Here's an early update :)

HE PULLED THE blanket over their bodies and laid his head down just above her chest so that his head rested in the crook of her neck.

Her hand came up and played in his hair where she found herself rubbing his scalp.

"I really care about you, Avelina," he told her.

His words made her want to cry. Her mind was hazy and full of questions. Her thoughts were inconclusive and indecisive. Home was with Adrik, but she felt as though her house was in flames and no one was around to help her.

"I care about you, too," she whispered, her voice cracking as her gaze became blurry as her eyes hid behind her tears. "But I don't know if I can stay with you."

His grip tightened around her. "I do not understand."

"I feel guilty everything I'm around you now. How can I live with that?" She asked. He pulled his head away from her neck to gaze at her with furrowed brows.

"I do not know the answer to your question," he stated.

She let out a sigh. "Nevermind, Adrik."

"I am trying to understand," he let out.

"But you don't! You don't understand!" she exclaimed.

Avelina immediately regretted her words the second she said them. Hurt crossed Adrik's features as he pulled apart from Avelina. She quickly sat up while holding the blanket up against her chest.

"I'm sorry. I've just been angry, and upset these past few days. All I could think about was you and us. Not only that, but Vincent and my grandmother. I'm so confused about how to feel right now! I don't want to choose because I don't want to lose anyone or lose myself," she explained.

Tears fell from her eyes as she stared at Adrik.

He didn't say a word as he got up from the bed and picked up his boxers from the ground. Avelina quickly latched onto his wrist. She didn't know what compelled her to grab him, but she did.

"I don't know how long I'm staying here before leaving to Brazil," she spoke sadly.

Adrik clenched his jaw. His hands were balled up into fists as his eyes seemed to shut. "I don't want you to go."

She looked down at her lap. Her fingers began to play amongst each other. It was selfish of her to want him to lay back down and hold her. She knew that it was wrong, but she wanted it to be right. For one night, she didn't want to think-she just wanted to feel.

He laid back down onto the bed and pulled Avelina onto his chest. She was glad to be surrounded by his warmth once more.

-

Avelina woke up in Adrik's bed. The night sky was still peering through the large glass window. She glanced over at the clock to see it was slightly past four in the morning.

She removed Adrik's arm from around her waist before picking her head up from his chest. Avelina had to be extra careful to not wake him up.

Quietly, she threw back on her clothes before realizing that Adrik ripped apart her shirt. She had to open his drawer and grab a T-shirt before throwing it on her body.

A sigh moved past her lips when she looked over at Adrik. He was sleeping so peacefully-so beautifully. His hair was tossed over the pillow as his lips were slightly parted.

Avelina walked over to him. She palmed his cheek as a frown took over her face. Her body leaned down before capturing his lips with hers for a brief peck. When she pulled away, she grabbed ahold of the contract that was perched on the nightstand.

Her mind quizzed her every action. She didn't know if she should get back into bed with Adrik, or go home to Brazil to live out everything she ever imagined for herself.

When her eyes trailed back over to Adrik for the second time, she could feel her heart hesitating to grab the contract.

A tear fell from her eyes as she grabbed the contact and walked out of his room with the suitcase in hand. Avelina had to be careful to not make much noise because she didn't want to wake Adrik up. She knew that with one look into those gray eyes, she would weaken all over again.

She quickly ran down the stairs of the mansion and over to the door, but stopped abruptly when she saw Sobaka. Her heart immediately dropped as she threw her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming.

The dog had a mischievous look on her face as it began to parade over to her dangerously. She tried to open the door, but it was locked. Avelina began to panic as the dog ran full speed right towards her. Her eyes shut as she braced herself for attack.

After a few moments, she peeled back her eyelids lightly only to see the dog was sniffing her. Avelina's brows pulled together once the dog licked her leg before jumping onto her leg. She didn't know what to do. Her eyes just stared down at the thing in shock.

"Sobaka!" Anton called out from the kitchen. Avelina's eyes widened as she looked over at him. He began to enter the room with bowl of cereal in his hand

Sobaka scattered towards him, happily waving her behind with each step she took. The moment she was in front of him, she began to jump up and down with her tongue out and hanging off to side of her mouth.

"You guys finally finished?" Anton questioned, laughing lightly. Avelina could only look at him with a shocked expression. His eyes darted from her to the suitcase then back to her. He looked confused.

"You're leaving?" He asked.

She could feel the waterworks already making their presence. Her mind was finally processing everything that she was doing, and her heart seemed to collapse.

"Are you okay?"

