TPS *(original version)*

Chapter Fourteen

"Thanks," I said, dropping my suitcase on the floor of Tatiana's room.

"What's wrong?" She immediately asked me. I sat down on her bed and immediately started crying. "Oh, Sofie." She said softly, sitting next to me and wrapping her arms around me in a hug. "Tell me."

So I did. I told her everything, starting from the shiny Aston Martin that was currently sitting in her guest garage to me walking out on him tonight. And she didn't interrupt me once – even when I was crying so hard I had to stop talking so I could remember how to breathe. And when I was done, she cried for me.

"That bastard," she said, wiping her eyes. "That awful, no good, two-timing weasel."

I flopped down on her bed, staring at the ceiling. "I have to marry him," I moaned. "I wanted to marry him before. I still want too, but I don't at the same time. I'm not even mad at him! How awful is that? Be honest." I told her.

Tatiana lay down next to me and looked at me. "You love him. That's why you're not mad. And I understand why you love him. Until last night, he was perfect. But he severely messed up."

"I know," I said miserably. "I just don't know what to do."

"He needs to figure out a way to make it right with you. He'll figure something out soon, I'm sure. If he can figure out how to stop being a cold-hearted moron, he can figure out how to win you back." Tatiana assured me. "But for now, I have something to help ease the pain."

"Please tell me it's not alcohol," I said, clutching my stomach.

"Ice cream," Tatiana said. "Don't be dumb." She told me. "Let's go to the kitchen. Ben and Jerry are calling my name."

I smiled gratefully at her and followed her down to her kitchen. It was dark and empty, all of her servants had gone to bed for the night. She flicked the light on and it illuminated the industrial kitchen. She made her way to the freezer and stood to the side. "Pick your poison," she said, gesturing to the many different ice cream flavors. I grabbed the small container of Boston Cream Pie and Tatiana grabbed Phish Food. Tatiana got two spoons and handed me one, moving to sit at the island counter in the middle of the kitchen. Neither of us spoke for a while, we were both too intent on thinking. Or at least, I was. Tatiana may have been too intent on her ice cream. After about fifteen minutes, Tatiana turned to me. "I'm having a birthday party the day after tomorrow," she told me. "It's a birthday ball. Will you please come?" She asked me.

"Of course I will!" I said. "Who would I be if I didn't go to my own cousins birthday party?"

"A jerk." She replied.

We both laughed and stood. Tatiana threw the empty containers away and put the spoons in the sink. We made our way back up to Tatiana's room and changed into our pajamas. We climbed into her huge bed and I looked around her room. Tatiana's room was decorated to look like a dressing room. It was painted a light peach, with large mirrors with dressing room light bulbs surrounding them. There were directors chairs clustered in a corner, with lots of throw pillows on her window seat that overlooked her garden. Her bed was in the second story of her bedroom, sort of like a loft, except the whole loft was the bed, easily making it bigger than a California King Size bed. Even so, Tatiana and I still slept side by side. Tatiana flicked the light switch next to the bed and all the lights slowly flickered off, leaving us in complete darkness.

"Goodnight, Sofie." She told me, rolling over.

"Goodnight," I replied, turning my head to the opposite side. I couldn't help but miss Alex. I was so used to sleeping with him. I sighed and closed my eyes, eventually falling asleep.

When Tatiana woke up, she wasted no time in slapping my face with her pillow. "Good morning!" She sang loudly. "Would you like to go dress shopping with me?" She asked. "You're going to need one if you're still coming to my party tomorrow." She said, standing up and walking off her bed, down the ladder and to her first floor in her bedroom.