Chapter 5

"Hi, guys." Olive greeted us as we sat with her at her table, it was the same one from yesterday with a great view of the whole festival and next to the dance floor. It was day two of the festival and tomorrow would be the last day of the festival. "You guys ready for the games?" she asked me and Frigg.

"Yep, we are going to try and attend all," Frigg said and bumped me with her elbow, smiling. Smiling back, I drank more of my water. I was still a bit shaken and confused about yesterday and Frigg had been trying her best to cheer me up.

"Well, that is great. I too always tried to attend all, but it seems this year I am out." Olive laughed and rubbed her belly.

"You must be so excited?" I asked smiling at her. Her belly looked enormous in the green dress she wore.

"I am! But sometimes I don't even know who is more excited, me or the baby. He has been kicking like hell this last month." She laughed, "You want to feel, he is kicking right now?" she asked me, as I nodded my head yes with a big smile. Walking to her side, I placed my hand where she pointed to and felt him kick. Shocked at how hard he was kicking, I laughed and gushed.

"What about you Frigg?" she asked looking at Frigg while I enjoyed feeling the baby's kicks.

"Oh no," Frigg said with wide eyes, "I am not a baby fan." She nervously explained with a fake smile and the whole table started to laugh. I closed my eyes and started to just focus on his kicking, the way his little foot formed a print on Olive stomach every time. Opening my eyes, I started to focus on my surroundings again. Seeing everyone look at me with big goofy smiles.

"Yeah, she is baby crazy." Frigg snickered as Olive just gave me a wink. Retreating to my seat next to Frigg, I felt an intense glare on my back. It was like it was burning my skin, trying to get under my skin and see my core. Looking around I saw no one looking at me and ignored it.

"I think the first game is going to start, we playing?" I asked Frigg, who just nodded and took the last bite of her sandwich. We rushed to the dance floor where the instructor started to explain the game. It was simple, water balloon toss, and even Olive joined us. I and Frigg were in a team and then Olive and Gina. Olga stood at the sideline and cheered us on, not wanting to get wet. Unfortunately for me I was wearing my purple sundress and it would take longer to dry, but luckily it was warmer than yesterday.

"Ready?" the announcer asked us, everyone gave a 'yes' and he screamed 'begin'. I and Frigg tossed our little red balloon back and forth, laughing if we almost let it fell and if the other's balloons popped on them and they screamed. Frigg through the balloon a little too hard after a balloon popped next to her, making her and the child next to her wet. Trying as carefully as I can to catch the balloon without popping it, I reached out to it, but miserably fail as it popped in my hand and splashing me with water. My whole front was wet and stuck to my body. Laughing with revenge on my brain, I chase after Frigg and hugged her, making her wet too. We both then joined Olga where she stood and cheered for Olive and Gina, who in the end won the game, but that wasn't the highlight. It was the victory dance that Olive and Gina did afterwards which took the title to make everyone laugh. Gina did it with style, but Olive couldn't and just wobbled with her belly around.

"I need a break," Olive muttered as she placed her hands on her hips and wobbled back to the picnic table. "I am starving, where is that man when you need him. Baby down here that is hungry." She said out of breath.

"Well, you were the one who danced," Olga mentioned with a laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, but we had to. We won!" she said happily. After more games, I was back to myself smiling away and more comfortable with my surrounding. The strange stare went and with it the burning sensation.

"I heard a little birdie say that someone is celebrating their 18th birthday in a week." Gina smiled wickedly and nodded her head my way.

"You're turning eighteen next week?" Olga asked excitedly.

"Yes," I said shyly and glared at Frigg, for telling her grandmother.

"Then you're finally all grown up," Olga said and clapped her hands excitedly.

"You girls must be so excited, going out into the world for the first time. Being all young yet old. I remembered when I first left the house," Olive said with a twinkle in her eyes as she thought back to memories. "Going out and doing what I love." She sighed in a daze.

"What are you two going to do?" Olga asked us and scooted closer.

