“What are you doing? Everyone is looking,” Aaliyah gushed as she noticed everyone’s gaze on herself.
“And? I don’t remember when I used to care about what others thought. It’s not my job. Do you feel uncomfortable? Should I throw them out?” Volkov asked as if it was the most normal thing to ask, and Aaliyah coughed to hide her embarrassment and shock.
“It’s done. Wear these now,” Volkov placed the soft feathery slippers with a bunny on top of them, and Aaliyah didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Even in her wildest dreams, Aaliyah had never worn one of these. She had worn feathery slippers, but just the normal ones.
And now she’ll have to wear them in front of so many people?
She knew if she said anything, Volkov would bring another pair, and thus she gritted her teeth before placing her foot in one of them.
Katherine, who knew what Aaliyah was thinking, couldn’t help herself anymore as she laughed, making everyone turn to look at her.
“This is hilarious. Mom is going to be pleased if she sees this. Finally, someone made you wear one of these,” Katherine roared with laughter, and Volkov looked at Aaliyah, who looked pissed.
Hearing her sister laughing at her like this, Aaliyah wanted to glare at Volkov, but when she saw his beautiful rare smile, she bit her lower lips before looking away, her heart pounding in her chest at what she was feeling.
Geez! Get a grip, Aaliyah! He is your teacher, stalker, and God knows what! Aaliyah told herself.
Volkov’s smile when he looked at Aaliyah, not only shocked her, but everyone around, and they looked at each other as if they saw some kind of miracle.
They were shocked, but what happened next shocked them even more.
Seeing everyone gazing at Volkov, Aaliyah clenched her fists. Standing on her feet, Aaliyah grabbed Volkov’s collar before pulling him down and looking into his eyes.
“Stop smiling. It’s for me to see only,” Aaliyah whispered every word slowly, so feathery light that no one could hear anything, but the frozen expression on Volkov told them it was nothing great.
Everyone was confused, apart from Samantha, who knew lip reading and was smiling ear to ear.
She knew from the first moment she saw Aaliyah that this girl was different. Different, and possibly one of the only girls who could captivate his heart and keep him in check at the same time.
Aaliyah wasn’t fearful of him, and though she acted docile in front of him, for some reason, Samantha felt that it was nothing more than a facade.
After a good few seconds, Aaliyah let go of his collar, her eyes not leaving his gaze for another few seconds before she turned to her sister.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Costa, who witnessed all the exchange, could only scoff in her heart.
‘No one is allowed to touch him without his permission? What a joke. From what I am seeing, not only did this girl touch him, but provoke him, and she is still standing perfectly fine,’ The lady thought with a bitter smile.
Mrs. Costa was 25 years old and had been eyeing this boy since she laid eyes on him five years ago. It’s been a long ride.
She knew she couldn’t have him anymore when her father forcefully married her to one of the prominent gang members in New York City, but a woman could wish, no?
That’s why even after three years of marriage, her love for Mr. V didn’t subside even for a day. Her obsession has gotten to the point where there were times when she made love with her husband thinking it was him in his place.
It was good her husband’s name also starts with V, so whenever she would moan out ‘V’, he would think it was some kind of kink his wife have of calling him by his name’s first letter, unknown to the truth that in her mind and heart, he doesn’t even hold a place.
Five years of obsessing over him, and the first time she saw him smile because of another girl? A girl who is probably 7-8 years younger than her? How can she bear it?
Clenching her fists around her purse, Mrs. Costa walked toward Volkov like an old friend and lover.
“And who might this lady be? Beautiful and alluring, I must say,” Mrs. Costa said to get information about her, and Aaliyah, who had felt her piercing gaze earlier, knew that this lady complimenting her meant nothing good.
“Aaliyah, what’s going on?” Katherine asked, and as much as Mrs. Costa hated this girl for interrupting her, she didn’t show it on her face.
“I will explain everything at home. I don’t like the attention,” Aaliyah dismissed, and before Mrs. Costa could say anything, Samantha hooked her hands with Aaliyah.
“Home? You are not leaving so soon, Missy. I have this perfect restaurant in my mind,” Samantha pulled her out, and a confused Katherine followed them out hand in hand with Bryce.
“Mrs. Costa, thank you for inviting us. Let me walk you to your car,” Dimitri said politely, and Mrs. Costa, who was about to follow Mr. V, gritted her teeth. It was a clear sign she wasn’t needed now and could take her leave.
“What’s happening between them? How does my sister know your boss? And why the hell is he so attentive and caring toward her? Am I missing something? Isn’t he the type who doesn’t even interact with normal people? What am I missing?” Katherine asked, one after the other, as she sat in the car with Bryce.
“It’s a long story, babe. Why don’t you wait for your sister to explain?” Bryce looked away awkwardly, not knowing what to reveal and what to hide.
