Here it is! The fourth chapter!
So yeah, here's a long chapter for you guys to partially make up for my absence. ;]
Fire
The morning caused Rose to wake up from her almost-peaceful slumber. Muttering to herself about cursing the sun, she swooped out of bed and staggered her way to the bathroom. I went downstairs, cooking breakfast for the two of us since my mother went out grocery shopping with my two sisters. But it was easy to tell that she wanted to leave the two of us alone; no one in her right mind would go shopping for groceries at five o'clock in the morning.
When I finished setting down the plates on the table, Rose showed up in the kitchen, her face as sour as ever.
"Did you begin opening up the bakery at six in the morning intentionally to make me suffer?" she grumbled, taking her seat.
I couldn't help but smile. "Not really. But if you wake up later, most of the day will already be gone and wasted. Carpe diem. Besides, you've been here for a week. I thought you'd be used to it by now," I said with a chuckle. She rolled her eyes and began digging through last night's leftovers.
"I'm going to beg your mom for this recipe. Better than any homemade food I've ever had," she said, placing her empty plate into the sink. I washed both plates with a smile and set them back in the cabinet.
"I'm sure she'll be more than happy to give it to you," I said, opening the door for her.
She grinned and walked out as I ran and unlocked the bike. I didn't hear a word of complaint as she sat on the back and grabbed my sweatshirt.
"Nothing to make you mad today?" I asked casually.
She laughed. "Not yet," she replied lightheartedly. Some of our neighbors were outside watering their gardens. Most of them waved at us and gave surprised glances as they saw Rose riding behind me. I just grinned at them in response; my mother would make up a story about her somehow.
"All right, Rose. You're making vatrushka today," I said, unlocking the store's door.
"Sounds like a type of vomit," she muttered quietly to herself. I shot her a dark look from the corner of my eye.
"I'll let you try it first to see if it is like vomit, then," I said with a sly grin. I saw her swallow hard and shot a haughty glare in my direction.
I took her to the back of the store and took out all the necessary ingredients. She was quick to memorize where everything was. Once we were able to bake an oval-shaped bread, I showed her how to scoop out the center and fill it with cream and custard. Rose scooped a bit too deep, and we didn't realize it until the table was flooded with custard. She froze over for a second and laughed nervously. Our eyes met, and we both bursted out laughing like idiots.
"Okay, okay," I said, regaining my composure, "Clean up this mess and fix your bread." I went to the door and put my apron on the rack.
"Hey, this is pretty good!" Rose exclaimed.
I turned around and saw her licking her fingers that were sticky with custard. I held back a snicker as I said, "Rose."
She looked at me and I pointed at the tip of my nose. Rolling her eyes, she wiped it off with her finger and licked it with a grin.
I shook my head with a smile and set up the register for the day's sales. Just to make sure, I pulled out a calculator to figure out how much money she's made so far during her stay. Remembering the working wages per hour, she'd already earned seven hundred dollars. At this rate, she'll be able to go home in about five weeks.
The door jingled open and seven teenage boys piled in, all of them dressed in leather with heavy metal chains. I rolled my eyes in exasperation; these boys didn't know when to stop.
"Hey, Belikov! Hand over your cash!" the leader demanded. I rolled my eyes.
Just then, Rose came out with a perfectly-made vatrushka in her hand. "Hey, where do I put this?" she asked and looked up, suddenly freezing in her tracks. The boys shifted their attention to her and most of them raised their eyebrows either in surprise or in lust.
"Nice. Sweet and pretty, just the way I like them," one of the boys said, approaching her.
Her eye began to twitch.
Uh oh, I thought.
Another one of the idiots came forth whipped the custard onto his finger and licked it. "Hm, sweet. I'd like to see how sweet you are, babe," he said, twisting his finger in her hair.
Then, her eyes lit up like fire in fury.
She slammed her vatrushka into the guy's face and shoved him back towards his group. Throwing her bandana and apron aside, she grabbed the metal tray from the table near her and smashed it into the next boy's face, making him stagger back and landing on his butt.
"Súka!" the leader shouted as the two nearest Rose grabbed her arms tightly.
As she struggled against them violently, she shouted, "Get off me, you sons of a bitch!"
I grabbed the metal pole from the corner and brought it down on both of their heads, sending them unconscious. Moving in front of her, I took a defensive stance. The remaining five of them inched slowly towards me, their fists raised.
"Rose, go into the back room and don't come out until I say so," I hissed at her. She gave me a skeptical look.
"You're joking," she whispered.
"Now!"
She jumped and practically dived through the door. Turning back to the gang, I grinned. They knew what the outcome was going to be. And definitely not in their favor.
As the door jingled closed, I placed the pole back in its corner and looked around the shop; it wasn't too messy, but there were a few things that were out of place.
"Okay, Rose! It's all clear!" I hollered, picking up the fallen baskets of wrapped bread.
The door opened and Rose came out, an amazed look on her face as she scanned the room. She turned to look at me and her hands fidgeted behind her back.
"Did you really kick their ass?" she asked casually.
I just shrugged, and she had her answer.
"Could you teach me?" she asked, looking me straight in the eye.
"Uh, what?" I asked blankly. I was hoping she was talking about the pastries.
She looked at me like I was a complete idiot. "Teach me how to fight like you just did!" she said, throwing her hands in the air.
I just grinned at her. "I'll think about it," I said and pointed to the back room.
She just groaned and kicked the door opened. When it closed, I noticed a slight crack forming at the bottom.
