Edward
"Pablo you're ridiculous!" I laughed loudly.
"Don't blame me! It was right there! Who wouldn't take a free cupcake?" He rolled his eyes and took a sip of his scotch.
"From a child," I shook my head.
"It was a birthday party! She didn't even notice the one was missing," he chuckled. After work I was surprised to find Pablo waiting for me in my penthouse with a whole lot of food in my dining room and alcohol. Apparently me ghosting everyone had gotten him worried and he rushed from Spain to surprise me after my first day back from work. The man had such a huge heart.
"You know what I'll get fresh cupcakes made for you right now! You deserve that much," I immediately took out my phone and texted my personal chef.
"You're just trying to fatten me up so when we go out this weekend I look chubby," he glared. It would not be the first time I had tried to make myself look more glorious amongst my friends.
"I would never do that!" I gasped. They thought so little of me it was up hauling! Before Pablo and I could continue our banter I heard the doorbell ring. "Just excuse me for a sec," I stood up and walked towards the door. I was not really expecting any guests, but I figured whatever it was it must have been important.
When I opened the door I could not help, but gasp. Standing there, staring back at me stood Vasili. His hair was disheveled, his eyes slightly red and the obvious bruise on his left cheek had me concerned. "My soul what happened?" I wasted no time in pulling him inside and closing the door behind us.
"It's a long story," he chuckled as I dragged him to my kitchen. All the anger and resentment I had for him had completely disappeared when I saw his condition. I could be angry later. I grabbed a ice pack from the freezer and pressed it against his cheek to help the swelling.
"Tell me," I demanded. Whoever hurt him would pay for this. I would ruin them and make them pay. Even if I was more than pissed off with him no one was allowed to hurt him.
"Mary," he sighed. Well I was not expecting that.
"Edward, is everything all right?" Pablo said walking into the kitchen. Vasilis eyes enlarged slightly and immediately a small frown set on his face. I could understand why he seemed reserved. I was dressed in shorts with no shirt since that was what I preferred when I was home and Pablo was in jeans and an unbuttoned shirt with nothing under it. Plus the fact we had been drinking made us look flustered and our hair was in all types of directions. From Vasilis point of view the situation would have been suspicious.
"Oh I didn't know you had guests. Let me get out of your hair," he said and tried to stand up, but I forced him down.
"Vasili this is Pablo my childhood friend. Pablo this is Vasili," I said introducing them. His face immediately tinted pink when he realized who I was with. I had always mentioned Pablo to Vasili, but he had no idea how he looked.
"Oh is this the boy you told me about," Pablo chuckled and shook Vasilis hand. The time I had mentioned him to Pablo was after we met in Russia. At the time I was incredibly angry with him, but I did not dare to mention the kiss to Pablo, just the rotten attitude. "Who the hell got you like that?" He said pointing to the pale boys cheek.
"His ex girlfriend," I said with a frown.
"Oh and about that you might want to get a cease and desist order against her. She is planning on writing a not so friendly article about you," Vasili sighed holding the ice pack against his cheek.
"I'll let Allison know. You can attend to this," Pablo said probably sensing that I wanted to be alone with Vasili. He disappeared quickly into the house as I sat opposite Vasili at my breakfast nook.
"Is that what led to her slapping you?"
"Well yes and the fact I broke up with her," when he said the words he could barely meet my eyes. I did not know how to process his words. A part of me wanted to jump for joy and run around the whole building, but another part of me was questioning. Did he break up with her for circumstances or because he wanted to be with me?
"Oh. That's unfortunate," it was the safest option. Did I feel sorry for her? Nope. I would be lying if I was.
He chuckled slightly and shook his head, "she confessed she was using me for money. So yeah."
"Is that the other reason you broke up with her?" I wanted to be as subtle as possible, but how could I? My head was in a frenzy.
"I didn't love her anymore," he shrugged and sighed. "I'm sorry for showing up so unexpectedly. I didn't know where else to go."
"No no I understand. I am the only person you know in London so far. Do you want a drink, maybe some food? Pablo ordered too much for our own good," I offered. The conversation was not really picking up from there so I decided to let it go. He would talk about it when he felt like it. For now all I could do was help him get over this Mary issue and go back to ignoring our feelings for each other tomorrow.
"A drink would be nice," he gave me a small smile before staring down at his hands. I simply nodded and went to the bar to get him red wine since it was his favorite.
As I got his drink ready Pablo walked in with his shirt fully on this time and a small smile on his face. "I got the lawyer to get the papers ready against this Mary woman."
"Thank you," I sighed and reached for a block of cheese and popped it into my mouth.
"Do you want me to stay? I can tell you're a bit stressed."
"Yes please. Him and I have been a bit tense these days. It would be nice to have an ice breaker," I did not know how to react to all this information. He was also being so closed off I could need read his mind.
Pablo and I walked back into the kitchen and I handed Vasili his glass of wine. He quickly took a sip before groaning and covering his face with his hands. "Today has just been a mess," he mumbled.
Pablo tilted his head and pursued his lips. His instinct reaction was always to help so I knew he was planning something, "Edward and a few friends of ours are planning on going on a trip this weekend maybe you should join. It could get your mind off things." My head snapped to Pablo and I wished I could throw him from the top of this skyscraper! I was not ready to have a fun bro trip with Vasili after everything that happened. Especially around what I considered to be my family.
"Oh I could not impose," Vasili smiled shyly and quickly looked at me. He was probably testing if he should agree to this or not and like an idiot I smiled back at him since I did not want to make him feel any worse.
"You wouldn't! It's just us boys with myself, Marco, and his brothers Arsenio and Leonardo. Plus Amanda's best friend Sasha. Our own little boys trip," Pablo chuckled getting way to excited for his own good.
"Only if Edward is alright with it," Vasili spoke softly. Pablo immediately gave me a death glare and how could I say no after that?
"Of course I'm okay with it. You need it," anyone could hear the fake over excited thing I had going on and it was painful to even my own ears.
Vasili simply chuckled and rolled his eyes, "since you seem to insist. Yes."
"Excellent! I'll add you in. Edward isn't this going to be fun! Us with your boy," Pablo patted my shoulder as he smiled.
"Friend. Not my boy," I said through clenched teeth.
"Friend. Boy. Same thing! It's going to be fabulous!" I understood why Pablo became an artist. He was way too expressive when he was excited. No blue collar job would have worked out for him. Luckily for me, his phone rang and he excused himself from the table to answer it. Leaving Vasili and I alone in a blanket of awkwardness.
"I don't have to come if you don't want me too. I understand that we aren't exactly in the best of terms right now, but I would really like to try," he smiled softly.
"Thank you for trying, but I think for the moment being we should just stay platonic. You're more than welcome to join us, but I don't want to be your instant rebound now that you and Mary are off," it was my honest opinion.
"I broke up with her for you. I didn't make the right choice. You're the right choice," he tried to reach for my hand and for a second I allowed him. Only for a few seconds did I allow our hands to link together before I pulled away. The fact I liked it scared me
"We will see about that once your not so upset about Mary. You're more than welcome to stay. Pablo and I were planning to watch a movie. I'll be in the theatre," with that I stood up and walked away. It felt a bit empowering to say that to him. He had to know that if he was going to entertain whatever we had that he had to be serious, because I could not go through another roller coaster of emotions.
Yet as I climbed the stairs of my house I could not help, but smile. He picked me after all.