Chapter 5

Alexis sat cross-legged on her bed and stared at her cousin, who was
sitting on the sofa across from her, staring at his luggage on the floor.
He had arrived unexpectedly, but hadn't said a word. She had been
trying to figure out what he was thinking for the last fifteen minutes. It wasn't working. He had always been of a serious nature, so his silence wasn't that surprising. Still, something told her this was different. It was time to find out what was wrong.

"Stefan," she said. He didn't seem to hear her, or was ignoring her. "Stefan," she said more loudly. Still no reaction. "Stefan!" she nearly shouted.

His head popped up. "I'm sorry. Yes?"

"This food you brought is going to get cold soon and I warn you all I have is coffee and a stale bag of popcorn."

He mustered a small smile and took the Chinese take-out from her hands. "Thank you."

Before he could go into his reverie again, Alexis asked, "You want to talk about it?"

"About what?"

"Whatever it is that's bothering you. Did Helena or Stav--?"

Stefan shook his head. "No, no, it wasn't them, for once, though Stavros did call me that day I called you."

"What did he want?" Alexis asked, her tone cold.

"Nothing important." Stefan smiled wickedly. "Helena was forcing him to go to an elegant dinner."

Alexis snickered. "I hope she brought his bib and leash." More seriously she said, "I'm sure it wasn't a pleasant conversation, to say the least. I don't see why you go back there at all."

Stefan shrugged. "I don't do it that often, and when I do, I live apart from them. It's not that bad."

"Right, and vultures are sweet, innocent creatures," Alexis said sarcastically.

"Alexis..."

She sighed, "Fine, okay, I'll drop it. So what is bothering you, if it's not them?"

"I met someone... I should let you study."

"Please, I'm brilliant, I'll have no trouble passing." At his unconvinced look, she added, "I already studied, don't worry. You met someone?"

He hesitated a moment, and then nodded. He needed to tell someone, and Alexis was the only one who could really understand him.

"And?" she prompted.

"And nothing. She's getting married."

"Oh," Alexis said, trying to keep the relief from her voice. She didn't think she liked the idea of sharing Stefan's love. Stefan looked up at her and the sadness in his green eyes tugged at her heart. She was being selfish. "When did this happen?" she asked.

"I met her yesterday, though I had met her sister the day before. She was standing across the street, so I couldn't talk to her, only see her."

"She's pretty then," Alexis remarked.

"Beautiful," Stefan corrected.

"I'm sorry she's getting married," Alexis said sincerely. "Maybe..."

Stefan gave her a sad smile and shook his head. "No, it wouldn't have made a difference if she were single. Haven't you thought that it's selfish for me to fall in love? What could I bring to the relationship? My great family life?" he asked bitterly

"Stop right there. That's them talking, not you," Alexis said firmly. "You definitely deserve someone to fall in love with."

"What about you?," Stefan countered. "You haven't had any relationships... that I know about, that is."

"I'm a busy woman, I don't have time for romance," Alexis quipped. "Besides, all the guys here are immature, and they don't want to deal with someone with so much baggage. Not that I blame them."

"You would make a man very happy, Alexis. Don't you ever think about marriage or having children?" Stefan asked.

Alexis shuddered at the thought. "I can't think of anything more petrifying. Do you think it's all really worth it?"

"I don't know. I don't even know what I'm feeling. I do know she was attracted to me. We kissed, and it wasn't a simple, good-bye kiss. We both felt something."

"Then maybe she won't get married, maybe one day you two will meet again and… it could happen," Alexis finished.

"Not likely," Stefan said. "Let's be realistic, Alexis. Maybe I'm reading too much into it. What good are dreams anyway?"

"That's true," Alexis agreed, nodding. "Nothing beats cold, hard facts. Books are much easier to understand and you don't have to worry about getting hurt."

They pondered the bleakness of their outlook in silence as they stared at their food, neither hungry anymore. Alexis threw a fortune cookie at Stefan and said, "Here, maybe this will help you more than I can."

"Just having you listen to me is a help, Alexis."

Alexis regarded him skeptically. She read her fortune cookie aloud. "'A life with love will have some thorns, but a life without love will have no roses.' What about yours?"

"The impossible is often the untried," Stefan read.

"Oh, what do they know anyway," Alexis muttered as she threw the piece of paper away. She popped the cookie in her mouth. "Mmm, good stuff though."

"You have an exam tomorrow, don't you?" Stefan got up and started clearing the mounds of books from her bed. "Since you already studied, you need to rest."

"That's probably a good idea, it's going to be a killer."

"I'm sure you will do brilliantly, as always," Stefan said. "Have I told you how proud I am of you?"

Alexis looked down, willing back the tears that threatened to come forth. She looked up, her eyes betraying the vulnerability she tried so hard to conceal, giving her face an almost childlike quality. "You'll stay with me tonight?" she asked, searching his face.

"Of course," Stefan promised. "That sofa is very comfortable, I could stay here forever."

Alexis smiled widely. "Consider it yours. Good night, Stefan." She got under the covers and, unlike many other restless nights, quickly fell asleep.

Stefan looked at his cousin's sleeping face and smiled. He leaned down and placed a small kiss on her forehead. He turned off the lamp and went back to the couch and stretched out, trying to find a comfortable position. He looked into the darkness and determined to forget about Laura.