An Aria in Venice: A Musical Interlude Novel by Kasonndra Leigh Page A
Authors: Kasonndra Leigh
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around
the room, my chest heaving as I fend off the anxiety attack. I can think of
only one thing that can ease my mind. Glancing at the night table beside my
bed, I pick up my phone, my finger pressing the three button … Nikolai’s
number. After the second ring, I know he’s not going to pick up. He’s not the
type of guy to let his phone get past the second ring before he answers. He’s
mad, I get it, but he had no right to say those things he said earlier today.
Why does he care what I do with Luca? He’s made it pretty damn clear that
nothing will ever happen between the two of us. Still, none of that changes
anything. Feeling beyond anxious, I try texting instead.
Me: Are you there?
N: Rishka? Yes. Are you all right?
Me: No. Can’t sleep. I’m sorry I upset
you earlier.
N: Forgiven. No worries. I should be the
one to apologize.
Got that right!
Me: Nightmares started again. Miss the
times when you’d hold me until I fell asleep.
N: Where are your roommates?
Me: Gone. Lis is with Byron and Jojo’s
doing her rocker thing. House is too quiet.
N: Have you decided to abandon this silly
quest?
I grin, unable to stop comparing him to
the way the people in the Lord of the Rings sound when they talk about
the quest of the One Ring, and that’s exactly what this thing between Nikolai
and me is like ... a quest. Wait! I do believe conquest is the more appropriate
word.
Me: Thought I was forgiven.
N: I said all is FORGIVEN, not FORGOTTEN.
Me: What’s the difference?
N: PLENTY!!!!!
About five minutes pass, even though it
feels more like an hour. I figure I’ll give him time to calm down and stop
yelling at me in caps.
N: What can I do to help you sleep?
Oh God no. He just had to go and ask. Do
I dare tell him what’s really on my mind? What can it hurt? Everything, you
silly, desperate girl. Alek will be ticked. So would Mother. On top of all
that, I now have the memory of Luca’s kiss still tickling my lips and the
promise he indirectly made to me. Nikolai’s right, he’s slick. I know this
because each time we’re together he seems to find a way to slide up under my
skin. However, I can’t help what I feel for Nikolai. We’ve been through so much
over the years. He was always the one who snuck into my room and held me until
I fell asleep, the ghosts of what happened the night he saved me drifting
between us, a bond to calm both our minds as we move through a world filled
with doubt, guilt, and remorse ... always remorse hanging out in this picture.
These thoughts fuel my fingers, giving them a life of their own.
Me: I want to know what you’re wearing.
A two minute pause. Anxiety
builds inside me.
N: Stop this now. Before it goes too far.
Me: Why???
N: I will not bring you down with me.
Me: What does that mean?
I can almost feel his pain,
even though we’re only texting. I would do anything, give him everything, just
to see all of that taken away. Why doesn’t he know that? Why is he rejecting
me?
N: There will never be
anything between us.
N: Go to Venice with him.
Be happy.
Chapter 10 : If I Were the Girl and You Were
the Guy ... and Vice Versa
Adriana
Sometime during the day, I wake up and
feel less cold than I did before I cried myself to sleep. I focus on the body
lying next to mine. Jojo. She must’ve come in and found me lying here, and
wrapped her arms around me.
Without disturbing her, I take a moment
to study her delicate features: small forehead, tiny nose, thin wrists that
remind me of a little baby, a dainty ballerina with a sting in her wit that’ll
leave you feeling as though you stepped into a yellow jacket’s nest. Jojo is
the poster girl for complicated, deep, and super talented. She can out dance
any of the girls at Aterballetto. We met only three years ago, but we soon
became fast friends what with both of us having families that are so
dysfunctional even Oprah might decide to run away from us.
Her eyes
the room, my chest heaving as I fend off the anxiety attack. I can think of
only one thing that can ease my mind. Glancing at the night table beside my
bed, I pick up my phone, my finger pressing the three button … Nikolai’s
number. After the second ring, I know he’s not going to pick up. He’s not the
type of guy to let his phone get past the second ring before he answers. He’s
mad, I get it, but he had no right to say those things he said earlier today.
Why does he care what I do with Luca? He’s made it pretty damn clear that
nothing will ever happen between the two of us. Still, none of that changes
anything. Feeling beyond anxious, I try texting instead.
Me: Are you there?
N: Rishka? Yes. Are you all right?
Me: No. Can’t sleep. I’m sorry I upset
you earlier.
N: Forgiven. No worries. I should be the
one to apologize.
Got that right!
Me: Nightmares started again. Miss the
times when you’d hold me until I fell asleep.
N: Where are your roommates?
Me: Gone. Lis is with Byron and Jojo’s
doing her rocker thing. House is too quiet.
N: Have you decided to abandon this silly
quest?
I grin, unable to stop comparing him to
the way the people in the Lord of the Rings sound when they talk about
the quest of the One Ring, and that’s exactly what this thing between Nikolai
and me is like ... a quest. Wait! I do believe conquest is the more appropriate
word.
Me: Thought I was forgiven.
N: I said all is FORGIVEN, not FORGOTTEN.
Me: What’s the difference?
N: PLENTY!!!!!
About five minutes pass, even though it
feels more like an hour. I figure I’ll give him time to calm down and stop
yelling at me in caps.
N: What can I do to help you sleep?
Oh God no. He just had to go and ask. Do
I dare tell him what’s really on my mind? What can it hurt? Everything, you
silly, desperate girl. Alek will be ticked. So would Mother. On top of all
that, I now have the memory of Luca’s kiss still tickling my lips and the
promise he indirectly made to me. Nikolai’s right, he’s slick. I know this
because each time we’re together he seems to find a way to slide up under my
skin. However, I can’t help what I feel for Nikolai. We’ve been through so much
over the years. He was always the one who snuck into my room and held me until
I fell asleep, the ghosts of what happened the night he saved me drifting
between us, a bond to calm both our minds as we move through a world filled
with doubt, guilt, and remorse ... always remorse hanging out in this picture.
These thoughts fuel my fingers, giving them a life of their own.
Me: I want to know what you’re wearing.
A two minute pause. Anxiety
builds inside me.
N: Stop this now. Before it goes too far.
Me: Why???
N: I will not bring you down with me.
Me: What does that mean?
I can almost feel his pain,
even though we’re only texting. I would do anything, give him everything, just
to see all of that taken away. Why doesn’t he know that? Why is he rejecting
me?
N: There will never be
anything between us.
N: Go to Venice with him.
Be happy.
Chapter 10 : If I Were the Girl and You Were
the Guy ... and Vice Versa
Adriana
Sometime during the day, I wake up and
feel less cold than I did before I cried myself to sleep. I focus on the body
lying next to mine. Jojo. She must’ve come in and found me lying here, and
wrapped her arms around me.
Without disturbing her, I take a moment
to study her delicate features: small forehead, tiny nose, thin wrists that
remind me of a little baby, a dainty ballerina with a sting in her wit that’ll
leave you feeling as though you stepped into a yellow jacket’s nest. Jojo is
the poster girl for complicated, deep, and super talented. She can out dance
any of the girls at Aterballetto. We met only three years ago, but we soon
became fast friends what with both of us having families that are so
dysfunctional even Oprah might decide to run away from us.
Her eyes
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