The Way We Were (Denis Shaforostov, Asking Alexandria, Denis Stoff)

2. Not so welcome back

Vivian-

The door Immediately swung open and I looked up to see Denis.

My breathing hitched when I saw him, he didn't look at all like I pictured him.

His brown hair was long, reaching just over his ears, styled in a messy way. While his face had grown into one of a man, his brown eyes soft. His nose had a ring in it, surprising me, along with his height, towering over me by almost six inches. But by far, the most surprising thing was the tattoos. He had a large owl that was shown on his chest by a V- neck Shirt, and his arms were covered in tattoo sleeves.

As intimidating as he looked, he grew up nicely.

"Viv?" He sounded surprised.

"Hi Denis." I offered him a small smile.

"Viv, you grew up....wow." He sounded like he was struggling for words.

"Yes that is what happens when you get older....you grow." I said awkwardly.

"Come on in. Dinner is about ready." He opened the door.

"Thanks." I stepped awkwardly into my own home.

This was way too awkward.

I put my book bag down onto the shelf by the door, grabbing my test from earlier and carrying it with me as I walked to the kitchen to greet my mother.

"Hey Mum." I smiled, kissing her cheek, as I grabbed a my file of tests from a drawer.

"Oh! Vivian, what did you get on this one?" She asked.

"Perfect score. Not surprising. I worked my butt off on those algorithms." I smiled, very aware of the fact that Denis and his family were watching us.

"Vivian!" Mrs. Stoff stood up and hugged me.

"You've gotten so big!" She squealed.

"No she hasn't." Denis chuckled.

I raised my eyebrow at him.

"Denis!" His mother looked appalled.

"She has barely grown since we left." He chuckled, clearly amused at his mother's outburst.

"He's just kidding." She glared at him. "You've grown into a beautiful young lady."

"Thanks." I smiled, beginning to help my mother set the table.

"So Vivian, what do you do outside of school?" Mrs. Stoff asked.

"School."

"What she means is that she doesn't have much time for anything outside of school with her schedule. Right Viv?"

"Right mom." I rolled my eyes.

I didn't like this one bit.

I would rather be at Maddie's, or in my room working.

I felt uncomfortable with all of this attention.

"What about you Denis?" My mother asked.

"I'm very into music." He smiled.

"Oh really?" My mom was suddenly very intrigued as we all sat down at the table for dinner.

"Yes he's the reason we moved back here. He joined a band." His mother smiled proudly.

"Well then we will have to see you preform sometime." My mother smiled.

"Sounds like a plan."

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When dinner ended I was ready to bolt.

"Mom I have another test tomorrow, could I go study?" I asked.

"Oh...well I was thinking that you and Denis could go out and do something, just like old times."

Just like old times.

Before he cut off contact.

"This is really important." I sighed.

"Fine. Take Denis with you, he is gonna have a lot of your classes so maybe you can help get him up to speed." She suggested.

Oh joy.

I got up and washed my dish, along with his and placed them into the dishwasher, quickly grabbing my bag and going up the staircase and into my room.

It was so tidy, everything in its place. I sat down at my desk, pulling out my book, beginning to scratch away at equations.

I loved math, it could always calm me down.

Denis walked around picking things up and studying them.

"You know that's really distracting." I said, not looking up from my work.

"I can't believe you still have this." He chuckled, picking up a framed picture of us when we were eight years old, I had a princess dress on and he was dressed as a prince.

"I have a lot of pictures in here from when I was young." I played it off.

I had really kept it because it was my favorite picture of Denis and me.

"It's probably the only thing in this room that hasn't changed." He smiled.

"Well a lot changes in eight years." I took the frame from him and placed it back on the dresser.

I felt bad giving him the cold shoulder, but he had done it to me seven years ago.

"Who is this?" He asked, picking up a picture of Maddie and I.

"Maddie. She's my best friend." I smiled.

He held his chest.

"That hurts. We were best friends." He faked offense.

"Well when you stopped talking to me I kinda got the hint." I went back to working on my math.

He sighed walking over to the window and pulling back the curtains.

"Remember when we used to climb back and forth from each other's rooms." He smiled at me.

I got up and looked out the window, our windows faced each other, only a few feet apart.

"Yeah." I laughed. "I remember the time you almost fell too."

"So how was Ukraine?" I asked.

"It was wonderful." He smiled. He had picked up an accent while he was there.

"I can hear the Ukranian accent." I laughed.

"It's sexy isn't it." He chuckled.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." I smirked.

"You would like Ukraine. I'll have to take you sometime."

"That would require me having the time." I laughed.

"What? Too busy for me?" He raised his eyebrow.

"N....no, I uh just have a lot of schoolwork."

"You actually do your work?" He looked surprised.

"I'm going to be valedictorian."

"Wow. That's impressive." He nodded.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Denis!" His mother yelled from downstairs.

"Coming!" He responded.

"I guess I'll see you in the morning."

"What for?" I raised my eyebrow, taken aback by his charm and confidence.

"You are driving me to school." He smirked. "Goodnight Viv."

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A/N: Thanks for all of the love on this book I have gotten so far!