Once Upon A Lie

Thirty-six:

Thirty-six:

On her first real, day back Mal was waiting for her outside of their science class. "Hey, I got your assignment from yesterday. What happened? You weren't here. Genya tried texting and calling, and so did I, but she said that you weren't even answering her either."

Where had she been yesterday? Her mind flashed back to Aleksander, alone in a bed in the Opera prop closet. She remembered him sucking, licking her, and tasting every part that he could of her. But losing her virginity didn't seem like an appropriate answer. "Um, I was still hurting so I kind of...played hooky. I just couldn't stomach facing everyone. All of the questions, and the whispers. Nadia keeps on telling people I'm a victim of domestic abuse. She keeps on calling me a "victim of a terrible tragedy."

"Aren't you?" Mal asked.

She shot him a look. "Aleksander's not like that."

He shrugged. "Whatever you say. All I know is that the few times I've interacted with the guy, he doesn't seem like the greatest. He seems dangerous. Like someone that you shouldn't be around."

"You sound like my parents."

Mal grinned. "Well, I'd say your parents have good sense. Listen, are you doing anything after school?"

Alina shook her head. "I'm caught up on all of my homework unless we've got something else today. Why?"

"I thought we could go out again if you're up for it."

She hesitated. Was she up for it? She had let Aleksander do unspeakable things to her just the other day. It seemed wrong, agreeing to go out with Mal after something so momentous had happened to her the day before. "Okay, yeah. That would be great. What'd you have in mind?"

Mal grinned. "It's a secret."

"What is it with boys and secrets? You know a girl has to plan for these things. What if I wear the wrong outfit?"

"You won't wear the wrong outfit," Mal told her, "Besides, you'd look good in anything. You'd look good in nothing. I, for one, would like to see the nothing."

She blushed fiercely. "You're a flirt."

"Would you have me any other way?" he asked, with a wink.

"Probably not."

"Great." He smiled widely. "So, it's a date."

"Sounds great."

They went into class, and Alina could hardly focus on anything. All she kept on thinking about was what she'd done with Aleksander. Now, with Mal next to her, she found herself looking him over. How different would it be to have sex with Mal?

He was a fighter. An athlete. He would probably be overly enthusiastic. She pictured him, driving them someplace secluded then laying her down and-----

"Alina?" Mal said.

She glanced over at him. "Yeah?"

"Can you grab the beakers for us? We're going to be starting the lab?"

"Lab?" Alina repeated.

Her mind was still on the image of her and Mal together somewhere, with Mal rocking into her as he fucked her.

"Yeah, the lab," Mal said, "the one that our teacher just assigned us. Where's your head today, Linnie?"

Alina coughed. "I don't know. Just adjusting to being back."

"Right. Well. Beakers?"

"Right."

Alina went to get beakers, and Mal was busying himself with getting the other things they would need for the project. She tried to focus on what she was doing but her eyes kept on roaming over Mal's body. Looking at his muscles.

"Alina," he whispered into her ear, "you're going to have to stop doing that."

"Doing what?" she asked innocently.

"Staring," he replied, "I can feel you and you're making things erm.... a bit..."

"Hard?" Alina offered, with a grin.

Mal glowered at her. "Yes, goddamn it." He paused what he was doing to stare at her. His gaze was as heated as her own.

What had happened to her? Was this how it worked? You had sex once, and that was all that you could think of? Somehow, they managed to make it through the class. When they were done, Alina couldn't help but watch Mal as he walked away from her. He was watching her back too.

As she was headed into her literature class, she passed by Aleksander on the way too. He reached out to take her hand in his, lightly stroking circles on her palm for a moment before he slipped away into the crowd.

Alina was just about to go into her next class when she heard someone calling her name.

"Lina!" she turned around to see Nikolai coming toward her.

"Fuck," she muttered, "Nik, what is it?"

"I've got to talk with you about something. I found something odd this weekend.... I..." Nikolai's face was pale as he spoke. "I can't even begin to understand what's happened, but I think you need to know."

"Nikolai, I've got class----"

"So do I," he said, "but this is way too fucking important. Come on. Come with me."

He pulled her into one of the empty classrooms.

"Nik, what is it?"

"Have you heard your father talk about a project called Saint Juris of The Sword?"

Alina frowned. "Yes. It was a movie that Eric canceled because it got to be too expensive. Father was furious and said that he was stifling creativity."

"Yes, well. Your father was over at our house recently for dinner. He talked with mine about getting a loan, and they sort of...well...."

"Sort of what?" Alina asked.

"They came to an agreement. About your future. About our future, in exchange for the money, instead of the loan."

Alina's stomach sank. "Nikolai, please don't tell me.... please don't tell me it's what I'm thinking."

Nikolai's face fell. "I'm sorry, Lina. I'm so, so sorry."