Dear All,

as I wrote today, here is a new chapter of "Loving You is Forbidden" and as you can see, it is long and it has a lot of interaction between Anatoly and other characters.

I really hope you will enjoy it and as always I will be reading your comments and messages with great joy! Thank you very much!!!

I will not say much about this, aside that it includes the often mentioned Halloween party and much more. Let me know what you think of it!

I selected a picture of Sugar Skull or Day of the Dead makeup that you should imagine on our beautiful and very sweet Viola. And the song, it felt right for this chapter and then for the party. One small and very personal curiosity about "Just like Fire" by Pink: she dances at the rhythm of the song with the silks in the video... I had a choreography of Aerial Hoop with that song :-)

I dedicate this chapter to all Anatoly and Oleg' fans and in particular to maryjanelovesthepapa: thank you dear for that nice exchange of comments and for your opinions! And yes, Anatoly's new bike's colour is green indeed as in my Facebook page cover.

BTW: follow me on Facebook, if you want of course, thank you :-)

Now, enjoy the chapter!

"You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you," by Jane Austen in "Pride and Prejudice"

ANATOLY POV:

I still couldn't freaking believe we actually watched a movie together. I mean, that man agreed on watching a movie with me, quietly sitting there beside me, after having prepared dinner. I was set on ordering food, because I felt overly lazy to cook and because it was something that bored me. However, of course the bastard here had to be his usual self and he told me to pipe it down and simply assist him. Oleg knew how to cook...fuck. It was nothing of complicated and elaborated like my mum did, but he knew how to take care of himself for sure. Looking at him, it seemed he somehow enjoyed it and he actually confirmed it to me: Oleg had often helped his grandmother around the house and he learnt many things from her. I wished I could have had the chance to meet her, but she had died years ago.

The more he shared his past and life with me, the more I understood that Oleg must have suffered in his past years. I doubted such man would ever admit it, though. He said it was all in the past and it was clear he was a man not wanting to waste time over thinking about that, but...Oleg was a human being. Alright, not a very normal human being, but fuck me, in the past days and especially during last Saturday, I came to see more of him. He wasn't impassive because he felt nothing. He was impassive because he knew damn well how to control and sedate his emotions. Oleg was very rational, which completely clashed with my impulsiveness. Quite the damned combination, wasn't it? It seemed to work, though.

I began to feel like we gave something to each other and, for the first time in my life it was finally possible for me to be the one giving something. It wasn't much for sure, at least not as much I wished to, but it was the very beginning. I had taken so much from everyone in the past years...too fucking much; but they kept giving it to me, not matter what and dear God, I was apparently being able to slowly repay, starting with Oleg.

But damn...watching that movie with him had been a mind-blowing experience. Nothing happened, as my hormones on a rampant hoped, but it was fine anyway, because I had never enjoyed such moment with anybody else. Friends and Dima didn't count, it wasn't the same shit. But with a person like Oleg? He sat there silently, relaxed on the couch of our game room, right there beside me. He must have understood that I was still freaked by everything, as I wasn't certain how to approach him or touch him without doing something stupid or lame, because he occasionally ran his hand in my hair, soothing my nervousness.

It wasn't a movie that exactly called for cheesiness and sure as hell, I wasn't into that like my brother and his chipmunk, but well...I lay beside him on the couch and my head rested touching his thigh. I still remember how his eyes looked at me with such softness, that I couldn't believe it belonged to them. That look completely zeroed everything in me and my hand reached for his leg, needing to feel him; he reacted by placing his hand on my shoulder. Of course he found Major Gavrilov one of the best characters for his integrity and sense of honour. Figures...that character reminded me of Oleg a lot, all set for duties and ready to sacrifice his own life for his Motherland.

Well, another freakish thing we discovered is that we shared another passion or interest: we both enjoyed watching war movies and crap, I was almost afraid to find out what else we had in common. I rolled my eyes and felt like slamming my head on the desk. I wasn't afraid. I was ridiculously excited at the idea of discovering more points in common with that bastard. Would he like to read? He enjoyed running under the rain and I loved riding my babe under the rain...I groaned out loud and Adrian shot me a curious look.

"Everything OK, hermoso?"

"Yeah, don't worry," I replied, eyeing the professor that was looking at me thinking about whether to throw me out of the class or not. I felt like barking at him, but I guess that wouldn't be something very smart, so I cooled it down.

"You seemed lost in some deep thinking."

"I guess you can say that, but really, nothing to worry about." He studied me a moment and then flashed me a rather charming smile, giving his dimples way to show up on his face.

"Well, after having met that man, I understood it was a lost battle for me," he murmured, winking and then going back to listen to the lesson.

I looked at him not knowing what to say, thinking about something smart to throw back, but my mind reached Dima's levels and thought of nothing. I shook my head and decided to give up. One thing I realized while being around the Taylor siblings: it was pointless to deny or counter debate what they said, because in that they were like River, always winning the last word.

As we finally sat for lunch, I didn't miss how that fucktard-gigantic-ass named Sergey stared at me, now being surrounded by only two of his "friends". I heard that others got tired by the fact he had been grounded by his father, who sure was really giving him a hell-living experience. So he sure got some very good "friends" around him, but who was I to think such crap? I looked away and then met that annoying shirmp's eyes, staring at me in some rather weird and pretty much irritating way.

"What are you looking at, shrimp? I had the idea you liked girls and not guys," I joked, making that other weird girl giggling. She wasn't annoying, or anyway, let's say, she didn't annoy me particularly and she understood to keep her due distance from me.

"I'm not looking at you and who would like someone like you?" He tried to look tough, but he was lame that it made me wish to smack his face.

"I think Anatoly is actually rather hot," that Sharon girl said in a matter of fact tone and I heard Adrian try to repress a sudden laugh. Alright, one point to her for her sense of humour.

"I bet his my hair style, right?"

"Hmm...I would say pretty much everything," she smiled in a similar way to Viola and then sighed, faking sorrow and drama, placing her hand over her eyes. Yeah, she had decent sense of humour. "But the reality is soooo sad: the best and hottest guys either are taken or gay."

"What?" Cameron-pathetic-shrimp gasped, almost choking in his drink. "He looks like a gang member."

"No shit, Sherlock: I used to be one," I hissed at him, enjoying on purpose seeing him growing green. Man, would he ever grow a real pair of balls? "C'mon, go get a pair, they might sell them online, too."

"How do you honestly find this blockhead hot, Sharon?" He had to guts to say that in front of me, even though he didn't dare to look at me directly.

"Hey you, mind to not annoy me more than this," I warned him, clearly teasing him, because never in my life I would sink once more at those low past levels. Never ever. However, I still had to understand how Viola and Adrian could tolerate his presence. This guy irked me whenever he opened his mouth, but whatever. We sure weren't going to be best buddies, so I could try to somehow stand him.

"Or what? Would you beat me up? I can defend myself." I rolled my eyes at his words and I let out an annoyed sigh: how did I get myself into this brainless conversation? That was the reason why I minded to have lunch around such people. Too much pain in the freaking ass.

