Rublev: Can We Be Friends?

"Mars, it's not like that."

I felt a light finger dragging against my hand, and then my elbow, and then across my collarbone. The touch was soft, barely touching at all. 

Everywhere the finger touched, I got goosebumps all over my body. Once the hand made it to the base of neck, I started to feel hot. It was the touch of a lover. The thumb grazed my lips, dragging the bottom lip down and caressed my jawline. 

I begged to open my eyes, but they remained shut as this lover's hands mapped my body. As I waited to be kissed, I felt my eyes peak open but no one was there. 

Everywhere I looked, I saw someone just arms length away. Their red hair was just leaving my point of view, only ever catching the back of their head. I find myself running after the person, but every time I get close enough to touch, they vanish. 

"Martha."

I turn around. Nothing there.

"Martha."

I turn around again, nothing. 

I start thrashing my arms, trying to feel anything in this darkness. For a few moments, there is nothing but darkness. I start looking around, trying to figure out where I am, when I feel someone grab my arms. 

"Martha?"

I'm pulled out of my dream and I instinctively throw my hand out. 

"Jesus Martha," Andrey yelps, rubbing his shoulder. 

I squint in the darkness, the sun just starting to rise outside the window. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" I insist, pulling the blanket under my chin. 

Raking his fingers through his hair, he shrugs, "I was hoping we could do yoga." I notice that he's dressed in sweats, two yoga mats leaning against my open door. 

"At--" I check my phone, "6AM? Andrey, I was sleeping."

"I like starting my mornings early."

I shake my head, "Says the guy who wasn't ready yesterday morning."

He shrugs, a small smile splitting across his lips, "Jet-lag. Yoga or no?"

"Andrey Rublev, my god," I mumble, dragging a hand over my face, "You like couldn't have told me this yesterday, before I went to bed?"

He, still sitting on the edge of my bed, shrugged again, "I forgot, but I told you now."

Taking a deep breath, I shoo him away, "Okay, let me get ready." As he's walking to the door, "Andrey?"

"Hmmm?"

"Wake me again, I'll chuck tennis balls at you in your sleep." I tried to say it with seriousness, but by the end of the sentence, I couldn't contain my laughter. 

He flashed me a smile, bending down and picking up the mats, "Yeah okay Black."

_______________________

After yoga and a shower, Andrey and I walked down to breakfast together. We didn't talk much during yoga, which was fine by me. Morning yoga was always a great way to get my thoughts in motion and guiding Andrey gave me a sense of peace while stretching. 

I grabbed a plate of eggs and hash browns before sitting next to Andrey, our coaches waving at us as they made their way into the room. 

With a mouth full of food, Andrey asks, "So what you dreaming about?"

I looked up a bit confused, peeling my orange, "What do you mean?"

He shrugged, his eyes on his banana, "You were gasping a lot in your sleep... and thrashing. A lot of thrashing. You seemed scared."