Chapter two:

Seeing Him Again:

It was pitch black when I started walking home and most people stared at me because of my attire. I ended up taking the shoes off after I reached the footpath out side of Adrian's house; apparently it's not good to walk around in heels when you have a hangover. My headache had gotten stronger with every step and my stomach was churning with nothing because I had already emptied yesterday's contents in Adrian's toilet.

I finally reached home and realized that I didn't bring a key to apartment with me. I mentally kicked myself I was going to have to crash at Lissa's at least I wasn't lying to Adrian. I knocked on her door until it was opened up by a very bouncy Lissa.

"Hey, Rose. Jeez you don't look so good, Forgot the key again" crap. She knew me so well.

"Yeah I did. I don't feel to good either. I'm going to crash here for tonight" I replied while staggering passed her.

"What happened to that guy you were going home with, kick you out before the girlfriend got home" I glared at her.

"Boyfriend?" she asked with a smirk.

"No I just needed to leave we both have serious hang overs." I plopped my self onto the couch which wasn't a good thing because my headache turned into a migraine and my stomach wasn't letting up anytime soon. Lissa grabbed me a damp cloth and some blankets.

"Whoa, Rose what the fuck happened to you. You look like shit" Christian remarked as he walked through the door.

"Shut it Fire Crotch. Other wise I'll shut it for you." I said.

"Don't worry Rose, Christians just angry because he didn't get any last night" she said with a smirk.

"aha. Oh God don't make me laugh it hurts so much" I moaned out.

"Ok I'll let you get some rest, when you wake up your going to tell me everything that happened with this guy last night" she said as she poked her head into the living room before walking out.

"Oh what was his name"

"Adrian" I mumbled before passing out.
I woke up to the annoying sound of buzzing right next to my ear. I flipped over to see Christian standing next to me with a cordless blender. My reflexes were to fast and I punched him in the face. I was taught not to think about thing just doing them and explaining the problems later. It was later…

"OhMyGod, Christian What the Fuck are you doing beside me. I'm so so so Sorry. It was a reflex" I was babbling on.

"Lissa" Christian screamed while holding his bloody nose. Lissa came running and stopped in her tracks when she saw the blender with all the contents on the floor and looked at Christians face then to my shocked face. She did the unexpected, she laughed until she was crying and Christian and I looked at each other then stared at her like she had three heads. She came over to us and hugged Christian and his nose didn't look so awkward, I knew what she was doing she was using Spirit.
She started to clean up the mess but I intervened.

"Oh no Liss don't worry about cleaning up Christian will do it, Won't you Christian" I asked while he was prodding his nose to make sure it was ok.
He turned around stunned and that I had called him by his real name. He shuffled through his pockets and pulled out a ten dollar bill and handed it to Liss, grunted and went to go find the cleaning products.

"What was that" I asked referring to the little exchange, but also afraid of the answer.

"Oh that's just a little bet we had going on, on how long it would take you to call him by his real name, He said never I said when she's either really tired or just woken up, guess who was right." She laughed while I glared.

"So how are you feeling? You want something to drink, eat? You want to have a shower, bath?" She was spilling out all these questions and my dull headache was starting to thump again.

"Liss, Liss hold your horse's woman. First I'm feeling a lot better thanks, second umm coffee would be absolutely great and I might have a bath if that's ok with you?" I asked while slowly getting up off the couch.

"I'll bring it into you. Go and run the bath" she yelled while rounding the corner.

"Thanks babe" I shouted back.

I added some bath salts that were on the bench into the now steaming hot water, the smell was intoxicating. I undressed to find some bruises on my chest and stomach. I laughed a little at went on last night, I remember getting undressed but after it's kind of blurry. I gently placed my feet into the scolding water of the bath and eased myself down. It was so nice to have a bath; my apartment bathroom is to small to have a bath so it's a shower and a vanity unit instead. Last time I complained to Lissa she said she would fix that for me and I've been worried ever since. Lissa knocked on the door, opened it up and walked in, we're just that comfortable with each other. She bought my coffee over to the bath, gosh how I loved her.

"Lissa you know how much I love you right." I smiled up at her.

"Yeah, yeah just drink up" she laughed.

