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Sorina
Several weeks passed, and Dmitri and I were living in our own bubble. When we were out in public or around friends, we dutifully played the part of siblings who got on each other’s nerves, but when we were alone…there was nothing sibling-like in the way we acted. It was just downright sinful and wrong, and I loved it. Dmitri basically came to my apartment every night and left before anyone woke up.
We weren’t thinking about the future. Nor were we thinking about WWAT,what would Arty think,although I’d been in contact with him several times as he always checked in while on his journeys. He said he’d be home in three weeks’ time and was excited for us to come home and spend time as a family. I told him I couldn’t wait.
While I missed the man who I considered the only father figure in my life, I was wary. I wasn’t one to think about potentially dire things happening in the future. Maybe I just felt a tinge of guilt that Dmitri and I were doing something wrong, indecent. However, how could something so wrong feel so right?
One day, I was with Theo and Kenzie at The Velvet Bean, which was now our weekly hangout after class. We were becoming tighter as friends, and I really enjoyed hanging out with them. However, I’d never spill any secrets between Dmitri and me, and if they suspected anything, it was never mentioned or implied. Wouldn’t they flat out ask if they knew? I’m certain they would.
“I’m off this Sunday, so why don’t we get together at the house and lay out by the pool?” Theo suggested. It was the end of September, and we still had summer-like temperatures in central Texas, and probably would for another month or so.
“Yes. Finally, girl time at the pool.” Kenzie nodded. “Are you available, Sorina?”
I hadn’t been back to the house since Dmitri trapped me in his room and took my virginity and then proceeded to take my free will to think of anyone but him. My body heated when I thought about it. However, if we were trying to be discreet, this might be a bad idea, assuming the guys would be around, too. On the other hand, it would look weird if I said no and avoided them. In their eyes, I had no legit reason not to since we’d been talking about a girls’ day for the past month, and my Sundays were usually open.
“Yes? No? Maybe?” Kenzie waved her hand in front of my face, trying to catch my attention.
I shoved my doubts aside. Regardless of everything going through my head, I loved hanging out with Kenzie and Theo. I felt like we had a really good friendship happening. “Yes. I’d love to come.”
“Great. It’s settled.” Theo took a sip of her latte and started planning a lunch menu and drinks, with Kenzie giving her two cents.
I heard the tinkle of a bell, signaling more customers. Out of habit, I drew my attention to the couple who entered. It was Nicu and one of the female gymnasts on the team. The one I’d seen fall off the balance beam that day. I’d spied on her at another practice and could tell she was injured but was still expected to train at a high level like all the others. You could tell she was training in fear, and each mistake brought on more verbal outbursts from her coach. However, the real physicality came when no one watched. Of that, I was certain.Don’t go there, I told myself.
“Hey, isn’t that your friend?” Kenzie signaled behind her as Nicu was at the counter, talking to one of the cashiers.
“Yeah.” After he had a coffee in hand, he scanned the room and spotted me as I raised my hand. He briefly nudged his chin in acknowledgement. I hadn’t spoken to him since the day Dmitri saw us. I frowned catching the uncertainty in his eyes.
When his friend joined him at his side, I excused myself from the table and followed them to a vacant booth where they’d just settled. “Nicu.”
He nodded cautiously.
“How are you?”
“I’m fine.” He managed a faint smile and glanced at the girl beside him. “Sorina, this is Rebecca.”
Rebecca was small, very petite, and looked to be not an inch over four-ten, with the perfect build of a gymnast. She smiled shyly at us and was polite, but there was something in her demeanor that stood out to me, and nobody would notice unless they’d experienced it, too. Her eyes, despite being bright blue as the sky, had no sparkle. They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and if I were to take a look inside, I would almost bet my life’s savings her soul was lifeless. She was broken.Hedid this to her.
Did Nicu know anything about this? If he did, he didn’t show it. Besides, he trained under a different coach. If Rebecca was like me, and another gymnast I used to train with long ago, she’d kept it to herself.
Because it was embarrassing.
Because we were talking about one of the most prominent, well-respected people in the gymnastics world.
Because it was drilled into us that we were weak if we couldn’t handle the “hard work” it takes to make it to the top.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
We exchanged a few more awkward words, and Rebecca stood up and excused herself. I watched as she walked to the back of the shop, contemplating my next move.
“I’ll be right back.” I passed through the opening in the back and pushed through the door to the ladies’ room, standing by the sink as I heard a toilet flush. What was I doing? Standing around like a weirdo as I waited for the door of the closed stall to open. The other stalls were vacant. I turned and shoved my hands under one of the faucets. Rebecca stepped out of one of the stalls and made her way to the sink beside me. “I’ve seen you at the gym.” She had? I wasn’t exactly hiding, but I wasn’t trying to draw attention to myself, either.
“Yeah, Nicu and I used to train together, and sometimes he invites me to watch him practice.” I lied about Nicu inviting me to practice.
She nodded.
“Hey.” I shut off the water. “How’s your injury?”
“My injury?” She drew her brows together, probably wondering how I knew.
