Not Done Yet

5

"Your cousin's friend is very pretty," said Pietro dreamily.

Ian raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

It was true though. With her dark skin, soft doe eyes, and airy, lilting voice, Melanie was endearing in many ways.

But just not for him.

"I agree," Tatiana added. "And your cousin isn't too bad either,"

Ian nodded, trying to ignore the word 'cousin'.

Friday's siblings were all stunningly beautiful so it was inevitable that she too would be somewhat good-looking. Unlike Ian, she had never embraced that fact and truly denied it. For Ian, his looks were the first thing someone noticed about him. For her, they were the last. For many, she wasn't pretty until they looked. But like many, not one bothered to look.

They were walking back to Tatiana's house after a hearty stroganoff dinner. 

He wanted to get Tatiana alone again but Pietro insisted on coming. 

Ian had to stop himself from glaring at him when Tatiana had happily agreed.

"Well, I've got to go," said Pietro, stopping at a corner. "I'll see you both at school?"

"Yeah, see you at school," Ian half mumbled.

Tatiana waved and they were alone.

"Ian, Friday is your cousin right?"

Ian swallowed. Had she picked up on something? "Yes,"

"But not by blood,"

"No," 

"And you and her were close, you said,"

More than just close, he thought, as they crossed the road onto Tatiana's street. "Yeah,"

They walked on until they were at the entrance to her building.

"It's just," began Tatiana. " the way she looked at you, well it was almost enough to make anyone question your relations,"

Ian wanted to deny it, to go on lying, but she'd been so close to opening up earlier. 

He sighed. He needed to give it a shot. 

"Friday and I ... were sort of dating before I came to Italy," Did what they had even counted as dating?

He took a deep breath before he said, "We broke up though,"

Had they, though? What even was the state of their relationship at that point?

"I'm guessing she didn't take that too well, huh?" Tatiana pried softly.

"No," he didn't even know how she'd taken it. 

He clenched his fist.

Tatiana pressed her lips together. "I see,"

She took a step towards him and touched his arm gently. It took everything in Ian not to pull away.

"I am glad you have told me this Ian," she looked up at him. "I feel we should not keep things between us,"

He nodded slowly. 

She lowered her voice. "I have things about myself I should tell you too," 

Ian hesitated before he put his hand on hers and looked into her face. "Can we meet up soon? Somewhere private where we can discuss things?"

She smiled. "I'd like that,"

Soon they had said goodbye and Ian left, heading back up the path he came from.

Before, when he'd walked into the living room to find Friday squashed into the couch, he'd had to keep himself from letting a stupid grin spread across his face.

Because it was Friday, Friday Barnes, looking a little overwhelmed by everything.

He wasn't over Friday, and he'd known it then, in the slight hitch in his breath.

He thought she'd looked a little older, more mature, but those eyes. The certain yet curious eyes that had widened at the sight of him.

When they'd landed on Ian he'd seen the recognition in them, the slight awe and longing, as though she'd known Ian was still hers.

But her eyes had landed on Tatiana and the brightness in them disappeared.

He'd seen Bernie's warning look at him yet he'd still risked it and got Friday alone.

He couldn't understand. He'd definitely sent the letters and never doubted he wrote the wrong address.

He shook his head as he neared his building. He'd have to talk to Friday about it some other time.

Because he remembered the way she'd looked at him. Almost hopeful at first before she saw Tatiana, but even then, she'd seen Ian. For all his faults and lies, she'd seen him. 

And he knew at that moment.

He knew they were not done yet.