Decisions Ch. 09

Author's Notes: Patriots are World Champions!

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Chapter 1:

How does it feel to lose innocence? When do you lose innocence? I did a lot of soul searching and realized that my friends and I lost our innocence a long time ago. During our younger years when we desperately seeked approval from those around us, we were victims of the harshest rejection imaginable. The physical and psychological punishment we-- and I mean we as in everybody-- endured, molded us into warriors who didn't even blink when they came across immense pain.

No matter how young we were.

When I was an eighth grader, my teacher once made us do a report on a play. She had a bunch of playscripts in her closet and I didn't quite know which one to pick. So, I simply closed my eyes, stuck out my hand, and picked the first one that I touched. It was a script called "Defying Gravity".

The play was about a little girl, whose mother was going to be an astronaut. On the day that her mother was embarking on her mission, the little girl reaches into her pocket and pulls out a cherry Lifesaver. She places it in her mother's hand and hugs her. The little girl knew that her mother wanted nothing else than to go into space and wasn't going to beg her to stay. Rather, she gave her the Lifesaver in the hopes that it'd protect, and maybe even save her life. So, the mother takes this little Lifesaver and departs for her mission the next day . The last thing the girl said to her mother before she left, was, "Come back to me".

Sixty seconds into their mission "STS-51-L" the Space Shuttle orbiter they were on, "Challenger", exploded, killing all seven astronauts on board.

The daughter grieved, the mechanic who worked on the Challenger was crushed with guilt, the world watched the entire ordeal with shock and then... life moved on.

I always wanted to be an astronaut when I was younger, but it took my teacher explaining the story to me to really think about it. I wondered how it felt to be on that shuttle, hurtling towards space to defy gravity and explore the last frontier. To be able to glance down on their ugly, brutal, racist, yet beautiful world, with a new completely new perspective.

Did they know that something was wrong moments before the explosion happened or were they still giddy with excitement? Was it instant or did they suffer?

The San Francisco Riots ended only two days ago. It was all I could think about for the past week. It lasted seven days and involved thousands of people. Widespread looting, arson, and murder were rampant all throughout that long week and over a billion dollars in damages were racked up. It took calling in the California National Guard to put everything to an end; local police being unable to handle it themselves.

In total, 1,700 people were injured and 20 people died.

It kind of puts things into perspective, doesn't it? My life was already as complicated as it could be, and if you multiplied that by twenty... that's twenty people who had their own lives, their own feelings, their own stories to tell. They had people they loved and people that depended on them and now, they were... gone.

I liked to think that everyone was out and braving the cold, doing what they did for what they believed in -- the end to the DTOSA -- but I doubted it. Some people were probably just there to cause as much mayhem as possible. Some people just want to watch the world burn.

I stared at the TV in the kitchen, mindlessly stirring the pan of stir-fried vegetables. They could've been burnt to a black crisp for all I cared. I was somewhat numb to all feeling, watching the footage of the aftermath of the San Francisco Riots. The camera was panning throughout Pacific Mall, homing in on a burned-out store that was a shell of what used to be. Rubble and trash were strewn all over the street, and workers were picking through the remains, trying to repair whatever they could.

"Honey, you're burning the vegetables," My mom gently chastised me, turning my attention back to the pan. I swore, the smell of burnt snap peas wafting into my nose. I turned the heat off, taking the pan off the stove.

"Sorry, mom," I apologized.

"It's okay, sweetie," She replied, gently rubbing my back and taking the spatula out of my hand. "Let me take over. I don't want you destroying our lunch. Is everything ok?"

"Yes... no... yes," I struggled to answer before simply sighing and pinching the bridge of my nose. "No, not really. I've been cooped up in my own house for a week and I'm feeling cramped. I can't even go out on runs with Stasi, or even just running in general anymore."

"I know and I'm sorry, honey," My mom sighed. "But you know your security detail is taking your safety very seriously, especially after what happened to that centaur. They don't expect his legs to ever recover. In his own home, too." My mom's eyes trailed down to the counter where my phone rested. She reached for it, pressing the home button. The screen lit up, revealing my wallpaper. Stasi's smiling face stared back at her, her crystal blue eyes and fangs sparkling, and raven hair clinging to her face. "Is that truly it, though? You just feel cramped?"

