by Lia London
“Isn’t that what love is all about?”
“Most people want to hook up to see what they can get out of the relationship, not what they can put in. You’re different.”
“I try. But don’t think I’m 100% selfless. Sometimes I just don’t want to be alone.”
“Being alone is the worst.” His voice grew foggy with emotion, and he decided he didn’t care if she saw it. “I hate it. Don’t you?”
Her body shifted slightly, opening toward him. “I hate being useless, not being needed.”
“Being needed is great, but you can’t keep choosing guys just to make you feel needed.” He tapped his neck. “Stop adopting three-legged killer cats with PTSD.”
Her small mouth curled in a delicate smile. “Is this your great advice to help me win the bet?”
He shook his head. “If you’re going to win in life—in love—you’re going to need to find someone you need as much as they need you. And love as much as he loves you.”
Her smile blossomed. “Thanks, Jerkface.” She bumped his chest with her folded arms gently.
“No problem, Annie.” He brushed the hair from her face, amazed by how silky it felt in his fingers. When she didn’t glare at him or fire back about the nickname, he rested his hand on her shoulder. “Seriously. No more three-legged cats. Promise?”
“I’ll try.”
“Good.” He stepped back, sensing the air change around them for a second. Overwhelmed by the shifting tides of his feelings, he put distance between them. “Anyway, let’s check in next month, okay? That’ll give you time to devote to your friend, Lee.”
As he made his way down the path to his car, he wondered if he could wait that long to see her again.
Angelika – two weeks later
“Hey, um… This isn’t for the competition thing at all, but I wonder if you could do me a favor?” Angelika squeezed her cellphone tight, unsure of how Viktor would react.
“You need a character reference?” he teased. “I could probably get you hired as a prison guard or taxi driver or something.”
A lump formed in her stomach. “Never mind. I was stupid to think of you.”
“No wait. Don’t hang up.” His urgent tone softened. “I’m just messing with you. What do you need?”
Angelika stifled a groan. “I need to go to another reunion.”
“For the Geek Club?”
She growled. “Shut up. Viktor, I swear—”
“I’m kidding. I’m kidding! Don’t hang up.”
“Why? So you can abuse me more?”
“Come on. I’ve changed a little.” His voice held a smile. “Seriously. What can I do for you?”
Angelika sat on the edge of her bed, willing herself to be articulate. “I’ve got a family reunion.”
“Okay.”
“I don’t know what your family’s like, but this is higher pressure than the high school reunion.”
“Did you want us to do a reprise of Annie, Get Your Gun?”
“Not exactly. But the duet idea… Um, I need to have someone who looks like a serious boyfriend.” She closed her eyes and prayed he wouldn’t laugh.
“Ah. That kind of pressure. I get it. And you want me, because I will impress the socks off all your aunties?”
It wasn’t entirely untrue, but she couldn’t tell him that. “Do you think we can fit your fat head into the backyard? It’s only a three-acre lot.”
“Har har. Hey, won’t they remember me from our high school days?”
Angelika rolled her eyes. “I doubt it. Not because of you, but because they never noticed anything I did in high school, so if you were connected to me, you were, by transitivity, also invisible.”
“Transitivity. Geometry. Ninth grade. Who says we never use that stuff we learned as kids?” teased Viktor.
“I like that word. It makes me sound smart.”
He chuckled. “Okay, what’s the super-objective of this special ops mission?”
“It’ll be a stretch, but I need you to help me not come across as a loser.”
“Oh, c’mon. You’ve never been a loser.”
Angelika’s lips pulled into a grin so wide it hurt. “Can I get that in writing?”
“No way. I’ll deny I ever said it with a sworn affidavit. But if you need me to impress the Aldrich clan, tell me where and when.”
Viktor – several days later
Angelika stood at her front door waiting for him, and for a second, Viktor’s breath hitched. Her hair was braided in a kind of copper crown, and she wore a loose white blouse with a tiny floral pattern.
