"You're going to go left" Alek grinned. His navy eyes shining brightly, we were on the grounds outside the Royal Court. Aleksandr Black, was Charlotte Cortez's guardian, she was a Moroi Princess like Lissa.
"Are you sure" I said, raising my eyebrows.
"As sure as I ever will be" he said cockily. I dodged left, then right, he lunged for me and I dodged left again, and ran through the snow covered grass, I could hear him catching me as he chased me, gaining on me, all of a sudden I felt arms around my waist, and I fell to the ground, a warm body pressed against me. Alek grinning from above me, "pinned ya" of course my competitive side took over as I rolled, around, pushing me with all of my strength, so I was now on top, he just rolled his eyes, and rolled us over again. "Pinned ya again" he grinned cockily. He sat up, so he was sitting on my waist. "told you, you would go left Flower" I rolled my eyes as he said flower Alek never called me just plain flower, it was things to do with flowers, well Rose's to be exact, like- Rose-bud, Flower, Petal, Rosy Posy just to name a few. A heard a fake cough, coming from behind us, I rolled my head back to see who it was, upside down looking stood eight familiar faces, a few looking amused, others frowning.
"so this is what happens when you go on your break" Aerin Chandler grinned, Aerin was the guardian who took over from me when I was on my break, next to her stood a smirking Connor Stratton he was a little older then Dimitri, much like Stan from the academy too. I pushed Alek off me, and stood up, brushing the snow of my clothes.
"You know me and how I love a game of tag" I grinned. "Eddie" I squealed, running up and throwing myself at him, he chuckled, catching me with ease. Eddie was one of my closest friends at the Academy.
"Hey Rose" he grinned hugging me tightly.
"How do I get a reaction like that when you see me" Alek asked behind me.
"Well disappear for a year and then come back" I told him with all seriousness.
"We all know you'd miss me too much" he grinned. I rolled my eyes. I step put of Eddie's embrace. Eddie had been made Christian's guardian after graduation. So before me stood a grinning Christian, hand in hand with Lissa.
"Miss me fire cracker" I grinned.
"Actually now you mention it.... no I didn't" he grinned back, he embraced me in a small hug. Mia and Lissa stood there smiling at me; of course I see them every day do seeing them was no biggy.
"Ahh little Dhampir how I missed you so" Adrian grinned.
"I saw you just last week" I chuckled, hugging him.
"Are you forgetting last night" he asked shocked, as it was a crime for me to forget him stalking me in my dreams.
"Dream stalking doesn't count" I laughed.
"ROSE" I was slammed into, being pulled into a hug by Tasha Ozera, Christian's Aunt. "It's good to see you"
"Yeah you too" I said shortly, pulling out of her embrace. I looked at the last person standing, his brown eyes, bore into mine, reading every inch of my soul, stood Dimitri Belivok. My old Guardian, my former lover, who left me to become Tasha's guardian, he was still as beautiful as ever, the same really, except he had cut his hair, short, very short. "Guardian Belivok" I said quite coldly, he seemed taken by surprise by that, and I was instantly reminded of our last conversation.
"What do you mean you're leaving" I yelled.
"I'm taking up Tasha's offer" he said calmly.
"What...why...dd-dont you love me anymore" tears flowing down my cheeks.
"Roza, I love you too much, you know I don't want to do this, but we can't be together Rose, you know we can't not now at least, I hate doing this to you Rose" he said, reaching out and wiping away my tears.
"I hate you" I whispered dangerously.
"What" Dimitri asked stunned.
"I hate you" I said louder, "if you leave with her I hate you".
"Rose" he smiled weakly.
"well Rose-Bud, I shall have to get back to Charlotte, god knows what she's gotten into without me there to protect her and keep her safe" he grinned hugging me.
I snorted. "Or maybe, she's off relaxing knowing now without you around she actually is safe"
"Oh ha-ha" he laughed. "Maybe instead of wasting your time sucking at a guardian you could be a comedian"
"Take you own advice" I called after him as he disappeared inside.
"hey Rose, Christian, Tasha, Mia and I are all having a movie night, in my room, around when your shift starts, so that's where I will be, right now, I'm cold so I'm going inside" I nodded, as she smiled, walking in the direction Alek just disappeared in, Aerin and Connor following her closely. One by one they all trailed inside, leaving Dimitri and I standing in front of each other awkwardly.
"I've missed you" he said quietly.
"Then you shouldn't have left" I replied coldly.
"Roza there wasn't a moment when I was away from you that my heart wasn't with you" my heart skipped a beat.
"That's great, but I'm going to get some food, and get changed before my break is up and I have to meet Lissa back at her room" I said, walking back inside, to the Guardians lunch room.
----------------------
I sat down grumpily on a chair across from Keira, a Guardian, she was very pretty, she and I were pretty close.
"Hey Rosie what's got your knickers' in a twist" she grinned taking a bit of her sandwich.
"Dimitri Belivok is here with Tasha" I sighed, she just stared at me, waiting for me to elaborate. "He was my mentor before he left to be Tasha's Guardian" I spat coldly.
"Oh yes I see the problem" she said sarcastically "I've heard of him, what's he like"
"Where do you start in describing someone who is the whole reason your heart began beating... the reason for the smile on your face in the mornings, the reason the lyrics to certain songs have become something you can relate to instead of just something you sing along with." I sighed; I knew I could tell Keira about Dimitri and my past, she was someone I would trust with my life.
"HOLY SHIT, Dimitri Belivok is the guy, you told me about, the one who you'll always love, the one who you couldn't be with because he was forbidden" she asked me, excitedly I nodded. "Oh my cherry pie" she exclaimed breathlessly. "How was it seeing him again even after everything... Belivok, I mean wow girl, his very well known, his almost famous you could say"
"I know a lot of people know who he is, but I also know there are not that many who get to see the guy that I do and that guy, well, I'll never forget him . . . never. I've learned so much about life and emotion from him and I wouldn't change a thing about it. Your heart needs to go through some bumps like these in order to make it through. Besides, no matter what he's done or not done he had the biggest impact on me these past three years. And, I know, no matter how many years go by . . . my stomach will always do a little flip when I see that face." I smiled, there was no way I had every stopped loving Dimitri, I was mad and hurt as hell, but I had never ever stopped loving him. "As for seeing him again, it was... awkward weird, I was so mad at him, but when I saw him it all melted away"
"Oh honey you have it bad, what about Alek though, the two of you are incredibly close" she asked, in concern.
"I just, I love it when he's around. He knows me, he gets me and I know that with him I never have to be anyone but myself. But..." I trailed off.
"His no Dimitri" she grinned I nodded. "Okay well good luck, I'll catch you later, the tuna and salad sandwiches are amazing today" she grinned getting up and going off to start her shift.
"What can I get you" a servant asked.
"Ahh, the tuna and salad sandwich" I grinned.