A/N: Sigh. Another Vampire Academy chapter in Adrian's POV, cause I love writing from his pretty green eyes (well they're pretty in my mind...). :3 I can't help myself; I love Rose and Adrian together, okay? Well, this takes place in Frost Bite, chapter 10, when Adrian and Rose first meet each other. And I don't know if you've noticed this or not, but I like to make it as if Adrian and Rose kindof think alike, or you could say, have the same point of view. Enjoy. :}
Chapter Song;
Mary, Kings of Leon
"Hey, little dhampir."
I finally spoke up. I'd been watching her so intently from my spot on the frosty porch outside the ski lodge, watching the way her curvy body moved and how her facial expressions changed from time to time, which just kept me wondering. Wondering what was on her mind, what she was thinking. Everything about her was so intriguing; the dark, dark brown eyes and the silky, brown - nearly black - hair. Her perfect lips and tanned complexion. Irresistably sexy and cute, even with the black eye I'd noticed; but those thoughts came last. The first thing that hit me was; dhampir for sure.
She stopped where she was as I brought my clove cigarette up to my mouth, took a long, long drag then dropped it, stamping it out. I smiled at her crookedly. Crossing her arms, she cast her eyes downwards and upwards, downwards and upwards, taking all of me in. I couldn't tell if she liked what she saw or not; all I threw on was this long, black coat that I thought looked fairly well on me, a long-sleeved, button-up henley shirt that she obviously couldn't see, a pair of faded jeans and some leather dress shoes that were insanely comfortable but honestly didn't keep my feet that warm. I didn't look too dressed up... who am I kidding, I looked stylish and freaking attractive. I'm Adrian Ivashkov, for Christ's sake. Her eyes were boring into me for so long, as if she couldn't tear her gaze away; I decided she liked, maybe loved, what she saw. So it seemed.
"Yeah?" She suddenly asked. It sounded like a question, at least.
My eyes fell over her body once again; I couldn't help myself. She was irresistible, as I'd stated before. But she seemed used to the attention, I could tell from the way her fade suddenly became... impatient.
I shrugged casually. "Just saying hi, that's all."
For a minute, she didn't say anything, just looked at me with watchful eyes. I stuffed my hands into my coat pockets, finding them to feel a bit chilly. Shrugging as well, she took a couple steps, towards the door. Her movement sent an occuring breeze towards me, her scent suddenly overwhelmed my.. you could call them Moroi senses, I suppose. It was a mixture of sweat and shampoo and chocolate. It was simply intoxicating.
"You smell good, you know," I blurted.
She stopped walking again and gave me a quite puzzled look. A sly, amused grin grew on my face.
"I... um, what?" She stammered. God, it was cute.
"You smell good," I repeated.
"Are you joking? I've been sweating all day. I'm disgusting." I noticed how she didn't even make an effort to leave or protest on having this kind of conversation with a complete stranger. Even better. I definitely wasn't complaining.
"Sweat isn't a bad thing," I said, resting my head back against the wall and looking upward. Maybe she'd notice the thoughtfulness and find it ten times more attractive. Or maybe my looks were enough, per say. "Some of the best things in life happen while sweating. Yeah, if you get too much of it and it gets old and stale, it turns pretty gross. But on a beautiful women? Intoxicating. If you could smell things like a vampire does, you'd know what I'm talking about. Most people mess it all up and drown themselves in perfume. Perfume can be good... especially if you get one that goes with your chemistry. But you only need a hint. Mix about 20 percent of that with 80 percent of your own perspiration... mmm." I tilted my head to the side and looked her right in the eyes. "Dead sexy." I was being completely honest; it was dead sexy. And would be, on her.
"Well, thanks for the hygiene lesson," She said. "But I don't own any perfume, andI'm going to go shower all this sweaty action off me. Sorry."
A brilliant idea washed over me; I was going to buy her perfume. And lots of it. I pulled out my pack of cigarettes and offered her one, moving just a step closer to her. Her nose scrunched up just slightly, probably smelling the alcohol on me. Hey, I wasn't ashamed of it. She shook her head as I tapped one cigarette out for myself.
"Bad habit," She advised me, watching me as I lit it.
"One of many," I replied smoothly, inhaling deeply. "You here with St. Vlad's?"
"Yup."
"So you're going to be a guardian when you grow up?"
"Obviously."
Exhaling smoke, I watched as her eyes followed the smoke as it disappeared into the night. Once again, I wondered what she was thinking in that little dhampir mind of hers.
"How long until you grow up?" I asked. "I might need a guardian."
"I graduate in the spring. But I'm already spoken for. Sorry."
Slightly surprised, I was curious to know who the lucky bastard was. "Yeah? Who is he?"
"She's Vasilisa Dragomir." She said this in an almost bragging tone. I suppose I could see why.
"Ah." A huge grin that I couldn't possibly hold back broke out on my face. "I knew you were trouble as soon as I saw you. You're Janine Hathaway's daughter."
"I'm Rose Hathway," She correctd, obviously not wanting to be recognized by who her mother was. Well.
"Nice to meet you, Rose Hathaway," I stuck out a gloved hand for her to shake. Warily, she took it. "Adrian Ivashkov."
"And you think I'm trouble," She muttered.
She must've been refering to "Ivashkov." My family were a royal one; and a powerful one at that. We tend to think and mostly know that we could get whatever we wanted. And don't take shit. I couldn't help but laugh. "Handy, huh? Each of our reputations precedes us."
