Once Upon A Lie

Twenty:

Twenty:

It took almost a month for her ankle to heal. She stayed at home, and her friends brought her homework to her. First, it was Nikolai, and then Genya, and then Mal. Sometimes they would all come over together and keep her company. David Kotsyk, whose dad was one of the engineers at The Fold for the theme parks, came over to see her too. She'd almost forgotten what it was like to hang out with him outside of class.

She hadn't heard from Aleksander. From what she knew, since the engagement had ended, things had been tense between her parents and the Morozovas. Her mother had gotten her a new cell phone the day after it happened, complete with a new number. One that "that boy" didn't have. So if he'd tried calling her, she didn't know.

The problem was that their houses were right next door to each other. Aleksander's room looked right into hers. Alina could still see him sometimes, looking into her room with that fierce, heated gaze of his that made her feel things between her legs that she hated herself for.

One night, he tried climbing up the trellis to her balcony again. But her parents had her balcony door sealed shut so that even she couldn't use it to get out. He'd banged angrily at it for a full ten minutes before he'd finally been scared off by one of her family's security guards that walked the property.

By the third week, Alina was able to stand and walk without much pain. Genya, Nikolai, Mal, and David had come over after school again to find her actually sitting outside in the garden studying.

"Oh my god!" Genya exclaimed. "And you live to walk another day!"

The redhead ran over and gave her a hug.

Alina smiled. "Yeah, it barely hurts anymore. The doctor says that I should be ready to go back to school soon."

"Are you going to be okay with that?" Genya asked as the two of them sat at the table. "With Aleksander still there? He got suspended, but it should be up around the time that you come back."

Alina took a deep breath. She wasn't prepared to see Aleksander again. But it was different this time. "He has no power over me."

Everyone knew the truth now. It had been hard to keep it once the incident on the bleachers had happened.

Genya sat down in the chair next to her. "Very Labyrinth."

Alina smiled. "Just call me Sarah Williams. It's a whole different thing. We're not in an arranged marriage anymore. He can't control me as he did. I get to have a whole life now, you know?"

"Yeah," said David, "you can show him."

"Exactly."

"Hey," said Mal, who had taken a seat on the other side of her, "you uh...want to show him by going on a date with me? We never did get to go to the art museum as we planned."

Alina glanced at him. She had almost completely forgotten about the secret date with Mal that she had tried to go on. And now, everything had changed. It didn't have to be secret. There was nothing holding her back. She could feel everyone's eyes on her as Mal watched her carefully, sheepishly.

She smiled at him. "You know what, I think I'd like that. How about the last week before I go back to school? Should be able to do long distances by then."

"Great," said Mal smiling, "it's a date."

Genya laughed. "So this is love, mmmm, so this is love...."

"So this is the miracle that I've been dreaming of!" Nikolai and David chorused with her.

Alina blushed, and Mal scowled at his sister.

"You are totally walking home, Gen," Mal told her.

Genya only cackled and hugged Alina. "I think the two of you should have a June Wedding, and I can be the bridesmaid."

They spent the rest of the afternoon studying and laughing. At one point though, Alina looked up and she could see Aleksander in his room. He was watching her. Watching them. And he did something she didn't expect.

He waved sheepishly, and then he closed the curtain windows.