"Cameron," Adrian intervened in this idiotic discussion. "I doubt you would stand a chance against our badass, former gang-member Anatoly, look at him? He even goes to the gym recently," he said clearly having obvious fun at the expenses of that little very irritating thing. He winked at me and I knew he was teasing that Cameron dude. Then I realised something was too quiet.

"Adrian, where is your sister?" I asked, finding strange that she wasn't around us for lunch.

"She had to talk with two professors for next week's Halloween party. There has been some other incident and that's why we had to post-pone it once more," the Sharon girl explained.

"What kind of incident?" I enquired, feeling a rather restless sensation gripping my guts.

"Nothing big: someone kind of destroyed part of the decorations we had worked on and we had to re-do them again." She shrugged her shoulders and then went back to check her phone.

This was starting to be rather eerie and I exchanged a look with Adrian, who immediately understood me. He also agreed with me that my accident hadn't happened out of mere chance, because I knew he worried over the small little annoying things happening around me in school. It was honestly better to not find the author, because I wasn't sure my conversation with such shit-head would end very well and peacefully. I went to say something, but Viola stepped into the cafeteria and immediately waved at us. Jeez...now her hair had a more pinkish shade and dressed in that way, she looked like some pixie doll. She skipped toward our table, but then stopped and walked to her left, going to stop right in front of that asshole.

"What the..." I hissed, as Viola halted right in front of Sergey. I went to stand up, but Adrian placed a hand on my arm.

"I doubt he would be so stupid to do something to her right in front of everyone," he calmly explained, but he was missing the freaking point here.

"Adrian, he's a retarded fucktard. You got my point? The less she stays around him, the better." I knew I was being hypocritical, but at that moment I couldn't give half shit. I still remembered what Viola told me about that other dumbass, some other little shit that was on my wish-to-beat-to-a-pulp list.

"Just wait and watch. Viola has her own magic power." He winked and I gave it up, simply keeping an eye on her.

She was normally talking to him and, to my great surprise, that jerk seemed to behave decently enough. One of his friends got up and went to say something to her and then I almost saw red, but Lebedev fucking surprised me. He got up as well and told him to keep it quiet, since he didn't need to have troubles in school. Those two started to laugh out loud and called him names; did I seriously waste my time with the likes of them? I sighed out annoyed and shook my head, as if chasing those depressing and useless thoughts away. One of those retards actually grabbed his shirt and then I decided it was time to march over there, avoiding getting that skinny fairy involved in their mess.

"Hey losers, get your chit-chatting out of here," I said, stepping beside Viola, who greeted me with her wide and child-like smile.

"Anatoly!" She chirped, jumping on my neck. "I missed you! Let's have lunch together."

"What the hell do you want, Denisov? Take your weirdo away from here and mind your business, or what?"

I laughed out sarcastically and I didn't miss how they looked at me weighting their options. God, what a bunch of dimwits. No wonder the Mighty Sasha couldn't stand them, and I really understood him well.

"Do me a favour, Reynolds: get lost," I warned him. "And you, Seryozha, stay away from Viola, you hear me?"

"Or what? Want to get even with me? And anyway, mind your own business, Tolya," he mocked my name like I did with his. "I doubt you changed your queer taste, am I right?"

"You..." Viola stepped between us once more and I felt an idiot. When the hell would I learn to control my temper?

"Guys, stop it. You cannot fight! You promised me, remember?" She said looking straight into Sergey's eyes and I swear, my mouth almost dropped open. The hell was that? He snorted and muttered something in Russian. "And you too: you cannot get into more trouble, Anatoly."

She was right, but honestly...I couldn't digest the fact she had some strange idea of recovering that idiot, because that must have been the deal. She convinced herself that she could somehow make him into a unicorn lover and there wasn't anything more hopeless than that.

"Yeah, yeah, you're right, pixie doll. So move your fairy ass from here and let's go eat lunch. I'm starving because of you," I went to move away, but one fucktard there grabbed my shoulder trying to stop me. I grunted annoyed and shrugged his hand off. "You got a suicidal wish, today?"

"Not so fast, Denisov."

"Cut it, Martin. I'm tired of this shit and I really don't want more problems," Sergey said to that moron.

"What's wrong with you, Sergey? We can beat his ass." Yeah right, sure you wish that, dumbass. "Or what? Are you getting hot for weird bitches and want to look good for this Barbie doll here?" I went to react, wanting to smash his face, but once more, that bastard of Sergey anticipated me by grabbing his shirt.

"Listen, get it with me, but leave her out. Who's getting hot for whom? I told you I don't need troubles in school, so just leave it." They stared at each other a moment, but none of them had actually the guts to go for an open fight. I knew it. So that idiot over there named Martin shoved Lebedev away and then the two of them left the place.

"Sorry Sergey, I did not mean to create troubles for you," Viola said looking honestly concerned. I refrained from face-palming and groaning out, because this had to come to an end, and very freaking soon.

"Not your business, weirdo," he hissed, for then looking at me. "Get out of my sight, Denisov. I gotta eat my lunch and for sure I don't wanna turn into a queer like you." I rolled my eyes at his very lame sense of humour. I grabbed Viola's hand and we went to walk away, but he told her something. "Alright weirdo, this afternoon I'll help you with that, but it better be the last time we have to re-do that crap."

In all answer, she gave him a wide smile and once again, quickly kissed him on the cheek. He almost dropped dead on the floor and so did I. No, no, fucking no. This really had to end in no time.

"You'll see Sergey: you will soon start to love penguins like I do and you will agree with me in everything." She mimicked some gesture as if blowing something at him and we both remained still like two statues. Honestly, this girl indeed had some special, magic power into her. "Here, some of my fairy dust for you!" She giggled and then skipped away.

I turned to him and gave him my warning.

"Don't you dare do anything that will make me want to punch your ugly face, you got me?" I hissed in Russian and he simply stared at me with his irritating sneer, for then going to sit at his table.

"What do you take me for? I might be an asshole, but not that much of an asshole. I would never do anything to her, plus, she's too skinny for my taste. So calm down, mama bear," he mocked and I just flipped him off, walking away. He had just admitted to be an asshole and for a moment I wondered if Viola actually possessed real fairy dust, because something must have gone in this jerk's brain.

"V? You don't like that one, right?" I asked her as we reached the table.

"Sergey? Oh my silly Anatoly. No, I don't like him, but I adore his sister Darya! And anyway, I just have a feeling that he needs to start in believing in magic," she winked and hoped ahead, her pink-purple hair bouncing free on her back. Yeah, I was convinced that Travis would have loved her and vice versa. There was a touch of craziness in her, too.

As I sat back to our table, Adrian shook his head at me smiling with a rather smug expression, while that very much bothersome little, depressing shrimp first eyed me as if staring at garbage and then shot a glare at Viola that didn't exactly look friendly. Oh right. He pretended to like the Sharon girl, but of course he had it hot for Viola. Adrian didn't miss it either and this time he was the one addressing him directly.

"What is it, Cameron?" I didn't miss the subtle inquiring tone in his voice and I sure didn't miss how he planted his eyes on that guy. "You appear...upset."