Rose shook her head. "You don't know anything about me. And I only know of your family. I don't know anything about you."
"Want to?" Amusement flared inside of me.
"Sorry. I'm not into older guys." Boo.
"I'm twenty-one. Not that much older."
"I have a boyfriend." Damn. Too bad I wasn't one to care if such person was taken or not.
"Funny you didn't mention that right away," I prodded. Pausing for a second, asking the next question out of deep curiosity and actual concern. "He didn't give you that black eye, did he?"
She blushed, and it was adorable.
"He wouldn't be alive if he did. I got it during... practice. I mean, I'm training to be a guardian. Our classes are always rough."
"That's pretty hot," I said, dropping my second cigarette to the ground, putting it out with my foot.
"Punching me in the eye?"
"Well, no. Of course not. I meant that the idea of getting rough with you is hot. I'm a big fan of full-contact sports." Half joke, half true, half seduction.
"I'm sure you are," Rose replied dryly. The sound of footsteps behind her caused her to turn, a petite, child-like blonde girl coming around the path and up the steps. Her eyes found us and she stopped abruptly.
"Hey, Mia." She glanced between the two of us.
"Another guy?" Obviously directed to Rose.
Giving Rose a quizzical, amused look, I waited for a brief explanated. The light went out when her response was simple. "Mia, this is Adrian Ivashkov."
In hopes of perhaps making Rose a tad jealous, I approached Mia with the same charm I'd used on Rose. I shook her hand gently. "Always a pleasure to meet a friend of Rose's, especially a pretty one." The last part was a lie, I must admit. She looked 12 and I must've looked like a pedophile in Rose's eyes.
"We aren't friends," Rose said firmly. Oh, ouch.
"Rose only hangs out with guys and psychopaths," said Mia. I ignored the look on her face that told me she had taken some sort of interest in me.
"Well," I continued on cheerfully. "since I'm both a psychopath and a guy, that would explain why we're such good friends."
"You and I aren't friends either," Rose told me, with the same forceful tone she used with Mia.
I laughed, but my sarcasm faltered. "Always playing hard to get, huh?"
"She's not that hard to get," Mia retorted, clearly upset that I was paying more attention to Rose. Definitely didn't act her age. "Just ask half the guys at our school."
"Yeah," Rose remarked. "and you can ask the other half about Mia. If you can do a favor for her, she'll do lotsof favors for you."
Clear embarrassment flickered on Mia's face. "Well," she said. "at least I don't do them for free."
I caved in and finally made cat noises, slashing my "claws" through the air.
"Are you done?" Rose asked. "It's past your bedtime and the grown-ups would like to talk now." Oh, burn.
"Sure," Mia snapped crisply, her cheeks rising to a blush. "I have better things to do anyway." Like what, play with your dolls? I watched as she turned for the door, but stopped short, handing resting on it. Her eyes found me. "Her mom gave her that black eye, you know."
And with that, Mia went inside, the doors swinging shut behind her.
For a moment, everything was silent. Eventually, I took out another cigarette and lit it. "Your mom?" Jesus.
"Shut up."
"You're one of those people who either has soul mates or mortal enemies, aren't you? No in-between. You and Vasilisa are probably like sisters, huh?" It sucked, because the whole senario seemed true, and I couldn't figure out what the hell I was to her. Yet.
"I guess."
"How is she?" Honestly couldn't care less.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
I shrugged, trying to act as casual as possible. "I don't know. I mean, I know you guys ran away... and there was that stuff with her family and Victor Dashkov..." Truth was, the only thing I was interested in was Victor Dashkov.
Her body froze. "So?"
"Dunno. Just figured it might be a lot for her to, you know, handle." As if I was going to help. Say, if Rosewere having a hard time...
Rose studied my face. "I've got to go." She said simply.
"Are you sure?" I said, trying to sound only a bit disappointment, hoping my amusement would overcome it. I really was disappointed, though. I was hoping my "charm" would lure her in for a little longer, giving me a chance to find out more about.. everything. "I thought it was time for the grown-ups to talk. Lots of grown-up things I'd like to talk about."
"It's late, I'm tired, and your cigarettes are giving me a headache," She growled, scowling at me.
"I suppose that's fair." I took a nice drag from my cigarette and blew out the smoke. "Some woman think they make me look sexy." I resisted the urge to wink.
"I think you smoke them so you have something to do while thinking up your next witty line."
True. I laughed, and only ended up choking because I was inhaling the smoke at the same time. "Rose Hathaway, I can't wait to see you again. If you're this charming while tired and annoyed andthis gorgeous while bruised and in ski clothes, you must be devastating at your peak."
I was expecting this next one. "If by 'devastating' you mean that you should fear for your life, then yeah. You're right." She threw the door open. "Good night, Adrian."
"I'll see you soon."
"Not likely. I told you, I'm not into older guys."
She walked into the lodge. As the door closed, I called after her, "Sure, you aren't."
Leaning back against the wall, I took a couple more drags from my cigarette before dropping it and stamping it out. I should've called it a day, but I couldn't. The only thing that was keeping me up and awake was the memory of Rose Hathaway. Rose Hathaway.
"Rose Hathaway," I murmured, crossing my arms and gazing up ahead at nothing. The name rolled off of my tongue smoothly, as if I'd been saying it all my life. I could already tell Rose and I were off to a beautiful friendship.
Sarcasm is bliss.