I sat down with a sigh next to Natasha in home room. She looked over supprised. "what was wrong with you yesterday? I got a weird text from Ali yesterday."
I looked at her flinching. "Nothing was wrong. Why? Wh-what did she say?"
Natasha stared quizily at her. "Just that you might have a fever and were acting strange."
"oh right, y-yesterday. I was just r-really tired is all."
"right." Natasha sighed, "Are you up for shopping this afternoon, meal out with the others? anything? I desperatly need a break."
"Didn't you go bowling on saturday." i asked,
She shrugged, "A social flower such as my self," She grinned, "needs..." I waved her off.
"yes.. sure I'll come along. wh-what do you want to do?"
"I donno, we could go to the local Sports centre and play ping pong, tennis, go swimming, Ice skating..." she offered.
"Ping pong might be f-fun." i said, "Vervara is too good at Tennis, too cold to walk home damp so n-no to swimming."
"ok, I'll ask the others as well."
In the last lesson of the day my phone vibrated. peering at the teacher, I lookde at it under the desk.
Nata - Ali has Ballet today, :( Vervara has tennis tomoz, Wed i have a piano lesson, Is thurs ok for you?
Me - Yeah, i can do thurs. :)
Nata - Cool i'll tell the others 3
Thursday came around and we hopped on a bus from school and went to the sports centre. The snow had almost all melted and my socks got soaked. On a week day it was fairly busy, I looked quickly over my shoulder. Nobody i knew. good good. We got to the ping pong tables safely. "I heard there are some big shot skaters practising here," Natasha reported, "I wonder if we'll see one!" she rubbed her hands together, "we need to infiltrate the private rinks, mission 101: Skater Stalking."
Vervara smacked her upside the head, "don't say Skater stalking so proudly!"
Subconsciously I swallowed. I really hope we DONT meet one.
"Sorry girls, there are no Ping pong tables left."
"WHAT-" Natasha whined loudly as the lady at the desk shrugged apoligetically. Natasha spun to face us, "Right then. Who wants to go wait in the cafe."
I had been here with Yuri, Viktor and Yuuri before. I kept looking over my shoulders, apart from the fact i didn't want to get recognised by any Skater related person, I did not under any circumstances want to see Yuri Plisetsky. Not in a hundred years. How he had practically lept away from me not that i didn't try to. I wasn't good with... that sort of thing. It was embarissing. And the way he teased me. Everything about that... dance... was well... uncomfortable but not in a bad way. Which made
Me very nervous.
"uh, Nina." I startled, "you went a bit glassy eyed there. you even listening?" Vervara asked.
Alisa reached over the table and poked my cheek. "you've gone all red again. Are you ok?"
"f-fine." I stuttered. Trying to clear the image of sea coloured eyes from my mind. I was seriously set of that portrait. It was like that time I couldn't stop painting apples but now it was Yuri Plisetskys.
I didn't want my room to fill up with Yuris. I'd be as bad as Natasha with all her posters, she had loads. Many of them cartoons.
An hour after we had arrived, and once at least an elephant sized amount of cake and chocolate had been consumed we managed to get a ping pong table. Alisa and Vervara faced off, something about an old grudge, Natasha was a seriously good runner and iceskater however once a ball was added she was as hopeless as me.
"Yes!"
"I RETURNED IT," Natasha raced around the table to give me a hug and cheered. "We got it over the net!" she yelled.
I lead the way out of the building. Safe. The doors shut behind me and my three friends.
The following Monday.
Swinging his kit bag over his shoulder with a grunt. He kicked open the door and headed into the long hallway. He could go home. Granpa was visiting after all. A month ago he had finally moved out of his ballet teachers house (thank god) and lived in a small apartment where he wasn't forced to eat celary at every meal.
"YURIO!" Viktor coiled his arms around Yuri's neck who flinched back. He was ambushed again. And Yuuri wasn;t here to pry Viktor off.
"LET GO GEISER!" Yuri spat, struggling in his grip.
"Ne~ Yurio," Viktor smiled goofily, "why are you so angry? Is it because Nina didn't come to her lessons on the week end? Did you wait for her? Do you miss her? As i thought she is..."
"SHE IS NOT!"
"EH?" Viktor sobbed. "Why don't we go find her?" He asked, "or do you want to come sight seeing with Yuuri and I?"
"Neither!" Yuri stalked down the hall, dragging Viktor along with him.
Viktor's phone went off and he suddenly dug his feet into the ground bringing yuri to a stop and pulled his phone from his pocket. "Hello Sweety!" He chimed. So it was Yuuri? "uh huh." "yep," "ok, we're on our way, muffin." he ended the call.
Yuri shuddered. Muffin? Sweety?
Geizer was trying to annoy him.
"come on Yurio!"
"Huh?!" Viktor half choked Yuri dragging him down the hallway.
"your still coming sight seeing."
