Hi guys. We know how long you have been waiting for this new chapter, and we're so so sorry that it had been so long in the works, but we're both incredibly busy, and need to prioritise schoolwork over anything else. I will be updating my other story soon as well, after my exams are over in about a week. So enjoy, PM and review.

Chapter 3: Banishment

When I see the sidewall of the palace approaching, I want to turn back and just run away forever. The walk was amazing. Just me and Alexei, my hand in his huge, snuggly warm one, walking comfortably. To say I was sad as I reached the wall is an understatement.

I look over to Alexei and give him a hug, 'Thank you. For listening to me and dealing with me.'

'Of course, you can come to me any time,' He looks down to me and hesitates, before grabbing my face in his hands and looking deep into my eyes. 'Take care of yourself Gracie,' He pulls away slowly, still with his eyes locked in mine. I nod slowly before turning away and down the path to the garden. When I'm out of his view, I turn back and watch him, not creepily though... He sticks his hands in his pockets, and looks up at the palace, where my room is, and slowly turns back, walking out the gates.

I quickly scale the wall and sneak around the guards back into the window of my room. Lila and Megan are watching the TV with their backs towards me, so I decide to scare them. I tip-toe my way behind them and crouch down. I mentally count to three, and then I jump up while screaming, 'BOO!'

Megan jumped on the couch, effectively throwing the bowl of popcorn in the air, and turns around and holds the remote up like a weapon.

'Grace! Where the hell were you?! It's been like, nearly three hours since you left. We were so worried,'

'Ah correction,' Lila interrupts, 'Megan was worried, and I was proud of my girl, I thought you were getting it on down there.' She says with a teasing smirk.

'No, nothing like that happened...' I try my best to assure them of this, but they're not gonna believe this, they simply don't want to. Besides, I must look pretty guilty with this big grin plastered on my face.

'Oh okay, if you weren't doing that, then what were you doing for three hours?' Megan asks, with a look. It's two against one, I think. Then I realise. It's two against two. No matter where he is, Alexei will always be on my side. I know that now.

'I promise you guys, I just went there, well snuck in... then I woke him up and then we just sat on his bed and talked, then I was upset so he hugged me. Oh yeah, and then Ambassador Volkov caught him trying to sneak me out, so good luck to him with that one,'

'Awwww" Lila and Megan make a collective swoon at Alexei's adorableness when I tell them about what he said to his dad in the Embassy, and what he said to me as he walked me home. Lila moves around the couch to stand next to me and take the remote off Megan and turning "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" off. We're obsessed. But apparently, it's "marry Grace off time"

'That's so cute! Grace,' Megan turns serious moment 'So what are you going to do about it?'

Lila shoves her shoulder gently, 'Let Grace make her own decisions please Megan. When she makes the wrong one as she most likely will, that's when we steal her password and slide in his DM's.' Lila says giggling and raising her eyebrows. I appreciate how into this they are, I mean, it's how they've been since the start of Alexei and I's friendship. But I think I really need to go this one alone.

'Guys,' I start and they both nod. 'I just broke up with Jake, besides, Alexei's... Alexei. He could just be being friendly.' I say, worried that it might be true. But Megan rolls her eyes and pushes my shoulder, almost falling off the arm of the couch in the process. She catches herself, but soon jumps back down and sits on the couch, facing towards me and leaning over the back.

'You've got to be kidding me. Grace, from what you've told us, he's in love with you.'

Lila nods enthusiastically, 'Mmhmm. But he's too scared to make a move because he knows that you're vulnerable and he doesn't want to ruin the friendship if you reject him or if it doesn't work out. Also, you're Jamie's little sister, and that's a massive no-no in the bro-bro department. But then again, he's contested, because he's in love with you – big time. And he wants to be with you, but because you're,' She gestures to me in an "abracadabra" type fashion, 'You, he knows that you might take your time to warm up to the idea of being with him, and that makes him susceptible to failure. A defenceless Alexei is not one that's going to ask someone out without some prompting.' She adds the last bit to Megan with a sharp nod, but I'm too busy digesting her whole speech to notice, or care about what she's insinuating. I knew Lila knew her way around the whole issue of dating and relationships and boys, but I totally underestimated just to what extent her knowledge reaches.

It all makes sense. I mean, of course he likes me. That's why I always catch him staring at me whenever we're all together. And why he looked so disappointed when Jake interrupted us messing around the other day. Oh god, I'm so naïve! I had always assumed that Alexei was just a really good friend to me, that he cared about me so much that he would do anything for me. But Lila's right. He's in love with me. Shit.

'Grace, what do you think?' Megan grabs my hand and squeezes it. Smiling like she knows not to rush me. But Lila can't help herself.

'You guys are meant to be!' She whines, and I giggle a little bit.

'I guess I just need to see what happens. I mean, it's Alexei we're talking about,' Choose your words carefully Grace... 'It could just be him being friendly, and before you argue with me,' I say, as Lila makes a protestive noise, 'I kind of want to navigate this by myself. Of course, I'll tell you guys everything, but please respect my decision. If this could end up being serious, I want it to be because I knew what I was doing. I love you girls, but - do you know what I'm saying?' I ask, hoping that Lila especially will understand and give me some space on this. Megan, I'm not so worried about.

Megan nods with a sweet smile. 'Of course, Grace. It was the same with me and Noah.' She says, risking a quick glance at an annoyed Lila. She hates it whenever we revisit Megan and Noah's short-lived romance. Megan's totally over it, Noah... not so much. She turns to Lila, with an expectant look on her face.