"So what happened with this guy last night?" she said while placing her tea on the floor beside the bath and sitting next to it. So we spent an hour talking about what happened last night after I saw Dimitri and Tasha together and the what ever I could remember about last nigh with Adrian. As soon as I mentioned his name she sprayed out a mouthful of tea everywhere.

"Y-Y-Y-o-o-u-u, You mean Adrian as in Adrian Ivashkov" she stuttered.

"Umm I didn't find out his last name so maybe, why what's wrong Liss?" I asked her in a soothing voice.

"Oh nothing he just used to be very known to the dhampir girls around the academy while we left. So just be very careful Rose" there was a protectiveness in her voice that haven't heard in along time.

"Ok, sure thing Liss. Now get out I have to get changed unless you want a show" I said with one of my Rose Hathaway remarks.

"uh-huh I'm leaving" Lissa said as she exited the bathroom.

I wonder what she ment by very known to the dhampir girls. Oh well I'll just take her advise but I would still like to talk to him and stuff he seemed really nice.

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"So Rose are you bringing anyone with you on Saturday." Asked an excited Lissa while we ate breakfast on an early Tuesday morning.

"Um and where would I be taking this someone?" I asked with a fake sweet voice to mock Lissa.

"To the annual ball that the queen is going to and has kindly requested you and I to attend" she said shocked that I had forgotten.

"Oh yeah right. I'll try and find someone" Her face brightened up, I didn't want to disappoint her by not showing up so I'll ask Adrian.

"Oh great. Do you think you want to come dress shopping, I want to buy you one to" the look on her face was so innocent and sweet I didn't want to deny her the opportunity.

"Yeah sure, what are sisters for?" I said

"OhMyGosh, Rose I love you so much. We'll head out straight away." Christian snickered at the look on my face when Lissa started shoving magazines and coloured fabrics in my face.

"Shut is fire boy or I'll break you nose in a way that your girlfriend wont be able to heal it" I commented and his face went pale. He muttered a response to Lissa something along the lines of I'm going to go visit Tasha now. I froze I was numb again. I couldn't breathe and Lissa was over to me like a fly holding me.

"I forgot they were here. I've be avoiding public areas so I just forgot." I told Lissa in a sad voice.

"Rose you are strong you'll be fine just don't do anything you'll regret." Liss said to me in a soothing voice, which was helping ever so slightly.

"Lets go to the mall so we can find some dresses." I told Liss while standing up and grabbing the last piece of toast and my bag.

"We want to get there before the shop rush for everyone begins don't we?" I asked a shocked face Lissa but she soon erased that and replaced it with excitement, which was also seeping through the bond.

We got to the shop and went into the first shop that looked like formal dressings. We were browsing through the racks when I came across something that look exactly like a princess but elegant and I knew it was for Liss. I quickly pushed her into the dressing room and shoved in the dress. She emerged in the pale purple coloured dress that was perfect. It looked like two dresses in one there was a long silk fabric that ran from under her bust all the way to the ground it had a small train. On the top layer of the dress was a darker purple. Under the bust was a band of silver diamonds; there were thin straps with off the shoulder material. It looked stunning on Lissa.(Pic On Profile)

"OhMyGosh I love it thank you so much Rose it's beautiful. Now lets go find one for you" she said with tears in her eyes.
After purchasing her dress and going into 5 more stores I finally gave up. I sat sown on the chair and looked around at the store we were in everything was beautiful bet nothing looked good on me. Until something caught my eye.

"Lissa I think I found one" I yelled across the shop the find Lissa with all these Moroi women all over.

"Well which one is it then" Lissa asked a little angry after a few of her suggestions I didn't act nicely towards.

"This one." I said as I pointed to a Simple yet elegant dark red material. Lissa smiled and thrusted it at me for me to go and try on. I came out and I knew this was the one, I was long and trailed all the way to the ground, It was a halter neck and on the right side of my hip there was a diamond patch. The neckline was pulled down so it showed some cleavage but didn't look slutty. (Pic On Profile)
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knock

knock

"Oh, god, damn it wake-up." Said a very excited but pissed off Lissa.

"What. Are. You. Doing. In. My. Apartment?" I said trying to make the word come out of my mouth for this hour of the morning.

"Oh Rose get up we have to get ready." She said while bouncing around and cleaning up for me.