He can’t possibly just say that the man who was also his boss and leader of the largest gang in New York knows your sister because he is your younger sister’s stalker, right?
Aaliyah and Volkov were in a separate car, and as soon as the door closed, Aaliyah looked at him before pressing her lips into a thin line.
“Look what you did. Now, what am I going to explain to my sister? She will think I am having an affair with my teacher.” Aaliyah crossed her arms around her chest, and Volkov leaned toward her, making her hold her breath unknowingly.
Grabbing her seatbelt and putting it around her, he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him.
“Or you can just say that your teacher is some weird creepy stalker,” Volkov suggested with utter seriousness, and Aaliyah’s lips twitched a bit before she bit the inside of her cheeks, annoyed at the handsome face that was too captivating.
‘Son of a bachelor!’ Aaliyah cussed in her head for her heart.
If only it were that easy for her, things would’ve been different.
“Why were you following me in the alley, anyway?” Aaliyah asked before closing her eyes at her stupid question.
She knew what he was going to say. He is her stalker, so he followed her. Turning her head, Aaliyah looked out of the window, thinking about all the things she could use to dodge this situation he has created.
She still hasn’t forgiven him for everything. The feeling of being played was still in her heart, but it was impossible to ignore the attraction toward him.
Her heart was in turmoil about what was right and what her heart believed. Her rational side tells her to stay away from Mr. Volkov because of how dangerous he can be, but her affectionate side wants nothing more than him.
Like a few minutes ago, how she got possessive of him? These are the things that have her started to question herself. What does she want with him anymore?
They were apart for two days, and Aaliyah could swear she had never missed a person apart from her father as she missed Mr. Volkov.
She wasn’t stupid to not know what she was feeling for him, and the thought alone scared her so much that it felt like a dark truth of her life.
She doesn’t want to be a sore loser and blame her incapability of winning on someone else, but she can say that one of the minor reasons, if not major, behind her losing the round was Mr. Volkov.
As if he understood what was going on inside her head, he turned to her briefly before speaking.
“You know, it’s a good thing that you didn’t get selected,” Mr. Volkov said, and Aaliyah looked at him horrified.
He seriously didn’t say that, did he? This was probably the worst thing a teacher who has done equal hard work on a test with the student could say. If he was trying to motivate and distract her, it was surely working because now she was angry with his choice of words.
“What did you say?” Aaliyah asked, and Volkov let their friends’ cars pass by them as he stopped at the side of the highway with a screech.
“I said it’s a good thing you didn’t get selected because I can’t let you waste your time on that measly round. I have arranged the wildcard entry in the Olympiad. There is something about the test you don’t know. Someone tampered with them,” Volkov spoke, and this time Aaliyah was shocked for real.
There is no way a national-level exam like this could be tampered with, right? How is it possible?
“That’s all I can tell you for now,” Volkov spoke before he leaned closer to her when he didn’t get the reaction he desired.
“Didn’t you hear me, Aaliyah? I arranged a wildcard entry for you,” Volkov tried again, and Aaliyah nodded, dazed, her mind still on his words.
“Where is my reward for it?” Volkov asked when she didn’t get the meaning.
“Reward? What do you mean by that? Aren’t you supposed to do that as my teacher -?” Aaliyah paused.
Of course, he wasn’t. He did it all for her. She can’t imagine how many strings he must’ve pulled for her to enter the exam through wild card entry.
“What do you want?” Aaliyah asked, and Volkov smirked, scratching his chin thoughtfully, immediately making Aaliyah cuss her mouth for acting on impulse and answering so soon. But the words were already spoken now. There was no going back.
“Don’t worry. I won’t ask for something you are uncomfortable with,” Volkov mused, and Aaliyah patiently waited for his answer.
“Come to Samantha’s cruise holiday. It’s a 7-day cruise trip after your exams. I will talk to your mother about it. As far as I know, Bryce will take your sister there too,” Volkov said, and Aaliyah gulped before nodding.
“I will think about it,” Aaliyah dismissed the matter.
No matter how many people would be there on the ship, the thought of being with him on a cruise erupted the butterflies in her stomach.
The thought of seeing him only in boxers or shorts made her face flush, and she coughed before rolling down the window to calm the heat on her face.
“Are you okay?” Volkov asked when he saw her red face, and Aaliyah gritted her teeth before nodding, not facing him.
‘I am okay, Mr. Volkov, just horny by picturing you in almost nothing.’ Aaliyah closed her eyes in frustration, sighing at her own shamelessness.
Meanwhile, Volkov smiled in his heart when he got Aaliyah to agree to it. This cruise holiday, he will make sure they are not coming without splendid memories. Memories that might include some passion.
Baby steps, Volkov. You will win her. Dominic told himself before smirking and stopping in front of the restaurant.