Chapter 13:

I was woken up by Lissa's gentle musings, apparently she and my mum wanted to talk, well at least mum didn't try and wake me up, that was never a pretty sight. My brain struggled with my eyes to open; I was really enjoying that sleep, and not just because of the dream.

"Lina, wake up." I could hear the impatience laced within the softness of Lissa's voice.

"Go away." I mumbled, I was definitely not a morning person, it always took me a solid hour to actually wake up and even then it was questionable about whether or not you spoke to me.

"Karolina Hathaway-Belikov, get out of bed now!" Oh no, Aunt Lissa voice. I groaned and rolled - literally rolled - out of bed, I heard Lissa's delighted squeak as I trudged my way past her and out into the kitchen where my mum was waiting for me with a cup of life (otherwise known as coffee), Lissa had obviously woken her up as well.

"Where is dad?"

"Chased out of the house, her royal chirpiness woke us up an hour ago; I knew I should never have given you a key Liss." Lissa just waved her away and turned her gaze to me.

"Hi Aunt Lissa did you sleep well? How's Andre? Since I last saw him two days ago, I am sure he has changed." She gave me another pointed stare and I sighed, no time for pleasantries apparently. "Can I help you?"

"You kissed Adrian?!" She yelled, how did she know? I looked over to mum and noticed that her head was hanging low, she almost looked asleep, and she probably was.

"How...?"

"I know everything, that and I saw Adrian this morning at brunch with his Aunt, we had a chat." Lissa's chats were never good, especially with the tone of voice she was using now. "So? What now? I mean you kissed him! About time too I was getting sick of the two of you dancing around your feelings, I mean so what that he has known you since you were born! Rose back me up." I looked over to my mum, who looked up at the mention of her name; she had a smirk on her face! Oh no, she was in on it.

"Lissa everyone knew expect Lina, hell even Adrian knew to some extent. Sometimes Lina you take after your dad, he was stupid when it came to admitting his feelings also." I groaned and took a gulp of my coffee; it was too early for this. "Liss does have a point, what's going on now?"

"I think we are dating." I whispered, willing myself to believe it. I still wasn't quite sure.

"You think?" Both my mum and Lissa asked quizzically, it was scary how they did that. I wasn't sure I liked it.

"Can I work it out before I confirm anything? God! It literally just happened, I kissed him and freaked out and then he went all dream stalker on me and we worked some stuff out but there was no label. So if you don't mind I am going to have a shower and go shopping. It was nice seeing you Aunt Lissa." Lissa was in shock and pouting because she didn't get all the gossip and probably because I didn't invite her shopping and mum just looked amused. She was no help at all!

"We will be gone by the time you have gotten out of the shower Lina, duty calls." I nodded to my mum. They come first.

After I left my house I wandered around for a bit, collecting my thoughts and true to my word, deciding on where to shop. It wasn't long before I noticed a very particular someone walk towards me; I was frozen, what do you say after you kiss a guy, run away then talk it out with that guy in a dream? I decided to let him come and find me, so I turned on my heels and walked towards a new jewelry boutique that I had yet to visit, I had been in the store all of two minutes when the bell chimed, notifying that someone had entered the building, I noticed the shop keeper scurry to the entrance putting all her attention on the person who just entered.

"Mr Ivashkov what can I help you with today?" I smiled to myself of course she was drawn to Adrian, everyone knew him, he was rich and as a shop owner, if Adrian Ivashkov walked into your shop, you dotted on him until he bought the most expensive item you had. I kept my back toward him and contemplated a gorgeous silver bracelet that I could never afford.

"I just wanted to have a look around but since I have your attention I am looking for something with sapphires." I rolled my eyes, only Adrian.

"Any particular type of jewelry?" I could hear the nervousness in the lady's voice; she didn't want to disappoint him.

"No, as long as it has sapphires, I don't care what it is." He stared at her, the woman stood there and waited for further instructions, he stood there and almost shooed her away before she scurried off to find every piece that involved sapphires. I felt a presence behind me but I refused to acknowledge him. "Are you hiding from me Miss Belikov?" His hand covered mine and took the bracelet from me; pulling my wrist closer to him he clasped the bracelet onto my wrist and rotated it so that he could inspect it.

"I don't know what you are talking about, I am just shopping and minding my own business, you Mr Ivashkov is the one who is stalking me." He laughed, smiled and took the bracelet off my wrist he held it in his hand, a sure sign he was going to buy it. I took the bracelet from his hand and placed it back on the table, he was not going to buy me that bracelet.

"Last time I checked, trying to find the girl who kissed you the night before to have a legitimate conversation with her is not stalking." He picked up a pair of earrings and held them up to my ears and shook his head, placing them down on the table.

"Who are the sapphires for?" I smirked as he seriously considered an absolutely gorgeous silver locket that I could see myself wearing. I took it from his hand and inspected it, it truly was stunning but oh my god the price, I could never afford that, I sighed and placed it down on the table, in which Adrian picked it back up and kept it in his hand.

"Just some girl, you want the locket?" I smiled up at him and rolled my eyes, sometimes he just has too much money.

"Yes I do, but you are not buying it for me." I quirked my eyebrows when he sighed, this wasn't a new argument for us; sometimes he went over the top in his spending.

"Yes I am, I like buying you things and if you want the locket it's yours. I am not taking no for an answer so deal with it." I didn't get to reply because the shop owner had return with multiple pieces that shimmered blue. Adrian winked at me and dragged me over to where the lady was setting up the jewelry on a black velvet board. There was a simple silver chain that had a teardrop sapphire attached to the end, sapphire studded earrings and a silver bracelet that had diamonds and sapphires weaved within the bracelet like the ivy that crawled up the walls of St Vlads. "What do you like?" Adrian asked.

"No." I stated, Adrian sighed, preparing himself for a battle and the shopkeeper just looked scared that she hadn't chosen the right pieces of jewelry to show the Adrian Ivashkov.

"Fine, if you are not going to choose I will choose for you, I saw you eyeing the bracelet." He looked over to the woman and nodded at the bracelet. "I will take that and this locket please. Wrap the bracelet but not the locket." The woman nodded and scurried off with Adrian's credit card in her hand. I scowled at Adrian and he just smiled at me, taking it like a grain of salt. "If you are going to be my girlfriend you better get used to it." I blushed like the school girl I am.

"I am your girlfriend?" He smiled at me and before he could reply the woman came back with the bracelet in a box and the locket ready to be placed around my neck, she handed the credit card back to Adrian and placed the gifts in a bag. Adrian and I walked out of the shop, when he grabbed my wrist and turned me so that I was facing him; he smiled at me, turned me around so that my back was facing his front and clasped the locket around my neck.

"I think that after everything that has happened so far, you are definitely my girlfriend." He whispered in my ear, I turned around and wrapped my arms around his neck; he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close while also lifting me slightly higher. He lowered his head while I lifted mine and our lips met halfway, the kiss was sweet and soft and I was definitely looking forward to more kisses like this. He pulled away and gave me a breath-taking smile. "Shall we continue shopping?" I was too happy to do anything but nod and with that he grabbed my hand pulled me along to a different store.