"Ready for what" my voice was muffled by a pillow that Lissa through at me. I just stared at her I can't believe she just threw something at me. She laughed and ran away while I picked up the pillow and threw it back. It hit the corner that she rounded and I ran after her. I went into the living room and saw her hiding behind the couch. I pounced on her and started tickling her until she surrendered.

" Ok, Ok I surrender, I surrender" she yelled out of breathe and laughing.

It was then it clicked we were ment to be getting ready for the ball tonight. Oh joy.

"Liss the ball is at least 6 hours away we don't need that much time to get ready." I said while she stared at me like I had two heads.

"Yes it does. If anything we'll need more time." She said like it was obvious.

"But I don't want to. I want to go back to bed." I whined like a 3 year old girl.

"No, Now were going to get Mani'sand Pedi's. OK" she said to me in a stern voice.

"Whatever" I hated people touching my feet I'd rather do it myself but Liss said this was a relaxing day so I wasn't going to do anything but Put the dress and accessories on.

We arrived ant the hair salon 2 hours later after Liss stuffed up what colour she wanted three times and she told them to get it right. I nearly pisses myself laughing at the guys face when Liss went ballistic at him for not getting it right even though she had to pick the colour out.

"So Liss how are you going to have you hair. I think I just want mine straightened" I asked as we walked through the doors and the women were over to us like flies. But mostly paying attention to Lissa because she was Moroi. As she explained to them what she wanted they were nodding there heads unison, but when it was my turn to speak I had to get Lissa to tell them because they apparently don't like dhampir girls and just ignored me. I was starting to get mad. That's when Lissa came to the recuse.

"umm think were actually going to go somewhere else." Lissa said hating to be rude.

"What, why" said the sales assistant.

"Because you have treated my best friend like shit." Lissa said with anger laced through her voice not caring who heard, she stormed out of the store dragging me in tow with the sales person mouth hanging opening and closing like a fish.

"What was that for, I didn't mind. I always get treated like that" I said to her grateful, but angry that they're going to probably start rumors about her.

"You're my best friend Rose, I was not going to let them treat you like that." Said a sad Lissa.

"Thank you" I said almost undetectable, but she heard anyway.

After we found a solon that accepted both of us in a nice manner we had our hair and make-up all professionally done, even after a whole hour of me protesting to both Lissa about the money side of thing and the whole 'I hate people going anywhere near me with out reflexes going off in my arms thing' I probably broke the poor girls nose.

We finally arrived home and we had an couple hours to spare, so we sat down on the couch and watched a nice movie so we would ruin our hair and make-up by crying. After the movie was done we had half and hour left so we went and got dresses. When we were both done we were a whole hour late because Christian thought it would be funny to wind all the clocks in there apartment back by an hour. We only knew we were late when Mia called Lissa to ask where she was. Lissa was so mad at Christian and he was going to get it.

When we finally were in our dresses and we arrived at the ball everyone looked stunning as the doors opened for us. The Queen was sitting at the head of the long table and we were aloud to sit where we wanted but everyone was standing and mingling so no one was really eating the meals provided. The queen just watched from afar and I assumed she was probably going to leave early to.

Then Liss asked me who I was bringing.

"Well I called Adrian a couple days ago and asked him so he should be hear somewhere waiting for me." I said hoping she wouldn't be mad.

"Oh, Ok well I'm going to look for Christian." She said normally. I was kind of surprised. But knew that she was distracted because she was planning on murdering Christian tonight. I laughed to myself quietly. Oh he's going to get it.

I sat there then thought I should be looking for him he probably thinks that I have ditched him or something. As I wandered around a lot of men starred at me and most of their girls either glared at me or linked arms with there partners and dragged them away.

"There you are" someone spoke as they tapped me on the shoulder while ducking from my hit.

"OhMyGosh, Adrian I'm so sorry. Reflexes are a bitch sometimes" I said keeping my head down.

"Oh it's ok plenty of people want to hit me" he said in a laughing matter.

It was then I looked him up and saw what he was wearing. It was a perfectly fitted suite with a red satin tie to match my dress. He looked sexy with his hair in it's usual styled messy way.

"Hey" I whispered as he looked me over to. I felt his eyes roaming my body.

"Hi, do you want to dance." He whispered in my ear and I shivered.