That guy stared more at Adrian's sister, right now talking about some Japanese animated movie she had watched the other night. He then shook his head and seemed lost into some possibly retarded thoughts.

"I don't get how she can normally talk with the likes of them," he said quietly, avoiding eye contact with my friend and I. His words meant something else and I understood it: he couldn't understand why the Taylor siblings became friends with someone like me, but never mind. They gave me a chance and I wasn't going to throw it out of the window. I smirked evilly and he squirmed in his seat.

"Are you jealous? Well, get a ticket for the line, because it looks like your fairy princess has her admirers." I hadn't missed Sergey's face and the way he tried to brush away the obvious with those words. Too skinny for his taste? His eyes had almost eaten her in one big bite and the issue was that I had spent a lot of time with him. Of course, I had been an award winning piece of trash, but...I really slowly came to care for V pretty much and it changed things.

"What? I...I..I'm not jealous, what are you talking about?" He was sweating bullets and he darted worried looks towards Viola. "I don't like her...I mean...it's just, how can she normally talk to such people?"

"I think you should know this by now, given you have been friend with my dear sister for long time: she is a very special and sweet person and she hardly sees any bad in people. If you don't like it, fine by me, but do not start to put wrong ideas in her mind. Well...that would prove to be rather impossible, because you also probably realised that Viola is not someone easy to change her mind." I chuckled, because Adrian was very protective with it came to his sister; whenever someone dared to utter a wrong word, you could hear his voice growing colder and assuming a hard tone.

The Cameron guy said nothing in reply and thank God for that, because for today I had enough of this circus. Adrian might have been cool with many things, but I still intended to talk to him. It wasn't my so-called business, but being a bit careful was not going to hurt anybody. But hearing that other decorations have been wrecked up was starting to be very annoying, because who the heck would behave in such childish way? I wondered if it was the same idiot that played with my patience...honestly, why had people to behave so lamely? Never mind, Adrian agreed on going for a ride with me and we could simply go somewhere and talk.

-AFTER SCHOOL-

What he wanted from me again? Argh...It seemed that I had forgotten how Vincent could also easily irritate me sometimes, with his self-confidence and his complete lack in taking anything seriously, taking everything as a game where he would play according his own whims. Had I really waste time with that guy for so long? It didn't surprise me that what I felt for Oleg and what he gave me back completely took me aback. For the first time in my life, I had met someone that I knew I didn't have to doubt or to guard my back. I trusted him and I meant every damn word from the deepest of my core.

I sped up more, suddenly bending to the right and I had to remind myself that Adrian was the one behind me, closing the grip around me more strongly. He might have been fine, but of course he wasn't used to my riding as Oleg was. I let out an excited laugh, the mere thought arousing the adrenaline in me, fuelling as my mind pictured him riding his bike, just us and the roar of the engines...ahh...I couldn't wait for that and I couldn't wait to go kick his ass with my babe; next time, we would be the one eating my dust.

I looked in the mirror and saw that Vince had caught up with us, so I slowed my speed on porpoise, making him approach me more and more; then I saw the place I was looking for and quickly I signalled him with my right hand where to turn. Of course he followed and, the moment I switched off my babe and removed the helmet, my feet took me to Vincent and my hand immediately went to grab his jacket.

"What do you want from me?" I hissed out, searching into his dark green eyes.

I didn't have the same bad feelings as before, the same resentment and anger, but it still wasn't that easy to face him. It still stirred memories that I wished to erase from my mind completely. It also moved an emotion that disgusted me very much: useless fear; fear to hear about that madman and what kind of obsession or business he still had with me.

"Always a real sweetheart, aren't you, Anatoly?" Again that trade-mark cocky smile. I let go of his jacket and counted till God knew how long to cool down my temper. "Has someone found the way to teach you how to check your short temper, hmm? The same person you punched me for having tried to kiss you?" I wished to smack his face on the ground, because this guy here was playing with my nerves and the fucking annoyed part was that he knew it, and he enjoyed it. Arrogant asshole.

"Mind your business, Vincent, and tell me what you want?" He chuckled and then moved away from me, walking to Adrian, who had given me space and some sort of privacy by staying behind, watching our exchange without meddling.

"Hello there, Adrian," he somehow mocked the full name and I wondered how my friend could keep his expression so calm and unfazed.

"Good to see you again, Vincent," he answered in kind and flashed him a smile that honestly gave me the creep. "I can see you do enjoy to unsettle my friend and to be honest, I do not like it, Vincent. How about you stop doing that and tell us what you want? Or do you wish to play more? In that case, I'm afraid I will refuse that ride that you promised me."

Vince said nothing for a moment, completely taken aback from Adrian's confidence and rather commanding aura. I didn't know he had it in him that much, but I was getting to understand that he wasn't one to underestimate at all, exactly like River. Those two didn't need to do much with their hands; their cutting words and smiles were enough to throw people out of balance.

"No ride with me? Then I really need to try to behave like a good boy, hmm?" He closed the distance between them and now he was facing Adrian. They stared at each other directly, as they were more or less the same height.

"Not really, Vince." My friend's face once more altered into that rather dark mask I had already seen, and his voice grew colder, dropping the teasing tone he had a second ago. "Only when it becomes necessary, if you understand me."

He surprised me and for a moment I also looked at him. However, this was not the issues. He had to stay out of this and so I marched in front of that jerk, and gained his attention back.

"Cut this shit, Vince. Tell me what you want?" The sight of those scares caught my eyes and I adverted my look away for a second. "Are you OK?" I asked, knowing that he didn't stand in any easy and safe position.

He dropped his sardonic smile and once more, I could see a tired and empty expression filling his usually cocky eyes. His hand went to touch me, but I instinctively retracted of an inch and he didn't miss it, letting it fall on his side.

"Sorry Anatoly," he said quietly. "I'm OK, you don't need to worry about me. I can take care of myself and you know it, so no need to get concerned over me or feel bad." I simply nodded. "I'm just here because I have heard that Caden has contacted Skull in the past days and you know what it means right?"

Those words sipped into my brain and system, and they felt damn heavy and bitter. I swallowed down the bad taste in my mouth and then I squared my shoulders. What was I doing here, shitless scared in front of him? Being a scaredy-cat wasn't going to make things better. I wasn't alone in my mess any longer.

"I know what that means. That lunatic is getting back very soon, right? Trying to see if things cooled down, first, setting out his rabid dog." He simply nodded and then bent his head back, staring at grey and cold sky. I never thought I would see Vince in this state, but apparently he had reached his limit with this crap. I believe he also had finally realised how this life we used to share was very much fucked up.

"I will leave the gang at the right moment; I also wanted to tell you this." He took a deep breath and then planted his now impudent stare on Adrian. "Will you then teach me how to be a good and proper boy?" This had to be a freaking joke and if it was, it didn't make me laugh one bit.

"Vincent, drop it. Leave him out, I already told you."

"I don't think you are jealous, because you already explained me that nothing is going on between you two, correct?"

"You jerk, this is not the point and you know it," I snatched his jacket, but Adrian placed a hand on my shoulder and spoke to this idiot.

"Yes, Vincent. As I already told you, when you decide to stop playing this rather foolish and pointless game, come and find me. I will gladly teach whatever you feel like to learn."

