~ Chapter 3 ~
"Did you hear?"
"Yeah Rose and Belikov!"
"Secretly dating."
I almost spit out my cereal as the gossip in the cafeteria finally caught up with me. I had snuck out of Dimitri's bedroom a couple of minutes before the end breakfast so I had hastily grabbed something and had been trying to wolf it down when I noticed that a lot of the whispers were accompanied by people pointing in my direction. This was bad. Really bad. Lissa came over and sat across from me, worry in her eyes. She had heard the rumors. Suddenly, I had no appetite. Before Lissa could ask me her first question I got up, dumped out my breakfast, and walked out of the cafeteria. First I went to Dimitri's room, but he wasn't there. I hadn't expected him to be. He had left before I had.
I didn't know where he was, so I decided to go to the gym. I wasn't cleared to do anything too strenuous, but even the idea of going all of those days without working out or practicing was making me restless. Classes were temporarily suspended, so I doubted anyone would be there. To my surprise, I heard grunting coming from inside. I walked in and saw someone beating a punching bag, and not just anyone. Dimitri was coated in sweat and had a look of fury on his face. It left me no doubt, he had heard the rumors.
He didn't notice that I walked in at first. Then he stiffened. He didn't need to turn around to know it was me. "You shouldn't be here," he said stiffly.
"I didn't know you were going to be here," I told him. "Are you okay?"
"No." He offered nothing else.
"Look. I'm sorry," I started. I didn't know what else to say.
"You're sorry? Why are you sorry?" He asked me, momentarily confused.
"Haven't you heard the rumors?" I asked him surprised. I had immediately jumped to the conclusion that his work out had been the result of the rumors running rampant through the school, but perhaps I had been wrong.
"Yes," he said, his face darkening. "But they're not your fault." I looked at the ground. He was almost unconscious when it happened, so I realized he may not understand exactly how obvious I had been.
"It's all my fault. I refused to listen to my mom and Stan and then I made such a big deal out of you being hurt. I fought them both off and then when we were finally back... We were supposed to be careful and make sure no one could guess, but I didn't. I made it so obvious," I told him. It really was my fault. He might get fired and may lose a chance at being a guardian for anyone. And it was all because of me.
"Oh Roza," he said coming over to me and giving me a hug. I backed out of it immediately. He looked hurt.
"I don't want to cause you anymore trouble," I explained to him. I felt so small. I had been reckless and with emotions running so high, I could justify it, but I couldn't condone any more reckless behavior. I almost chuckled at that. I was supposed to be the reckless one. I guess that's growth.
He pulled me back to him anyway, giving me a hug. "I don't care. You need to understand it's not your fault. You couldn't control your emotions because you were scared. I would have done the same thing. Honestly, if our situations had been reversed, I don't think I would have been able to stop myself from kissing you then and there. Then it really would have been obvious. I don't blame you," he reassured me.
"You never would have done that. You have unbreakable self-control," I muttered grumpily.
"I think both of us know that my self-control is pretty fragile when it comes to you," he pointed out dryly. "I fell in love with my student. If people know, it's on both of us." He pulled me close to him and this time I didn't pull away. I was craving his contact as much as he was craving mine. Electricity crackled around us and felt like I would be content if I could always stay in his arms.
"Belikov! Hathaway!" a voice called from the door. We broke apart and looked at Alberta. "My office. Now!" She left us no room for argument.
We walked to her office in silence. We walked side by side, being careful not to touch. In my head I pictured all sorts of different scenarios from Dimitri being fired, to me being expelled, to us being forced never to see each other again. Really, sometimes it sucks having such an active imagination.
It felt like it took forever to get to Alberta's office even though it only took a couple of minutes. We sat down in front of her desk. A long silence stretched before us. Finally, Dimitri broke it. "Look Alberta, about what you just saw," Dimitri began.
Alberta waved him off. "I saw a friendly hug between two friends," she put an extra emphasis on friends. I couldn't believe she was brushing this off. Why was everyone mysteriously okay with all of this?
