Hey everyone! This is my first fanfiction so I hope you go easy on me!~ .

SUMMARY:

Rose Hathaway, the only daughter of Ibrahim and Janine Mazur has run away from home! After five years, troubles lurk from every corner and her friends are being targeted one by one. She finds no other choice but to go back in the life she left in order to save her friends. Will she go back to being what she was and inherit the family "business" or will she continue to run away?

CHAPTER ONE

When did I ever question my sanity? Oh wait, I did, just now.

Call me crazy, but this is beyond crazy, even for a dream.

I'm surrounded by chocolate.

This is heaven.

But this is also insanity.

Not caring anymore, I was about to indulge myself in such pure bliss which is more than heaven, when loud bangs and stomping made its way toward me, shaking off my dream.

"ROSEMARIE HATHAWAY GET YOUR LAZY ASS UP AND GET MOVING! WE'RE GONNA BE LATE AND IT'S ONLY YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!" my best friend, Lissa said.

"Five more minutes Liss…" I mumbled

"Oh no you don't! You better be up and ready in ten, because I swear if you're not, I'll just have to drag your feet off the bed and get you ready myself!" she stormed off

I sighed, knowing she would stay true to her words, and got up.

I took a quick shower lasting only about five minutes (a world record for me!) and immediately scampered off to my closet. I pulled out my favorite black skinny jeans and a loose plain white v-neck shirt, going well with the red Vanns Lissa gave me last Christmas. Wearing my hair loose, I decided to put on very little make-up, just a few dabs of mascara and eyeliner to make my eyes "pop" and my favorite brand of lip gloss.

I dashed down the stairs, grabbing my bag and ray-bans, not caring if I missed breakfast. I ran the car and, sure enough, Lissa was already there waiting for me in the driver's seat. I went in, riding shotgun, and drove off to our—or rather my—first day at school.

Oh yeah, I forgot to introduce myself. My name's Rose Hathaway, 17 years of age, a run-away from home. Vasilisa or Lissa Dragomir is my best friend for as long as I can remember. Our families are pretty close, so we consider ourselves sisters. Her parents, Rhea and Eric, the owners of Dragomir Estates died in an accident two years ago, leaving her, her big brother Andre and little sister Jill to take care of the family business.

I, meanwhile, am the only daughter of infamous Ibrahim Mazur and Janine Hathaway. They, like any parent, loved me and took care of me very well, but the pressure of me inheriting the shady business of my old man drove me to leave home and become somebody else. How bad can it be to even make someone like me to refuse? You really don't want to know.

Just as we arrived at school, Christian Ozera, Lissa's pyromaniac boyfriend, and someone I don't know, near where we parked and waited for us to get out of the car.

"Hey babe, I've missed you." Christian kissed her as we got out.

I choked on my spit and pretended to gag.

"Aww Rosie... did you miss me so much that the sight of me made you forget to breathe?"

"No thanks, Sparky… I think seeing you just gave me a near-death experience."

"You'll be dead by next time, Rosie."

I rolled my eyes at him and he just poked his tongue at me.

Christian is the son of the disgraced politician Lucas Ozera. He and I have what you call an antagonistic type of brother and sister relationship. No matter how much he denies it, it's quite obvious that he has a strange obsession to fire. Last New Year's Eve he almost caught Lissa's apartment on fire and still managed to laugh his ass off.

"Yeah. She'll be dead because you're too hideous to be true." One of his friends laughed.

Something about him seems familiar. He had sandy brown hair and hazel eyes and a muscular built. I can't exactly place where I've seen him, but I'm pretty sure it's been a very long time.

"Umm… do I know you?" I asked him

"No, not exactly. But I'm sure you knew my cousin. Eddie Castile" he smiled at me

Then it hit me. I remember where I've seen him now.

"Rose Hathaway. And yes. He was a good friend."

He nodded and looked pensive. This, I know, is something we both don't want to talk about as long as we can avoid it.

We started walking down the hallways and they all agreed to accompany me to the office to get my schedule. It turns out I'm in the same classes as everybody, except my two electives. Damn.

"Hey there, Little Fox." A boy winked at me

"Little… Fox?" I pointed at myself

He approached our group rather slowly. He had dark brown hair deliberately styled to look messy and emerald green eyes. He looked sober, and his body reeks of alcohol and clove cigarettes.

"Yes, Little Fox, that's you." He smiled at me

"Why am I a Little Fox?"

"You're a Little Fox right now…" he moved closer so that he was talking right at my ear, "because one day when you grow up, you're gonna be one hell of a Vixen." He purred

"Anyway, the name's Adrian Ivashkov."

That name sounded dangerous. I hope he doesn't recognize my name.

"Rose Hathaway." I said, hoping sounding indifferent.

We were walking to class when a voice interrupted us.

"Adrian!" it called out

Oh no. No, no, no, no, NO! I knew that voice too well. I looked at the direction where it came from.

A deep voice that felt like silk having a faint Russian accent. A tall, muscular frame, though not too bulky. Shoulder length brown hair tied at the back of the nape, having stray strands sticking to the face. Chocolate brown eyes that can look deep into my soul.

Death in a cowboy duster.

You have got to be kidding me!

I ran away from my life, and life came running back at me.

This is gonna be hell.

Please review! Thank you! .~

-N