When We Were Young

Thirteen:

Thirteen

Aleksander got up early the next morning for his gym workout. He usually wore sweats, and a t-shirt, and he would grab coffee at The Dime Lions Café before heading there. Since he was on a football scholarship, working out was part of his routine. It had been since he was in high school, as far back as he could remember. Except this morning, he took extra care to make certain his jet-black hair did that thing where it fell across his forehead that girls seemed to like so much. He put cologne on himself that his mom had gifted him at Christmas, one of those lazy last-minute gifts because she had no idea what her son was interested in.

Aleksander had stolen Alina's phone number out of Genya's ages ago. He hadn't actually texted her yet, there had never been a need. But he liked knowing that he had had the ability to get in contact with her just if he needed to. There was something about having her number that he liked. He texted Alina as he headed out and walked the short distance from the frat house to the café.

How about I buy you a coffee? 

Who is this?

The Devil. 

Another short pause.

Morozova? How did you get my number? 

I have my ways. 😉 

Okay fine...I'm at The Dime Lions café.

I know.

Aleksander smirked, and he pocketed his cell phone as he made his way to the coffee shop. When he got there, Alina was at her usual seat in the back, studying. Aleksander smiled and walked over to her. "Hello, Lina."

Alina glared. "You don't get to call me that."

"Oh, come on. We're supposed to be friends now, right? Don't your friends all call you Lina?"

"What about the bet makes you think that we're friends?"

"How else are you going to explain why we're suddenly 'hanging out' together to your little friend Oretsev?"

Alina frowned. "Okay. Fine."

He smiled. "See, I'm not an idiot. I think things through."

"If you thought things through even for a second, you would realize what a gigantic waste of time this is, and you would absolutely give up and go do something productive with your time. Why are you so obsessed with the idea of sleeping with me, Morozova?" Alina asked. "Is it just that I'm....inexperienced?"

"You heard my little rant outside your door the other day. I know you did. I'm not obsessed with you because you're a virgin, I'm obsessed with you because you are you. This isn't about sleeping with you. This is about making you mine."

Alina coughed. "What?"

"You heard me, Starkov. This isn't about a one-time thing. I want to date you for real. But you've never given me a chance to get to know you because you can't get over me hating Oretsev. I look at this bet as a way to---"

"Force me to get to know you?" Alina finished.

Aleksander sighed. "Hey, you brought this on yourself."

"Morozova, I hate to break it to you, but there are people in this life that are absolutely going to hate you. It's perfectly okay too. It happens. I can live with hating you. You should be able to accept that."

Aleksander scowled. "I will never be able to accept a world where one of the hottest girls I know hates me."

Alina blushed. "What?"

He smirked. "You heard me, Starkov. I know the best when I see it. You're one of the best. I'm not just playing for a one-night stand. I am playing for keeps."

Alina coughed again. She took a sip of the coffee she had been drinking for an hour already, and fumbled with the napkin she had, absentmindedly tearing it into shreds. "You want me to be your girlfriend? That's why you are doing this weird thing?"

Aleksander nodded.

"You realize just because if, by some weird circumstance, I happen to sleep with you that doesn't mean that I'm your girlfriend. Right? Please tell me you realize that. This isn't ancient times. You don't just sleep with a girl and get to claim that girl."

Aleksander smiled. "Half of the girls I sleep with end up being my girlfriend. Now the relationship might not last, but that's what we're dealing with. Trust me, once you sleep with me, you're gonna want to be mine."

Alina made a face. "You are the most arrogant person I have ever met."

"Nothing wrong with knowing your worth, Starkov. I know my worth. You should know yours. You'd be amazed at how that can change things for you. The minute you realize where your strengths are, that makes things better."

Alina sighed. "I'm not going to sleep with you before this bet is over. I am going to kill you before this bet is over."

"Want another coffee?" he offered.

"Fine. Okay."

"Don't sound so enthusiastic about it."

"You want enthusiasm about this, you go find Genya. She's the one that's planning our wedding and picking out names for our first-born child, apparently."

Aleksander grinned. "I knew Genya was my best friend for a reason. We went to private school together."

"Right. Well. Wonderful having one of my best friends root for me to end up with my worst enemy."

Aleksander snorted. "I thought that was Zoya."

"No, Zoya is my frenemy. There is a difference."

"Good to know." He smiled. "I'm going to get us some coffee. Three sugars, and one cream, right?"

Alina frowned. "How do you know?"

"I visit the same coffee place as you every, single day. I was bound to hear your order at least once."

"I should report you for stalking."

"It's not stalking if I'm your bestie and future husband."

Alina groaned. "You're a mad person. I'm definitely going to kill you before this is over."

"I'll get you a muffin too. You look peckish."