“Wow. You look like a fairy princess.” He stopped a few paces away. “I should’ve ridden up on a snow-white charger.”
Her pinked lips formed a shy smile. “As far as I’m concerned, you did. Thanks for rescuing me today.”
He continued to drink in this new interpretation of Angelika. “Am I underdressed?”
Angelika’s eyebrow quirked. “I’m wearing jeans, just like you. What are you worried about?” She came forward and brushed the shoulders of his button-down, pale blue dress shirt. “Blue is good on you. Brings out your eyes.”
Viktor’s heart knocked on his ribs and pointed out she’d complimented his appearance, something she’d never done before. He forgot to swagger. “So, Princess Angelika-Aurora-Fae, your chariot awaits.” He swept his arms towards the convertible. “Want the top up or down? I’d hate to see your hairdo messed up.”
Her sweet blush drew his eyes across her face.
“Let’s go with it up for now,” she said. “And on the way home, we can see how we feel.”
Viktor bowed his head in agreement. “Fair enough. When we come off victorious, we’ll let the wind rush through our hair like wild horses.”
“Exactly. And if we bomb out, we can hide ourselves in the cave of shame.”
He opened the door for her. “I’m not sure how I feel about you calling my sweet ride a cave of shame. Which of my ex-girlfriends have you been talking to?” Her boisterous laugh followed him around the car and into the driver’s seat. “If you’ll do the honors of plugging in the address to the GPS,” he said tapping the device on the dash, “we can get down to the nitty gritty about why you feel the need to impress your family when they should already be super proud of you.”
She obliged, then swiveled to face him. “I really appreciate this. I’m probably being a big baby about this, but I’ve got classic Middle-Child Syndrome.”
“Feeling overlooked, are we?”
“Always.”
Viktor kept his hand on the gearshift, not wanting to retreat to his side of the car when she might be opening up. “Go on.”
“My big brother, Harrison—”
“Your folks like long names, huh?”
“Yes, and don’t call him Harry, or he’ll go ballistic.”
“Yes, Annie.” He winked, and when she only gave him a playful pout, his heart leapt.
“Anyway, Harrison is Mr. Perfect. He’s gorgeous—never even needed orthodontia or acne cream—and he’s mega-uber talented in all the stuff my family gets excited about.”
“Which is…?”
“Art, music, public speaking.”
Viktor smirked. “And he makes money doing that?”
“He’s a concert cellist who does lectures and music history seminars. Celebrity as far as my parents are concerned.”
“And do you want me to hate him or adore him? Which will score you the most points?”
Her hand appeared on the back of his, and he clutched the gear handle tighter to keep from registering his surprise. “You be you, but a little less cocky, and it’ll be enough.”
“When am I ever cocky?”
“Right.” She let go and fidgeted with something in her hair. “Harrison will be the center of attention for my parents and most of the older set. My little sister—”
“Francesca?” he guessed. “Lavinia?”
Angelika laughed. “No.”
�
�Mozambique?”
“What? That’s not a girl’s name.”
“It could be. It has a fancy flair.”
Angelika snorted, shaking her head. “You’re so weird.”
He stole a glimpse of her face. “Okay, what’s her name?”
“Zulema.”
Viktor crossed his eyes. “How is that any better than Mozambique?”
Coughing with laughter, Angelika explained, “She’s the real fairy princess. Voice of a songbird and always up on the latest dance moves. She sells auto insurance, but to hear my cousins talk about her, she’ll be topping the Billboards by next month.”
“And there you are, quietly saving the world.”
“Nailed it.” Sadness clouded her countenance.
“Well, I think you’re worth paying attention to. You hold your own with the best.”
Her lips twisted. “And you should know because you’re the best, right?”
“Only if you say so.”
“You say so. Everyone says so.”
Viktor would normally have risen to the praise, but Angelika deflated his bravado with her genuineness. “Not everyone. You and I both have parents who disapprove.”
