He Loves Me Not
The Truce
I knock on the solid oak door of the Constantinov residence, my hand shaking just slightly.
It has been three days since the Kiki incident and two days since I last heard from him. The last time I saw him I not only insulted his girlfriend, but also made him pretty pissed with me.
Even now, with the rehearsed speech at the tip of my tongue I begin to feel my confidence falter with each passing moment.
The door opens slightly and a small, slender girl with gorgeous brown eyes looks back at me. The similarity between her and her brother always startles me and I give her a quick grin to regain my composure. She eyes me for a moment, her brow arching in reproach.
“Well, well, if it isn’t the troublemaker. Are you here to harass my kid brother some more?” Nina says, a huge smile planted on her thin lips.
“Just let me in, Nina. I’m here to apologize.” I reply, craning my neck to look behind her.
Nina opens the door to let me through and I feel the familiar scent of lavender embrace me as I walk into the corridor. I hear the door shut behind me and see her reappear at my side, her voice excited and curious.
I reply to her questions in urgent whispers and she seems to get the hint, and after giving me a quick side hug, runs off to find her younger brother.
I stand in the corridor, listening to the muffled voices coming from the last door on the left, his room. He must have heard me come in.
“No, I’m not going.”
“Dima, you’re being stupid. Just go out there and talk to her.” She speaks to him in Russian, her words sharp and hushed.
“I’m being stupid? She broke me up with my girlfriend, she deserves to feel guilty.”
“Get up.” I hear Nina say. Her usual sweet tone turns harsh in the few Russian words she speaks.
I hear shuffling and then see Dima emerge, his hair tousled and his eyes on the floor. Nina stands awkwardly next to him, motioning for me to say something.
Her eyes bulge out of her sockets and I can see how desperately she wants me suppress the tension.
After a few moments of painful silence she laughs out of nowhere and mutters about something being in the oven.
Which is strange since Nina doesn’t cook.
Dima eyes me for a moment, before shrugging his shoulders and sighing loudly.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” I start, chewing on the inside of my lip. “Listen. About the other day-”
“I know. You’re sorry.”
I stop midway and eye him, searching for any signs of anger on his face. There isn’t any.
“So you’re not mad?”
He smirks for a few seconds before reaching a hand to his hair, tousling it some more.
“I never said that. I mean, I’m definitely not happy about it. Me and Candy are done for.”
“Oh, right. Again. Sorry.” I mumble.
He laughs quietly, more to himself than to me. He looks at me again, his features solemn.
“No you’re not.”
I stay silent, not sure how to respond. This wasn’t what I had expected, and not what I had
rehearsed.
“Umm…sure I am?”
My voice pitches high at the last word, my face grimacing with all sorts of ugly.
Dima cuts me off again by stepping closer to me, placing his hand on my shoulder in the most platonic way possible.
“It’s okay. You’re forgiven.”
I blink for a few moments. Once, twice, a third time.
“I’m forgiven?” Clarity begins to surface and something startles inside of me. I feel my temper give way and my words are quick to satisfy it.
“I’m sorry, but just because I hurt your girlfriend’s feelings doesn’t mean you can patronize me, Dima.”
I see the edge of a smile begin to form and suddenly his whole body begins to shake with laughter.
My face breaks out into a smile as I realize that everything is returning back to normal.
He isn't mad, at least.
“So, truce?”
“Truce,” he grins, and I feel my chest flutter with contentment.
It has been three days since the Kiki incident and two days since I last heard from him. The last time I saw him I not only insulted his girlfriend, but also made him pretty pissed with me.
Even now, with the rehearsed speech at the tip of my tongue I begin to feel my confidence falter with each passing moment.
The door opens slightly and a small, slender girl with gorgeous brown eyes looks back at me. The similarity between her and her brother always startles me and I give her a quick grin to regain my composure. She eyes me for a moment, her brow arching in reproach.
“Well, well, if it isn’t the troublemaker. Are you here to harass my kid brother some more?” Nina says, a huge smile planted on her thin lips.
“Just let me in, Nina. I’m here to apologize.” I reply, craning my neck to look behind her.
Nina opens the door to let me through and I feel the familiar scent of lavender embrace me as I walk into the corridor. I hear the door shut behind me and see her reappear at my side, her voice excited and curious.
I reply to her questions in urgent whispers and she seems to get the hint, and after giving me a quick side hug, runs off to find her younger brother.
I stand in the corridor, listening to the muffled voices coming from the last door on the left, his room. He must have heard me come in.
“No, I’m not going.”
“Dima, you’re being stupid. Just go out there and talk to her.” She speaks to him in Russian, her words sharp and hushed.
“I’m being stupid? She broke me up with my girlfriend, she deserves to feel guilty.”
“Get up.” I hear Nina say. Her usual sweet tone turns harsh in the few Russian words she speaks.
I hear shuffling and then see Dima emerge, his hair tousled and his eyes on the floor. Nina stands awkwardly next to him, motioning for me to say something.
Her eyes bulge out of her sockets and I can see how desperately she wants me suppress the tension.
After a few moments of painful silence she laughs out of nowhere and mutters about something being in the oven.
Which is strange since Nina doesn’t cook.
Dima eyes me for a moment, before shrugging his shoulders and sighing loudly.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” I start, chewing on the inside of my lip. “Listen. About the other day-”
“I know. You’re sorry.”
I stop midway and eye him, searching for any signs of anger on his face. There isn’t any.
“So you’re not mad?”
He smirks for a few seconds before reaching a hand to his hair, tousling it some more.
“I never said that. I mean, I’m definitely not happy about it. Me and Candy are done for.”
“Oh, right. Again. Sorry.” I mumble.
He laughs quietly, more to himself than to me. He looks at me again, his features solemn.
“No you’re not.”
I stay silent, not sure how to respond. This wasn’t what I had expected, and not what I had
rehearsed.
“Umm…sure I am?”
My voice pitches high at the last word, my face grimacing with all sorts of ugly.
Dima cuts me off again by stepping closer to me, placing his hand on my shoulder in the most platonic way possible.
“It’s okay. You’re forgiven.”
I blink for a few moments. Once, twice, a third time.
“I’m forgiven?” Clarity begins to surface and something startles inside of me. I feel my temper give way and my words are quick to satisfy it.
“I’m sorry, but just because I hurt your girlfriend’s feelings doesn’t mean you can patronize me, Dima.”
I see the edge of a smile begin to form and suddenly his whole body begins to shake with laughter.
My face breaks out into a smile as I realize that everything is returning back to normal.
He isn't mad, at least.
“So, truce?”
“Truce,” he grins, and I feel my chest flutter with contentment.