Bonded by Blood

T W E N T Y T H R E E

"Talk about what?" He responded with a raised brow.

"You know like-like what happened that day?" I awkwardly shrugged.

"Besides regretting what I did to you and snapping that boy's arm in two, there's nothing much else to talk about." Nikolai returned my shrug as he deeply muttered out his response, his Russian accent subtly intertwining with his natural husk.

"I'm sorry that they outed you, Nikolai." I couldn't help but lean in with a deep pained breath, feeling the air tighten and waver right between us. "It's horrible what they did to you."

Nikolai suddenly straightened his back against his seat, almost as if he just wanted to cut straight into the chase. "I don't need your pity." He clenched his chiseled jaw with a low and steady voice, locking his intense sterling gaze onto mine with a subtle squint. "All I wanna know is why aren't you asking for another partner?"

I took a deep shaky breath, gathering my thoughts before I spoke pass my undoubtable intimidation for him. "Is that what you want?" I asked, my voice quivering with utmost fragility.

"You tell me." Nikolai deeply muttered with subtle solemnity in his voice. "You're the one who told me to stay away from you." He adds as his tense shoulders eased right back into a sigh.

"Look I-I didn't mean it, alright? I just remember feeling so overwhelmed with what happened between us and-and with those boys that I-I just lost it." I breathed out with shame etched on my face. "I'm sorry for being mean to you. The way I spoke to you that day was wrong, especially when you were the only one there to help me out." I continued, my voice barely above a whisper as I pursed my lips in regret.

"This is exactly the reason why those guys pick on you the way they do." He slowly leaned over the table, exuding an unreadably wise demeanor that made me wonder what kind of trials he had faced to become so effortlessly confident and nonchalant. "You're kindness makes you weak and vulnerable, making you look malleable in their eyes." He bluntly stated with a sense of understanding.

My eyes nervously darted around the room as he made me feel like an open book, unable to keep myself from being affected by what he was conveying. "I-I don't understand what you're trying to tell me?"

"I'm telling you to spare me your unnecessary apologies, especially when you did nothing wrong. Besides, even if you did, It helps to accept that regardless of how kind or mean you are, you're always gonna be the villain in someone else's story." Nikolai's eyes slowly trailed down my face before continuing. "And the thing is they have the right to their truth, just like how you have the right to do what's best for you." The school bell suddenly went off, causing my trail of thought to get lost in the commotion of everyone proceeding to get up and leave.

"W-Wait, the project-"

"We're doing the project at your house, there's no privacy in mine." Nikolai interrupted as he slung his backpack over his shoulder.

I was immediately sent into a frantic frenzy as I followed right behind him to walk out of class. "Wait no, I-I can't!"

"You can't?" He coldly asked without turning around to spare me a glance.

"There's hardly any privacy in mine either." I insisted, hoping that he wouldn't pry me for more information that could lead me to talk about my troubled relationship with my dad or risk exposing all the turmoil at home. "Perhaps m-maybe we can just-"

"Wait a minute-" A cheerful voice suddenly emitted from out of nowhere once Nikolai and I exited the class. "Are you Leone!?" The voice belonged to a girl I had never seen before. She had dark, straight hair that passed her shoulders. Like smooth silk, it hugged her sharp features such as her small mousy nose, her sharp almond eyes, and her sharp jawline that ended downward to her delicate chin.