"I never promissed that!" Yurio yelled.
In the city centre yuri kept his face hidden and shades on, pulling his hood as well. Viktor and Yuuri didn't bother, after all; their fans were not cat eared 'angelic' stalkers.
"Lets take a photo here," Yuuri called. Viktor ripped off Yurio's face cover and shades, forcing him into the group selfie.
"don't be upset Yurio," Yuuri said as he yanked up his face cover. "Nina is probably just busy with school."
Pointing his finger he hissed "Stay Out Of It Piggy!"
Viktor rolled his eyes,"Let's go see some art. It will calm you down Yurio!"
"I Dont need calming down!"
Viktor lead them around, he semed to know the way.
"hey Yuuri?" Viktor added. "looky,"
"Coincidence." Yuuri smiled. "Hey Yurio?" Said boy glared, "What is Nina's surname?"
He shrugged, "how the hell should I know?"
They moved on. "the hell kind of art is this?" Yurio snorted.
"It's called still-life." Yuuri said, "Once seen as the lowest art form."
"I see why." Yuri grunted.
Yuri stamped down the hall leaving the others behind, only stopping to read a name. Another of this Nina's. Still-life was eventually replaced by punk and pop "Now this is art!" Yuri said. He scanned the room and something big, bright and orange captured his eye at once. It was a tiger. orange eyes glowing. He imediately walked over and looked at the artist name, Greg Petrov, to add to pinterest.
Part of the wall had been directly painted on in a graphiti style, Yuri wanted this in his flat. Another tiger stood out for him. done in greys except for the eyes which were turqoize. They contrasted with somethign orange. Along the bottum corner of the canvas, bright orange threaded spiky letters coiled into the page simply saying 'Tiger'. "AWESOME!" he shouted. His voice echoing off silent walls.
Was this also Greg Petrov? no... It was this Nina Starkovina.
Viktor yawned. "found something you like?" he asked.
Yuri turned around smiling. "can I buy this? are any for sale? The other is too big," he pointed to the big one by greg.
"I think some are for sale, but art is expernsive." Viktor said. "we can ask for an asistant. i think some of the work is for sale."
They were told the number for the artist,gave their own numbers (as yuri never picked up) and that it was the artist choice to sell something, the art selling manager would get in touch with the artists and then them and a price would be sorted out.
"Feel better?" Viktor asked.
Yuri ignored him, eyes sparkling. "that Tiger will be mine!"
Yuuri laughed quietly whiel viktor leaned over to him to whisper; "do you think he's getting it because of the artists name or the artual work.
"I CAN HEAR YOU GEISER," Yurio took one glare at them and stormed off. "i'm going home!"
"he's still upset Nina didn't turn up this weekend huh?" Viktor sighed, "oh well, lets go drinking!"
The next day at practise Yuuri and Viktor were hanging around. They had rented out the smal ice Rink but kept coming into Yakovs rented rink to bug Yuri, Not so subtily hinted for him to go find out why Nina didn't come.
"Maybe she was really ill?" yuuri offered.
"Or she had too much work?"
"I heard Blue Mill Academy is really strict with homework."
"Blue Mill Academy is also quite close to here right?"
Yuri Skidded to a stop half way through a run through, "SHUT UP!"
"Yuri!" Yakov yelled back. "Concentrate. Your left leg is sloppy, you face is too emotionally angry for this piece, your jumps are lacking in elegance. If you don't shape up this instant your doing ballet for the rest of the week!"
Yuri blocked out Viktor and Yuuri. Focussing only on his skating. He didn't want to do anymore ballet.
"Hey Nina!" I turned to the voice, almost screaming when I was faced with a dog faced man. Seriously. A man wearing a dog mask. What the heck? He even had a dog on a lead.
"Nina!" He pulled his mask back. "It's me Viktor."
"Vi-Viktor!?" I squeaked. "Why… why are you here?" I hissed.
"I brought you an invitation." He said. "I want to know. Are you Nina Starkovina, the artist."
I blinked and groaned. "y-yes?"
"We saw your tiger art, Yurio's trying to buy it. He doesn't know it's you."
"uh… those numbers were yours weren't they?"
"yes. Anyway this is an invitation to Yurio's birthday party. And I was wondering…" He trailed off. "Can you get him a gift, he would be happy -even if he never showed it."
"I don't have much money right now." I murmured.
"I mean can you paint him something?" He said quickly, "Like the tiger. He really likes it."
I blushed, staring at my shoes. "Can I just give him the tiger?"
"mm? Yeah! Sure. Make sure you come along. You can get ready with Yuuri's sister and ballet teacher if you like, it means you'd get a free ride. I'll give them your number."
He parted with his fluffy poodle, mask back on after I gave him my number and promised to come. I would regret that. I could I avoid someone at their own birthday party?
NEXT TIME: Yuri's Birthday party