Likeable

“Would you like more water?” Roman asked with a frown.
“No.” My voice was lifeless. I turned away from him and forced a smile that closely resembled a grimace.
“I just need you to hold me.” My voice broke. "Just hold me really tight."
Roman didn’t hesitate; he enveloped me in his strong, comforting arms.
“Tighter,” I instructed. I breath in the smell of him, mesmerized by the feel of his body against mine.
“You're my prayer, my everyday dream, my life. I can't fathom how I could've lived without you for as long as I have." When the lump in my throat subsided, I continued. "I've never seen anything as beautiful as you, it just doesn't exist, I'm sure of it. I will love you, forever."
He pulled me away from him and shook his head, his eyes filled with panic. He was terrified, frightened. His hands moved over my face, gently, palm down. “Don’t do that!”
I frowned. “Do what?”
“Stop saying it like you’re saying goodbye. Say something else... please.”
“No matter what happens now, I want you to know how lucky I am.”
He frowned for a second, uncomprehending, but then chuckled lightly. “I won’t let a headache take you away from me,” he promised.
I grimaced, glaring at the floor and felt his questioning eyes on my face. “I know.”
He took me in his arms again and for a long moment I allowed myself not to feel anything.
“Roman,” I mumbled against his chest, slowly stepping away from his arms. I quickly threw down another glass of water, I realized my hands were trembling. “I need you to do something for me.”
“Anything,”
“I think Jennie's in trouble, I have this weird feeling that all is not what it seems, that there's no calm. It's a dream I had, that I still don't remember. I remember small pieces. It's a puzzle.”
He might have cringed at the word 'Jennie’ – but I couldn't be sure, my eyes were clouded with confusion.
"Okay?" He was sceptical now, voice cautious, eyes guided.
"So tomorrow after school is over, I'd like to come see Jennie."
He frowned. "Sure. But what's the favor?"
"I'd like to come alone, please."
He was puzzled by my unusual request. "Um... Er... Hmm..." he answered, pondering the situation. "Okay, I guess."
"I was just having breakfast," I said, breaking the awkward silence. "Can I get you something?"
"Yes, please."
"Follow me," I said, walking to the kitchen. I was glad I cleaned before he got here.
He sat in my previous seat and I noted how bright now, in his presence, the room suddenly was.
I made him cereal and he watched me sit opposite him at the small square table.
"What did Albert say?" I picked up my spoon and filled it with the milk that had turned brown.
Roman stiffened. "Some... man asked him to kill me."
"Why?" I frowned.
"He said he didn't ask questions, all he knows is that the man wants me dead."
I watched him eat, I gulped, there was something he wasn't telling me, something he was unwilling to share.
"You believe him?"
"Yes..." he hesitated, and clenched his jaw, and I just knew he was hiding something important. It was the classic look he wore when he was trying to keep something from me. Something he thought I couldn't handle. "I shot his leg. By then he was telling me everything he knows."
"Oh?" I glanced at him. He was definitely hiding something. "Do you perhaps think it's Nikolai?"
"No," Roman said. "He wouldn't hire someone like Albert. He has access to professional hitman, people trained to make brutal murders look like accidents. Assassins"
"What, Roman?" I demanded. "What aren't you telling me?"
He shook his head and faced away from me.
"Is it Nikolai?" I continued.
He ground his teeth and his jaw flexed.
"Please tell me. I'm nervous already, if he wanted to hurt you, they'll be nothing stopping him from hurting Jennie—" I cut short.
He tensed at the word Jennie.
"Jennie," I said to myself, watching Roman carefully. I frowned. What did this have to do with Jennie.
"Is it Jennie?"
He shook his head, scowling.
"Do you suppose Jennie —"
"Nuru... please."
I ignored his evasiveness. "Give me a hint... please?"
"Please let it go, Nuru."
His eyes flashed to my face and away. I decided to let it go — for now. But Jennie...
"Have any suspects?" I asked.
He sighed. "Not really."
I was confused. "Why are you so calm about this?"
"Calm?" He asked but his voice was level, maybe a little bit too even. "Not at all."
