Infinty Signs Are Just Eights That Couldn't Bear To Stand Any Longer

Chapter 5

cw: blood

'I'll get it!' Nikolai jumped up from the chair he'd been sitting in when the doorbell rang.

'Wouldn't want it any other way!' His mother called after him. Katia was stirring the soup that would be part of their dinner. Her husband Dimitri, Nikolai's father, was just finishing setting the table.
Nikolai opened the door, revealing a nervous-looking Paige. She wiped her hair away and behind her ear, then flicked it so it went back to cover her ear again when she stepped inside. 'Hi,'
'Hey.' Paige whispered back, her eyes going around the interior of the house, shrugging off her coat.
After closing the door, Nikolai rushed to Paige's side. 'Here, let me take that.'
'Thanks.' Paige handed him her coat, then tugged up the sleeves of her sweater.
'Don't worry,' Nikolai whispered when he joined Paige again, 'it'll be fine.' Then, louder, he announced: 'This way.'
He led her into the dining room, where Katia and Dimitri were already waiting. Dimitri stood up from his chair to shake Paige's hand. 'Hi, Paige, nice to finally meet you.'
'Nice to meet you to, mister, uhm...'
Dimitri smiled at her, a smile that looked exactly like Nikolai's. 'You can just call me Dimitri.'
Katia walked in, carrying a pan with soup. She wiped her hands on her jeans before stretching one out towards Paige for her to shake. 'And I'm Katia.'
'Nice to meet you, I'm Paige.'
The four of them settled in, eating soup and the bread that was on the table – all the way on the other side of where Paige was. When everything was served, Paige dropped her right hand under the table the same time Nikolai dropped his left hand. They immediately found each other, caressing the other's skin with their thumbs as they ate.
Yeah, it was really convenient that Paige was left-handed and Nikolai right-handed.

~~~

'Nikolai?' He looked up from his textbook to see his parents, standing awkwardly in the doorway. 'Can we talk to you for a second?'
'Uhm, sure?' Nikolai said suspiciously: his parents were never awkward. Still, he turned around his black leathered desk chair with wheels so he could face his parents, a soft smile on his lips.
'How are you and Paige doing?' Katia carefully asked.
'Good. Why?'
Katia and Dimitri shared a look. The latter cleared his throat. 'When Paige was here the other night, we uhm... We saw her wrist.'
Nikolai's mom jumped in then: 'Is she okay? You do know about that, right? Is there something going on at her home?'
Nikolai's smile fell. 'That's none of your business.'
He could see his dad starting to frown, probably because he didn't like Nikolai's tone, but Katia put her hand on her husband's arm, and smiled reassuringly at Nikolai. 'We know, we just want to make sure you're handling it okay.'
'I'm handling just fine.' Nikolai wanted his parents to leave. They had no business trying to figure out Paige. And the nerve they had for asking Nikolai to tell them personal things about her? He wouldn't betray Paige's trust like that. He couldn't believe his parents were asking him to.
'Now don't take this the wrong way, Nikolai, we're just checking how you're doing. We don't want you to... take over some of her habits.'
'Dimitri,' Katia warned.
'Katia,' Dimitri replied in the same tone, yet more playful. Their eyes connected, and Nikolai's mom couldn't help but smile. Their story flashed in between them.
Nikolai rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair as he crossed his arms. 'Well we're doing fine, so could you leave now? I have homework to do.'
'Nikolai!'
'What, mom? You asked your question, I answered. Now I'd like to spend my time more efficiently.'
'Don't use that tone on your mother.' Dimitri scolded.
'Can you guys leave, please.' Nikolai sighed, stressing the please, but in such a way that it didn't sound polite.
Dimitri frowned. 'No, not until you tell us what's going on, and you apologize for your rude behavior.'
'Nothing's going on, except for the fact that you won't let me do my homework!'
Dimitri's eyes locked with his son's. 'We both know that's not everything.' Katia shifted her gaze between her son and her husband, an alarmed look in her eyes. Nikolai had gotten his stubbornness from his father, which led to them clashing whenever their opinions differed.
'Well, it's still none of your business what's going on with Paige. And if you won't leave, then I will. I don't have time for this.' Nikolai started throwing his books into his backpack.
'We're not done talking here, Nikolai, you sit down and normally talk to us.' When Dimitri started inching closer to Nikolai, Katia leaned in a little, unsure of what to do. This was not going as planned, Nikolai knew that, but he couldn't help it that they wouldn't let it go.
He briefly turned to his father. 'Or what, dad? You'll throw me out of the house? I'm leaving anyway!'
'Nikolai,' Katia said softly, 'you're overreacting.'
Nikolai scoffed. 'I'm overreacting? Who's the one prying for things that don't affect them, and yelling at me for doing nothing wrong?'
While Dimitri yelled 'Nothing wrong? What about your rude tone and attitude?', Katia exclaimed 'Of course it affects us! You're our son!'.
Nikolai threw the rod of his backpack over his shoulder while his parents exchanged looks. His eyes focused on the textbook his dad had plucked from Nikolai's desk, probably when he wasn't looking. He needed that.
'Give me my textbook, dad.' Nikolai said, holding out his hand.
Dimitri looked back at his son, jutted out his chin, and held the book away from him. 'No. We're not done talking.'
'Yes, we are.' Nikolai growled. He was seriously losing his patience. He stalked closer to his father, whose eyes flashed with confusion before the rage came back.
The two stared at each other, anger rolling from them in waves, waiting for the other to give in first. Normally, that was Nikolai. His father could be really scary when he was angry. But today, he could see the moment when Dimitri's rage got replaced by confusion once again, along with surprise, and even a little fear.
Dimitri apparently couldn't bear Nikolai's gaze any longer, so the first dropped his gaze. He frowned when he realized he had been submissive to his own son. His eyes connected with Nikolai's again, defeat clear in them. The right corner of Nikolai's mouth went up.
'I don't know what happened to you,' his dad said softly, 'but you're not our son.' He shoved Nikolai's textbook in Nikolai's hands. For a second, Nikolai's eyebrows bunched together at the hurtful words. But he could leave now, wasn't that what he wanted?
'Dimitri!' Katia exclaimed again.
Nikolai cast one glance at his father, who now looked back at him with cold eyes, and then stormed out of his room.
'Nikolai, wait!' His mother called after him.
'Let him go, Katia.' Nikolai heard his father murmur. 'He doesn't deserve you right now.'
'He's our son!' Their voice became more indistinctive as Nikolai sped towards the front door. But he could never forget what his father, no, what Dimitri answered: 'Right now, he's really not.'
The door fell closed behind Nikolai.