Page 6 of Hate You Most

She pushed it open, and Moscow stretched out around her beneath a wide and dark sky. The lights flickered in the distance as the river cut through the city and melted the sky into its water.

She rested her forearms against the railing and let herself breathe.

“Hey, Russian.”

Viktoriya turned her head toward the noise just a fraction too quickly.

Dakota stood a few steps away from her, one hand shoved into the pocket of her brown jacket, the other hanging over the railing with a cigarette dangling between her fingers.

“You shouldn’t smoke, it's bad for your lungs.”

Dakota looked at her and had the audacity to laugh. “I know it’s bad for me, and yet I do it anyway,” she smiled and exhaled a cloud of white smoke from her lips. “Afraid it's a self-destructive habit of mine.”

Heat rose uncomfortably to Viktoriya's cheeks. Of course Dakota knew that. It was an idiotic thing to say and she should've kept her mouth shut.

“Self-destructive habits usually are,” Viktoriya said, a little stiffly. “Bad for you.”

Dakota tilted her head. “Do you have any?”

“I compete.”

She smiled slowly and looked Viktoriya up and down. “Yeah. I can see that.”

Viktoriya's shoulders tensed.

Dakota stubbed out the cigarette and stepped a fraction closer. “Relax,” she said. “I won’t ruin my lungs, you'd lose your competition, then.”

Viktoriya couldn't help but smile at that. “I beat you today. Maybe take it as sign to quit.”

Dakota's dark hair was pulled into a low ponytail that was already coming undone, strands lifting in the cool wind. Viktoriya watched as Dakota put her free hand into her pocket, looking almost uncertain like she wasn’t sure she was allowed to be up here.

“I didn’t know anyone else came up here,” Dakota said and looked back toward the door.

“Neither did I,” Viktoriya replied.

They stood in complete silence for a moment, the city buzzing below them.

“It’s different up here,” Dakota said. "It's quieter.”

“Yes.”

Dakota turned around and leaned her back against the railing, her posture relaxing as she tore her gaze toward Viktoriya. “Does it feel strange? Competing at home?”

Viktoriya considered the question. “It feels like being watched by ghosts. Empty somehow.”

Dakota smiled a little. “Yeah. That tracks.”

The wind tugged at Dakota’s jacket. Viktoriya noticed, absently, that she didn’t fidget the way she did around the cameras.

“You were really good today,” Dakota said. “I mean—obviously, you're always good. But still.”

“You too, you take risks.” Viktoriya moved her gaze back to the setting sun. She hadn't meant it as a compliment, but Dakota seemed to take it as one.

Dakota shrugged. “Someone has to.”

Viktoriya glanced at her. “You enjoy it.”

“Skating?” Dakota asked. “Yeah. Sometimes, I think I forget to hide just how much I love it.”