When We Were Young

Sixty-six:

Sixty-six:

"You're my maid of honor!" Genya declared when she got back from vacation. "David and me are getting married after I graduate, and you are going to be my maid of honor!"

Alina smiled and hugged her. "Good to see you too, Gen."

Genya grinned. "Good to see you too. How was your winter break with Aleks?"

Alina blushed. "We spent Christmas and New Years together. New Years, we went to The Crow Club, and we danced, and then we watched fireworks over Os Alta."

Genya waggled her eyebrows. "Did you get laid?"

Alina blushed harder.

Genya high fived her. "There's my girl! Hard to believe you went from being in some weird, fake bet with him to being his fully, committed girlfriend yet. Hey-----did you know Zoya went to Mal's for Christmas? I think they're planning on getting back together. Have you told him about Aleksander yet?"

Alina sighed. "I know, I saw the pictures. And no, I haven't told him. He's not going to be back until next year, and I just...I don't know. I don't feel obligated, you know? He doesn't control my life. He lied to me. I deserve to have some happiness without his say so."

Genya grinned. "Good. You're exactly right. He doesn't need to know, especially since he has so clearly kept secrets of his own."

"So, you've picked out a wedding date?" Alina asked.

Genya nodded. "I went over everything with my stepmom. She's actually being really great about this whole thing. I mean, she's had enough of them on her own, so she knows all of the ins and outs of them. It's going to be next June, after I graduate."

"Genya, I'm so happy for you. You and David are a great couple."

"So, are you and Aleks," she said, "is the bracelet from him?"

Alina blushed and nodded. "He practically got me a whole new wardrobe, and he snuck a computer in there for me. I tried to convince him to take it back, but he wouldn't let me. So, I've got to be careful about looking at fancy things around him because apparently, I will end up with it if I so much as express my desire for it."

Genya chuckled. "That sounds about right. Aleksander likes making sure the people he cares about are well cared for."

"He's perfect," she said, "and I'm..."

"Happy?" Genya finished.

Alina nodded.

"Good," said Genya, "you deserve it. You have no idea how much it drove me crazy seeing you obsess over Mal when he so clearly couldn't care less about you. Listen, I think we should go out tonight and have some fun before we start classes tomorrow. Next year, we're going to be seniors, and that will be our last year of freedom before we have to go and join the rat race. We deserve some fun."

Alina sighed. "I would, but you know its weird. I've been really tired lately. Like so tired I can't stand up."

Genya frowned. "That's weird."

"Not really. I got paid a visit by someone from Fjerda, and they told me some things about my family, and..."

"Your royalty, aren't you?" Genya finished.

Alina raised an eyebrow. "How did you figure that out?"

"Well, I mean, before the monarchy dissolved, the Lantsovs were royals, and you've got this prince chasing after you. I don't think he would just chase after some girl who was the granddaughter of a president, or something. And everyone was so weird about getting in touch with you and Baghra said it was because of political reasons..."

"It seems like the first time that I have happiness in my life, someone is trying to take it away from me. I don't want that to happen."

"Have you had anymore panic attacks?"

Alina shook her head. "No, but I mean, I've been sleeping with Aleksander every night. But it's fitful. I fall asleep for a few hours, and then I wake up. I was actually planning on getting some sleep, but we can definitely do something next weekend."

Genya smiled. "Okay. I know you've been stressed out about everything with your family, so I won't press. But you can't get swept up in Aleksander and just abandon me because you've got a boyfriend now, yeah?"

Alina smiled. "Don't worry. I won't become one of those girls. Hey, maybe we could do a double date? Aleksander knows David because David works with him on the football team since he's an assistant coach, right? We could all go out together and have some fun."

"I'd like that," said Genya, "David usually only likes about five people, but I think Aleks is one of those fives so it will work."

"Okay, then we've got a plan."

"Well, I'm going out then," said Genya, "I promised Zoya I would, she's got some new place that she's obsessed with. You know, she's been acting weird. She went to Mal's suddenly, but she told me before there was some guy she was seeing or something? They must have broke up though, if she was at the Oretsevs."

Alina rolled her eyes. "It's Zoya. You know that isn't necessarily the case."

"Of course not, but you know. I've got to give her the benefit of the doubt."

"Do you have to?"

"Maybe," said Genya, "I don't know. Must be something in the water. You know who else has been acting weird too? Nikolai. He came home for Christmas, and his parents had me over for their party, and he left like halfway through. Said there was some kind of emergency, or something."

Alina shrugged. "Maybe it's just something in the air?"

"Who knows?" said Genya. "Maybe people are developing senioritis early."

"Maybe," Alina said, and then she yawned. "Yeesh. I wish I could wake up."

"Well, get some sleep. We'll hang out later, yeah?"

"Yeah."