"Remind me again, why exactly are we here?" I asked my best friend as I frowned at the formidable, grey building. With its gothic architecture and black iron gates, it looked more like an asylum than a school. But then again, maybe I needed to be in an asylum for actually agreeing to this in the first place.
"It's an adventure," Adrian replied, smiling brightly as he took in St Vladimir's School for Moroi and Dhampirs. I rolled my eyes at his predictable response. To Adrian, everything was an adventure. And although I was usually all too happy to go along on the ride with him, I was really starting to regret my choice in friends.
"The last adventure we went on got me suspended," I reminded him, referring to one of Adrian's many drinking sprees that had gotten me into trouble with my instructors back at our old school. Instead of looking ashamed, Adrian was glowing with smugness. Even though he was a few years older than me, he acted like a five year old most of time, constantly playing the game he fondly, but unimaginatively, called 'Getting Rose In Trouble'. Adrian was a master at this game; though that was mainly because I could easily get into trouble without his help.
"So you got suspended. You can't deny you didn't have fun," he said, his tone full of arrogance due to the fact he was right. We did have a great time in Vegas, even though I could only remember a few hazy memories of our time spent partying.
"Drinking and dancing is fun. Transferring schools is not," I told him, giving him a dirty look which he promptly ignored. I couldn't actually believe that he had managed to convince me to do this. My life was at St Raphael's. My friends were at St Raphael's. And sure, Adrian was my best friend, and sure, I was going to guard him as soon as I graduated so I was going to have to get used to him dragging me around here, there and everywhere, but did he really have to decide he wanted to go to Montana? I honestly couldn't see the draw.
"But you're forgetting one thing, Little Dhampir," Adrian said, causing me to scowl at his nickname for me, "I'm here. Therefore it will be fun, because I am fun."
"No, you're an annoying, arrogant idiot," I told him, sighing dramatically as I continued to stare at my new school.
"You're words can be so hurtful, Rosemarie," Adrian laughed, nudging me with his elbow. I mocked glared at him, still not impressed by the fact that somehow he had managed to convince me this was a good idea.
It wasn't. It was a terrible idea. I could deal with Adrian's partying. Hell, I was usually there partying just as hard. But this wasn't about having a good time. This was about attempting to find out the truth, and I wasn't sure if Adrian could cope with what he found out.
Although he liked to act like a jackass, he wasn't. In fact, Adrian was probably the kindest, most loving person I had ever met. He was fragile, and he was weak. And he needed me to protect him; not just from strigoi, but from himself. He was his own worst enemy. And I had a horrible feeling that finding out the truth would be the last straw for him.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked, praying that he would suddenly change his mind. It wouldn't have surprised me if he had. Adrian was quite fickle at times. But instead of deciding that he wanted to bail, that he wanted to party in New York or even London, he just nodded vigorously.
"Yes, I'm sure. What's there to lose?"
You're sanity, I answered silently, feeling guilty as soon as the words entered my mind. I just nodded slowly, taking a deep breath as Adrian – ever the gentleman – walked towards the school leaving me to carry both of our belongings. Here comes nothing, I thought, glaring at the gloomy building towering over me, before stepping through the gates and entering my own personal type of hell.
AN: So this is the prologue to my latest story, Sticks and Stones. It was inspired by the third chapter of my other VA story, Pillars of Sand (if you haven't checked it out, then please, go read!) as I really enjoyed writing the friendship between Rose and Adrian, hence this. The story itself is set during the first book and there are a couple of differences, the main one being Adrian and Rose being best friends, and the fact that Lissa's family is still alive. Anywho, thanks for reading, and please, review!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN VA!