Chapter Text
It was September 15. Last night, the Saint Cassian Chamber Choir had gone to the fall fair after their concert. It wasn’t exactly fun, but nothing went horribly wrong. Just a night of rigged games, terrible food, and rides that were either for little kids, or looked as if they could break any second. Now, they were back in the same choir room they met at every day.
Constance was sitting in her regular seat. Ocean would be next to her, but she was printing music in the printing room. Constance skimmed across the room. She saw Ricky showing Penny his drawings of space cats. In front of them, Noel and Misha’s seats were both vacant. She glanced at the clock, waiting for Ocean to return.
A few minutes went by, and there were footsteps. Constance’s head turned to the doorway, expecting to see Ocean, but it was Misha. He trailed slowly, like a child wandering through the wilderness with bags under his bloodshot eyes. The faint smell of weed clung to his wrinkled clothes.
He looked around, and sighed at Noel’s empty seat. He walked over to where Ocean usually sat, right next to Constance, and sank down into the chair.
Constance was still staring at the clock. She turned her head to see Misha sitting next to her. “Uhh, that’s Ocean’s seat,” she stammered.
Misha glared at her, but it wasn’t intimidating. For once, he looked vulnerable. Whatever happened to him had completely torn down his confident, threatening facade. “Don’t care. I sit here now.” He crossed his arms, slouching backwards.
Constance sighed. She’ll let Ocean deal with it when she comes back. She looked back at Misha, really looking at him. She noticed how he was staring at the floor with a sad, tired look in his eyes that he never had before. Something was wrong with him. She wavered before asking, “Are you okay?”
Misha ran one hand through his hair, sighing, and shaking his head. “No… Talya broke up with me.”
Oh. That’s why he seemed so exhausted. The whole choir knew who Talya was. She was Misha’s online fiancée who lived in Ukraine. He started explaining why they broke up, while Constance listened, forgetting about Ocean, or wherever the hell she was. Constance didn’t interrupt, and Misha liked that. He talked about how Talya met someone else. Someone in real life, and left Misha for him.
“I was gonna get a job so I can fly,” he mumbled.
Constance tilted her head. “What?”
“To Kyiv. Back in Ukraine, to meet Talya. We were gonna get married, but not anymore. Thanks to the stupid asshole that took her from me.”
No one had ever opened up to Constance like this, so she wasn’t exactly an expert on comforting people. “Oh… I’m sorry,” she muttered softly.
Misha shook his head, placing his hand on Constance’s shoulder. “Do not be sorry. It is not your fault.” He stared back down at the floor before beginning to complain about how depressing and exasperating everything was. “Today sucks. No Talya, no Noel, and I have to be locked in stupid basement, or else my parents will yell at me or some shit.”
Constance’s eyebrows furrowed. What was he talking about? “You get locked in your basement?!”
Misha nodded casually, like it was no big deal. He had gotten used to the neglect. He’d been enduring it ever since he was adopted two years ago. Every day was the same. He’d come home from school, and go downstairs into the basement, avoiding his parents.
“Parents do not like me. My mother cries when she sees me. Father shoo me away like horsefly.”
Constance’s heart sank deeper with every word Misha said. His life at home sounded so lonely. She wished there was another option, somewhere safe for him to go, but then she got an idea. “My parents own the café down the street. I’m usually there after school doing homework while my parents are working. You could stop by after school.”
“The Blackwood Café?”
Constance nodded “Yeah, you ever been there?”
Misha shook his head. He’d walked past the café while walking to school, and on the way home, but he never stopped to go inside. “I know where that is. I’ll stop by after school.”
Constance beamed. “Great! I’ll see you there.”
Misha smiled slightly. He was relieved that he had something to look forward to. Usually he would wander around town after school just to avoid going home. When he did that, he’d get cold, and eventually go home. Now, he had something better to do. He was still hurt about the breakup, but he was somewhat happier.