Chapter 22 ALINA'S VISIT
"Hi girls, I'm Natasha," she announced with a small smile. "I'm a scholarship student. I'll be replacing your late roommate"
Katya and Olga didn't even look up.
"The nerves of the school," Olga spat bitterly. "Daria is barely cold and they’ve already replaced her like she was nothing"
Natasha began unpacking as if she hadn't heard a word. She paused her unpacking and turned toward Anya.
"You’re welcome," Anya said softly, trying to ignore the way her own voice trembled. "I'm... I'm also a scholarship girl. My name is Anya"
Natasha’s eyes brightened. "Oh, thank goodness! I was worried I’d be the only one. This place is a bit... intense, isn’t it?" She gestured vaguely toward the window, where the flags outside were flying at half-mast. "I heard about what happened. It’s horrible. I hope it’s okay that I’m here. The housing office told me the room was 'urgent' "
"It's fine" Anya murmured.
Olga let out a sharp, jagged laugh. "Intense? Is that what they call mass murder now? Daria sat right where you're putting your bag, and now she’s in a body bag"
Natasha flinched, her cheerful expression faltering for the first time. She looked at the bed, then back at Anya, seeking some kind of guidance.
Anya stepped forward, placing a hand on the edge of the dresser to steady herself. "Don't mind her. Everything is just... a lot right now. Do you need help with your things?"
"No, I’ve got it," Natasha said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Are they always like this?"
"They just lost a friend" Anya said, her heart heavy.
She walked over to her own bed and sat down, her mind flashing back to the manor. She could still feel the phantom sensation of his kiss on her lips, a brand that felt like it would never wash off.
Anya grabbed her toiletries and a change of clothes, heading into the small bathroom.
As the hot water hit her skin, she scrubbed her lips until they were raw, trying to erase the memory of Nikolai’s possessive kiss. The steam filled the room, but it couldn't wash away the heavy dread settling in her bones.
She stepped out, drying her hair quickly. She chose a simple outfit... a high-necked sweater and dark jeans.
Katya remained in the exact same position, huddled on her bed.
Natasha, meanwhile, was the only source of "normal" noise in the room. She hummed a pop song, neatly folding her sweaters into the drawers Daria had used only yesterday.
"Your hair is so pretty, Anya," Natasha chirped, looking up with a friendly grin. "Do you use a special oil? Back home, we used to—"
Ping.
Anya’s phone cut Natasha off.
Liana: Anya, please come outside. I’m standing in front of the hostel. I need to talk to you now.
"I have to go" Anya said, grabbing her coat.
"Oh! Okay," Natasha blinked, her smile faltering slightly at Anya’s abruptness. "I’ll see you later then?"
Anya didn't answer.
She had barely stepped off the hostel porch when Liana appeared, her eyes red and puffy, looking like she hadn't slept at all.
Without a word, Liana lunged forward, throwing her arms around Anya.
"I'm heartbroken, Anya," Liana whispered into her shoulder, her voice cracking. "I confessed my feelings to the doctor... to Viktor... but he turned me down" She pulled back, sniffing loudly and wiping a stray tear.
"Omg, I’m so sorry, Liana. You deserve so much better"
Liana gave a watery smile, clutching Anya’s hands. "Since classes are cancelled and the whole campus feels like a graveyard, let’s just get out of here. Let's go on a friendship date. I need to forget about doctors, and you... you look like you need to forget the whole world"
Anya hesitated, her mind flickering back to the empty drawers in her room and her nearly empty wallet. "Umm... I don't have enough money with me for a date, Liana"
"I will foot the bills, don't worry!" Liana insisted, already beginning to drag Anya toward the campus gates. "Consider it a 'thank you' for listening to me cry"
Anya will smile genuinely.
They stepped out of the school’s gate.
They hadn't walked more than a few meters when a pearlescent white sports car swerved toward the curb, tires screeching as it cut them off. The window rolled down to reveal Alina Volkov, looking effortlessly expensive in designer sunglasses.
"Pretty girl" Alina said, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness as she looked at Liana, before her eyes snapped to Anya. "I would like to borrow your friend for some minutes. Anya, get in the car" She tapped the leather steering wheel impatiently.
