4

When I returned home, I took a hot shower and just read White Oleander on my Ipad. I've seen the movie too. Michael Pfiffer and Allison Loman really painted a picture between the toxic relationship of Ingrid and Astrid Magnussen. I think my mother named me after her. But who is to know. My cell rang and I saw it was my aunt. I smiled and answered.

"Hey Aunt Alicia, what's going on?" I asked.

"Oh nothing much. I was just calling to see how you were. LA is abuzz about your brother's fight with this Viktor Drago and I just wanted to know if you wanted to talk." she replied. I shrugged nonchalantly.

"Nothing to talk about." I replied.

"You sure? You know it's not good to bottle things up." she replied.

"I'm fine." I replied. Maybe because I was in the Ukraine and she was worried about hostility toward me by others if they knew who I was.

"Alright then. I am flying in tomorrow with plans of touring The Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko National Museum of Arts. Some of my work is displayed there. Would you like to come with me?" she asked. My eyes immediately sparkled, for she was my motivation to go into art and photography as a child. Spending any time with her since she adopted us gave me nothing but joy.

"Sure, that sounds good!" I said with a smile.

"Wonderful. I'll let you know when I land. I'll come pick you up." she said.

"Alright." I replied and we hung up.

There was a hard knock on the door, yet it seemed restrained if that made sense. I looked up thinking no one should be here. I hurried and threw on my pink sweater and came to the door. I opened it and had to immediately look up to see it was the guy from earlier. He stood at 6'4 and was in a black hoodie and matching pants.

"What are you doing here?" I immediately asked with suspicion keeping the door closed and he opened his mouth some and then closed it dumbly.

"I followed you… so I could return umbrella later." he said holding up my umbrella and I looked at it and then back at him. "It's later." I blinked some and realized this was a very big man, able to burst through my door if he wanted.

"You could have thrown it away." I said and he nodded.

"It… looks like a nice umbrella." he said and I slowly reached my hand through the door and he held it up to me causally. I quickly grabbed it and fumbled to get it back into the door.

"Thanks." I replied going to close the door.

"My name is Viktor." he said hurriedly causing me to pause some and look up at him confused. He looked down the hall as if expecting someone to see someone. He looked back down at me with a stunned gaze and I nodded.

"Hello… I'm Astrid." I replied and he nodded.

"Astrid." he answered lowly and looked the ground over for answers. "I've never had someone do something nice for me." I arched a brow now.

"It's just an umbrella." I replied and he nodded tucking his hands in his hoody.

"Yes I now that. But still." he said and suddenly pulled something out and held it up to me as if it were a bouquet of flowers. But instead it was a small square piece of paper and I tilted my head. "If you are not busy tomorrow night, I would be honored if you would come see me fight."

My brain went completely dead and it took a few seconds to reboot so I could understand what he had just asked me.

"You a fighter or something?" I asked and he nodded.

"A boxer. I plan to be champion someday. Maybe… we could… do something after match." he said and thought about his words. Knowing I had fighters in my blood line made me somewhat drawn to him. I was curious of how this fighter saw the world through his eyes. I slowly reached out my hand and gently took the ticket from him. I felt the side of his hand as I reached for it. For it being so cold, he was very warm. He gave a soft half smile.

"I will go." I replied and he nodded.

"I see you there." he said before turning and moving down the hall giving a childish sort of wave as he left. I looked down at the ticket before looking up with a smile and closing the door.

"A fighter you say." Aunt Alicia commented with interest as we sat in the back of her car.

"It was just a kind gesture. I'm sure it's just a small-time brawl or something." I replied and she smirked.

"Nothing is ever as it seems in the Creed family." she replied. She was in a nice leather print suit with her hair pinned back in a nice bun. She wore the same neutral make up she's been wearing for years. I looked her over some.

"Auntie, can I ask you a question?" I asked noticing she was staring out the window of the car with a kind of longing stare. She looked at me.

"Hm?" she asked. I shrugged.

"Why didn't you ever get married to Alexander's father?" I asked. Her smile dipped back some and I could tell I had brought up a memory that may have been a bit too painful. She sighed some and pat my right leg covered by my black stocking.

"Well truth be told I was in love with a soldier. But we were from different worlds and the worlds weren't ready for our type of relationship." I replied. I tilted my head some.

"He was white." I assumed and she nodded. It wasn't a big surprise. Alexander was clearly mixed.

"I figured it'd be bad in the 30s and 40s but not the 80s." I replied and she nodded.

"It wasn't our skin color that was the problem… it was our titles." she said in a story telling type tone. I tilted my head.

"What do you mean?" I asked. She hummed softly.

"Oh, being related to your father meant not dating certain people in his life. I was seeing someone in his life and it was quite dangerous to do so, even though that person did something very terrible." she replied. Her tone deepened some and I could tell something was weighing heavy on her mind and maybe even her spirit.

"What did he-" but she held her hand up closing her eyes and shaking her head.

"Let's not fester on the past, but look toward the bright future ahead. Now tell me about this mystery fighter." she said. I didn't want to upset her so I shrugged.

"I don't know him. It was raining yesterday so I gave him one of my umbrellas and he returned it and invited me out." I replied. She nodded slowly.

"Hm not usual method of courting, but all I can say is just be safe. If you want, I can put a tail on him to make sure you're being watched." she said and I shook my head.

"I will be just fine auntie." I replied and she nodded.

"Alright."

We arrived at the museum and was greeted by the curator who met my aunt with open arms. The day was completely ours. We walked the halls of the museum looking at sculptures and portraits. We got to see some of Aunt Alicia's. They were grand forms of pointillism and some were paintings of the wilderness. It gave the feeling you were actually there. That's what made my aunt's work so popular. The pictures she took, the paintings she created made you feel something deep in your soul.

"Have you spoken to your brother?" she asked and I shook my head.

"No. He won't return any of my calls and so I have stopped trying." I replied and she pouted some.

"It hurts me to see you both fighting. Twins are not as powerful when they are against each other." she explained and I sighed.

"I can't apologize enough." I said with guilt and she gave me a sharp look.

"You never should have apologized in the first place. You slept with men like it is your human nature and because they had a history with your brother, he got mad. He's going to have to learn that his sister is a grown woman." she said. I didn't feel that way.

"You have no idea how many times I have covered for him to sneak girls in to his room at night." I replied. She laughed out loud.

"Oh I knew every girl he snuck in and out. Ya'll weren't fooling anyone. Alexander did the exact same thing." she said before sighing melodically. She wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "I'm sure this fighter will have nothing to do with your brother."

After our tour, Aunt Alicia dropped me off at home. We shared a hug, she put a few twenties in my wallet, kissed my cheek good bye and we parted. That night I slid on my leggings, a black sweater, and a black leather jacket. I braided my hair back loosely and tied it with a rubber band. I slid on my black boots and headed out the door. I got in my car and put in the GPS directions that were on the ticket. What did I have to lose? I mean auntie was right. This guy had nothing to do with my brother.

Author's note

So when I watched Creed it seemed like Viktor looked kinda shy sometimes when he wasn't glaring or trying to look intimidating. I can imagine his father didn't teach him much about girls or even women as he matured from boy to man. All he knows is fighting so I am making him shy and curious in the first few chapters until things get heated with them and then that all melts away. Until next time!