When We Were Young

Thirty-two:

Thirty-two

He'd kissed her. He'd kissed her, and she'd kissed him back, and now they were stumbling into the frat house, kissing again. She was pulling off his jacket, which she'd tossed on the floor, and he'd grabbed hers off too. They were pushing their way into the house, and he navigated her backwards through it, up the stairs, to his room and then---

"I'm going to kill you." This came not from Nikolai, but Vasily, right on cue. Aleksander was roughly pulled away for Alina.

"Vasily!" Alina exclaimed.

Vasily had pinned Aleksander to the ground and was choking him. Alina grabbed Vasily, pulling him off Aleksander. "He's fucking with me," Vasily snarled, "he----"

Alina placed a calming hand on Vasily. "I know."

"You know?"

"I know," she said, "you're my cousin."

Vasily huffed. "Why would you do that?"

Alina shrugged. "I've got to have some fun, you know?"

Aleksander was on the ground, groaning, and his lip was bleeding. "Saints," Aleksander said, "what in the hell, Vasily? Was that necessary, man?"

"She's my cousin," Vasily said, "and you should know better."

Aleksander grinned. "Alina's a grown woman. She has the right to make her choices. If she doesn't want to kiss me, she can tell me."

"Exactly," said Alina, "I don't need protection."

Vasily sighed. "Alina, you don't even know the whole context of what is going on."

"I know Aleks," she said.

Vasily snorted. "No one knows Aleks. Aleks is The Devil. You were right with your first assessment of him, keep that assessment. Besides, what happened to your attack dog? Isn't Oretsev Mr. keep-away-from-her?"

Alina rolled her eyes. "Mal's in the hospital."

Vasily squinted at her. "Is that why you've got puke on your shoes and where the smell is coming from?"

Alina glanced down at the shoes and realized she hadn't even taken the time to clean them up. "Oh, Saints. Morozova why didn't you tell me?"

"How's that my fault? You distracted me with YOUR MOUTH."

"YOU DISTRACTED ME WITH YOURS!" Alina retaliated.

"Hey, it's fine I can get you---"

"QUITE BUYING ME THINGS. You guys have a washing machine right?"

"Yeah, it's down the hall, with the dryer," Vasily said, "can't you do that in your dorm though? Far, far away from Aleks?"

Alina laughed. "Why would I do that? I'm just going to use it and then I'll grab them when I'm ready to leave, and we're done making out."

Vasily groaned. "I hate this. I hate this. Last week, you and I were supposed to---and then----Saints, the Saints are going to burn me alive. Okay. If you're going to be here, I've got to go."

"Good seeing you, cousin," Alina said with a smirk.

Vasily glared at her. "Not enjoying this whole extended family thing. Not enjoying it one bit." Then, he left the frat house, and Alina was left alone with Aleksander.

She pulled off her shoes. "So, the washing machine is where?"

"There," said Aleksander, pointing from the ground. Alina stepped over him, despite him propped up, touching his lip where Vasily had sucker punched him. "Damn. I didn't think Boy Wonder had it in him to punch me."