Hopelessly Devoted

Chapter 3: Goodfellas

Mikhail couldn't help the smile on his face as he walked around the newly built home with the lovely couple in front of him. They were young, but they were looking for their forever home and it was refreshing.

The wife was six months pregnant and it was obvious to him that she was her husband's whole world. The feeling was so clearly reciprocated and it made him smile brighter.

Mikhail Melnik loved love. He felt it was the source of all things good and wholesome. Love moved mountains in his opinion, especially if it was true and he wanted that for himself. He wanted that for everyone.

Mikhail truly believed that the world would be better and brighter if more people let love in. He was the lover in his family. He always had been despite his older brother's bullying. Mikhail didn't let their past or other family business dealings affect him or his views on love like they did Matvei. He knew who he was and he wore his heart on his sleeve proudly.

Mikhail loved love, but he also cherished it in every form. Platonic. Romantic. Familial. Love was a game changer and life saver in Mikhail's opinion and he just wished more people felt the same, including his older brother.

Yes, it was true that Mikhail loved love but it was clear from experience that love didn't feel the same towards him. He struggled in every avenue despite his openness and willful heart. 

His only two friends were his older brother and their assistant, Winter. He loved them both with his whole heart and felt that Winter at least returned the sentiment on most days. He had given up hope of Matvei ever fully embracing or expressing brotherly love when they were children.

He loved his mother despite her faults and flaws. They had been through so much as a family that the scars and bruises were still so obvious to the people that cared to see behind his mother's smile that never reached her eyes, his forced laughter and Matvei's ever-growing scowl.

Platonic and familial love were present and though they could be much better he was grateful for what he had. Love was erratic at times, especially when it came to him and its romantic form.

It had evaded him for years, but when he did find it nothing but heartache awaited. He told Siobhan Sims that he liked her in the seventh grade and she laughed in his face.

He asked Marcia Stephens to the freshman dance and she faked sick and coughed on him. Then there was Tracy Berry, Ashley Shannon, Janelle Jackson...the list went on with love slamming door after door in his face.

Then he met Ariana Bruce. She was gorgeous, funny and sweet. Her laugh made you want to laugh and he found himself falling easily. She happily said yes to his date request sophomore year of college and Mikhail felt like he had hit the jackpot. They enjoyed time together and he reveled in the intimacy and closeness he felt.

For eighteen months things seemed great until Matvei sent him a picture of her making out with a guy at a bar he frequented on 6th street. Matvei never liked her, but Mikhail knew the evidence spoke for itself. He confronted her about it and she immediately called his brother a liar until he showed her the proof.

Then it was crocodile tears and fake apologies. When she saw he wasn't buying it she resorted to choice words, name calling and small bouts of assault. Mikhail wasn't fazed by her words and protected himself against her fists.

He knew she was showing her true colors and that hurt the most. He had believed her. He had believed in her and in the love he felt they were creating, but it was all a lie.

She had called him clingy due to his love languages of quality time and touch. She considered him weak for being a sensitive man. Ariana had labeled him with every negative title in the book, but failed to mention the good he had done for her.