Part two of imagine #97, requested by Knc2013 ,hope you will like it!:)
~YOUR POV~
A few days after hearing Artemi's voice again, you are waiting for him to show up. You agreed on a date, on your first date with Artemi after two years, and now you are waiting for him in front of a bar called Lost Lake. After checking the bar online, you know why Artemi suggested it. Your taste hasn't changed and you are still obsessed with "Tiki Style" – chairs and walls made out of bamboo, tropical details and exotic drinks.
"Y/N," you hear his sweet voice and you turn around. There he is, wearing Blackhawks' cap and Vityaz (knight in English) hoodie, a reminder of his past.
"Artemi," you smile wide and approach him. Your intention was to shake his hand, but he surprises you by pulling you into a bear hug.
"я скучал по тебе." (Ya skuchal po tebe/ I missed you.)
"I missed you too, Artemi."
He looks at you, his eyes wide in confusion: "English?"
"We are in America."
"But we Russians..."
"You will have to learn."
"Not now. Now date. Speak Russian. Как поживаете? [Kak pozhivayete/ How are you?]"
"Я учусь в Университете Лойолы. [Ya uchus' v Universitete Loyolu./ I study am studying) at Loyola University.]"
"Мои поздравления! [Moi pozdraleniya!/ Congratulations!" "Спасибо. [Spasibo. /Thank you.] Как поживаете? [Kak pozhivayete/ How are you?]"
"Я не могу жаловаться. [Ya ne mogu zhalovat'sya./ I cannot complain.]"
When you check your watch, you notice you have been hanging out for three hours and your flat mate must be going nuts from worries. You told her you were going to see Artemi just for about an hour. You check your phone when Artemi excuses himself and heads to the restrooms, only to see 7 missed calls and about a dozen of text messages, all of them asking you whether everything is okay. "Shit, shit, shit...."You quickly type a message you are fine and send it to your concerned friend. Not a moment passes before she calls you: "Where the hell are you? You said you'd be back in about an hour and now you've been gone for three hours. I was scared something happened to you..."
"Y/F/N, relax, I am fine. Time just flew by so quickly. We were catching up, I was telling him about studying and he was telling me about hockey."
"Still, you never know what can happen."
"I know, I am sorry for not sending you at least a short text to let you know I am fine. You forgive me?"After a few moments of silence, she laughs: "Maybe. But you will have to cook and clean for a week."
"You know I don't like cooking that much!"
"I know. That's why you will do it. Take it as a punishment."
"I don't like you. Y/F/N/N, I have to go. I will let you know when I will be on a way home."
Before she has a chance to answer, you cut the call and look at Artemi, who has just sat down."Все порядке? [Vse poryadke?/ Is everything okay?]"
"Все в порядке. [Vse v poryadke./ Everything is okay.]... Мой сосед по комнате слишком беспокоится. [Moy sosed po komnate slishkom bespokoitsya./ My roommate worries too much.]"
"Я тоже, если бы ты был моим соседом по комнате. [Ya tozhe, yesli by ty byl moim sosedom po komnate./ I would too if you were my roommate.]" he smiles and gently touches your hand. You look up and see his glimmering eyes. The same eyes she last saw two years ago when he left Russia. When he left his grandparents and you. "Artemi," you sigh and get up. You gently pull your hand away: "Мне нужно идти. [Mne nuzhno iditi./ I have to go.]"
"ждать! Я увижу тебя снова? [Zhdat'! Ya uvizhu tebya snova?/ Wait! Will i see you again?]"
