[setsuna22]

“Then, how the fuck did you get those bruises on your front?”
Lena took a deep calming breath as she gained control of herself.
“Look, just forget about it, okay. It was a mistake with you kissing me anyway.”
Yulia felt as if Lena has physically slapped her.
“It wasn’t a mistake!”
Lena didn't respond as she began pulling on her clothes haphazardly. She pulled on her black pleated skirt, a new bra, and a white tanktop from her locker, drawing a blazer over it. Yulia stepped in front of Lena as she was drawing the newsboy cap low over her eye, her wet hair still in her fingers as she tied it into a braid.
“Tell me what’s going on.” Lena's body went tense and she pushed past Yulia.
“Who the fuck do you think you are? You don't even know. And just because you fucking make out with me doesn’t make you an expert! I don’t have time to deal with this shit right now. I have got to go!” Her tone was almost hysterical as she grabbed her bag and slammed the locker door shut. While she jammed her feet into a pair of tennis shoes, Yulia stopped her gently putting a hand on her arm.
“Please, I know I don’t know you, but just tell me what really happened.” She saw Lena let her guard down, her face tormented as she struggled with herself.
“Listen,” she said softly, almost too soft for Yulia to hear. “I appreciate it, but it’s best that you just pretend this never happened.” She turned and walked out the door.
“Like hell I will!” Yulia raged to herself. She pulled the door open and almost gasped in shock. A tall dark haired man had an arm drawn around Lena's waist and was kissing her lips softly. She was too dumbstruck to notice Lena's tense posture or her cold clammy skin. The dark boy’s head pulled up and stared at Yulia.
“Oh Sergi, this is my new friend Yulia Volkova. Yulia, this is Ivan Sergi Shapalov. But everyone calls him Sergi since his father is headmaster. We don't need two of them running around.” She gave a nervous laugh as Sergi's hand dug hard into her waist, telling her to shut up.
Sergi offered his most charming grin and offered a hand to Yulia. She ignored it as she studied the two of them.
“Come on babe, we got to go if we’re going to make it to my parents for dinner.” Lena nodded and obediently followed Sergi. She turned her head looking at Yulia one last time. As they disappeared around the corner, Yulia let out a breath.
“She has a boyfriend.” Yulia said broken-hearted. The memory of Lena rushing to get out the door flashed in her mind - she almost panicked.
Yulia then knew how Lena had really gotten those bruises.
For Yulia, the weekend was endless. She had looked up Lena’s number in the phone book and for so many times lifted the phone, intending to call her. She tried to distract herself with homework but that only proved to be a few hours challenge and soon she was done. By Saturday afternoon, her house was spotless. Every article of clothing she had was washed at least twice and she had even organized her closet. Yulia sat on the edge of her perfectly made bed. Her hands rested on her knees. She bit her fingernails as she tried to figure out what to do.
“She is afraid of him. And yet she doesn’t want any help.” Yulia scrubbed her hands over her face and racked them through her scalp.
“You also have this huge attraction to her, and this need to protect her. Although before you didn't give a shit about anyone.” Tired of debating, Yulia dug the cell phone out her pocket and punched the numbers.
It rang.... once.... twice... three... four times. Yulia was about to hang up when a breathless voice picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Err. Yes, This is Lena's friend. We were supposed to meet today, but I forgot the place she told me to meet her.”
“Oh dear. Lena has already left, but you might be able to catch her at the bookstore or the coffee shop.”
“Okay, thanks Mrs. Katina.” Yulia replied, hope creeping into her voice. Before the other woman could reply, Yulia had shut the phone and was heading out the door with no hesitation, pausing only long enough to tug the knee length denim jacket on before she ran down the stairs.
~Lena ~
This was the only day Lena Katina got any peace. Her boyfriend often went to Italy with his father for business on the long weekends, leaving her the entire Saturday to just, even for a few hours, live a normal life. The bookstore and coffee shop became Lena's world. People always thought that she simply loved to read because she was smart and that TV held no interest. But the truth was that she loved to read because books became an escape for her - to leave Moscow and travel in her mind, become another person and not have to face her reality. Yesterday, Sergi had been more than just a little upset with her for making him wait. The new marks on her arms proved it. Thank God the weather was still cold and she could wear the long sleeved red sweater she had on today. But how much longer could winter last? Two, maybe three weeks tops? Then, she would have to find a new way to hide her bruises. Sergi's violence had just started the month before. She gripped the cardboard cup as her mind drifted back. She had said something to correct Sergi. It was just over something dumb; she didn't even remember what it was now. The only thing she really remembered was that look of madness that had come into Sergi's eyes as his hand raised and slapped her fully across the face. She had staggered from the pressure of it and had nearly been knocked unconscious. When she had gained control of her senses, Sergi was leaning over her and screaming incoherently. But the threat was a promise that if she told, she knew her parents would never find her alive.
