The 4th CRIME

Chapter 11

"Can you stop that?" I snapped aggressively as I glared at Czar, "every f*****g morning I have to listen to your loud chewing. Can you close your f*****g mouth?" 

Czar seemed nonchalant with my outburst, just looked at me with a blank look and continued his loud chewing, purposely chewing even louder than before and opening his filthy mouth even more. 

"That's it, I'm killing you," I said as I picked up the butter knife and threw it in his direction, aiming for his eye, but he swiftly caught it and then threw it down before picking up his spoon which still held some of his cereal and flung it at me. 

"Try again, b***h," Czar responded as I jumped from my side of the table. 

"Mama!" Victoria yelled from the top of her lungs, "Czar and Natalya are fighting and swearing again!" 

I turned to glare at Victoria who looked at me with a raised eyebrow and a small smirk. 

"I know for sure it's Natalya who's swearing," I heard my mother comment in English as she walked into the dining room with Nikita,Viktor and Karik running ahead of her uncontrollably, already dressed in their school uniforms. 

"What the hell is your problem, Natalya?" She asked with a pointed look and then picked up Nikita to sit her besides me. 

I sat down in my chair, "it was Czar, he was chewing loudly and he swore me as well." 

"Why do you have to lie, Natalya?" My mother asked with a sigh as she placed Viktor and Karik at different chairs, away from each other because they got distracted easily and would end up fighting, then cry, then fight some more, then someone will get hurt and it's just a long sickening process when they sit together. 

I chose to not respond. I know my mother won't believe that Czar did anything wrong. If it was my father, he would believe me though. 

"Are you feeling better today?" My mother asked me as she leaned down and planted a kiss on my forehead even though I tried to move away from her. There's no way I'm going to let her be all nice to me after she just scolded me. 

I just nodded in response and looked at Nikita as she smiled at me, silently eating her toast but her eyes on me as I stared at her. Nikita is exactly as her name means, unbeatable, supreme and invincible- yeah, at the age of four. She never backed down from any challenge and she's amazing with knives and daggers- swift and quick, that most times my mother will refuse for her to spend time with my father. 

Nikita is my favourite sibling and everyone knows that. Taking care of Nikita isn't a problem at all because she's a replica of me and is my mini twin. She and I are as close as siblings can be. 

Viktor and Karik on the other hand...not much good can be said about those two rascals. Viktor is serious, perhaps too serious and intelligent for a 4 year old. He's got the memory of an elephant and his nickname is sponge because he sucks in all information like a sponge sucks in water and never lets it out until squeezed. 

Karik...oh Karik- he’s the special triplet. He's always bullying Viktor and is a big baby. Also, he's not so bright, but don't let that fool you, when that little rascal needs to get away from a beating, he can run like the Flash. 

Karik and Viktor are inseparable. If you walk through the house and find Karik and Viktor just sitting together and grinning like fools, it's most likely they've started a fire, tied up their nannies and ready to blow up the entire estate. This has happened before, numerous times. 

Nikita, Viktor and Karik aren't actually triplets. When my mother fell pregnant with Victoria, there was a lot more complications in regards to my mother's health as well as Victoria's health. After giving birth to Victoria, my mother had slipped into a coma for three days and it seemed as though she wasn't going to survive but thankfully she made it and she and my father decided to not have any more children. 

Of course it was just a spur of the moment for my father because years later, he wanted kids and my mother unwilling to fall pregnant again, both agreed to look at other ways of having kids. And the idea of a surrogate came up. 

So why have one surrogate, when you can have three and get "triplets". Viktor is the oldest by 10 days and Nikita is older than Karik by three days. They of course don't know that and share 1 birthday to further enforce the idea of them being actual triplets. 

"Periods," I heard suddenly and I blinked as I looked at Nikita who had an innocent smile on her face.

"Excuse me?" I asked as I looked at her and furrowed my eyebrows, "what did you just say?" 

"Periods," she repeated and I could feel my expression change. Oh god. 

"Hush, Nikita," I said softly as I passed her a chocolate bar and she happily ate it, long forgotten the word periods. 

I stood from my chair as I leaned down and kissed Nikita on the cheek, exiting the dining room because I had to be at school earlier, due to being Mr Kim's class assistant. I don't know where he and I stand but I was dreading today because I have never been in situation like this before. How do I even act around him now? I mean it won't be difficult to act nonchalant and like nothing happened but internally is where the problem lies. 

I just hope this detention nonsense will be over with and I won't be forced to see him anymore than I have to. I just need him to stay away from me so that nothing ever happens like that again. 

This is why I preferred to be alone and by myself because then I wouldn't be in this situation with this man. He just kept pushing and trying me and look to where it's led us. I could care less about his girlfriend, she's not my problem. I care more about myself and how this has managed to bother me. 

I don't know why I can't just forget about it because every night since that day I can't get it out of my head. And I can't get over the sickening regret of having not let nature take its course. How embarrassing to be feeling the way I do towards a grown man. I mean, sure I had a crush on Uncle Hedeon, my father's best friend and bodyguard, but it was only for a month before I couldn't believe I had ever felt as such. 

