P.O.V. Ava:

"Sophie Michaels and Tim Stevenson. Sophie was a good friend of Ana, while Tim had the most classes with Raoul and Alex." Christian could really find out everything. My initial thought was to call Sophie, but I didn't know if she was still in contact with Ana, and even if she wasn't, she'd still probably tell her that there was someone asking about her and Alex. So I decided we'd call Tim.
In order for this call to go well, I let Christian do the talking. The phone rang. My heart was beating fast and heavy. Why was I this nervous? Maybe Tim Stevenson didn't even remember Alex, Ana, or both. Silly me, who'd ever forget a face like Alex or a voice like Anas?

"Hello?" A honeyed voice answered the phone.
"Am I talking to Tim Stevenson?"
"Uhhh, yes, who am I speaking with?"
"Not important" Damn Christian doesn't give anyone a break. I really hoped the guy wouldn't just end the phone call because of Christian rudeness. "Important is, if you can help me with some information." A long pause followed. My heart, still beating heavily, made the pause feel like an eternity.
"What would be in it for me, if I have the information you need?" Yes! I feel like this is a win. This has to be a win.
"How about we have the conversation, and then you tell me what your answers were worth. So you went to Nicholas Academy, is that right?" That is how he starts? Oh this will take a long time.
"Yes, sir."
"So you probably know Alex Volkov?"
"Who doesn't know about Alex Volkov? If you try to find out stuff about him, there are people who know him better than I do. Especially as I had just a couple of classes with him." Oh great, he'd probably tell us nothing important or that would help. But Christian doesn't end the call, he keeps going. I would have excused myself and hung up by now.
"Really? Who knew him well?" Oh... He's good.
"Well, there is Raoul Veliyev, but don't even try, he wouldn't tell you a thing. They are basically brothers. Why do you need the information anyways?" So Christian told him that it was necessary information as Alex was going to get married soon, and for his safety, needed to know everything about his past. "Wait, so you want to tell me that you need this information to make sure of his safety?" That's it. We are busted. "And you really want to tell me, he hasn't gotten married yet?" Wait, what now? Why did everyone think, Alex would have been married by now? How come everyone knows he is the type to get married, or at least think that? 

"What do you mean? To whom should he have gotten married by now?" 

"Wait, he and Ana didn't get married?" My heart broke in more than one way. My eyes filled up with tears I didn't let go. I would not start crying over a sentence of no importance. Especially not in front of Christian. If this sentence is not important, why does our heart hurt? Why do I know that it means everything?  My shoulders felt heavier. I looked up just to see one of my best friends putting her arms around my neck. Christian looked at us, and I nodded. I didn't know why I nodded, I just did it.

"So there is a love story behind Alex and Ana?" Apparently Christian took my nodding as permission to keep asking questions that might have a negative impact on my heart. "Can you tell me more about their relationship?" But I didn't want to know anything about their past relationship. Who said it was in the past? I didn't even want to know that there was a relationship to begin with. I wanted to be his first girlfriend. That's not true. You just thought you were and it made you feel special, didn't it? Now you find out he had a relationship in High school and everyone thought they'd get married. So- So it must have been a special relationship.

"Ana and Alex, where do I begin? Ana was a year below us. Alex was always the serious guy, no one wanted to mess with. Raoul was the funny one, the outgoing one, the one who tried to have fun, and they were the absolute opposite of each other. They were both incredibly smart, and they were both incredibly talented, especially musically. Now you might wonder why this is important to the love story. Just listen." Tim Stevenson was telling the story as if it were a written fairy tale. "Every year the school began with a speech by the principal, and then some students had to sing or play an instrument, something to do with music. And in our second year, the opening had to do Raoul and Alex. With that came a problem. Alex didn't want to do it. So they were both on the stage, Raoul tried to change Alex's mind when we all heard a guitar playing. A beautiful girl, probably her first year, entered the stage and made her way slowly to the boys. No one was saying a word. Then she sang a line and showed her wrist, which had a bracelet on it. Then Alex did the same. Raoul started playing the guitar while Ana was running up to him, and they hugged. They sang a whole song in Russian. None of us have ever seen Alex dance and sing or play the guitar but he did all of those things. He did those things with his two best friends. Turned out they knew Ana since they were four or five. Ana celebrated the boys birthday with a big party. They were the most popular kids in the whole school. A week before valentines day they had a little gathering in Raoul and Alex's room. They were playing truth or dare and Alex had to kiss the most beautiful girl in the room. There were about five girls and four guys there. Raoul took out his video camera he always had it within reach, so most of their high school years were probably filmed and found easily. He started to roll as it would have been Alex's first kiss, he was sixteen by then, if I may add. Anyways, Alex kissed Ana. Everyone in the room, including me, thought that was the beginning of their relationship, but apparently it wasn't. They were awkward whenever they were seeing each other." Christian breathed in. He looked really annoyed then he glanced over to me. He mouthed a 'do you really want to listen to this' and I nodded. Stella whispered in my ear. She thought we might find some of the old videos if I wanted to. "Then valentines day came. There was a big party. Alex only went to theses parties if Raoul made him come, which was ninety percent of the time but this time no one saw him. Music started and someone was singing. It was a love song and you guessed it, Alex was singing. Now that was the beginning of Alex and Ana's relationship. They were a real couple. After Alex and Raoul graduated, they came back a couple of times to visit Ana. Most of the time, it was Alex who visited. I assumed they got married." Alex was singing and dancing? In front of other people? Voluntarily? For a girl? He doesn't like to sing for me when I ask him to but he sang for this girl? Didn't you say her voice was angelic and she was nice, funny, sweet and any guy would fall in love with her?  Yes, yes, yes and yes but so what? I didn't want Alex to have fallen in love with her. He still has her number. He was shocked to have had the object in his hand. There was this look in his eyes after he realized. What was that? Longing? Desire? Maybe even love? The moment the thought entered my mind, I got the chills. No, he couldn't still be in love with her, right? 

"Do you know what happened between the two of them?" 

"No, actually, I thought they got married and moved away together. But who might know is one of Ana's best friends, Sophia Michaels. At least they were best friends, I don't know if they are still in contact." After that last piece of information, the guy said his price, then Christian hung up. Stella made sure, if I was okay and what the next steps were. If I'm honest, I don't know if there will be more steps coming. I just need time to process. Maybe I should talk to Alex about what I found out? No, he would be mad at me that I collected information about him before asking him about the topic. Maybe just ask him, if he had a childhood love. Or, or omg, I have the best idea, ask one of our new guests.