Forgive Me (complete)

Prolouge

The shrill scream of my alarm clock tore through the silent morning. I groaned and reached for the monstrosity, but couldn't find it with only my hands. I finally peeked over at my nightstand to silence it once and for all.

Right.

I moved it across the room so I couldn't ignore it.

I threw my gray comforter away from my petite frame knowing the crisp morning air would cause me to shiver. I hated that my parents insisted on hardwood floors; they were always cold despite the time of year. Naturally, the winter made them more unbearable.

I rubbed my eyes and yawned. The first day back to school after winter break was always the worst. At least this would be the last semester I spent in high school. I don't think I could handle another year of this. It would be a nice change of pace to be in college, surrounded by others that value their education as I did. I found high school to be monotonous though I'm sure some of the college courses I'll need to take will bore me but at least it won't be high school.

I started my glass stand-alone shower and discarded my PJ's into the white hamper. I always hated showering in the morning for the same reason I hated hardwood floors in the morning; I hated the cold. Granted, summer has never done me any favors, but I would take summer over winter any day. Though I did wonder what a real fall and spring felt like. Being native to California, I had never experienced a real spring or real fall. It was either stifling hot or freezing cold, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I loved it which is probably why I only applied to colleges in California; the furthest being a couple hours up north. I knew my parents wanted me to stay relatively close and my recent ex boyfriend had demanded it. I knew Ivan meant well but he had a temper that only I seemed to set off. I drew the line when he accidentally left bruises on my arms and back from a fight we had. Maybe losing me for awhile would show him he couldn't treat me like that. He couldn't lose his temper on me when something else pissed him off.

I shut off the water and towel dried my hair. My mom would be making breakfast about now so I hurried to dry my waist-length medium blonde hair. I never did anything besides blow dry since it fell in natural waves.

I made my way down one hallway lined with only giant, floor to ceiling windows on one side. My mother put so much work into the fairy tale style backyard that my father had the walls knocked down and replaced with windows so we could view it at all times. I turned down another hall leading me through the open foyer to the kitchen.

I took a seat at the marble countertop island and watched my mother's thin frame cooking eggs and bacon.

"Morning, Katrina. Eggs?" Her heavy Russian accent would be difficult for some to understand but I grew up with it.

"Sure," I responded with a light yawn.

She placed a plate in front of me and leaned against the island.

"Thanks."

She nodded lightly in response and watched as I ate. I felt like there was something she wanted to talk to me about but she wouldn't bring it up until I asked. That was just the way she was. I loved that my mother would try to stay out of my business as much as she could allow herself seeing as she was raised in Russia by a very orthodox family where her parents were always in her life. She was under constant scrutiny and pressure from her parents to do well and marry wealthy. They wanted her to have an education but to depend on her husband for income. Of course, she did just that. She went to school, became a nurse practitioner and married my father the neurosurgeon.

"What," I asked.

"Would you mind coming home right after school?"

"Okay...Why?"

She shrugged and started cleaning up the pans, "Sonya is coming over this afternoon," she said absently.

I dropped my fork, "Sonya Sokolov?"

"She just wants to find out what happened," she tried.

"What's to find out? I broke up with Ivan, end of story."

I didn't tell anyone why I broke up with him, I just did it and said we weren't working out.

"She is concerned about you, Kat."

"She should mind her own business," I muttered.

"Katrina!"

I tuned out when she started scolding me in Russian. I just couldn't stand Ivan's mother constantly criticizing me. She loved that both of my parents are from Russia and that they cling to some old values but she hated me and the fact that I could think for myself. She thought I should keep my mouth shut and follow anything her youngest son told me to do. She never saw fault in him though I suppose since I never said anything about his temper she wouldn't understand my reasoning.

I sighed, "I'm not trying to be disrespectful. I just don't understand why she cares. It's not her relationship."

"I know but she already thinks of you as family, Kat. Please, just talk to her."

"I'll just call Ivan."

She smiled at me, "So you will try again?"

"I said I will call him. Maybe he's already moved on."

As I said that, a wave of panic shot through me. What if he HAD moved on. We had only been apart two weeks but he could have met someone in that time.

I pushed away from the island and walked quickly back to my room. I grabbed my phone and dialed his familiar number. I knew he didn't start his classes until the following week so I doubted he would be awake.

"Hello?" He grumbled into the phone. His accent was always much thicker when he first woke.

"Hi um...I'm sorry I woke you up. Do you want to call me later?" I rushed the words hoping he wouldn't hang up on me.

"Katrina? It's 7 in the morning. Is something wrong?" He asked slightly more awake. We rarely spoke English to each other since English wasn't our first language. I didn't learn until preschool and he lived in Russia until he was fifteen.

"Nothing is wrong...I just miss you..."

"You called me this early to tell me you miss me," he asked. I could hear the smirk in his voice, "Kat, I love you."

"Do you still?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course. Now what is this about?"

"I want to try again, Ivan."

He paused for a moment, "If that's what you want."

I smiled in relief, "That's exactly what I want."

"Good," he responded, "Would you like me to pick you up after school?"

"Sure."

"I'll see you at four, Kat. I love you."

"I love you too, Ivan."

I set my phone down, relieved he would take me back. I wasn't so sure it would be that simple but he loved me and that was all that mattered. Hopefully he had learned his lesson and would not repeat his mistakes.