"No, I just... I...."

"Annie." My mom finished.

I sighed and nodded, placing my face in my hand. "I don't know if I'm just being too clingy or whether I'm obsessed or just plain annoying. When she's not here, it's like my heart is being squeezed down a tube and I can't breathe." I admitted.

Stasi and I hadn't seen each other for over a week. Of course I could handle not seeing her for days at the most, but a week was just about the maximum I could take. It all started ever since we came back from our daring little rescue mission. We weren't caught (thank God), but we might as well have been. Our parents both agreed to put us under "house arrest" so we wouldn't go out rioting during the week, and to keep us from getting attacked in the street. Of course now that the riot was over, that was probably going to end soon, so I was looking forward to school starting back up and seeing her again.

I didn't regret a single thing. I'd do anything for the people I loved; I'd dig to the center of the Earth if it meant saving them, I'd move mountains for them, and I'd rather die than have them be hurt. Yet, what's the whole point of that if I can't even see them?

It just wasn't fair.

I could only be placated by so many calls, so many video chats, so many text messages, and so many multiplayer video games, before the agony of being separated became too much to bear. I heard her voice, saw her face, but missed her presence dearly.

A metaphor for our relationship was like a set of puzzle pieces: Without each other, we weren't whole, we weren't complete. But when latched together with no space between us, we created something beautiful.

My mom smiled softly, patting me on the cheek. "I know, honey. Trust me, I know how it feels. It's the same with your father and I. Every time he leaves for work, it feels as if someone stabbed me through the heart... but then again, we do work in the same place, so that only lasts for half an hour at the most," She laughed. "It may sound pathetic to feel that way about someone, but trust me, there is nothing more beautiful."

While I mulled over her words, my phone buzzed. We both looked at the LCD screen. It was a text from Stasi.

"Why don't you go upstairs and get ready for dinner?" My mom suggested. "Maybe I'll see what I can do about inviting the Sokolov Family over for dinner."

"Really?" I gasped, incredulous.

"Really." She confirmed, warmly. "I know how much you miss her and it'll do the both of you some good to be able to spend time together. You two were practically glued at the hip growing up and we forced you two to separate without so much as a warning. It was cruel."

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" I exclaimed, hugging my mom. She laughed, hugging me just as tightly.

"It's no problem at all, honey. You know-" She said, breaking the hug to look up at me. I was way taller than her, but she still found a way to make me feel small, "When you first met Anna in Kindergarten, I thought she was going to be a bad influence because she was a vampire; that she was dangerous and not to be made friends with. Now, I'm glad and relieved that you two found each other. My son and hopefully my daughter-in-law! Now, go and get washed up."

After planting a kiss on her forehead, I walked upstairs, practically walking on a cloud. Stasi was (hopefully) coming! I made my way to my room, opening and closing the door behind me as I plopped down on my bed. I felt a twinge of pride when I realized that I didn't have to gingerly navigate my way through the organized chaos that was usually my floor. While school was cancelled, I took the time to clean my room, organize my closet, and helped my mom around the house with extra chores. I even took my old guitar for a spin.

My phone buzzed again, announcing that I had another text. I opened the screen, cringing when I realized that I had three missed texts from Stasi.

Text One: get on your xbox. i finally managed to pry vik off of it. X

Text Two: Lyuuubooooov, answer my text. X

Text Three: CHRIS YOU BETTER ANSWER MY TEXT OR I'LL BITE YOUR NECK OFF AND/OR LOVE YOU TO DEATH AWCHUAIDHUADCAZ X

I burst into laughter, feeling that flutter in my chest that barely managed to tame the miserable feeling I'd been having, lately.

Sorry, had to help mom with chores. Coming online in a sec. I love you. Will you still bite my neck off? ;) X

I set my phone down, picking up my controller and turning on my XBox. My phone buzzed again, signaling that I had a reply.

Yes i will. love you too, lyubov. we'll talk on the mic. :) X

Once I got online, I instantly received a party chat from 'CrazyV1K'. Although the XBox technically did belong to Viktor, Stasi and Elena commandeered it so many times that it might as well have been owned by the whole family. I accepted the party chat, sliding on my wireless headset. My headset was old and shoddy, broken from when Ricky accidently sat on it. Nothing that duct tape couldn't fix, however.