'Yeah, okay.' Lila says, evidently disappointed, 'But I swear to God if your kids get Russian names, I'm gonna have something to say about it.' She says, smiling. 'Now come on, get your ass over here so we can see Camille and Tay Armstrong going off at each other,' Lila jumps excitedly onto the couch and turns the TV back on. Sure enough, the two women are screaming at each other, while their friends watch on shocked as hell. This is the one scene that we watch on repeat. All the time. I jump onto the couch, sharing my favourite blanket with Megan.

While Lila and Meg are engrossed in the bitch-battle, I pull out my phone. I don't know why, but I find myself texting Alexei.

GRACE

Hey… Thanks, for tonight. I needed to get everything off my chest. :)

ALEXEI

Anytime. I'm always here for you Gracie. 3

GRACE

That's sweet Alexei.

I smile, he's wayyy too adorable!

ALEXEI

What are you girls up to now?

GRACE

One guess...

ALEXEI

Real Housewives?

GRACE

You got it!

I blush, of course he knows my favourite TV show, it's basically all I ever talk about. That and GLEE. I get very nostalgic about GLEE, and my poor friends always have to sit through my mourning sessions. (R.I.P CORY MONTEITH & MARK SALLING) I nervously await his next message, and it doesn't come for three minutes, but when it does, I nearly crap myself.

ALEXEI

Ms. Blakely, if you come anywhere near the Russian Embassy again, you will be facing serious consequences. I urge you to stay away from my son and if you ever come to my house again and engage in the sort of activity you did tonight, then I will be speaking to your parents immediately.

Alexei's dad must've taken his phone! I elbow Megan in the side.

'Uhh Megs, help!' I say, basically throwing my phone at her. Lila snatches it up and immediately, her expression changes.

'Shit, Grace. You're dead. He didn't get this mad at me when he caught me showering in Alexei's room last year. You're stuffed.' She says, handing Megan my phone. Megan shoves Lila's phone gently.

'Oh relax, she's not dead, you know how Mr Volkov gets, he's probably just had a really bad day. Look, I'll text Alexei tomorrow, when his dad's calmer and we can try and get him here. But for now, how are you Ci, you seem a bit preoccupied.' She says, concern filling her eyes.

'I don't know. I mean, Alexei- I just… I don't know how I feel. I hate to admit it, but I think I'm still in love with Jake.' I say, hanging my head with the shame of believing what I just said. Lila's jaw drops and she starts to shake her head slowly. I guess that's what I get for having feelings even I know I shouldn't still have.

Suddenly…

RING RING RING RING

Oh my god! As soon as Alexei's name comes up on my screen I go into panic mode. I throw my phone to Lila and she almost drops it onto Megan's lap. While Lila and I are hyperventilating, Megan calmy picks up the phone.

'Hello, this is Megan.' She holds the phone to hear, and I can just make out a deep male voice. Suddenly, she exhales and laughs nervously.

'What, what did he say?' I ask, moving closer to her. She laughs and shakes her head.

'Grace- wow. All I can say is good job, she was petrified' She says to whoever is on the phone, and I'm confused more than I've ever been before. She hands me the phone with a roll of the eyes and puts her hands over the speaker. 'It's Alexei.'

I breathe out a breath I didn't realise I was holding in and laugh.

'Hey you,' I say into the phone, trying not to smile too much.

'Hi. So I heard I got you good?' He says, and I can tell he's very proud of himself.

'Mmmm,' I say, he knows how much I hate to be pranked. And for his own good, he'd better know that I will be getting revenge. 'You're such an idiot.' I say giggling, and he chuckles gently. 'Are you home yet?' I ask him, I've been back here for nearly forty-five minutes, and I'm honestly surprised Alexei's still alive. His dad was livid.

'Uhhh,' He sighs. 'No, I went home. But, my dad suggested that I stay away for a couple of days. He was not happy.' he says with a sad laugh. Instantly, I feel my face fall. Alexei was legitimately kicked out of his house because of me.

'Alexei oh my god are you okay?' I ask, and I gesture for Megan and Lila to go away for a second.

'I'm fine Gracie,' He doesn't sound fine, 'Hey is Jamie still up?'

'No he's not. But… Come and stay here Alexei. Mum and Dad won't mind. I've already got Meg and Lila over, please come, I don't want you to have to sleep anywhere unsafe.' I say, as I walk over and plop down on my bed.

'Gracie, could you imagine what my father would say if he found out I stayed in your room, after he kicked me out because you were in mine for two hours.' He says, actually sounding kind of amused at the thought.

'Well, we obviously wouldn't tell him. You could just say you were with Jamie. Trust me, Megan and Lila don't mind-'

'Uhhh, dont mind what?' Lila says, prowling towards me. I slap her arm gently as Alexei sighs.

'Okay,' He sighs, 'I'll be there soon.' He hangs up and I fill Megan and Lila in.

'Aww the poor thing!' Megan exclaims, from my closet, getting out an inflatable mattress and sheets.

'Grace,' Lila starts with a mischievous smirk. 'You do realise there are only three beds? Right?'

There's a tap at my window...

Hope you liked that :) Don't forget to review and PM with any suggestions, we'd love your feedback 3 (thanks for your understanding in us not posting, it means a lot. Next chapter hopefully up within the fortnight.