"I'm sure we can learn a lot from each other," he winked at my friend and I swear, I was very close to wipe that freaking annoying grin from his face with a punch. I couldn't believe it: what the heck had the Taylor siblings in their minds? Oh whatever, I guessed they knew how to take care of themselves and anyway, I would never refuse the chance to kick ass if needed. Plus, I doubted that Vincent would behave in any wrong way but this wasn't the point. The point was that he still was in the gang and I didn't want shit to hit more people. Ahhh...I groaned out exasperated and they both looked at me.

"What are you looking at?" I grunted. "Are we done here?"

"Just one question, Anatoly." My irritation completely evaporated as his change of tone.

"What is it?"

"Have you ever heard or don't know, seen or whatever the hell, anything about someone named Leah or something similar?" I furrowed my brows at his question, because I honestly had not the slightest idea of what he was talking about.

"What?" I simply threw back. "What are you talking about?"

"Think about it, Anatoly. Never heard anything of the sort when around Caden?" I thought more about it, trying to go through not so pleasant old chapters of my memory, but nothing of the sort rang any bell in my mind. I shook my head and thought about it harder. "So nothing?"

"No, I really don't know what you are talking about and what's with him?"

"I'm not sure, but I have overheard Skull and another guy saying something about it, about some old shit Caden has to deal with or put an end on it...I don't know honestly. It was already a lot I heard this, because you know how paranoid some of them are." I nodded, knowing that all too well. I used to be the same. Drugs sure did not help their natural inclination of being sick motherfuckers. But why he asked me that? How was that related to me?

"Vince, why are you asking me this? I know nothing on the matter, so why asking me?"

"I'm just trying to understand why Caden seemed so obsessed with you. If maybe he had some unfinished business or shit like that." Once more, at those words, I felt a cold sensation grabbing my guts and heart, as if a cold blade was slowly sinking into my flesh. The idea of having something left unsettled with that madman didn't sit well at all.

"I have no fucking clue about this," I repeated, shoving my fears very deep inside and far away. Vince looked at me a moment without saying anything and then his shoulders relaxed and he let out a relieved sigh.

"Then nothing to worry about, Anatoly," he said, appearing less tense.

I said nothing to that, because to be honest I had more questions. Vincent wasn't telling me the entire story and of course it had to do with the fact that Adrian was here with us; it must have been quite the rotten deal then, if he kept guarded and it somehow bugged Caden. However, I never heard about any Leah or whatever the hell, so I guess my ass was safe for now. I could also let out a silent sigh of relief. Vincent dropped the serious expression that didn't suit him at all and again flashed that face resembling some street cat in search for a prey.

"Adrian, wouldn't you go for a ride with me?"

I felt like face-palming, but I refrained from that. Vince wasn't someone to beat around the bush and sometimes he made the mistake of underestimating people, assuming they wouldn't get his deliberate taunting. It was a reason we found each other often involved into stupid fights; well, that and my very short temper pampered by shit I used to take. Ahh...God, I was freaking happy that my father never really meant to throw me out of our house and that he decided to stick Oleg to me.

Adrian studied his face and pondered the question, clearly turning the table around and making Vincent feel like a prey, waiting for the cat to strike with its sharp claws. He took a step and stopped a mere inch away from that jerk, enjoying what he saw passing by his eyes.

"Thank you, Vince, but not today. I might like you somehow, but I don't easily get impressed at first," he slowly placed his hand on his tattoo and awareness hit Vincent at full speed. Adrian wasn't that stupid to put himself in some fucked-up position, possibly exposing his family. Yet, he wasn't judgemental or narrow-minded to let people, somehow in need for a good wake-up call, sink alone. "Maybe another time, when you sort yourself out," he said, slipping his fingers on a scar he had on the side of his mouth. Vincent's eyes widened a moment in complete surprise. "But don't put your handsome face in danger. I realised that many times, if we don't search for help, it doesn't just along by itself." Vince swallowed down, completely bewitched by my friend's look and words.

"I will look for you," he only replied, now regaining the momentary lost self-confidence. Adrian simply smiled and after that exchange, we left. But only after making Vince promise to not get his ass in useless danger.

OLEG POV:

I drove Mr. Denisov back to his residence and in the meantime I pondered the information passed to me by that informer. It was to be expected for that piece of human garbage to come back any time soon, as apparently the whole incident had cooled down and the rival gang had something else to consider; but that was not the only reason. The leader of the Demons White Beasts had to return on his territory to restore his control and leadership, given his right hand, a man with extreme view that dangerously bordered with Nazism, a natural violent and sick temper, a passion for a specific type of drug and a rather impressive background filled with all sorts of illegal and vile activities, was not enough to keep the gang in the same order.

I have heard that Caden "Mad Dog" had a certain reputation in that sort of environment and I heard about his vicious tendency to not forgive whoever dared to contradict his orders or leave his command. With all chances, he had a need for control that reached sick levels and nothing could ever convince me that his business with Anatoly had been settled by that episode only. My hands tightened the grip on the steering wheel as those images surfaced in my mind and taunted my calmness and composure. They made my blood simmer in a rare and almost never experienced rage, something that I had not experienced even many years ago, when...I stared back at the street and removed useless memories from my current thoughts.

No, it was a different rage, a different feeling triggered by a completely different situation. What I felt now was triggered by the feelings I slowly developed for Anatoly, by the fact that the mere idea of someone hurting him was enough to set me on some very dangerous and lethal mood. It was not an outburst of impulsive ire, but more likely a cold and growing anger and need to annihilate and crush whoever dared to pose a threat to Anatoly. Not to mention any vermin that actually hurt him...what I felt that time almost eradicated my sanity and control. No doubt Anatoly already understood the real reason that made take action against that worthless piece of trash. However, with Anatoly I did not want to commit the same mistake and I let a cold and calculated ire take the place of more troublesome smouldering, hasty rage.

For a few minutes while I drove in silence, as Mr. Denisov reviewed something on his laptop, I considered whether to share this information with him or not. Eventually, it was a necessary step to take, but it occurred to me that for the moment, I could keep it for myself. At least, until I sorted out more useful and concrete details, so that more decisive action could be taken. I did not want to leave any chance to leave Anatoly as an easy prey, but it was not something that could be easily done. I would have gladly marched in their hole and get rid of each of them, just like you would get rid of cockroaches, but I was not going to trigger a potential explosive solution. However, the feeling that things were still unsettled and what Anatoly told me a couple of weeks ago left very restless. It felt as if we were in the eye of the storm, and what really upset me was the fact that at the moment I could not take any real action.

There was a possibility however that I had been thinking about for a while, because there was a person that I might have been able to contact and deem as useful. It was not the best option, but all considered it could be the only very practical choice, alongside the fact that I wished for some time already to have a chat with this person. He did not mean it in any bad way, but nonetheless the sudden information thrown on Anatoly set him on a restless mood and I did not like that in the least. I had a feeling that it was not over and I wished to make clear that upsetting him was something that very much displeased me; it was something that very much had to be avoided, for more than one mere reason.

