Twist (Off Balance 4)

Within seconds I was in the lobby throwing myself into my best friend's open arms. She caught me and I wrapped my legs around her like I was a damn spider monkey. She stumbled back but luckily for both of us regained her footing.

"Adrianna!" she squealed in my ear. I almost cried hearing her voice in person. "Oh my God, you're squeezing me to death. Let go." She feigned a choking sound.

I chuckled as she released me. Our hands joined together and we stood inches from each other.

"I can't believe you're here! I figured not for a few more days!" I said.

"I wanted to surprise you, so I came early!"

I was so happy, tears filled my eyes. I hugged her again and squeezed. "You don't know how much I've missed you. How long are you here for?"

"For however long I want to be. I don't have a schedule."

"I'm so excited!" I nodded with a stupid grin on my face.

The door chimed and in walked the definition of a perfect woman.

Katja.

She looked directly at me and I mused to myself that I didn't even know her last name. Not that it mattered anymore since she was now a Kournakova.

"Adrianna."

Her Russian accent was thicker than Kova's. She looked at Avery with questionable eyes, raking a bitter glance down her body. I swallowed nervously, thinking about how the last time I saw her Kova had kicked her out of his office for me.

"Hi, Katja," I said quietly just to be nice.

"Does Konstantin know you are out here?"

An odd question, and I decided not to answer her. She didn't need to know he gave me permission.

Katja made a little sound under her breath and squinted toward the windows that led to the gym. I looked at Avery, who wore the same baffled expression as I did. We both shrugged at the same time and laughed.

"You're so tan," I said to her. "Just like Ba—"

She pointed her index finger at me and raised one brow. "Don't you dare say Barbie, bitch. You know I hate that fucking shit."

I laughed as she scolded me. But she did. She was a life-like version of Barbie but with deep sun-kissed skin I envied. Aside from my Italian roots that blessed me with a Mediterranean tone, I was pale in comparison to her, and now I would always be because of the reaction the sun caused in conjunction with lupus.

"Fine. You look like Paris Hilton."

Her face scrunched up. "Ewww. A walking disease?"

I laughed. "Taylor Swift?"

Her eyes sparkled. "Much better."

"I have to finish up. I have about two hours left. Do you want to wait or go straight to my condo?"

"I'll wait. I don't mind."

"Sweet. I was hoping you'd say that." I smiled from ear to ear. "Ah! I’m so happy you're here!"

I opened the door that led to the gym, and for the second time today, something caught my attention. But it wasn't a color this time. It was Katja’s hushed words drifting through the air, and I frowned. Her giddiness caused me to stall with my hand on the knob.

I fought with myself. I didn't want to turn around to see what she was doing, but I did anyway. I learned from Kova that everything she did had a motive, so her presence at World Cup meant something. I watched Katja hold her stomach as she spoke to a parent from one of the teams and I caught the faint purr of broken English that nipped my mended heart. I saw smiles and I swear I heard blessings of some sort.

"Hey," Avery said softly. Her brows were bunched together as she glanced over my shoulder. "Ignore that dirty gnat and whatever you heard. I have a feeling not everything is what it seems with her."