Orlando

Evelyna’s POV

The class went by smoothly. Val remained on his best behavior and in fact he made a game out of trying to figure out what the professor was saying. Like an English speaker listening to a Hispanic, the Russian couldn’t keep up at times. Other times, the professor actually spoke slow enough or used hand gestures that Val seemed to recognize. I smiled at him and he returned it. He was so incredibly adorable and well-behaved.

Either way, he survived the class without being noticed. Me and my friend, Kylie quickly chatted with a few other people, before we turned and collected him. He was waving awkwardly to all of the students who passed by him. The blonde man backed against the wall, allowing them to exit. A few waved back, while a few thought he was wanting a high-five and some were puzzled. It was...there aren’t enough ways to say how freaking adorable he was.

I threw my arm around Val’s shoulders and neck and led him out of the classroom, trailed by Kylie and two other male students. They were the group mates for our film project in the class.

“No, no, she saved him from Brock, the jock-hater!” Kylie was saying, as we stepped to the side in the hallway.

“Who is he?” one of the men, a large friendly and humorous African American asked.

“He’s a hockey player,” Kylie stated.

“Oh, the NHL, right?” the other man confirmed with a nod. He glanced at the blonde-haired blue-eyed man beside the redhead.

“Yeah.”

“His name is Val Nichushkin!” I introduced, patting my fantasy hockey crush on the shoulder, gently.

He looked at me, his eyes sparkling a brilliant shade of blue. God, they were gorgeous!

“Wal?” the first man questioned.

“No, Val, as in Valeri. He’s Russian and he’s a sweetheart.” I nuzzled into the shoulder of the Dallas Star, batting my eyelashes at him. I couldn’t help myself, he was just so….well you all get the point by now. He’s a babe.

He blushed and gave a sweet smile to me, curling his lips back at one corner of his mouth, giving him even more of an awkward look.

The African American cocked his head, sizing the hockey player up and down with his eyes. He squinted in thought. “He looks lost and bewildered.”

“That’s because he is!” I stated, pouting my lip and giving Val a squeeze with my arms.

“Geez, Eve, one would think, you were deeply in love with this man?” the other man said, earning a nod from the black man. Kylie folded her arms and leaned against the wall. She didn’t speak, just observed.

“Because I am….he’s just so loveable!!”

“Хорошо, что достаточно, Eve, (Alright, that’s enough, Eve)” Val finally spoke in Russian.

Now both men were more curious. They both shared a look with one another, before gazing, with wide eyes at the hockey player.

“He is Russian….”

I finally dropped my hands down to my sides. I lifted one back up though, to nervously tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Yes. жаль. мое плохое. (Sorry. My bad.)” I looked down at my feet and shuffled them back and forth.

“So, what are you going to do with him? You can’t keep him in the apartment!”

“He’s not a dog or cat, Anthony. He’s a human being!” Kylie remarked, having my back. “And he wouldn’t stay there...maybe just for a few hours or the night...?!”

“Yeah, that may be fine. As long as Northgate doesn’t come and comprehend him!”

“He’s NOT a dog or cat!!” I snapped. “And he’ll be fine!”

“What about your roommates?!” the pudgy black man brought up, folding his arms and raising his eyebrow.

“Look at him, Anthony,” I stated, rather calmly, gesturing with my hand. “How will they not be able to fall in love with this guy? He’s so charming!” I turned to Val, once again being a fangirl to him. “вы прелестны. (You’re charming.)” I touched his nose with my index finger, giving off a cute squeak. He laughed a little, flashing more of a smile.

I had called him charming!! But what was wrong with my friends? What were they trying to figure out? Val and me weren’t sure, but it wasn’t good, and it was about the Russian.

“I can go. If I am not wanted. I will leave.”

“You are so considerate, Nichy, but you are not leaving! You can stay here. It is fine.” I made sure to slow down and annunciate my words to him.

He nodded in half understanding. I patted him on the shoulder and turned back to my friends.

“What girl wouldn’t find this man incredibly adorable?” Kylie brought up. “He is just so…” She walked up to the Dallas player and reached up and grabbed his face pulling it down toward her. She had his chin held between her thumb and other fingers. She moved his head, as she added on, “He’s so cute and innocent!!”

I won’t lie to you, I was slightly jealous at her touching MY man. Yes, that’s right I used possession there, because he was mine. I had saved him, so he was mine!

Anthony, the black man looked to his friend. He sighed. “What do you think, Blake?”

“I say, the ladies are enamored by him, so he stays, otherwise we’re going to be in a heap of trouble!”

“Alright, he can stay, but don’t violate his freedom, he’s a professional athlete and he’s gonna be in the NHL season here soon!”

“Right, Anthony!”

Val’s POV

Evelyna bid her friends farewell at the bus shuttle stop and then walked on board, leading me behind her. She had a firm grip on my wrist, as we entered the shuttle and sat down in the middle, just on top of the step up. I was gazing around, clearly confused about where I was. Hey, I had reason to; I was a Dallas Star!