I felt very powerless and inadequate, but I had to remind myself that indeed I was a human being with limits like anyone else, no matter what that punk kept saying. A smile almost taunted my lips as my mind ran to the memory of us watching that film; it had been a pleasant surprise discovering another point in common and I had not missed how much that thrilled him, even though he did not want to admit. It was all rather unfamiliar and he had seen right into me: I had never been used to any of this, any of what we experienced together. Anatoly had a very soft and gentle side, not very easy to see, but he had it; apparently, it was the same for me, given I could not remember myself smiling for any other person before in that same way.

I had fixed the appointment for the Monday following the Halloween party they had in school, because the tattoo artist told me he had been fully booked. I was glad Anatoly wanted me to be there with him and I was very glad he had matured the decision to remove those inks. My right eye quickly shot a look at Mr. Denisov, still reading a document on his laptop, and then it returned to stare at the street in front of us; I soon will have to confront my responsibilities and possible consequences. Anatoly asked me to wait for the moment and I partially agreed, but it became more difficult each day. This matter had to be faced and solved on my side, even if it might cost me my role and position with Mr. and Mrs. Denisov.

I had already made a choice that night I said those words to Anatoly, and indeed the idea of losing him was excruciating and unbearable.

Yes, I had made my choice and, as already said to that punk, I was not going to break my promise or take any step back.

ANATOLY POV - DAYS LATER, HALLOWEEN PARTY at SCHOOL:

When I reached our school together with Adrian, who had insisted in giving me a lift, even I remained a moment without words or any sort of comments. In the dark and cold evening of mid November, with the sky threatening heavy snow, the entrance of the school looked quite surreal and almost daunting. In a way, they have been lucky that the party had been postponed this late, because it saved their ass from the rain we had at the end of October. For the last days I stayed over to help Viola and the others with the final arrangements, but then she freaking kicked me home saying she wanted to surprise us.

That tiny and loud fairy sure made a great and rather spectacular job, and what mostly surprised me, was her abilities in drawing and creating cardboards figures and such with her hands; actually, what most freaking surprised me, was discovering that even that jerk had the same skills.

"Wow, impressive, isn't it, Anatoly?" Adrian asked me, as he adjusted the hat back on his dyed red hair. I shifted my eyes on him and then shook my head; he dressed like the Mad Hatter and no doubt he did it for Viola.

"You dressed like this for your sister, right? You told me she loves this character and that she has a soft spot for Tim Burton's movies," I asked and he answered by winking.

"You also dressed at the end," he said giving me a rather amused look. "I like this costume on you. It really makes you look like a sexier version of Neo."

It was the only think that I could bear to wear, because this complete bull of dressing up wasn't my thing, but hey, for once I could endure it and make peace with it. I had always found Neo from Matrix a real badass and I had a thing for those black and leathery clothes, so it didn't look like the end of the world dressing like him. I had plenty of dark jeans or pants, long-sleeves t-shirts and combat boots; the only thing I was missing was his badass long, black coat and Travis actually gave me the right tip about a shop he apparently visited often whenever in New York. Sasha suggested me to ask his crazy half, being sure he would know the right place. Fuck...that guy was crazy indeed. I liked him.

However, thank God nobody was around when I left to come here: Dima had a date with his boyfriend and my parents also decided to take the weekend for themselves, celebrating the day when my dad apparently asked my mum to become his wife. I had never really noticed that before, but they were much attached to each other. Jasper told me once that he envied it in a good way, because his parents weren't doing that well. I sure would have gone mental with a mother like his, given what my brother told me. Oleg only had a quick look at how I was dressed and shit, I felt an idiot standing there dressed for a stupid Halloween party in front of such man. He kept his face rather blank at first and then he cracked a rather amused smirk, commenting that it suited me. Annoying old geezer.

"Well, I didn't have much choice in the matter, did I? Viola made it very clear that we could get our ass in there only if dressed and this was easy to put together." I shrugged and once more gazed at the entrance. "She put a lot of effort into this party."

"She sure did," he confirmed. "Viola loves to create decoration and drawing. She had completely decorated our entire house."

The whole parking lot and main entrance were illuminated only by pumpkins carved in every possible creepy way, most of them reminding me of the one seen in "Sleepy Hollow" film and others resembled the face of Jack Skellington; but it wasn't just that. Figures covered in white sheets had been spread around and they looked freaking eerie...the fact that the cold wind moved their sheets gave the final sinister touch, along with the figures of witches, angry cats, zombies and ghosts that decorated the halls. Some lanterns were hanging from the ceiling in the shape of witch hats and some others in the shape of skulls.

As we walked around, we could see all the students dressed up in some way or another, some looking pretty much ridiculous. Ahh...why people got so excited over something like that? I had no idea and I sure wasn't going to try to understand it. We stopped when we spotted V and her two friends and, for a moment, I felt tongue-tied. She was a girl and that meant she wasn't attractive in the least for me; but then she looked pretty fucking cool. She wore a costume that was a mixed between a very dark version of Alice, with stripped tights, black boots and what was supposed to be a Gothic and very black version of Alice in Wonderland costume, but rather short and all fluffy with what she had repeated me over thousand times was tulle. A big pocket-watch sported on the front of her gown and she had dyed her hair of a very bright light blue. I shook my head as I noticed she wore a pair of dark wings. Of course she could not miss her final touch.

"Anatoly! Adrian! You are here finally!" She skipped in our directions and then hugged both of us. "I'm so happy you are here!" She pulled back and clapped her hands, for then doing slow pirouettes to show us her dress. "What do you think?"

"That it definitely suits you, V," I said as she gave me a huge smile. "Yeah, you are rather good looking for a chick and your makeup is pretty cool."

"Yes, you look beautiful with the dias de los muertos makeup, preciosa," Adrian told her with a warm smile. Ah...so that's how the elaborated and woman-skull-looking drawing on her face was called, the day of the dead. Well, it definitely suited it the party.

"You actually look very hot, Anatoly!" She replied with very enthusiastic voice. "And so do you, Adri! I'm so happy you decided to dress like that, thank you, brother! We can take pictures together later," she giggled and a smile tugged at my lips. I hadn't seen that hyper and excited in very long time and seeing her then in such state made me understand that what happened with that fucktard had been forgotten. "What do you think, Sharon?"

"I definitely want a picture with Anatoly. He looks so hot dressed like Neo!" The Sharon girl stopped right beside V and I gave her a quick look. She didn't look that bad herself, dressed in what I think was meant to be a very Gothic version of Harley Quinn from Arkham City. "Viola made my make-up and hair, doesn't it look absolutely fabulous?"

"Yeah, you don't look bad, must say it," I admitted because they both could be considered quite the hot view I guess, and it was clear by the way that annoying Cameron guy ogled at them and by the way guys almost bumped into each other like morons just to turn and stare at them. "What are you staring at?" I asked to the depressing shrimp, staring now at me with an unreadable face.

"I expected you to be dressed like some gangster or maybe with your gang's leather jacket?" Something twisted in my guts at those words and I believe that Adrian perceived it, because he shot me a quick glance. I went to say something to that guy, but Sharon reacted faster by hitting him on the head with her inflatable baseball bat meant to symbolize one of Harley Quinn's favourite weapons.