"Then why are we here?" I asked before I could stop myself. Really I need to work on impulse control. It's the one thing neither Dimitri nor I have had much luck with practicing.
"I need to address some rumors that have been going around the school. I need to point out that they need to remain just rumors." Alberta looked at us sternly. "As far as I am concerned, Rose is your student and you are her mentor. End of relationship. Understood?"
I looked at Dimitri confused. Did everyone know about us? And was everyone okay with it? Was Alberta saying we could see each other as long as we do it where no one can see us? I was so confused. His confusion mirrored mine.
"Also, Rose," she turned and looked at me. Her face softened. She almost looked maternal. "I would like to thank you. You risked your life to save Dimitri. He is one of the best guardians I have ever seen and you showed true determination. You managed to bring him back to us, back to safety and still ward off the Strigoi. You have shown the skill of many beyond your years. I truly am proud of you."
I grinned at her words. Alberta doesn't give out praise lightly. I was still dying to know why she was brushing off our relationship and while I didn't want to ruin the moment, I was too antsy to let it go.
"Can I ask you a hypothetical question?" I asked her hesitantly. I heard Dimitri groan next to me. I could practically picture the lecture I was going to get later.
Alberta's gaze turned weary. "You can ask me anything." I could tell that she didn't want me to ask her anything, but that wasn't going to stop me.
"Hypothetically," I started, emphasizing each syllable. "If those rumors were true and every administrator at this school were aware they were true, how did they find out and why wouldn't they be doing anything about it? Hypothetically of course." Dimitri was frozen next to me. He could hardly believe I had asked that question, but I knew he was as curious as I was.
Alberta studied me for a moment before she spoke. "Hypothetically, the administrators may have decided that given your performance during the attack on the school, you have demonstrated judgement and skills beyond that of your peers. We may have recognized that your judgement and skill development were the result of your relationship and that given how little good there is in this world right now, we couldn't deprive you of that happiness." I stared at her shocked. I didn't realize that my jaw had been open until I snapped it closed. She wasn't done. "As for how we knew these rumors could be true..." Alberta closed her eyes. "Some of us may have known for a while." She looked like she was confessing to murder. "Before you came back, Dimitri never spoke with any of the other guardians, at least not outside of work. Then you were here and he was defending you against the other guardians, he was bragging about your improvement, it was 'Rose this and Rose that.' Once we recognized that, the rest came seamlessly. How you two talked to one another. The way you seemed to know what the other needed you to do without talking. And then there was the way you were after the attack. I've never seen anyone so terrified over someone else's wellbeing. Hypothetically of course." Alberta practically mimicked the last words of my question.
I couldn't have been more surprised about how they found out. In all of the situations I imagined, it was always my fault. I had done something that made it obvious and while my actions after our rescue mission had been pretty obvious, it was Dimitri that had actually planted the seed about it. Somehow, I never thought I had caused a noticeable change in him and a great sense of pride filled me in knowing that he had learned something from me, even if that was the reason we were found out.
"And Belikov," Alberta continued as if we never had our weird hypothetical conversation. "You are off duty on medical leave until classes pick up again." Dimitri looked at her horrified.
"What am I supposed to do exactly?" Dimitri asked her furious. He hated being inactive as much as I did.
Alberta glanced at me, and then raised an eyebrow. Really am I the only one that can't do that? She looked back at Dimitri. "I'm sure you find something."
"What – ah," Dimitri said with a smile. "I'm sure I will. Hypothetically of course." Alberta and Dimitri chuckled.
I looked back and forth between them, obviously confused. "What are you going to be doing if you're not on duty?" I asked him curiously.
Alberta then giggled. I kid you not. She giggled. Dimitri turned bright red. Then I realized what her words had implied and why she had looked at me before. Really I should have known better.
I turned red and looked at the floor. "Right," I said. Dimitri and I left her office shortly after.
