“You should cut your girl some slack, Krushev,” Rizzo says.
Nik just glares at him. “Mind your own fucking business.”
Aleks clears his throat. “I’m taking Camilla as a friend.” He shrugs.
“Right, because you’d rather be riding dick,” I say.
Aleks glares at me. “Fuck you, Elias.”
I smirk at him. “Wouldn’t you love that?” I shove him in the arm. “I don’t give a shit that you’re gay, Aleks.” I glance at my two other friends. “None of us do.”
Rizzo shakes his head. “Of course not.”
Nik, on the other hand, doesn’t look so cool about me bringing it up, but it’s about fucking time. It’s not like he’s directly told me that he’s gay, but it’s just something we’ve all known for ages. After all, his eyes wander a little too much in the boys’ locker room.
Aleks shakes his head. “You are changing the subject. What is going on with you and Gurin?”
I shrug. “I know a secret of hers, and I’m using it to torment her. That’s all you need to know.”
“So, you don’t like her?”
My brow furrows. “What’s with all the questions? Are you worried I’ll be snapped off the market by Gurin?” I tease again.
He shakes his head. “No, I just heard that her brother is considering a match for her.”
“What?” I say, the blood draining from my face.
“I heard from my family that Mikhail is in talks with a family from the east coast about pairing Natalya off with their son after school. If you like her, you need to act fast.”
Nik laughs. “You know Elias doesn’t like Natalya. He fucking hates her.”
Aleks just stares at me, eyes searching my face. “Just thought you might want to know, is all.”
I nod in response, cracking my neck. “Well, I don’t care, as I’m going to have my fun with her this year. After that, I’m done with Gurin.” There’s something heavy settling in my gut as I say those words. The desire to seek her out and rip in to her for allowing her brother to pledge her hand to another while she belongs to me drives me crazy.
Aleks sits down on the bench and rests his head back. “Fair enough. Why are you losers out here, anyway?”
Rizzo shrugs as he pulls out a joint of weed. “Can’t smoke inside.” He leans forward. “Any of you got a light?”
Nik pulls a cigarette lighter out, shaking his head. “What knucklehead brings a joint of weed and not a lighter?”
Rizzo shrugs and lights it up, taking a long drag.
“Want some?”
“Is the pope catholic?” Nik asks, snatching it from his hand.
I shake my head, as drugs have never been my style. Perhaps it’s because of the shit I saw down in Mexico and the way drugs ruined lives, but I wouldn’t touch the stuff myself.
“Elias?” Nik asks, holding it up to me.
“Nah.” I shake my head. “I forgot. I’ve got something to do.” I stand, hoping none of them question me about what it is I have to do. Ever since Aleks dropped the bomb on me about Natalya’s brother arranging her marriage, I’ve had this desperate, clawing need to seek her out.
“Suit yourself,” Rizzo says, snatching it back from Nik and puffing on the joint. “More for us.”
I walk away, my heart pounding hard and fast as I try to rack my brain as to where Natalya would be right now. It’s late, so the library is shut. Which means she’ll either be in the cafeteria, the common room or in the girl’s dormitories. The latter will be difficult to access.
I dig out my cell phone and send her a text.