"He would still look super hot!" She said with convinced voice and the guy simply stared at her speechless, clearly drooling over her figure. Pathetic little thing he was. She turned around and flashed me a rather crazy-looking smile. "Will you dance with me once, later? Just once, please?"

"Ohhh...me too, Anatoly, please??" Both Sharon and Viola stared at me with blinking eyes and Adrian chuckled lightly beside me.

"Hermoso, you have the ladies at your feet," he joked, resting a hand on my shoulder. I groaned and rolled my eyes: did I really get myself into this?

"With you, too, Adrian," Sharon twitted as she pointed her baseball bat in his way. In all answer he bowed at her, removing the hat like a real gentleman.

Ahh...I couldn't be the only anti-asocial asshole here, right?

"Fine, but one dance only and you better have chosen some good rock music, or I won't get my ass there." They both jumped at my neck at once and fuck...they almost threw me on the ground. Then I heard a faint click and my eyes caught Adrian in the act of taking a picture of us. I grunted something and then decided to give it up. It was Viola's night and I sure wasn't going to behave like a jerk with her.

We walked to the main sport hall, where the core of the party took place and once more, I took a moment to observe everything. On the right two sets for pictures had been created: one depicting three witches hovering over a boiling cauldron, with black cats at their feet and brooms there to be used for the pictures; two black fairies stood at each side of the witches and you could wear dark wings if you wished.

The other one portrayed a deformed room as if you were looking it throw some weird mirror, in white and black stripes, with the painted figures of a dark version of the Cheshire Cat, of the Corpse Bride, Jack Skellington and a damn creepy white bunny. Man...That honestly looked fucking spine-chilling, with those sinister red eyes and rather unfriendly fangs. Under Adrian's suggestion, we took a couple of pictures and truth been told, I was starting to have some fun and...A thought very much weird for me took place in my head: I wanted to show the pictures to Oleg, to let him see more of my time with my friends. Yeah, I needed to share this with him.

I had helped with the decorations and such, but it was clear that Viola yesterday added her unique, final touch. It felt as if stepping into a Tim Burton movie mixed with a very dark and Gothic fairy tale. Dark fairies hanged from the ceiling, a smoke machine created the perfect misty-cemetery-like atmosphere and the lights were soft and gave everything a surreal appearance. More plastic pumpkins were scattered around the place, illuminating the walls and the floor with their ghostly and evil-looking smiles, the light dancing weirdly against the fake mist. I could see they had arranged beverages and food on three big tables, and some red juice was given away in plastic syringes. Creepy indeed, but freaking brilliant. I glanced at Viola, now staring at me somehow fidgeting on her high-heels boots.

"So?" She timidly asked and I leaned down to whisper something into her ear.

"Very creepy, but freaking awesome, V," I murmured quietly at her and she only turned to look at me with a full-moon smile. "How long did it take?"

"Sergey, Sharon and a couple of other students helped me until very late yesterday," she said and I searched for that jerk in the crowd, but I couldn't spot him.

However, Viola suddenly smiled even wider than before, with what seemed to me a touch of shyness, and waved at someone behind me. As I turned around, Seryozha was right there, staring at me with his usual sneer. We stared at each other in complete murdering silence, as if thinking the best way to kick each other's ass and then I noticed he also was dressed. I just couldn't believe he was dressed in that way. Had he done it on purpose or was it a mere case? They matched...they freaking matched. We went to exchange our usual, very sweet greetings, because we clearly couldn't stand each other, but V threw her arms at his neck, bouncing up and down. At first he stiffened, sending me quite the hate-filled look, but I rolled my eyes at him and flipped him off, so he gave me the bird, too, muttering something in Russian.

But I didn't miss how he rested his hands on Viola's sides and how he was trying with all his stupid self not to smile at her. I could tell he had already seen her dressed like this, but it was damn clear he found her tastier than a gigantic slice of cake with chocolate and cream. This had to be a joke, a very bad and fucked-up joke.

"Everything looks perfect and absolutely fabulous, don't you think so?" She tittered while blinking at him several times, waiting for his reply.

"Yeah, it was a huge pain in the ass, but it looks good," he replied rather dryly, but V didn't mind it apparently. "Listen, professor Watson said that we have to wait for them before leaving, but no idea why she said that."

"Hmm, they probably want to make sure that we take care of everything at the end of the party," she said more to herself than to that jerk; her voice then suddenly took those very high and ears-threatening tones as a song started to play. "I love this song! Let's go dance, you promised me yesterday!"

I stiffened at the idea of Viola asking that to Seryozha, but Adrian casted a quick look at my direction, smiling at me as if telling me to trust her. As I already said: I gave up with the Taylor brother and sister long time ago. They were beyond my comprehension.

Nevertheless, the same question shocked the small fry silently hanging around us and wearing a black one-piece outfit with skeleton's bones drawn in white. He looked ridiculous because he was scrawny and midget-like, and it was clear we would never be best-buddies; that costume made him look even smaller than he was and I wondered if he actually thought of impressing Viola or Sharon with that. Yeah right, good fucking luck. It also completely took aback that idiot over there, so much that for a moment I thought he had frozen there.

"What? You must be kidding me, weirdo. I don't dance," he scorned in his usual way, but time spent together made me more than enough acquainted with that asshole, and it was obvious he had not the guts to go for it.

"But yesterday you promised me, remember?" She repeated, now adjusting her short and wide black dress. His eyes darted quick at her legs and then travelled her entire body. It was damn quick, but Adrian and I didn't freaking miss it.

Sergey mumbled something and then looked around somehow nervous, checking out whatever he had to make sure of and he almost pulled back, but something must have clicked in his head. He shook his head and somehow pushed his shoulders back.

"Right, I promised you yesterday...lucky me," he muttered, but all considered he didn't look very unhappy about that. Spineless fucktard, I thought at first and then froze on the spot. I was in no position to judge, for the simple reason that I had probably behaved even worse than him. "Let's go for the dance," he said, taking her hand in his and letting her take the first step.

Adrian looked surprised at his gesture and casted at me a questioning look, but I understood less than he did, so I simply shrugged. She must have had some secret magic indeed.

"Not a word, Denisov," he sneered at me however.

"I don't give a damn about you, as long as you behave," I warned him and, as he walked with Viola in his hand to the dancing floor, he bumped my shoulder with his.

"I already told you: don't take me for some sick bastard."

I shook my head and decided to go for something to drink and Adrian followed me. Then he invited Sharon for a dance and I could see the Cameron guy glaring at Viola with a strange expression. She was having great time and I sat there alone and in peace for a moment, simply observing her dancing together with Seryozha; he looked somehow different as he made her spin around, attracting the attention of many people. Either they didn't notice it, or they decided to ignore it.

"Ask her for a dance," I said to that depressed-looking guy, as he walked close to where I sat.

"What?"

"You like her? So instead of cooking your guts in jealousy, just ask her. You aren't the only one looking at her." I studied his expression, because I wanted to understand what was going on in his ridiculous mind; but he wore so much makeup that it made it almost impossible to tell.

