Page 105 of Kadra: The Unfeeling

Mikhail.

But it can’t be… can it?

“Sirius… let’s go.” I’m pulled away from my thoughts by the gentle touch of my sister on my arm. I turn my gaze toward her to find that she’s no longer crying. Her green eyes no longer have tears in them but I know better. Our grandmother’s departure did severe damage to my sister’s heart.

Looking over my shoulder, I’m disappointed to find that the dark figure has disappeared.

“Sirius… are you okay?” Arianna holds my hand tighter. Over the years Arianna has changed. She’s never been as warm and loving as Mila but she has always been there for us on our good days but most importantly on our bad days.

Lately, she’s distanced herself from us and it hurts.

But I guess we all must do what helps us keep our head above water. I just wish it were different. I wish we could go back to the time when we were all each other needed to survive.

Time must’ve gotten away from me while I was too busy with thoughts inside my head that I didn’t notice the burial ceremony had ended and the guests had left. Even Gabriele left. He couldn’t wait to be done burying his mother and carry on with his miserable life.

How heartless can one be?

“I’ll be right back.” I squeeze her hand, ignoring her confused frown as I turn away and walk towards where I last saw the man. It doesn’t escape me with every step I take that this is the way to Amadeo’s resting place.

Mikhail.

I hurry my steps feeling the need to see him rise. My heart, which beats slowly on a normal day, starts to beat abnormally fast. When I reached Amadeo’s gravestone I noticed the wet footprints. Large footprints.

Was he here?

I look for anything that might tell me if he was here like last time when I found a black Trojan figurine but everything is as usual but then I see it. The black rose on top of Amadeo’s headstone.

Thump.

Thump.

I know it’s wrong.

Feeling anything at all for a stranger who I might add is much older than I am is wrong.

Yet my heart doesn’t seem to understand that. All I know is that the man with gray eyes makes life a little less dull and a lot more exciting.

Because even though my heart is grieving today, it’s also beating steadily and hard for someone it shouldn’t want.

Picking up the rose, I bring it to my nose and breathe in the lovely smell.

No one has ever given me a rose before or anything that made me smile aside from my sisters. No one has ever cared before.

Until Mikhail.

I walked out of the cemetery with a smile on my face and one single black rose close to my heart.

* * *

I should have known something was up when a knock sounded on my door but no one was on the other side. What waited for me was a red rose bouquet the size of Azariel.

Red roses. They remind me of that one rose I found on top of a gravestone the day I put my Nonna to rest.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

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