Duct tape fixes anything. Duct tape is magical.

"Stasi?" I asked.

"I'm here, zaichik.," She replied softly, after a moment. Even through the ancient age of my headset, I could still hear her voice clear as day, almost as if she was right next to me. Although, the headset's volume was turned down. Ever since that fateful evening on Thanksgiving where I was hit on the head by a brick, I had debilitating headaches every time I suddenly heard something loud or looked into something bright. "I missed you... even if we only talked on the phone about an hour ago."

"I missed you, too." I admitted. "Not a second goes by where I don't. God, I wish you were here right next to me. We're so clingy with each other, aren't we?"

"That's not a bad thing, you know. I like being clingy. But, they say distance makes the heart grow fonder." Stasi observed. "All I feel in my heart is... nothing. I'm broken without you, Chris. I love you, so much."

"We'll see each other, soon. My mom said she's going to invite your family over for dinner." I said, earnestly.

"V samom dele?" Stasi gasped.

"Yes, really. I don't think I've ever been so excited for a family dinner before." I said, scrolling through my list of games. "What do you want to play first?"

"I'm in the mood for... hm..." Stasi scrunched her nose in thought. Don't ask how I knew how. I just knew she was doing it. She always did it when she was thinking. "Ooooh, Vik bought 2K17? Let's play that! I call Golden State Warriors."

"Damn."

******

When Yulia and Anton finally confirmed that they were indeed going to come over for dinner, Stasi begged her parents to let her come early. It was only four in the afternoon and they weren't going to come for another three hours at least. So, when Stasi texted me that she was going to drive separately and come at four thirty, I was ecstatic to say the least.

I was pacing in the foyer when my mom walked in, observing me intently.

"Are you alright, Chris?" She asked. "You've done nothing but walk back and forth for the past five minutes."

"Never better." I replied, bubbling in excitement.

"May I ask why you're feeling this way?" My mom asked, her eyes sparkling in amusement.

"You know why." I answered.

"Why yes, I do know why. Oh, my son is in love!" My mom exclaimed, making my cheeks flush. "I know that I don't want to get in between your alone time, but will you be able to finish your chores today if she does come? Maybe she can help you."

"Sure," I replied, quickly. I probably wasn't going to get my chores done with Stasi here, but I'd at least try. "I'll do it all myself though."

"Great." My mom said, departing into the living room. I looked up at the grandfather clock on the wall, bouncing on my heels. Right as the clock struck 4:25, the doorbell rang. I jumped up in excitement, walking over to the door and wringing my hands. With bated breath, I reached forward and unlocked it before opening it.

My breath was taken away at the sight in front of me.

On my 'Welcome Home' doormat, my best friend and lifelong companion, the girl of my dreams, Anastasia "Stasi" Sokolov, stood with her hands clasped in front of her.

She was wearing a gray sweater dress that hugged her curvaceous figure, black leggings, and brown boots. When my brown eyes made contact with her crystal blue ones, I realized how haggard she looked. Her long raven hair was slightly disheveled, as if she didn't bother to even brush it, and there were dark bruises under her eyes, the signs of an impending need to feed.

Despite those imperfections, they couldn't overwhelm her beauty. Nothing could. Not even the fact that she wasn't even the same species as me.

"Hi." I croaked, unable to say anything else.

Stasi's face lit up, the corners of her mouth upturning in a wide grin that exposed her large fangs. She must've really gotten here in a hurry. She forgot her sunglasses and her baseball cap, and her face was still shiny with hastily applied sunscreen.

"Hi." She beamed.

She took one step forward, wrapped her arms around the back of my head, and sealed my lips in a deep kiss that made me lose all feeling. I brought my arms around her protectively as she melted against me, crushing her breasts against my chest. Time seemed to freeze all around us as we became whole again, that empty and miserable feeling I had this entire week disappearing into thin air.

After what seemed like an eternity, but was only about thirty seconds, I broke the kiss, breathing heavily.

"I missed you." We both said, at the same time. We both looked at each other in shock before bursting into laughter. I pulled her in closer to me, sealing her in a tight hug.

"Want to come inside? It's cold out here." I asked, breaking the silence.

