Page 42 of Sexting the Pakhan

Then his phone rings.

He answers it without moving far from me, speaking in Russian. I catch nothing except Stepan’s name and my own, which makes my skin crawl. I don’t like hearing my name in a conversation I can’t understand.

I reach into the coat pocket for my phone, then remember it’s in my cardigan. My fingers fumble under the heavy fabric until I find it.

One bar of signal.

Enough.

Karina has already texted twelve times.

Karina:WHERE ARE YOU

Karina:You were supposed to call me after shift

Karina:Zoya don’t make me come to the library and embarrass both of us

Karina:Wait why is there news near Alderwood???

Karina:ZOYA

My hand flies to my mouth. She knows something happened. The library attack must be everywhere already.

Thankfully, she wasn’t working today. She switched shifts with Elise because she had a dentist appointment she spent all morning complaining about. If she had been there?—

No. I can’t think about that.

I text with shaking thumbs.

Me:I’m okay.

The reply comes instantly.

Karina:WHAT THE FUCK

Karina:WHERE ARE YOU

Karina:I SAW POLICE OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY

Karina:ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW

I glance at Ruslan.

He’s still on the phone, standing near the window with his back half-turned. But I know he’s aware of me. I know if I ran, he’d stop me before I reached the hall.

Me:I’m safe. I think.

Karina:YOU THINK?

Me:Something happened at the library.

Karina:I KNOW SOMETHING HAPPENED AT THE LIBRARY ARE YOU HURT

I look down at myself. Dust. Torn cardigan. Red marks on my wrist. A scrape on my knee I didn’t notice until now.

Me:No. Not really.

Karina:NOT REALLY IS NOT AN ANSWER