Her shoulders began to shake with each sob that escaped her. She instantly felt so stupid for making such a fool of herself in front of Anton. It was his words that made it impossible for her not to cry.

"What's wrong?" Anton asked, confusion clear on his expression.

"Nothing. . . Everything," she said. "I'm sorry, I'm just emotional."

"It's fine," he murmured awkwardly. Anton rubbed the back of his neck as if he wanted to speak but didn't know how.

Avelina began to wipe away her tears before grabbing hold of the door knob.

"He's been doing terrible since you left, you know? I can see that you've been taking it pretty bad as well," Anton spoke, completely halting her movements. Her gaze remained on the door as the sound of his words forced her to stay right where she was.

"He hasn't slept since you left. He loves routine and you were apart of that routine. In the many years that I've him, he's never missed a meal at the specific time that it's been since he was three. Without you, I don't even think he's eaten. Adrik's angrier than normal, and he's constantly frustrated. The second he heard that you were back, you should've seen how happy that made him," Anton sighed. She could feel a lone tear falling from her face that she quickly wiped away.

"He's wrong for keeping what he knew away from you, and he's aware of that. You have to remember that Natasha is his sister and she's been the only person in his life that understood him since he was a child. He feels as though it's his duty to protect her because she is his family. As much as you hate what she did to your grandmother, Adrik hates it just as much. He really loves you, Avelina. I don't know how he will react when he wakes up after days of unrest to find you not there. I'm afraid that he's going to be broken," he explained.

"I just need to breathe," she cried. Her body sucked in as much air as it could get into her lungs before she threw the door open. It was all of her emotions that were curling around her neck and choking her of her every breath. Everything was becoming too intoxicating. In one ear, she was hearing how wrong he was for doing what he did to her family to make her brother happy. In the other ear, she was hearing how he was only protecting his sister and how she should forgive him to make him happy.

"I have to go. I don't know if I'll be back," she spoke softly over her shoulder to Anton. He nodded his head in understanding, but she could see the brim of sadness in his eyes.

As she was walking, Anton called out to her. She turned to look at him only to see that he was walking towards her.

"I'll take you home."

"No-"

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," he ensured her. She let out a sigh before allowing her shoulders to drop. Avelina followed him over to his car where he immediately grasped her suitcase and put it in the trunk.

When she saw Anton walking over to the backseat, she pulled her brows together in confusion. It wasn't until she saw the dog jumping into the car when realization crossed her features.

The dog quickly licked her in her face causing her to face to reconstruct into a look of disgust. She wasn't as fearful of Sobaka as she once was, but it was still going to take a lot of getting used to. Avelina was more of a cat person than a dog person, but to her, Sobaka was pretty cute.

"Sobaka, sidet'," Anton commanded the moment he got into the driver's seat. Immediately, the dog pressed her bum into the seats of his car as a loud pant echoed through the car.
[ translation : sit ]

"Does your dog know English commands as well?"

"Yeah, a little. She knows more Russian than English, though," Anton chuckled. Avelina gave him a sad smile before turning her attention out of the window as he pulled off down the road.

The entire ride was occupied with Avelina's thoughts. With every mile they drove farther away from Adrik, she could feel their connection melting away.

She could only wonder what his reaction would be when he saw that she was no longer by his side. She wondered if he'd find someone else.

After a long drive, they made it to her house. Anton get out of the car and wandered to the trunk. He grabbed her suitcase before placing it down on the ground. Avelina waved goodbye to Sobaka before doing the same to Anton as she entered her home.

With a heavy heart, she rolled her bag into the house. Her mind was replaying her last moments with Adrik on repeat. From how he made her feel to how his touch always managed to burn her so good-she couldn't believe she made the choice to lose him forever.

She got another text from Vincent, but she didn't even bother to read it. Avelina threw her phone somewhere in the room and screamed. She screamed with everything she was feeling. She screaming with her heart, her mind, her chest-she screamed.

All of her pent up frustrations and confusions were weighing in on her. She had cried so much to the point that she could no longer cry anymore. Avelina was tired of feeling the way she felt.

She couldn't wait go to Brazil and leave all of the aggravation behind. It would be better if she left as soon as possible.

Avelina took a deep breath and walked to her bedroom where she began to pack all of her clothing.

She played music-classical music. It was becoming something she really enjoyed. All of the passion shed with no words hugged her devotedly.

After hours of packing, she was almost done. Her home wasn't too big so it didn't take long. All that was left was her furniture.

Suddenly, her doorbell rang. It was probably Vincent.

Avelina headed over to the front door before pulling it open. When her eyes met those silver orbs, everything froze.

"Avelina."

"Adrik."

-
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