Clearly in a hurry, you glance at him again quickly and nod before running to the door and on the street. Once you reach the street, you take a deep breath. Thinking you were over him leaving you and completely losing the contact with you, was foolish of you. And tonight you realized one thing – you never stopped loving him and you are confused by all the feelings. You still love him, that the truth, but at the same time you are upset. Because he apparently thought everything will be back to normal with one date. And mad at yourself for being foolish enough to let your heart create silly scenarios, while completely ignoring your brain. On the other hand, you are happy you reunited with your ex- boyfriend. If you can call him ex, you never broke up, actually. And knowing Artemi, he is too shy to hit on any girl, but that's Artemi you knew two years ago. God knows what he is like now. You accidentally look back and see Artemi sadly sipping his drink. There is a handful of gorgeous women around him, but he doesn't seem to notice. ~~"How did the date go?"
"It was not a date. Just a reunion with a guy who I happened to date."
"I will call it a date, you have never dolled up yourself for anyone as much as you did for him."
You roll your eyes and plop on the sofa: "I don't know anymore, Y/F/N. I mean, he is still Artemi I knew and loved, but things have changed since he left..."
"If you had a chance, would you still be with him?"
"Yes. Or at least I think so. Yes, I would. What we had was...I can't describe it, some people would say it was too cliché."
"Then that's all that I matters. Come on, I can see you still like him. I think you should give your relationship another chance. The last one."
'Should I call him?"
"No. Write him a letter. I think that's the most romantic thing you can do."
You stare at her wordlessly for a bit, letting the idea run through your head. And you realize she is right, even back in the days when you were both living in Russia, that was your way of sending each other love letters. When the darkness fills your and your friend's apartment, you say your goodnights. As soon as the door of her room close, you light up the candle and pick up the pen. It feels like an eternity since you last wrote something important by your hand, yet somehow, the feeling that overwhelms you, is relaxing.
~~
As 2016/17 season comes to an end, you and Artemi have sent each other a handful of letters. And in those letters, you discussed everything, your past, your present and your possible future. In the last few letters, Artemi expressed surprising interest whether you are seeing anyone or not. At first you were hesitant – you didn't want to give him false hope in case he was asking that to see if you wanted to be with him, but once you gave in, his letters got a bit flirtier. One thing that hasn't changed is his way of flirting – like a shy kid, trying to ask a popular girl on a date. Not a single hint of inappropriateness, just endless sweetness. You finally agree to see him again in the summer of 2017. To be more specific, on June 24th 2017. When he arrives to your 'meeting point', he is clearly distressed. "Artemi, what is wrong?"
Seeing him upset like that, breaks you and you accidentally speak to him in English. "Columbus..."
"Columbus? Artemi?"
"Trade. Traded me in Columbus."
"When?"
"Yesterday," he looks at you with big eyes, which seem full of pain. You can't help yourself and hug him, pulling his body, which you have known for so long, closer to you.
"Мне жаль. [Mne zhal./I am sorry.]."
"я не хочу уходить. [Ya ne khochu ukhodit'./ I don't want to leave.]. No now."
"Я только что нашел тебя снова. [Ya tol'ko chto nashla tebya snova./ I just found you again.]"
"Пойдем со мной. [Poydem so mnoy./ Come with me.]"
"To Columbus?"
"Yes. Please. Not want to leave you."
"I... study here."
"Please?"
When he whispers the plead in his broken English, your heart shatters to pieces. But this time, he will not be as far. And you could spend weekends in Columbus..."Promise me, Artemi, one thing."
"Any thing."
"Мы будем держать связь. [My budem derzhat' svyaz'./ We will keep in touch.]."
"Обещаю. [Obeshchayu./ I promise.]"
You heard his promise before and you know it didn't end well. But this time, you are both older and grown up. Beside, your long-distance relationship won't be that bad, there will be a five-hour drive between us. Or about two-hour-long flight. The thought of that makes you believe everything will be fine. You and Artemi will get your happy ending.
"у меня есть кое-что для тебя. [U menya yest' koye-chto dlya tebya./ I have something for you.]"
He reaches in his pocket and pulls out a silver necklace. A silver necklace with a small cross, similar to the one he is wearing.
"I always wear," he proudly smiles and reveals his necklace and the pendant you had given him all those years ago.
"And I will wear yours. Forever."