"Well am going to business school so I can take over my father business and restaurant," Frigg said proudly. She had always loved her family business and it fitted her well. She baked amazing things, just like her mother and had the business skills like her father. It had been her dream since she was little. We used to play in the restaurant, her being the chef and I was an awaiting customer.

"And you? Must be something with kids am I right?" Olive asked with a warm smile looking at me.

"Miss Smartypants here is going into med school," Frigg said with a big smile and hugged me from my side. She was even happier than I, always telling me how proud she was of me and that even if I didn't get in, she would still be proud of me. She was my biggest fan and the best friend everyone should have.

"Really?" Olive exclaimed surprised.

"Yeah, but I am not sure yet." I said looking down at my hands in my lap, as everyone looked at me intensely, "Both my parents are doctors, but then again I want to work with children too. So, I don't know, that's why I am going on this road trip with Frigg. To find me, you know." I explained my confusion. Frigg knew that I was not sure if the medical career was for me and thus the reason why she said that we had to go on this trip. She gets to do fun things and see something new and I can find myself.

"Usually when one is lost, they miss a piece of themselves. But the answers that you seek is in your heart where the soul resides. Your heart always knows your destiny, so you should follow it." Lily said out of nowhere, making me even more nervous. Follow my heart, what does my heart want?

"Don't mind her, she is like a fortune cookie, you don't know what fortune she is going to give next." Olive laughed trying to cheer me up, "But we are going to celebrate your birthday!" she exclaimed thus changing the subject.

"Please no, I am not a fan of big birthday celebrations." I laughed nervously, I never liked big birthdays. It was usually my family and Frigg that attended my party or sometimes a friend or two, but always I and Frigg. "I am going to say hello to someone quickly, I'll be back soon," I said and stood up, walking to the black and white booth that said Moontide.

"Hello, Dalia." I greeted her. She was standing at some books, drinking coffee. She wore a strange black dress with dark makeup, she was a spitting image of a witch or what I thought a witch would look like.

"Hello dear." She greeted back with a big smile.

"I just wanted to say sorry about last night, I..." I stuttered, not knowing what to say about my behaviour last night, "I don't know what got over me." I stated truthfully, playing with my hands. It was a habit I had whenever I was nervous.

"Don't bother, dear. What did make you so jittery? You looked rather scared."

"I met someone; I don't think I was scared but more embarrassed," I said as her smile grew bigger.

"Well whoever it is, you shouldn't stress about it." She soothed my nerves and I smiled at her.

"Oh, but you don't want to stand here and talk to me. You're going to miss all the games, so go on. Go enjoy the festival." She waved me away.

"Okay," I laughed and went back to the main part of the festival, only to bump into the stranger again. Luckily that time I didn't fall.

"I am so sorry; really I am not doing this on purpose," I said nervously, he just stood there watching me. His eyes moved from mine to my shaking hands and then back to my eyes.

"Dmitry." He said, his voice powerful making me want to bow and show submission, yet something told me to stand my ground. If someone would look in our direction they would think that we are a couple gazing at one another. Releasing our closeness, I took a step back, taking a deep breath in.

"And your name?" he asked. Releasing that I had been standing there for a few minutes without a word after he gave me his name, I started to turn scarlet.

"Hope," I whisper shyly, averting my eyes to the ground.

"It's a beautiful name." He complimented, and I smile shyly up at him, "Wanna play?" he asked, his voice husky and thick with a deep accent.

"Sorry?" I shook my head in confusion at him.

"You want to play that game with me?" he asked again and pointed to the shooting booth.

"I guess?" I said unsure, before he started to walk in that direction, his hands behind him.

"You coming?" he asked when he noticed I wasn't next to him and still stood on my exact spot.

"Oh um, yeah coming," I said, mentally slapping myself for my stupidity.

"You don't have to do that," I said grabbing his hand with the money; he stared at it for a few minutes before looking me in the eyes and raising his brow at me, giving me a look that said I don't care. "Thank you," I said awkwardly and released his hand.

He took the gun and waited till I took mine before he aimed. He shot every target a bullseye, as where I barely hit one.

"You're not really good at this." He stated as I blushed.

"No, but you, on the other hand, I have never seen anyone that good," I said as he started to smile.