"I don't understand what she sees in that one over there, your ex-best friend, right?" He had a very unhealthy habit of saying things that ticked my patience and also my sense of guilt. I knew I had been trash in my past; I knew it without being reminded every single time. I adverted my eyes to her and took a deep breath, trying to cool my temper: punching this guy here wouldn't be a freaking smart idea. "Why she became so friendly with him? Has she forgotten what he does in school?"

I snorted and got up, because this one here really got dangerously on my nerves. Before slapping some common sense in his pathetic, empty brain, I better move my ass somewhere else.

"You call yourself her best friend? Give me a break. I can see that you know shit about her," I hissed feeling my annoyance growing, for then marching somewhere far from that exasperating little thing.

I took a glass of some blood-red drink, realising it was a mixed of berries juice. It helped to cool my head down and then someone lightly touched my arm; the Sharon girl gave me a rather unsure sort of smile and it was clear that in front of me, without Adrian and Viola, she felt still nervous. Yet, she hadn't avoided me as you do with former trash and she tried several times to normally approach me; of course, I didn't have a peachy and very sweet personality, so no wonder people were cautious around me.

"You want to go for that dance? I don't mind this song," I told her as "House of Wolves" from My Chemical Romance played in the background; I snatched her inflatable baseball bat and smacked it on her head. She first gasped surprised and then burst out laughing. "C'mon, let's go."

She followed me to the dance floor and after a while Viola and Adrian joined us; we danced for a while, even if it was not my thing. Cameron-the-skeleton-shrimp came along a bit after, but he looked less annoying. We jumped there for another while, V and her friend having the time of their life as they couldn't stop from laughing or giggling. Adrian was also enjoying the party and a couple of girls asked him for a dance, because he indeed looked very attractive, but...I needed a break, as I felt a bit tired.

While I sat quietly on a chair, my thoughts took me to Oleg. Would he have liked this kind of party? I doubted it, given the average age here, and I doubted he would have dressed. But the idea of going to some bar where they played rock music in his company felt damn good...would he go, though? I pictured him in there, drinking a beer and calmly sitting beside me. Yeah, he might have gone, if I asked him. I really wasn't into dancing, because I didn't know how to move and all I could do was jumping at the beats of the music. Pretty lame, right? But in that moment, I felt that I wanted to see him. I sighed out and passed a hand in my hair; fuck...I wanted to see him and I wanted to hear more about him. Also, I wanted and needed to touch him, to feel him close to me.

I swallowed down and took a deep breath, seeing Viola approaching me with two caramel apples and a fairy-like beam. The black wings bounced at every step she took and they really made her look as a creature escaped from some fantasy tale, with her light-blue hair dancing around her as if emitting some colourful aura.

"Do you want one?" She asked me while handing me a caramel apple.

"Sure, thanks V."

We sat a moment in silence, as we both ate our sweets, and then something bugged my mind, since I had this question going in endless circles in my mind for long time already. That Cameron guy got often on my nerves, but he sure hit the bull's eyes with his irritating words.

"Viola, why did you become my friend? I mean, why did you stick to me without many problems knowing how I had been?" I asked staring in front of me, looking at the students dancing, laughing, drinking gross-looking juices, eating...simply enjoying the Halloween party.

"Because I like you, Anatoly," she replied with a matter of fact tone.

"What do you mean you like me? I hadn't been Prince Charming in the past years, so I'm not sure I follow you, Tinker Bell."

"I like you Anatoly and I knew we would be great friends," she turned her face to me and her eyes gave me a soft and honest smile under her makeup. "I observed you for some time, together with Adri, and we noticed how you slowly changed, how the real Anatoly was surfacing from the mask you had been wearing for long time; at least, who I thought would be the real Anatoly and I think I was right." She giggled and then shook her head, sending her hair dancing all around. "You changed, becoming another person. You probably returned to your real self, I am not sure, but you were someone that was possible to approach. Then you shouted out your being gay in the corridors, when someone made you mad." I rolled my eyes re-thinking about that. How moronic had I been to over react in such way? "I just decided that I wanted to know you more, I wanted to be your friend."

"Why? Because I'm gay?" I asked immediately.

She began to laugh in such way that reminded me of a wind-chime, or little bells tingling together at a light summer breeze. This is how her mixture of laughing and giggling made me feel. I had to check whether she really had or not a pair of wings.

"How silly you are, Anatoly!" Her voice though could reach rather high levels. "Why would I want to be your friend only for such shallow reason? But of course you know that I totally support you and that I find you fabulous," she said with a comical but serious expression. I grunted under my breath at her fabulous, but then I let it go. Better leave it. "You don't pick your friends for who they are or what they are, don't you know this Anatoly? You don't pick your friends at all. The fairy of friendship simply pulls the strings and casts spells so that people meet and then stick together. I was lucky she decided to make us meet."

I said nothing for a few seconds, digesting her words. This girl here was indeed something and as my eyes peeked at her, I began to think that perhaps a man like Oleg would appreciate her honesty and pureness of heart. Yeah, Oleg would definitely value a person like her, after having processed her very loud side.

"V, don't say this to anyone or I might pinch your tiny ass, but...believe me, I am the lucky moron here."

"We both are," she added with a sweet smile and I looked away a moment, feeling my old shyness taking over me. I looked to the other side of the hall and spotted that idiot of Lebedev sitting there on his own, while drinking something. He had behaved oddly quietly during the party. I shrugged: not my business.

"So what, V? You think that this fairy of yours wants you to be friend with Sergey?" I had to know what she had in mind. "Or are you planning on some rescue mission or whatever the heck?" She shook her head and also her eyes stopped at his figure sitting on the other side of the room alone.

"No, I don't want to be so..." Viola didn't know how to phrase it, but I knew what she meant.

"You mean arrogant and self-righteous?" She blinked her eyes a few times and then giggled.

"Hmm, yes, maybe some words similar to that, but I really don't think Sergey is a bad person," she said and I snorted out loud. "No! I mean it, Anatoly. I think that he just lacks the courage to actually behave in the way he really is. He met some friends that are not real penguin lovers." That was quite the euphemism to describe those fucktards, but I let her talk, keeping the remarks for myself. "I believe he just somehow got caught in that group of people and he was afraid to be considered 'not cool', while in fact they really are not cool one tiny bit. They are not fabulous at all, don't you agree?" I avoided answering that question. I had other adjectives that would describe them in a more effective way, but I let it go. "Since we both visit that place for abandoned children, Anatoly, I discovered sides of him that surprised me very much."

"What do you mean?"

"One day I observed him interacting with two kids; I was obviously somehow hidden, because I was a bit afraid of him and I didn't like him, so I just looked at him from far. But he was patient with them...he was almost kind. Another day he fixed one of their toys. How adorable is something like this?" I was starting to think she had seen these things into a dream, because I couldn't believe that the same jerk we were talking about was the person that behaved in such way. "And another day, when nobody could drove me to that place, he decided to give me a lift and we almost had a car accident."

"What??" I almost barked out.