Liana stepped in front of Anya, her face flushing with indignation. "Excuse you? You can’t just stop us and order her to get into your filthy car!"
Alina lowered her glasses. "The car is worth more than your net worth, baby girl. Move"
"It’s okay, Liana," Anya whispered, placing a trembling hand on her friend's shoulder. "Let me just see what she has to say"
Anya climbed into the passenger seat, and before the door was even fully latched, Alina floored the accelerator. Liana was left standing on the sidewalk, her mouth hanging open in shock as the white car zoom off.
The silence inside the car was deafening until Alina spoke. "I’m Alina, Nikolai’s big sister"
"I know who you are. You slapped me the other day"
"Yes, because you slapped my brother first. I don't play with him" Alina replied casually, taking a sharp turn without slowing down.
"Information reached me that he killed those ten bullies because of you. You must be really special, Anya. Nikolai doesn’t care about anybody, not even his family"
"I didn't tell him to kill them, I swear!" Anya cried, clutching the seatbelt.
"It’s pointless to argue. They are dead now," Alina said, her voice dropping to a low, chilling register. "Now you know Nikolai isn't a normal human being, right?"
She nodded slowly. "What the hell is he? I was so terrified last night"
Alina glanced at her, a dark smirk tugging at her lips. "Ever heard of demons?"
Anya’s breath hitched, the word feeling like lead on her tongue. "D-demons?" she stammered, her eyes darting to the blurred scenery outside the window. "I... I only read about that in books. Are they... are they actually real?"
Alina didn’t even look away from the road, her hands steady on the wheel as she eased the car into a higher speed.
"What do you think?" she asked with a nonchalant shrug.
Anya stayed silent. Every terrifying moment of the last twenty-four hours suddenly made a horrific kind of sense.
"My dad would like to meet you" Alina continued, her tone shifting to something more serious.
"He’s intrigued. He wants to see the girl who made his son kill ten students just because they bullied her. Nikolai has never lifted a finger for anyone but himself. To the rest of us, you’re a walking anomaly"
"I'm in trouble, right?" Anya whispered, her fingers twisting together.
Alina laughed. "I wouldn't know. My father is... unpredictable. But he values the family secret above all else. If you're a threat to that secret, well..." She trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air. "What’s your name again? I keep forgetting"
"Anya. Anya Petrova" she replied.
Alina glanced at her, really looking at her this time behind the designer shades. A small, genuine smirk touched her lips.
"Anya Petrova," Alina repeated, testing the weight of the name. "You’ve got a spine, I’ll give you that. Most humans would have fainted by now. Seems I’m beginning to like you, girl"
Alina didn’t say anything for a long moment.
"I won't take you to the lion's den today," Alina said, suddenly spinning the steering wheel in a wide, elegant U-turn that made the tires chirp. "You’ve had enough shocks for one morning. You will meet my father some other time, Anya Petrova. Consider this your grace period"
Alina sped back toward the university gates, the white car coming to a sharp halt exactly where a bewildered Liana was still standing, her phone in her hand as if she was seconds away from calling the police.
Alina leaned across Anya to pop the door open. "Don't get used to my kindness," she whispered with a wink. "It's a rare commodity"
Anya came out and before she could even say thank you or goodbye, Alina floored it, the white sports car zoomed off.
Liana rushed forward, grabbing Anya’s shoulders and scanning her for injuries. "What on earth was that? What did she say to you? Why did she just... take you?"
"She was just apologizing for slapping me," she lied. "She said she felt bad about how things went down at the party"
Liana pulled back, her eyebrows knitting together. "She apologized? A Volkov? To a scholarship student?" She paused, shaking her head. "Weird"
"I know, right?" Anya let out a forced, awkward laugh,
Liana studied her for a second longer, clearly not entirely convinced, but then she sighed and reached for Anya’s hand.
"Well, at least you’re safe. Come on. I still have a broken heart that needs a massive amount of chocolate and a very long walk away from this creepy school"
Anya squeezed Liana’s hand back.
They held hands as they walked away from the gates.