“I said ignore, not disapprove.”
“Then you’re ahead of my game.” He frowned all the way through a left turn before continuing. “My dad’s NPD.”
“I’m assuming that’s not Newport Police Department.”
“Narcissistic Personality Disorder.”
“Ah. So you took after him?”
Viktor needed to explain to someone who might understand. Could Angelika be the one? “It’s not just being stuck up.” He sighed. “I know I can be a jerk, but I’m… When someone has NPD, they literally see the world as revolving around them, their needs, their perceptions of reality. And their perceptions of reality are that they’re never wrong, always the best. They really believe that. Every narrative, every event—everything is interpreted in a way that puts them on top.” He held up a warning finger. “And before you say it sounds like me, I know I screw up, and you’ve proven often enough I’m not always the best.”
“I wasn’t going to say…” she said quietly. “What’s it like to grow up with that?”
Viktor gripped the wheel tighter, afraid of the vulnerability he’d exposed. “Basically, everyone around him—an only child, especially—has to live up to his expectations of what his world should look like. My mom has to keep herself and the house looking like the cover of a magazine. I have to be the model of success and achievement. We must agree with him on everything or face his wrath.”
Angelika sucked in air. “Does he beat you or something?”
“No. Nothing like that. He’ll just tear my self-esteem into shreds and feed it to the termites. I’ve been told on multiple occasions I’m not worthy to be his son unless I do things his way.”
“And what he wants you to do isn’t what you want to do?”
Viktor blinked faster, feeling heat in the back of his eyes. How had she deciphered that so quickly? “Honestly, I don’t even know what I want. I just want him to accept me, but it’s never going to happen, and I can’t spend my whole life…” He came to a stop at a red light.
“Pull into the 7-Eleven parking lot,” ordered Angelika.
Taken aback, Viktor nudged the turn signal on. “You have to pee, or something?”
She didn’t answer until he parked the car. Placing her hand on his arm, she drew a deep breath. “I wanted to be able to look you in the eye without us crashing into a semi or something.” Her fingers glided down to his hand and clasped it gently. “I actually studied NPD briefly in a college psych class, so this is ringing a bell. If I remember right, he’s not going to admit he’s got a problem or that he doesn’t actually see the real reality around him.”
“No. He’s perfect.”
She nodded. “And you’ll never be.”
“Thanks,” he said, dripping with sarcasm. He started to pull away, but she grabbed him with both hands.
“In his eyes, I mean. Viktor, look at me.” Her bright blue eyes penetrated him, reaching back into his soul. “I know as well as anyone what a crazy high achiever you are, so if that’s not good enough for him, it’s on him, not you. You don’t have to shine your light on his ego. Your gifts and dreams are yours. Everyone else knows you’re something special.”
Viktor’s throat tightened. “Yeah, sure. They’re all waiting for me to screw up, so they can gloat and take my place.”
Angelika seemed to consider this for a long time. When she spoke again, her voice was soft. “Don’t let your dad’s NPD-hindered opinion shape your feelings of self-worth. Be happy for yourself.”
As he took in Angelika’s earnest gaze, he sensed her sincerity and exhaled a measure of self-doubt. “Thanks, Annie.”
“We got this,” she whispered, pulling him into a hug.
Viktor’s heart pounded in his ears. “Right.” Angelika had kicked open a door in his psyche and let in a glimmer of hope. “But right now, the gearshift is trying to punch a hole in my kidney, so...”
Angelika let go with a soft laugh. “Sorry.”
“No. Don’t be. I owe you.” He restarted the car. “Let’s go be awesome at this reunion, and the haters can all cry in our wake.”
Angelika – two hours later
Angelika couldn’t stop grinning. Even with Harrison and Zulema shining in the middle of their clusters of adoring relations, she had not stopped feeling special. No matter who they talked with, Viktor dragged up a story from their youth and made sure it flattered her. He also shamelessly bragged about her selfless service to others.