I might have to teach her a basic lesson on controlling her anger first. Shrugging, I started brushing the dust into the dust pan. I wasn't amazed that she was able to create such a perfect vatrushka in her second try; it was her aggressiveness that surprised me. I only thought she was like that when she was drunk. Completely different from Tasha.
The phone rang, interrupting my train of thoughts.
"Belikov's Bakery. How may I help you?" I answered.
"Ah, Dimitri! I ordered a few pastries to be picked up, remember?" a lady said.
I scrambled through various sheets of papers. "Yes you did, Mrs. Fedorov. What time will you be here?" I asked.
"I sent one of my abroad students to pick them up for us. I thought it'd be a perfect chance for him to venture out on his own," she explained.
I just nodded. "All right, then. We'll be ready for his appearance," I replied and hung up once I heard a click.
"Rose!" I called.
She dragged her feet out and did an exaggerated bow. "Yes, your royal bloodiness?" she asked.
I rolled my eyes before giving her a small grin. "Someone's coming here to pick up an order. From the pastries we have in the back, pack these items in one box," I said, handing her a list.
Her eyes skimmed over everything and she raised her eyebrows. "Wow, they must be trying really hard to become obese," she said while shaking her head and went in. I chuckled despite myself.
A few minutes later, the door jingled open and a red-head with freckles came in. He looked about Rose's age, or maybe even older. I couldn't tell from where I was.
He turned and saw me. "Hey, I'm here for Mrs. Fedorov's order," he said politely. Maybe this kid wasn't so bad as Rose.
"I got it! Jeez! You people consume a lot of sugar, you know. I don't even know how your stomach can handle it," she grumbled, kicking open the door a second time for the day. The boy laughed and looked amused. Rose came over and handed him a large white box and me the list. I rang him up, but the entire time I was punching in numbers, he was staring at Rose. She just looked bored.
"Stop staring. And wipe that drool off your face," she said, startling him.
"Sorry, I didn't-" he began, using his sleeves.
Instead she laughed. "I'm just joking," she said.
He smiled at her warmly. "I'm Mason, by the way. Mason Ashford. I'm an abroad student," he said, his face flushing bright pink.
She looked indifferent. "Rose," she replied simply.
He fidgeted with his fingers and looked down. "Hey, you're American, too. Have you seen the sights here in Russia?" he asked.
I raised a brow, assuming his intention to ask Rose out. It had nothing to do with me. I'm just a bit irritated that they'd have to do it in a bakery of all places. Couldn't he have taken her outside or someplace more opened?! It feels like the atmosphere is pressing down against my chest.
"Actually, no, I haven't," she said, shooting me a quick glance. I barely caught it.
His face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Then maybe we can go together, since we're both new to the country. I heard this place has a lot of interesting places to see," he said, getting more and more excited with each sentence spoken.
"Sounds nice. When should we go?" she asked, trying hard to stifle a yawn. I could tell she just wanted him to leave her alone.
"I'm free this Monday. Is that all right with you?" he asked. I leaned against my elbow with a dazed look at this ping pong conversation.
"Sure, sure. Monday. Got it," Rose said.
He grinned so wide I thought his lips would touch each ear. "Great. So I'll see you on Monday," he said and took the box.
"Hey, you forgot to pay," I said, completely bored out of my mind.
He laughed, embarrassed and took out a few bills. "She said to keep the change," he said.
I just shrugged and placed the money in the register.
"See you Monday. I'll pick you up here, then?" he asked. Why here of all places in the city? What about the park? I'm sure a setting full of flowers is much more pleasant than one with flour and wheat everywhere.
She just nodded and he left with a smile. Once he was gone, she turned to look at me with an exhausted expression. "I made fifty vatrushka. Happy?" she said. I looked at her in disbelief and went to the back room. I froze in my spot; the entire baking counter was covered with perfectly-shaped vatrushka.
"How'd you make all this so fast?" I asked, no doubt impressed.
She thought for a moment. "I don't know. I guess I bake faster when I'm pissed off," she said, earning a laugh from me.
"I don't know if that's a good trait to have," I said only to get flour thrown in my face.
When I finished locking up the bakery, Rose was literally dead on her feet.
I got on the bike and steadied it for her to get on. "Ready?" I asked, once she grabbed my sweatshirt.
She just nodded and yawned. "Just hurry up and pedal till you're tired. I'm really sleepy," she grumbled.
I smiled. "Yes ma'am," I said sarcastically.
But it was true. The moment she stepped into the house, she collapsed straight onto the floor, immediately erupting worry and shouting from my family.
"Dimitri, what happened?"
"Dimka, is she okay?"
"Did you two get involved in a gang fight?"
The last question was from Natalya. My head whipped towards her.
"How did you know?" I asked.
She just shrugged. "I don't know. I was just guessing," she said and went upstairs.
I sighed and picked Rose up from the ground. "I don't think she'll be eating with us tonight," I told my mother. She just smiled and nodded, going back in the kitchen.
When we arrived at my room, I gently placed her on the bed and pulled the covers over her. Looking at her face, I had to admit that she looked more peaceful and calm when she's unconscious.
As I sat down in my chair and replayed the day's events in my head, a little fire had begun to grow inside me without my notice when the red-head popped into my head.
Loved it? Liked it? Hated it? R&R!
Okay! Both stories updated in one week! This is amazing! :D
Ooooh, now the drama's getting started. Haha!
-Delicate