So maybe I should wait this one out, it will surely end the same way and there'd be nothing to be ashamed of. I just hope that Mr Kim doesn't bring it up, or he'll at least apologise and then stay out of my way and act like nothing happened. But you never know what that fool is thinking. 

~~~

"Natalya..." Mr Kim said softly as he stood by the door and I appeared besides him, waiting for him to unlock and open the door so I can look at what he needs help with, as agreed before I got sick. 

"Morning, Mr Kim," I greeted, nonchalantly, keeping my tone as I always kept it with him and he raised an eyebrow, a confused, worried and panicked expression on his face. 

"Morning," he responded hesitantly as he opened the door and I waited for him to walk in first before I followed after him and walked to my seat, leaving my bag by my place before walking to his table. Looking at all of the worksheets he had stacked there. 

"Is there any copies I need to make?" I asked him, paying attention to the worksheets and he was quiet for a while before he cleared his throat. 

"Uh," he paused, "no, there's just worksheets that need to be stapled." 

I nodded, picking up the stapler as I got to work and we worked in silence. I could feel his eyes on me and I could practically hear his heart racing as I carried on quietly. Just hoping he wouldn't say anything about what happened that day. 

"Natalya, we need to talk..." And I spoke too soon. I raised my head and looked at him, a blank look on my face. 

"About what, Mr Kim?" I asked him, acting oblivious to what he wanted to talk about. I hope he'll get the hint and realise that I don't want to talk about it, but with Mr Kim, things don't go the way I want. 

"Ab-" 

"Mr Kim," both of our heads turned to look to the door where our principal stood and I bit back a smirk as I looked back down at the worksheets and carried on with my work. 

"There's a teacher's meeting," he informed, speaking in Russian because he was a hard core Russian man who despised the English language. If it were up to him, English wouldn't be taught at the school because he sees no use in it. 

He's openly expressed that those who speak English are nothing but snobs with no self-respect, speaking a weak tongue that held no strength. He's completely entitled to his opinion though, no matter how ludicrous. There were many people who felt the same way and I probably would have too, if my mother didn't speak English. But she spoke Russian most of the time and English when she was irritated or upset. 

Mr Kim nodded and placed his briefcase on the table, fixing his tie before walking to our principal and both men left me in the room alone as I carried on with the task and slowly the class began to fill up. 

The rest of the school day went normally for me. I irritated Czar during break, I ignored teachers during class, I wrote tests and got B's, I listened to the usual conversations about parties and girls from different students. 

I covered my mouth as I yawned, pulling my bag with me as I walked down the hallway following the mass of students so that I can go home. I wasn't in the mood to stay for detention, I was still experiencing some pains and I just wanted to go home, put a hot water bottle on my stomach and lay down. 

"Sorry, Natalya," I heard someone call me and I turned to see one of the students from the lower grades calling me, "Mr Kim says that he needs to have a word with you." The student said nervously before the young freckled faced girl looked down and rushed away. 

I rolled my eyes as I walked to his class which was a couple of doors down from where I was walking so I had to walk back the way I came. 

I entered his classroom and found him sitting by his desk, marking scripts, "yes, Mr Kim?" I asked in English as I walked to his table and stood a few feet away, watching as he raised his head from looking down and looked at me. 

"Natalya, I just..." He sighed as he placed the pen back down on the table and then stood, "about what happened the other day, I just- I don't know what got into-" 

I raised my hand stopping him, "if you don't say anything, it'll be like it never happened," I tried to stop him. 

"No, I just, I apologize- I am so sorry for what happened and it will never happen again. I don't know what came over me but I will never disrespect you like that again. What I did was completely inappropriate and out of turn, I don't know what came over me. I would never take advantage of a student, Miss Hutcherson, never," he apologised as he walked around the table and to me, taking slow steps with his hands raised, getting his point across, "it will never happen again and to make sure it doesn't, you don't have to stay for detention anymore and you don't have to be my class assistant anymore." 

I nodded, "I understand, thank you, Mr Kim," I said, not knowing if I can leave now or if he was expecting me to comment on his apology. I rolled my eyes inwardly, knowing I'll have to at least soothe his guilty conscience even though I liked the thought of him being miserable, "it was no big deal, Mr Kim, I know you'll never take advantage of a student..." 

"I really wouldn't, that's the first time I've ever stepped so out of turn," he defended. 

"Well, let's hope it’s the last," I cut through, "but it's long forgotten." 

He let out a breath, placing his hand on his waist as though he had been holding his breath, "do you accept my apology?" 

What is wrong with this man? Did I not just say that it was alright? Either this man just doesn't understand English or he's stupid. 

"You didn't tell anyone right?" He added and I raised an eyebrow. 

"What if I did?" His facial expression changed and I almost laughed, "no, I didn't, because like I said, it was no big deal." 

He nodded, running his hand through his hair and messing it up even more. "I apologize once again," he repeated before nodding as indication that he was done speaking. 

"May I take my leave?" He nodded and I nodded in response, "enjoy the rest of your day." I said as I looked at him and he bit his bottom lip as he looked back at me. Waiting for me to leave and me waiting for my legs to move but I couldn't look away from his eyes. 

I blinked, and he did too, before I looked away and pulled my bag with me, walking to my awaiting car with my driver standing by my door, holding it open for me. 

He apologised and that's all that matters to me. I am no longer his class assistant and I no longer have to stay for his silly detention. I should have been happy, which I was, but I should be thinking of places I was going to nap when I got home, not his darkened eyes which looked almost black and his lips. 

~~~