Alfred looked down both sides of the hall before stepping around the corner. His head whipped from side to side once more and he clutched his books to his chest as he scurried down the hall to his next class.
"What in the world are you doing, Al?"
There are two kinds of reactions to fear. The first is to punch. The second is to scream and run like a girl. Alfred responded in the latter.
He jumped a foot in the air, screaming the entire time he whirled to face his brother.
Matthew raised an eyebrow. "Al?"
"H-hey! Don't scare me!"
"I wasn't trying to. And you're the one sneaking about the school."
"I'm not sneaking! I'm hiding."
Matthew guided him to the edge of the hall. "Hiding from what?"
"Her!"
"'Her.' Who is 'her'?"
Alfred checked over his shoulder before leaning closer to his brother. "Ivan's sister," he whispered.
"Ivan sis- oh! Natalia?"
"That's her name?"
"Yeah. If you mean the psychotic one."
Alfred nodded, his hands shaking. "Dude, did you hear what she did to Ivan's girlfriend?"
Matthew's eyes widened before he paused and let out a breath. "Al, Ivan's never had a girlfriend before. Natalia probably just put the rumor out so no one would touch him. And isn't that just disgusting?"
"W-what if she does that stuff to friends too?"
"Why do you think Ivan had certain days you couldn't come over?" The younger sighed at his brother's surprised expression. "You think Ivan would want you around her?"
"Dude, if she even scares Ivan, she's gotta be terrible."
Matthew shivered. "She is."
"Ivan," Alfred cried, bursting through the doors to the Russian's house. "I know it's not a day you said I could come over, but I need to ask you something!"
Alfred raised his brows at the dark hallway leading into the heart of the house. He couldn't even hear anything! Stepping away from the house, he didn't see any lights coming from the windows either
"Ivan?"
He jumped as there was a crash, followed by a curse. His fear ebbed when he heard a familiar voice. Though it was speaking Russian.
"Dude, I thought you weren't home." He laughed. "But where else would you be but-" his words ended in a yelp as another voice answered Ivan. A female voice.
Alfred didn't have time to turn around, let alone scream bloody Mary as a shadow appeared in the hall. He had just reached the door when the hand wrapped around his arm. He screamed.
"Alfred! For the love of God, save my eardrums and shut your mouth," Ivan growled.
"I-Ivan?"
The man stared down at him with dark eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"I-I-I heard this st-story and I-I wanted to ask, but n-no one would tell-"
Ivan waved his blubbering off with a sigh and yanked him down the hall. "No matter. You're here now. Unfortunately. Come. You can meet my sister."
Alfred's legs locked and the color drained from his face. "Noooo!"
Ivan glanced over his shoulder. "No?"
"I don't want to die!"
"How is my sister involved with your death? She is a very nice woman."
"Ivan? Is someone with you?"
"Yes, Katyusha."
"I've never heard of you bringing a friend home before! This is wonderful!" Alfred shrieked as Ivan pushed him into the kitchen. "It's nice to meet you."
The only word left in Alfred's raw throat was a surprised gasp. Where was the freaky face? The bloody knife? The giant boil all witches had on their giant nose?
Instead, there was a tall, short-haired woman, smiling at him. Not to mention her giant chest. No one evil looked that beautiful.
"Katyusha, this is Alfred. Alfred, this is my older sister."
"Y-You're not going to kill me?"
"God, no!" she laughed. "Are you worried about Natalia?"
"Big Brother!"
"Oh, speak of the devil," she sighed. She glanced at Ivan, as pale as the white paint of the kitchen walls.
Alfred felt the room's temperature drop a few degrees and he shivered. Achill ran down his spine when Ivan's name was called.
"Ivan, why did you invite Big Sister over, but not me? I love you more than her! And you do too!"
"Oh God," Alfred choked out. "It's true."
"That she is insane? Da," Ivan muttered.
"I hear your voice Big Brother!"
Ivan swore in Russian and turned in time to dodge a flying hug from Natalia. It looked more like a bat out of Hell.
Natalia turned her icy glare on Alfred. "Who is this? He better not get in the way of our marriage."
Alfred could barely swallow, let alone answer her. A dry, cracky sound came from his lips.
"It does not matter. We are not getting married."
"But we are, Big Brother!" Ivan stepped out of reach of clawed fingers reaching for his hand.
"This… creature must be something to you if you still won't marry me," she growled, stepping over to Alfred. A bead of sweat rolled down his neck. "We will go to a restaurant, you will pay, we will eat, and talk. And I will know everything about you before we leave." She pressed up against the blond now.
Alfred thought his heart was going to burst from his chest. Or at least break a rib. "Yes! Just don't kill me!"
