5. Tatiana
Chapter five
Tatiana
"Brother fucker."
I tense. Not because I care what anyone thinks of me, but because I know Mik feels responsible for a lot of my bad luck in dating.
I'm sure Leo spread rumors about Mik and me to make himself look good and to make me look bad, but he truly never knew me if he thinks I'd ever be ashamed of my relationship with Mik.
Do I see Mik as a brother? Not really. I've definitely had inappropriate thoughts about him before.
He wears baggy long-sleeved shirts, baggy jeans, and a beanie sometimes. He completely rocks the bad boy, emo look that I love so much.
Do I see him as a best friend? Of course, but he's more than that. Best friends fight and break up or outgrow each other all the time. Losing Mik would feel like losing my left arm. I'd never recover.
Mikhail is just... Mik. He's in a category all on his own.
So, I snuggle into him deeper, trying to offer support. I'll remind him after the lecture that I don't care what people think about us. They'd never understand what we are to each other. And it's not our job to explain it to them, either.
"Can I help you?" Lev says, turning in his chair and leveling the girls with a glare. I freeze. Please, no. Please don't make this a scene.
"What?" one of the girls squeaks. Bullies don't get called on their shit most of the time, so I'm sure they weren't expecting any pushback.
Lev just gets louder. "I thought I heard you say 'brother fucker'...
" He's shouting now, I'm sure, for the benefit of the entire class.
My stomach sinks as I try to shrink in my seat.
"... but that can't be right, can it? Because how would you know if someone fucked their brother?
Did you watch? Do you like to watch incest, Brittney? "
"Lev!" I whisper-shout, but he's on a roll now, and my embarrassment means nothing to him. I'm not even sure the girl's name is Brittney, and I know for sure he doesn't.
"Someone might need to check this chick's browser history," he says loudly, getting a few nervous chuckles from around the classroom. And yeah, I'm beet-red now, my mortification on display for the entire class. I might not care what people think about me, but I do care about causing a scene.
"Excuse me, sir," the professor says once Lev's done. "Are you even enrolled in this class?"
I use that as my opportunity to shove Lev out of his seat. "No, he's not!" I shout, mouthing to him to leave - to please go.
"Then I'm going to have to ask you to leave," the professor continues.
"I'm Miss Chernov's private security," he replies, looking at least a little contrite, now that he can see how embarrassed I am.
"I'm still going to have to ask you to leave. This is a very safe campus, and I'm sure Miss Chernov will be fine for the next hour."
He's been gracious about this entire thing. I just want the floor to open up and swallow me whole.
"Then you're clearly stupider than you look," Lev replies.
"Oh my gosh!" I shout, standing then and dragging him up the stadium seating. My face is hot, and I'm embarrassed, and he's only doubling down on harassing the staff and students. If the gossip wasn't about my fucking Mik, it's going to be about how my guard dog couldn't keep his mouth shut.
Lev only smiles as I struggle to manhandle him, but I manage to drag him up the stairs and shove him down in a chair in the very back row.
"Please," I whisper-beg. "Please be quiet."
He shrugs and raises his hands.
"I'm so sorry, sir. He'll be quiet from now on," I announce, glaring at him so he knows I'm serious.
My face is on fire as I walk back down the steps and take my seat again, avoiding any eye contact with any of the other students.
As the professor picks back up his lecture, I focus on taking deep breaths.
Mik holds my left hand as I try to pay attention and take notes with my right.
His thumb rubs a circle on the back of my hand, trying to soothe me.
But the longer I sit with this embarrassment, the more it morphs into anger.
He works for my family. He works for me. My brother would never have allowed an employee to embarrass him. His ass needs to fall back in line, or I'll have him relocated to a position a little less comfy than being my babysitter.