"I would love to." I replied as he pulled me towards the wooden dance floor.

I placed my arms around his neck and he placed him on my lower back and we started to move slightly to the beat of the slow song. We danced for hours, then some one or two people to be exact stepped through the crowd of people and stood next to us. Tasha and her obvious guest, Dimitri.

I froze and Adrian could feel the difference as soon as they stepped on so he pulled me closer.

"Who are they?" he asked sincere.

"Just someone I used to know" I said trying not to remember him. But the smell that was invading my nose was only one person I knew. It was his aftershave, the one that his mum sends him every year at Christmas.

I laid my head on Adrian's chest and secretly stared at them dancing. Tasha was truly beautiful but I would never admit that to anyone. She wore a beautiful black satin strapless dress that puffed out underneath her bust and a bejeweled pattern on the top part. It was amazing. The way they swayed was intoxicating.
I pulled my head up and Adrian amazed me we started dancing and not just slow dancing but actually moving around the whole dance floor we steadily pulled a crowd, Dimitri watched in a trance but I don't think he knew who I was until we were finished and bowed cockily at everyone and then I just stared a Adrian he just shrugged and went and got a drink and left me alone. That's when people started to come up and compliment me on dancing. I was silently laughing at the look on Dimitri's face as recognisation finally hit face.

"I didn't know you could dance." Said an amused Tasha as she walked up to me.

"Oh well I don't" I said kind of afraid to talk to her. I really didn't want to be rude to her but she stole someone irreplaceable from me

"That look pretty professional, to me" she said as jealousy rippled out through her voice. As Dimitri was still staring at me in amazement.

"Well what does it matter. It was fun." I said trying to walk away.

"You know Rose why do you even bother trying to impress everybody. Everyone just thinks you're a slut, so why don't you give up the act and go sleep with anything that moves." She yelled across the floor.

I walked swiftly across the floor and that's when Dimitri step out of the trance and stepped in front of Tasha and blocked me from hitting her.

"Comrade, MOVE" I think the force I my voice combined with the old nickname was enough power to distract him for a moment; I used that moment to attack Tasha. I broke her nose. People just stared. Adrian came up behind me and grabbed my arms and turned me around so I was facing him, he kissed me ever so slightly and Tasha had to open her big mouth.

"You little whore." She yelled at me. By this time most people had already started to pack up it was getting late and no one wanted to stick around for the fight that was brewing.

"She not a whore" said a thick accented male whom I knew to be Dimitri. My heart craved for him but I ran. I kept running and running until I was somewhere deep in the woods. I saw a tree that was lit up by the sunlight so I ran over to it and sat down and cried for hours until I fell asleep.

"Rose?"
"Rose?"
"ROSE?"

I woke up to a stunning sight that I just drank in. It was Dimitri holding on to me with worry etched deep into his eyes, the sun was setting and the light was hitting his face in such an angelic way I didn't want to leave. Then I noticed that he was breathing funny and his eyes we bloodshot red and his hair was all mangled, he was still wearing the suit from last night.

"Hi" I said feeling stupid I couldn't come up with anything better.

"Rose, we've ben worried sick" he said still me over to check if I was ok.

"What, why I just needed some space?" I said not knowing what the big deal was about.

"You've been gone for three days. What's wrong with you" he said looking a little angered.

"What three days the ball was last night" I said astonished as to why he would lie about something so stupid.

"Umm no it wasn't. We've been searching for days and you're telling me you have just been asleep" he yelled.

"Yeah that's exactly what I'm saying" I yelled back and got up from my tangled dress and walked away.

"Hey, Hey I'm talking to you Rose don't you walk away from me." He grabbed my wrist to turn me around but I stopped on a rock and slipped. He caught me on time but I was a little to close to him for my own liking. He pulled me closer and planted his lips on me. I melted into them straight away, but the realized what he'd done.

"What the hell are you doing" I yelled as I pushed him away. He looked a little astonished at my outburst.

"I-i-i-I don't know so-orry" he said stumbling on a few words as I walked away at a fast speed hoping he wouldn't come close enough to see the tears. After all this self control I built up to pushing and keeping him out he broke it with one simple kiss.

"I hate you" I turned around so he could see that I was upset and by the look in his eyes I knew he could tell that I was.