Since that day, each moment of her life had been filled with terror and fear that each day would be her last and no one would even know what had happened to her. She had covered herself well with her false happiness and easygoing smiles. Until yesterday. Something had happened to change that when she had first seen Yulia. There was something about her, something that reminded Lena of someone she had forgotten. The inner strength and light that Yulia evoked was all around her. That light had seeped into Lena, making her feel not so lonely anymore, as if maybe she was worth something - maybe even special. When Yulia had kissed her.... Lena stopped.
“I can’t think this way. Nothing can ever come of it.” She told herself. Back into the world of her books, Lena ran her fingers along the spines of the old classics, the pungent smell of leather and paper invading her senses. No, this was much more safe.
Yulia pulled the cafй door open and went inside. Sitting on the far side of the modern cafe, Lena had a book laying flat on the table and a cold untouched coffee beside it. Lena's head was bent, but her gray-green eyes were unmoving as if deep in thought. Her hands lay in her lap, the fingers twisting around each other in irritation. Yulia studied her closer - she wore a red turtleneck. It was cool outside but not cold enough to wear a thick knitted top like Lena’s,
“He hurt her again.” Yulia thought savagely as she walked across the space of the coffee shop, pulled out a chair, and sat in front of the auburn haired beauty who looked up with a registered alarm on her face.
“What the hell are you doing here?” She leaned halfway across the table, hissing the words.
“I want to be your friend.” Yulia said, genuinely and honestly meaning the words that she spoke.
“If you want to say that yesterday was a mistake, okay, I respect that. But I just want to help you.” Yulia reached out and gently took her hand as she said this, her touch calming and connecting, but most of all reassuring. Lena stared at her hand being held by Yulia's smaller one. Her other hand was gently stroking the inside of her palm. It felt so familiar, so right.
“God, I wish I could be her friend.” Lena thought agonizingly as she gently pulled her hand away.
“I can't.” Lena said shortly. “You can't get involved in this anymore than you already are. Please, if you want to be my friend, just stay away.” She slid back from her chair and picked up her purse from the floor. Yulia repressed everything inside her that told her to follow Lena.
“I'm not giving up,” Yulia said softly. “Never.”
Yulia stood facing Lena.
In her eyes, she saw everything she was.
Her nature.
Her personality.
Her hopes.
Her dreams.
She also saw everything Lena was.
Her soul.
Everything that had ever happened to her – her childhood dreams and failures, her first kiss with Sergi, her confused thoughts about life.
Yulia saw everything that existed between them.
The promise.
All of this was held in Lena's dark fathomless eyes - which darkened in anger or in pleasure, which turned a sharp gray when she was upset or hurt. When they widened, showing the flecks of gold, she realized just who Yulia was. “Please,” she heard Lena beg, the darkness coming further around her.
“Don't forget! Please don't leave me!” Her voice became more distant and like magic, Lena disappeared. The last image was her hand reaching out for Yulia. Yulia reached out and felt only empty space.
Panting, Yulia jolted out of the bed. Her breathing was heavy as everything came flooding back to her. She felt herself crying for the first time in years.
“God, Lena. Please remember.”
Monday-
Yulia couldn't get to school fast enough. She had woken up early, taking special care with her appearances. She spent more time on her hair and makeup than she usually did and even took time to adjust her clothing. Her heartbeat fluttered whenever she thought about Lena.
“This is insane!” she told her reflection. “She has gone through so much. How can I expect her to remember anything about us? She might not even care anymore.”
“It doesn’t matter.” A voice said, not Yulia's. “You were meant to be with her. Even if she doesn’t know it. You do. You have always wanted to protect her, ever since the beginning.” Deep inside, Yulia knew this was true. Even though she had just met Lena, she knew that her heart and her very soul belonged to the auburn haired angel.