'I miss you.' I stare at the message.
Valery's sent the same message, every morning for the past two weeks, and I never know how to respond.
'Valery, we broke up, two weeks ago, you can't keep messaging me this, it's just right person, wrong time. Please stop messaging me this.'
'Why did you end things princess? You know I'm always going to be there for you in your darkest times.'
'I told you Valery, I just need time alone, please leave me be.'
'Okay, I love you.'
'Yeah, love you too.' I go back to the Facetime with Nat.
"He's still messaging you?"
"Yeah."
"I'm just going to say it, you were a little bit silly to end things with him."
"I don't know Nat, after we found out about the bombing, he got too upset, and I was really confused because he was not helping me that much. I only found out that his family is in St Petersburg, after I broke up with him."
"Kat, you really should go back to him, you guys are meant for each other."
"Not yet, I still need tim-" I knock into a wall.
No, a chest.
I slowly look up, and this man's face looks oddly familiar.
"Watch where you're going love." A Russian accent?
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you."
"Lev." He sticks his hand out, and I shake it hesitantly.
"Katerina."
"Ah you are Russian?"
"Half." I smile up at him, but he only smirks at me. I look at Natasha, and she giggles at me.
"You are very beautiful Katerina." I look back up at him blushing.
"Thank you."
"Could I get your- what's the word?"
"Number?"
"да, thank you, may I get your number?" I look down to Nat again, and she nods.
"Yeah sure." He smiles and hands me his unlocked phone. I type my number in, then put, 'катерина' into the contact name.
"I'll talk to you later love." He smirks and walks off, and I turn down to Natasha again, who's smirking at me.
"Damn girl, you just got out of a relationship."
"It's not like I'm going to get with him. Also, did he look familiar to you?"
"Yeah kind of, but I can't place it." I frown, but then I'm pulled out of it when I see Valery in the distance.
"Oh shit."
"Wha- oh." He spots me, smiles tiredly and walks in the other direction. "Aw poor Valery, he really misses you."
"I know, but we just can't be together right now."
"At least go talk to him, give him some closure." I sigh and chase after him.
"Valery!" He turns around, and stops in his place as I walk up to him.
"Hi Katerina."
"Hi."
"So, how have you been?" I look at him putting on a 'seriously' look. "Right, sorry."
"It's alright, I just wanted to talk." A look of hope fills his eyes and my heart breaks.
"You do?"
"I just wanted to make sure that you're okay, you look tired."
"I'm alright princess."
"Valery, you can't call me that anymore." His face drops slightly toward the ground and he nods.
"Sorry, Katerina." I put my hand on his shoulder and he looks at me through his lashes.
"Just... keep yourself happy okay?"
"That's going to be difficult with you gone and my brother and father in town, but I'll try." He smiles softly and I give him a quick hug, then I walk away.
I get home and my phone pings. An unknown number.
'Hi Katerina.'
'Lev?'
'The one and only. So, how are you love?'
'Okay, you?'
'Alright, I'm just with my annoying younger brother.'
'How old are you?'
'I'm 22, you?"
'20, 21 in April.'
'Not too much younger than my brother, too bad he's too soft for you. Always talking about this girl and how much he loves her, it's like, yeah we get it you've got a girlfriend now shut up because you're making me jealous.'
'Haha, have you ever actually met her though?'
'No, I just know that she's got brown eyes and brown hair, like you. Anyway, are you single?'
'I guess, I only just got out of a relationship though, two weeks ago.'
'Do you miss him?'
'Of course, I just ended things cause I needed space because of all the stuff that's happening in St Petersburg, it's where all my mums side lives.'
'I'm sorry about that, most of my family lives there too.'
'Oh, I'm sorry.'
'Yeah, anyway, what are you doing in California?'
'I moved here earlier in the year for a better life, you?'
'My brother did that too, and папа thought it would be too dangerous to stay in Moscow, so he decided we'd come stay with my brother at his place.'
'Oh, are you liking it here?'
'It's alright, my brothers really ruining the mood though, he's all- uh, I can't remember the word.'
'Mopey?'
'Yes thank you Katerina, he's all mopey, but he won't tell anyone why.'
'Weird, anyway, I better get going, need to wrap some presents, Merry Christmas eve- actually it's christmas day now. Merry Christmas!'
'You too love, sleep tight.' I like his message and exit the chat, then I stare down at Valery's chat.
I should say Merry christmas to him right?
'Merry Christmas Valery.'
'Why are you still awake?'
'More the question, why are you still awake?'
'My brothers being an ass, go to sleep Katerina, you need rest'
'Fine, but you too.'
'Merry Christmas Kat.'
'Go to sleep Valery.'
'I will.' I put my phone on charge and walk into the cupboard to find wrapping paper, scissors and tape, then I get to work.
I wake up the next morning, the apartment empty because Ares and Natasha are in New York.
The doorbell rings.
7am, on Christmas day.
Why is someone here?
I walk to the front door and open it hesitantly, only to be met with the face of my ex.
"Valery? What are you doing here?"
"I need you Kat, I need you so much." I furrow my eyebrows at him, and he clenches his jaw.
"Valery, we can't be together right now, I know it hurts, but it's just what needs to happen." Tears well in his eyes and he stares deep into mine.
"You're the love of my life, you know that right?"
"I know, but you can't be saying stuff like that right now Valery."
"Can I please just kiss you? One last time until you're ready?" I sigh, then nod and he grabs my face and smashes his lips onto mine and wraps his arms around my waist. Smiling into the kiss, he stumbles into the apartment and pins me against the wall. I pull away and he groans. "I don't want this to end, because when it does, you won't be mine anymore, I don't want to lose you."
"You won't lose me Valery, when I'm ready, I can be all yours again." His face is still dropped as he walks to the front door again.
"Katerina?"
"Yeah?"
"Just promise me this, even if you get with another guy, you'll still come back to me when you're ready?"
"I promise." He smiles and leaves, and I close the door behind me, and take my phone out of my pocket to see a message from Lev
'Merry Christmas pretty girl.'
'Merry Christmas!'
'Do you want to meet later?'
'Sure! What time?'
'1 o'clock? We'll go out for Christmas lunch.'
'Sounds good, where are we going?'
'It's a surprise Katerina, do you want me to pick you up from your place?'
'Sure.'
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Idk what i'm doing with Lev but i'm so loving the tension of the readers knowing that it's Valery's brother but Kat doesn't 🤭
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Tough Ice
RomanceThe basis idea for this story is from @.3.talo on tik tok, I give full credit to them. This book is about a figure skater who's brother is on the hockey team at the same rink. His best friend, who also happens to be on the team, is deeply in love wi...
