Once Upon A Lie

Ten:

Ten

Mal Oretsev had one of the nicest smiles that she had ever seen. He was in her science class, and the two of them had gotten paired up as lab partners. Alina had tried to focus on the assignment that they were supposed to be doing. But all she could focus on was Mal's face. "You okay, Alina?" he said finally.

Alina coughed. "I'm fine. Um...Mal, do you think...."

"Do I think what?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to meet after school. To um. Hang out. I thought we could study together for that test that's coming up."

Mal put down the beaker that he'd been using for the experiment and looked at her. "Am I that bad of a lab partner?"

"No," Alina said, "I just...I thought..."

Mal grinned at her. "I'm not that great of a study partner. But uh, how about we go out sometime? I hear that there's a DeKappel exhibit I thought you might be interested in. I know that you like art. I see you drawing all of the time."

Alina raised an eyebrow. "You know about DeKappel?"

"I do," Mal said, "Genya likes fashion but she's also into art. Last summer, she created a whole clothing line inspired by Monet."

"That's cool."

"That's my sister. Cool and fashionable." Mal grinned. "But um...this isn't going to be a problem with that guy?"

Alina blinked. "What guy?"

"That Aleksander guy?" Mal said. "I know that you said that there was nothing between the two of you but it seemed like it's kind of intense between the two of you."

"He's with Zoya Nazyalensky," Alina told him, "anyways, we just have a lot of history together but not the kind that you're thinking. His father and mine are in business together. So, we kind of grew up together."

"Huh." Mal shrugged. "Well, maybe it's something from him then. But if you're sure it won't be an issue, yeah, I'd like to go out with you."

Alina beamed. "Great. Then what did you have in mind?"

"How about this weekend?" Mal asked.

Alina smiled at him. "That would be great."

He ran his hand over his head. "Awesome. Then uh...I'll see you this weekend, I guess. Can I get your number?"

"Yeah," Alina said, "that would be great."

The two of them exchanged numbers, and when the bell rang, Alina found herself leaving the science lab with a smile on her face. As she was walking to her class, felt a hand pull her roughly into a classroom.

Alina let out a yelp. "Oh my god!"

"No, but close enough." There was a low chuckling, and Alina recognized it as Aleksander. He turned on the light, and Alina glared at him. "You're avoiding me."

Alina frowned. "I'm not avoiding you."

"Yes, you are. You haven't talked to me since the charity event and you've been walking to school instead of letting me take you. You've ignored my texts and my calls. And my DMs. Did you go out with Nikolai yet? He said something about coffee."

"That wasn't a date. That was just two friends hanging out. But we're um....we're going out this weekend."

"Where to?" Aleksander said.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "You never tell me when you do things with Zoya. Why should I tell you when I do things with Nikolai?"

"You're not doing things with Nikolai," he said, "you are going on a date."

"You don't get a say in what I do or don't do, remember? That was part of this whole arrangement."

He scowled. "Alina, what do I have to do to make you not do this?"

She glared at him. "Stop seeing Zoya."

"You don't know what you're asking me when you say that."

"Well, you don't know what you're asking me when you want me to talk about Nikolai."

Aleksander stiffened. "So, you're not going to tell me anything?"

Alina shook her head. "No, I'm not going to tell you anything."

"Alright. Well, how about you, me, Zoya, and Nikolai all go out on a date?" Aleksander said.

Alina stiffened. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Do you want me to tell your parents about Mal?"

She glared at him. "There's nothing going on between me and Mal."

"But you want there to be, and the parents won't like that."

"Fine," she said, "we'll go on a date. You, Zoya, me and Nikolai."

"Great. Sounds perfect. Saturday."

"No---not Saturday."

"Why? Do you have plans or something?"

"I---um----"

Aleksander chuckled. "That's what I thought. You never have plans, because you're a good girl. So. Saturday."

"Great. Looking forward to it."

The bell rang then, and Alina slipped from the room, realizing she'd missed a whole period just talking to him. Shit.