"Where are you from?" I asked as we placed the guns back down in their places.

"Why do you ask?" He frowned at me.

"What would you like sir?" the man in the booth asked Dmitry. Dmitry nodded his head to me and pointed his finger up in the air.

"You choose." He said and looked up at all the soft teddy bears.

"Really?" I asked and he nodded. Looking up one caught my eye immediately, "The black wolf there in the corner." I pointed as the man walked to it and gave it to me. It was a smaller teddy bear than most of the other, but I liked it the most.

"Interesting choice," Dmitry stated and smirked at me.

"What?" I asked playfully frowning at him.

"Nothing." He said with a smirk and placed his hand on my back, leading me to somewhere else.

"Well, where are you from?" I asked again as we got to the next booth. Cotton candy!

"Why do you want to know so badly?" he asked, looking at how I was watching the cotton candy machine, swirling its sugary goodness. My head spinning with the soft fluffs with a big smile.

Chuckling he led me closer to the machine and bought two. When the chuckled left his lips, I looked up at him, it surprised me that he actually chuckled and there I thought he was cold from any emotion except frowns.

"Your accent." I stated as he gave me the cotton candy, "Thank you."

"Russia." He stated and started to eat his cotton candy. Shocked I stopped in my tracks, as he turned around and chuckled at me. He was by no doubt the most handsome man I have ever seen.

"Why are you then here in America?" I asked frowning, almost dropping my cotton candy. Almost!

"Business with a friend." He said with a smirk. Weren't Olive and Michael having a friend for business over?

"Who's your friend?" I asked I knew it was rude to dig in others business, but I was a curious person.

"You're a curious person." He stated the obvious; I just shrugged my shoulder and took a bite of my cotton candy.

"Have you ever heard of 'curiosity killed the cat'" he asked chuckling again. He seemed to do it more often now.

"And have you heard of 'the cat has nine lives'" I fired back with a smile, proud of my comeback.

"Oh, but this is going to take all of your nine lives, tigritsa," he whispered our noses almost touching as he bent down to my face. His minty breath was fanning my face and I curled my toes as I looked up into his eyes. My heart was beating faster, my breath hitched and my lips lost all its moisture, making me flick my tongue over them. My mind filled with dirty thoughts as I looked down his face to his lips.

"Hope!" Frigg shouted from the crowd of people. I quickly stepped away from Dmitry before Frigg could see us.

"That is my friend, I should go," I said blushing and thanked him for the game and cotton candy again. Leaving him behind, I rushed to where I heard Frigg shout.

"Where were you?" Frigg asked as I neared her.

"Got held up a little bit," I said and looked back at Dmitry still blushing.

"Well come, its dance time!" she shouted and dragged me to the dance floor. We danced the chicken dance and other silly dances with the children. Turning in circles, holding hands and laughing our butts off with them. After that we danced the cowboy dance and row dancing, having more fun than ever. As we danced I glanced around searching for strange eyed man, when I saw him with Michael. They were seated at a table not far from ours. My eyes met Dmitry's and I blush for being caught while he smirked and looked back at Michael. He was Michael and Olive's friend.

Everyone started to pair up and dance together when Frigg got asked to dance, leaving me alone. As I walked off the dance floor my hand was caught by another, who pulled me towards them. Dmitry took my other hand and placed it on his shoulder and encircled my waist after. We danced for a while to some energetic songs when a soft song begun to play, and everyone just swayed with the rhythm.

"You love children?" He whispered in my ear.

"Why do you ask?"

"Just saw you dancing with them."

"Yes," I said as he dipped me backwards, my necklace running up from its position from under my dress to my neck. As he raised me back up he clutched his head with one hand, the other still holding me close to him. "Are you alright?" I asked sincerely in worry.

He looked me in the eyes and then down at the necklace that was now glowing bright, then clutched his head again.

"I just don't feel very well, I should maybe go." He said and looked at the necklace again.

"Yes, you should get some rest. Hope you feel better." I said as he ran off in a direction. Quickly disappearing from my view and leaving me all alone on the dance floor without a goodbye.ords: 2476