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I’m much smarter than that.

But I am afraid of dating. I got into a fight with my sister and her best friend who were trying to help me. They wanted me to spend more time with someone who seems like a pretty great guy. Were they putting me in a stall? Were they trying to get me past my irrational fears?

Or am I right? Am I better off just avoiding stalls and double blanketing for cold snaps?

I glance at Alexei out of the corner of my eye on the way home. He’s staring out the window, watching as the city roads transition to country ones. The world has changed in a blink for him, but he’s taking it well. He’s magical. He seems noble of mind, but he’s literally noble of blood.

In spite of that, he’s a pretty decent guy.

Not that any of it matters. He told me himself that he should find someone much better than me. It’s a relief that’s what he wants. Clearly we’re a very bad mismatch. But when I look down at his hand, his large, strong, warm hand, mine moves toward it slightly, my fingers stretching apart.

“What are you doing?”

My head snaps up, my eyes meeting his curious ones. “Nothing.”

“Did you drop something?” His eyes search the seat between us and the floorboard. “Is it small?”

Heat rises in my cheeks. “No, I didn’t.”

He stops. “Is everything alright?”

I spin back toward the window and press my face against it. “Fine.”

But every time I glance his way the rest of the ride, he’s looking at me. I hate it.

And I love it.

I hate that I love it.

When we park, I practically sprint away from the car and toward my apartment. I’m opening the door when I hear Alexei say my name.

Irritatingly, it lifts my spirits.

Mom’s watching the television inside so intently that she hasn’t even noticed I’m home, so I turn around.

It’s not only Alexei. Kristiana’s next to him. “You forgot your purse.”

Alexei holds it out toward me.

I’m reaching for it when something from the television catches my attention.

“When the State Duma indicted the President, no one thought that the Federation Council would vote to impeach him, but now it’s happened. The Prime Minister was dismissed just two weeks before and hasn’t yet been replaced. The Russian government’s currently facing a state of crisis like none we have seen in recent history.”

Alexei’s face is frozen, his eyes concerned.

And I can’t help thinking about what he told me before. As long as the people of Russia are free and well cared for, there’s no reason to take measures to regain his position.

But what about now?

20

I knew that there had been a President who was impeached in the United States. We learned about it in school. But then I remembered that Russia has also had it happen three times.

So it’s big news, but it’s hardly shocking news.

Alexei and Aleksandr and Grigoriy leave rather quickly, presumably to keep talking about the history of Russia—from 1917 when they all went to sleep until now—until they can’t talk anymore. That’s fine with me. I haven’t really seen my mother in more than two weeks.

Not that I’m expecting my time with her to be relaxing.