"Yes, a little cat decided to cross the stress right when cars were driving and he steered the car to the other side at the last moment, completely avoiding the cat, but almost crushing to a street signal." She toyed with the hem of her dress as she spoke. "He even went out of the car to check whether the little kitten was OK and he was, safely looking at us from the other side of the walking path." Once more, were we talking about the same person? I stared at her without uttering a sound and it was evident that such incident deeply struck a sweet girl like her.

"Are we talking about the same Sergey? Are you sure you are not hallucinating?"

"No, Anatoly! He really is not a bad person, he is just..."

"A damn coward," I completed the sentence for her and I was beginning to understand some small things, and however, who the hell was I to judge? I could have won the Academy Award for the hugest and most pathetic coward I had been. "So you sort of like him?" I swear, my head was beginning to hurt and I didn't like to feel like Dima. That wasn't a good sign.

"No, no Anatoly, this is so silly!" The way she fretted to deny it made me think otherwise, but I kept it for myself. "I simply would like to know the real Sergey, to see how he really is," she explained with very quiet voice, something that was very strange for her.

"Viola, don't get me wrong. I'm not judging or saying some bullshit about it, I don't care, but don't keep things for yourself only, got it?" She blinked at me completely surprised and then she sprang up clapping her hands.

"Do you now understand why we are best friends, Anatoly?"

"Enlighten me, please: because we both are weirdos?" She only giggled at my rhetoric question and in short time, her two friends and Adrian approached us. The Cameron guy brought us something to drink and it was something looking like some slimy and disgusting green stuff.

"What the hell is that?" I asked staring at the glass in my hand.

"Witch's secret potion," he replied and I stared at him flatly. "What? That's how it's called. I didn't write it there."

I gave it another suspicious look and then decided to try it. Fuck me...it looked gross and it did taste gross. I tried other two sips, but it really wasn't something you would drink every day. What the hell had they put in this crap here? It was bitter and don't know, it had a weird taste and I couldn't bear to drink it more than that. I placed the glass at my side and stayed there with Adrian; I noticed how he avoided asking me questions about Vincent and what happened that day and I very much appreciated that. What he had asked me kept circling in my mind, but I really couldn't remember anyone called Leah or whatever the heck.

My eyes clouded a moment and I immediately opened them wide, shaking my head. I was tired and getting quite old, if my eyes felt that heavy already. The music became somehow louder and it started to annoy me, feeling its beats pulsing in my head and my heart racing faster following its rhythm. I swallowed down the bitter taste in my mind. I was only tired.

"Are you OK, Anatoly?" Adrian asked me after seeing me pressing my fingers on my temples, as they also started to hurt as fuck.

"Yeah, I think I'm just a bit tired. I'll take it easy," I replied and the music pulsed and resounded louder in my head as I spoke.

"I'll get you a bit of water. It is warm in here," he offered and I simply nodded.

Ugh...bad idea.

My head began to spin around and shit, I really started to not feel well one freaking bit. My mouth became dry, very dry, and I couldn't swallow down even if I forced myself in doing so. I moved my head up searching for Adrian and once more it spun around to a point that I almost felt like throwing up.

What the fuck was going on? This was not normal...uggh...my head throbbed and spun more, so much that I anchored myself on the chair. My breathing became deeper and heavier, as I tried to calm down and feel less sick, but it wasn't changing and it sure as hell wasn't getting any better. It actually became worse and when Adrian came back with the water, I could tell by the expression on his face that I looked like crap.

"Anatoly," he gasped as he went beside, touching my forehead. "How do you feel?"

"Bad," I admitted, feeling sluggish and hearing my voice as if slurred and slower.

Shit...I remembered this sensation all too freaking well. Fuck...who had..? The music was almost unbearable and Adrian tried to make me sit straighter.

"Anatoly, tell me what you feel. I will call someone, you look terrible and to be honest, you are worrying me very much." At those words, my hand reacted faster than I thought it could be possible in such state and it grabbed his arm.

"Don't...take me home, please," I somehow muttered, feeling my mouth completely dry and as if it was glued together. I grabbed his arm more, taking deeper breaths. Who the fuck had...? "He's there...don't.."

"I got it. I'll take you home immediately." He went to pull me up and in that moment, Viola, her two friends and even Seryozha came along.

"Anatoly, what's wrong?" Viola looked concerned and I tried to snort something out, but it wasn't easy to talk.

"Denisov, you look like crap," the fucktard deadpanned, but he helped Adrian in pulling me up, as I almost couldn't stand or walk on my own feet. He obviously wasn't doing that for me, but at the moment I couldn't give a damn about that. If I were going to catch the asshole that did this, I wouldn't want to be in their damn shoes. "Let's get you out of here, before some professor sees you and thinks you are on some shit."

"I'm not...you jerk," I slurred out feeling more and more heavy.

"I know, cocksucker." I wished to punch him very much, but I had no energy to do a thing.

"Vivi preciosa, wait for me, I will drive back and then..."

"No need, Taylor. I'll drive your sister back and no need to freak out about this. We have to wait anyway and not going to do anything to her."

I am not sure what happened after they took me out and placed me in Adrian's car, because I couldn't distinguish things neatly and my head was about to crack in thousand pieces. My mouth felt as if concrete had been poured inside and I kept swallowing down to get rid of the bitter taste that made me feel like throwing up. I'm not sure what happened as we reached my house, I couldn't remember much, aside Oleg's eyes looking once more in that barely controlled, murdering rage and his commanding, apparently cold voice demanding an explanation.

"What happened?" I knew that tone of voice and I went to say something, explaining that I hadn't taken any shit or such, but I couldn't talk much and my head was driving me insane. I felt stronger arms taking hold of me and the scent of Oleg hit me for a moment. "Don't talk, Anatoly." He ordered me curtly. "You can go, thank you for having helped him." Adrian said something that I didn't understand. "No, no need. I will take care of him and then, I will take care of what happened."

His arms held me without effort and did not make me falter. I felt like shit and I had to throw up...I...fuck, what had they given me to drink? His hard hand rested a moment on my forehead and then his lips. For a moment my head and everything calmed down; for a moment, at his soft and warm touch, everything stopped from spinning. Of course he hadn't thought I had taken any drugs or shit like that...he knew that...Oleg trusted me.

"Do not worry, Anatoly. I am here with you and I will personally see in this matter."

Author's chit-chat:

Now, now dear All...I'm curious to hear what you think about the Halloween party, about their costumes and such :)

I am sure you understood that I picked up from the end of Chapter 15, when Tolya and Adrian meet Vince.

As you could see, there wasn't much interaction between Oleg and Anatoly in this chapter, as other points needed to be explored, questions to be answered, other characters to be developed.

What do you think our Viola? I personally like her very much.

Who do you think drugged Anatoly? Well, Oleg will not let it pass.

I can tell you that the next chapter will bring much more time between Oleg and Anatoly, and...we shall discover a bit more of Oleg? Who knows...

I will update this week, either this story or "Fallen for an Angel", so stay tuned!!! Also, let me say that you guys are amazing: I always repeat it not to be "cheesy" or "phony", but because I mean it and because it has to be repeated over and over to make it even with your support and love! Thanks!

Lots of love, magic, hugs and Meows,

-TheWitchAndTheCat-