A few more people boarded, avoiding us, like when she had saved me, these people too had disgusted looks her way and sympathetic ones to me. She didn’t mind them or didn’t even pay attention to them. She turned to me and gave a sweet smile.

It was a silent ride out of the campus. No one spoke. I kept glancing around, like a cat new to its surroundings after moving. My head swiveled back and forth in every direction, as I wanted to see the scenery and landscape of where I was. We passed by the stadium and I muttered, “Football?”

Evelyna nodded her answer. “Yes, Val.”

We lurched onto a road called McCulloch, zooming through an early yellow light. We made it, continuing forward, down this road for a little bit, before the entrance to Northgate Apartments came into view. It turned right into the complex and went around the place, stopping at various points. Toward the back, Evelyna got to her feet, as the doors opened. What was going on? She grabbed my hand and exited the bus, thanking the driver in the process, who resumed, carrying on.

I gazed around with wide blue eyes, as I followed my new leader. She walked toward her building and climbed up the stairs, getting out her key for the door. She waited for me at the top. I seemed to be in shock and awe of the place, as I noticed her looking at me.

“Not bad a place.”

“It could be better, but it’s nice.”

She pushed open the door and was greeted by a familiar voice from inside. “Hello!”

I walked up behind her. Evelyna entered the apartment, spotting her brown haired friend sitting on the couch. “Hi there,” came Evelyna’s response. She let me in behind her and I bit my lip, nervously. She walked forward, as her roommate got to her feet and came over. “You’re back early.”

“And you’ve got a little friend, don’t you?” She smiled, leaning against the wall of the entrance. “Who is this?”

“Valeri Nichushkin.”

“Valeri Nichushkin? Russian?”

“Yup. He’s a Russian-born hockey player!”

“Hockey?”

“Yeah.”

“I thought he looked familiar! He’s the one you showed us the picture of! And the one who litters your Mac laptop background, eh?”

“Yes. He is the same one.”

Damn, this chick really has a crush on me! I thought, as we all went into the main room. The roommate sat on the longer couch, while Evelyna and I sat on the shorter couch. On the television, the reality show, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” was playing. The roommate was smiling from ear-to-ear.

“So tell me the story behind this?” She reached forward muted the volume on the TV, before turning to focus on her living partner.

“Well, Melissa, I found him by the Yard. The poor guy was being assaulted by that nasty Anti-Jock, Hockey group! I saved him! Apparently he had got lost going to Disney World and came to campus to ask someone for directions.”

“That’s a colorful story, but what is the truth, you creative writer. Did you kidnap him?”

“Why would I kidnap a Dallas Star this close to the season? I want to see him play, not be held captive in the shitty non-hockey city of Orlando!”

“Alright, you got me there.”

Evelyna turned to me, who was staring at the ground beside the TV. A small circular blue and green object was on the ground with a little feather sticking out of the top in the middle. A purple ball sat trapped between two frisbee parts. Beside it was a feather duster stick and a pink pom-pom. Cat toys? I wasn’t sure.

“Nichy, пойти показать ей свой синяк. (Go show her your bruise)”

I blinked, rotating my head to the side and looking away. I faced the woman on the other couch, who was looking at me in interest.

“I didn’t know you spoke Russian?”

“Believe it. в это поверить.”

I got up and walked over to her. I unbuttoned my shirt a little at the top to reveal a large black and blue mark on my left clavicle, right above my breast. I didn’t think it had been THAT bad….was my lack of playing on the ice resulting in my body being weaker and more prone to injury. I spotted Evelyna grinning as she saw her hispanic friend pull back for a second and gasp, immediately blushing at the sight of my chest.

“Holy mother of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!” The woman stated, before I straightened up and buttoned my shirt back up, to just three left undone.

I headed back to the couch and sat back down beside the woman who had rescued me. “Good boy, Val.” She patted me on the thigh and I smiled, which made the hispanic lady gasp again.

When the redhead turned back to her roommate, she was struggling to hold back her emotions and fanning herself. “You poor, poor man, you. I didn’t realize that people could be so cruel! Who is the fucking world would ever do this to you! Oh, fuck!!” She was a cusser...apparently.

“Now you know where I am coming from!” Evelyna remarked.

“I do. I do. The two Kaitlyn’s will be back soon. Caitlyn went out to pick up some groceries an hour ago and Kaitlyn is at class.”

“That’s fine. They’ll love him. I know you do.”

“Yeah, he’s not like normal men.”

“He’s a Russian hockey player, Mel!”

“Right, cause hockey players are all like this!”

“Most of them. But this one is special. He is a good man.”

Melissa nodded. She looked past them and her eyes widened and she smiled. “Hey, Bo, you decided to come out and mingle!”

A terrifying sounding meow followed. It sounded more like the animal had something caught in her throat and was dying. But it jumped onto the back of the short couch and sniffed me out. I turned slowly and petted the animal and it purred.

“Well, it’s settled. Bo likes him!” Melissa exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

I laughed, as I murmured to the cat in Russian.