After breakfast I showered while Roman did the dishes. We watched the TV with no interest, I was sitting on his lap, my face nuzzled against his neck, breathing in the breathtaking smell of his skin.
"Where's your mother?" He hid the panic in his eyes almost too well.
"I don't know."
He hesitated for a second before he asked, "Nikolai?"
The immeasurable fear was back again. "Haven't seen him since I got here."
"They can't find me here, I think I should leave." He got up to leave.
I could feel the blood pulsing cold in my veins. My heart was racing in my chest.
"No!" I shrieked, panicking and grabbing a handful of his jacket into my hands. "Just don't leave me."
"Relax, Nuru," he sighed and freed himself from my grip. "I'll stay if you want."
"Promise?"
"Stop overreacting," he told me, sitting back down.
I didn't sit down, yet. I wanted to make sure he wouldn't leave. "Will you stay?" I asked stubbornly, ignoring his reluctance.
"I'm staying — I promise."
"Thanks."
"But Nikolai —"
"I doubt they'll be home earlier than this evening." I felt a chill when I thought of seeing Jennie again. "My mother is ignoring me."
"Why?"
"We fought."
I heard his heart stop and his eyes narrowed on my face. "We 'fought' means?"
"I said some things that I shouldn't have — not that they weren't true — but I'm a child and I ought to respect her and the decisions she makes... even if I disagree with her parenting skills."
He gazed into the television set absentmindedly, his eyes narrowed, he was still upset about Albert, I guessed or about the fight I had with Jennie or he honestly was paying attention to the movie — Roman was a difficult person to 'read.'
"What's bothering you?" I said, breaking into his reverie.
"Hmm...?"
"Something is bothering you and I want you to tell me what it is."
"Yeah..." he looked away from the TV and into my curious gaze. "Nikolai knows about everything. That would explain why he is always careful not to say anything incriminating, even if he's talking to the phone."
"So you have wires all over the house?"
"No, just the kitchen, lounge and his cellphone."
"So you have no idea what goes on in his bedroom?"
"Hell no." He grimaced. "I'd never do that."
We lapsed into silence and sometime during those five hours I fell asleep. It was after five in the evening when Roman shook me awake.
He carried me from the lounge to the kitchen.
My protests fell on deaf ears. He sat me on the kitchen counter and pulled a chair from the lounge for himself while I slid down and flicked the light on. The kitchen glowed in his presence.
“What’s for dinner?” I asked coming to a stand next to him.
“Pickled fish.” He mumbled.
I frowned hating the tortured look on his face.
I pursed my lips as I thought through my attempt to lighten the mood. “I don’t know if we have the ingredients for puckered fish," I teased, hoping to interrupt the faraway look in his eyes.
“Pickled fish, Nuru,” he laughed. But it was one short laugh and a heavy sigh followed it. At least it had the desired effect. “Yes you do.”
“How would you know that?” I raised my eyebrows. “You know what? I don’t even want to know.”
He laughed and then his face was suddenly serious. "You coming home tonight?"
Home? I thought. My heart shifting unsteadily. Amazing how I called this Jennie's house but Roman's house, I easily called it home.
"Of course..." I paused, hesitating.
“But…?”
“Well.. I was hoping to introduce you to my mother tonight.”
He let out an uneven hiss.
“Are you nervous?” I asked him.
“Yes,” he admitted as he sliced the onions. He sounded surprised. "And besides your mother already knows me."
"Roman, she thinks that you're sleeping with me." I glared at him. "She doesn't know that I'm... well, we're seeing each other."
"Look Nuru, I—"
"What's really going on here Roman?"
“I’m afraid she won’t like me, that she’ll think I’m not good enough for you.”
I waved my hand dismissively. "She'll love you."
"Er... okay," he mumbled with unease. “Can you pass the vinegar?”
I frowned. How did he know it was in the cupboard next to me? “White or —"
“Brown,” He interrupted.
I watched him as he worked, his face would tilt up as though to look at me but then he'd lower his eyes again with a sigh. He didn't dare look up past my lips. I felt this was deliberate.
“Should I introduce you as my friend then?” I asked, aware of his hesitation.