“You two are so well-suited for each other. What a lovely young man!” exclaimed one her aunts.
Angelika glanced sideways at Viktor to find his cute smile in place, a dimple threatening to appear on one cheek. “I think I hear them starting up the games over there,” she said, pointing to a flat section of the property set apart for races. She tugged him forward, and whispered, “You indeed impressed the socks off my aunties.”
Her heart stopped when she realized their foreheads almost rested against each other. Anyone looking at them might think they were about to kiss. Her eyes flickered to his mouth.
“Games?” A familiar competitive gleam shone in his eyes. “What kind of games?”
She licked her lips and swallowed. “Games designed to make adults look ridiculous in front of the kids, I think.”
They paused at the edge of the field and watched the youngest cousins run a three-legged race. Viktor’s fists went to his waist in a pose reminiscent of a superhero. Angelika opened her mouth to tease him about this, but he stepped close enough that his bent arm rested along her back. The nearness sent an unexpected tingle down to her toes.
His breath was warm at her neck. “Do we get to play, too?”
“Get to? Are you crazy?” She watched two pairs of runners tumble before the finish line.
“You didn’t tell me we’d have fun today. Come on. Let’s do this.”
“No way.”
Viktor dragged her by the hand. “Look, Mozambique and Harry are partnering up. This is your chance to crush both of them at once.”
“Or get trampled to death.” Still, she allowed him to lead her to the starting line where an uncle tied their legs together.
“Are we starting with left or right?” asked Viktor.
“My left is your right. We need to call inside-outside.”
“Right.” Suddenly his arm tucked around her waist. “I mean correct. Inside?”
Angelika’s mouth went dry. “Okay.”
“Hold on tight.”
With her heart pumping as if she’d already run the race, she laced her arm around his waist, noting the firmness of his muscles. “Inside.”
A whistle blew, and the cheering started. Viktor jerked them into motion, and it took a few steps to get into rhythm, but then they chanted, “Inside, outside, inside, outside,” faster and faster. With
each team they passed, Viktor seemed to lift her higher off the ground until she practically floated through the red streamer marking the finish line.
Stumbling to a halt, they grasped one another in a loose embrace to keep from falling.
“Oh my gosh, we crushed them!” Viktor’s arms encircled her shoulder in a celebratory hug. “We’re Chucho 2.0. Three-legged killers!”
Stilled by the strength of his embrace, she barely noticed the commotion around them. “I thought you said no more three-legged cats.”
“We’re not cats,” he said, still holding her tight. “We’re something else.”
Angelika grinned and buried her face in his chest. “Yeah, we are.”
His fingers gently caressed the hair at the nape of her neck for the briefest moment before he let go. “Come on, let’s get untied. It’s one thing to win a race, but I’m not taking you with me to the bathroom or anything.”
“Ew!” She gave him a playful shove, remembering too late that if he fell, so did she. Flailing for balance, she toppled on top of him, laughing.
Again the world stood motionless except for the exaggerated beating of her heart. His eyes locked with hers, full of mirth and a sweet searching expression. “Are you challenging me to a wrestling match?” he teased, his lip curling in an adorable way she’d never seen before.
“Looks like I already pinned you.” She flashed him a wicked grin before gently headbutting him.”
“Ow! Get off!” They rolled to one side, and Viktor fumbled with the scrap of cloth that bound their ankles together.
She glanced shyly at him, noting that his hand was sending heat waves rushing up her leg. “Need help?”
“I got it.” He finished untying the strip and stuffed it into his pocket. “Upsie Annie,” he said, standing and reaching a hand down to her. “Good job, partner. Do we go collect our prize now?”
Angelika looked at her hand in his. “Nah.” She admired his easy strength as he lifted her to her feet. “We know we won. That’s enough.”
They strolled away from the game field towards a low board fence on the property line. “You’d never catch anyone in the Giles family not bragging if they won something.”