle my legs around his, and lace our fingers together. I kiss the palm of his hand and let out a long, relieved sigh. He’s back. I didn’t lose him. I can finally breathe normally.

I still can’t believe he’s here, shirtless on my bed. In my room, in my life. That he wants me. That he is holding me like this. That he’s not looking for anything else. It’s all I need right now. I don’t want to overthink things anymore. I don’t want to suffer. I just want to love him.

“I think I might actually like coming over to your house, Alma.”

I can hear in his voice that he’s smiling. I smile too.

24