"Nyet." Stasi replied. "I was just hoping we could spend the entire night out here in the cold because who wants to be inside where it's warm and toasty?"

I missed that, too. Her sarcastic wittiness.

"I love you." I chuckled, breaking the hug regretfully and stepping out of the way so she could walk in.

"I love you more." Stasi replied, stepping into my house. I closed the door behind her and turned around to find her leaning on the wall to struggle with her boots. I gestured for her to one of the antique chairs that lined the wall. When Stasi sat down, I dropped down to one knee, untied her boots and gently slipped them off along with her socks. I was dialed in and focused on the task as if my very life depended on it.

When I finished, I looked up at her, surprised to see that she was almost in tears, tiny drops of blood welling in her crystal blue eyes. "Stasi?" I asked, alarmed. "What's wrong?"

Stasi rubbed at her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater dress. When she realized that the blood stained the fabric, she winced. "Nothing, I-..I just missed seeing you. So, so much." She replied, shakily in her silky Russian accent. "I'm just being clingy but when you're gone, I'm so... so broken. You can't leave me ever again. I just love you so much that it shouldn't even be physically possible to love someon-.."

She probably would've said more had I not sealed her lips in another kiss. I smiled giddily when the taste of strawberries exploded in my mouth. I broke the kiss, looking at her. "Stasi, believe me when I say this. I felt the same way when you were gone. I was miserable and sulking the whole week. I lost the will to do anything meaningful. The only thing that kept me going was seeing your texts and listening to your voice over the phone or the XBox. Trust me, you're not being clingy, because if that's your definition of clingy, then I'm the clingy one in this relationship."

Stasi laughed lyrically, wiping at her eyes again. She always wore her heart on her sleeve and I loved it. I loved her. "It kind of scares me how much another person can affect me." She said. She dropped her hand, looking at me in the eye with those beautiful crystal blue eyes of hers. "But, the fact that it's you that does this to me, makes me so happy."

"I know. It makes me happy that you're the one who does this to me, too. Are you hungry? My mom is making a late light lunch." I said, gesturing to the kitchen.

"I can do with a small snack." Stasi replied, standing up. She helped me to my feet, grabbing ahold of my hand with her cold one. "Poyekhali."

We walked back into the kitchen. My mom was at the counter, browsing the Internet on her laptop. When she looked up and saw our intertwined fingers, she let out a sigh of delight. "Hello, Annie." She greeted, sliding off her glasses and setting them on the counter. Stasi let go of my hand regretfully and walked around the counter to give my mom a hug.

"Hi, Susan!" Stasi chirped. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, dear. Thanks for asking." She turned her eyes to my smiling face. "Chris," She gasped. "Something is wrong with your head!"

"What?" I asked, reaching up with my free hand to pat my face, making sure that I didn't accidentally get stabbed in the head by a magic sword. "What? What?!"

"Your mouth... it looks like a smile!" My mom brought her hands to her mouth. "Oh, my baby boy is smiling!"

"Very funny, mom." I muttered, my smile refusing to waver.

Very funny, indeed. When Stasi and I admitted our feelings for each other, my only facial expression became a cheerful smile. These days when I'm out and about with the love of my life, I only have a smile on my face. It's the only facial expression that is warranted in those situations.

I think the muscles in my mouth atrophied so much that it was impossible for me to frown. I couldn't if I tried. The last time I tried to frown, Lucy said I looked like a Stormtrooper.

"I think the smile suits you." My mom said, propping her head up on her chin. "What do you think, Annie?"

"I think I love it as much as I always have." Stasi answered, planting a soft kiss on my cheek. "Very, very much. But, it's the person that the smile is attached to that I love even more."

"Awwwwh, well said." My mom replied. "You should've seen him this past week. He was moping all around the house and was quite miserable without you here."

"Mooooooom!" I groaned.

"I think I was the one that was more miserable." Stasi giggled, squeezing my hand. "I'm not sure what I'd do without my best friend Chris, here."

"And I'm not sure what I'd do without you to keep my son in line." My mom chortled. "Have you been enjoying your impromptu break from school?"

"Da... I mean, yes. The school emailed all of us worksheets, homework, and videos with our teachers demonstrating lessons so we could keep our brains checked in mentally."