So thanks as always to those of you how read this review or ad my to some sort of list I thank you all :) I'm very happy to hear that alot of you are enjoying this and I hope that the upcoming chapters will still please all of you. I planned it all out how it would go from chapter one but I think that the changes I've made are sooo much better for the story and it seems that al of you are enjoying it as well. This chapter will be pretty long Im hoping and all and alot of things will happen! Reviews please and thank you!!

RIMA

Chapter 8: No interference

I was sure that the knock on the door had been Akatsuki but it was Rokoru.

"Rima, it's for you" Ruka told me giving me a smirk. She already knew something was up.

"Have fun" she added before heading for the bathroom. I tried to ignore her but I could feel my heart pick up pace when he smiled at me.

"Good morning Rima. Did you sleep well?" he asked concern clear in his eyes despite their shine.

"Y-Yeah" I stuttered a little.

"You look very cute when you make that expression." he complimented leaning in close to me.

Feeling myself blush I looked away. He was so charming I couldn't help but react in some way. Though I was used to hiding any emotion or getting rid of it I was still born a female and there were things that I couldn't always hide.

"Don't be embarrassed. It's very adorable." he continued sweetly turning my face to him.

"Come on. Lets get something to eat before class starts" he said leaning away and taking my hand walking towards the vampires cafeteria. At this time it was usually empty since vampires didn't really like to be up earlier than necessary for class. If they were hungry they would usually just take a blood tablet in class and call it their meal.

But since even we had days when we got up early to eat or just to walk around they opened up a cafeteria that was dimly lit for our preference.

"What would you like to eat?" he asked pulling out my chair for me.

"I'm not very hungry" I lied. I hadn't really fed in days since I was too distracted or rather heart broken.

"How about an ice cream?" he smiled sitting opposite of me.

"I want to make sure you have some type of food in you. Even if it just human food." he added.

He worried so much over me for no reason. He didn't have to yet he did. I wondered why.

He had told me that he had known someone who had lost the will to fight and in the end committed suicide. He said that he didn't ever want to see me lose my will to want to live. He didn't want me to do what she did. He was trying to protect me. I wondered what it was that made her lose her will to live. How close were they? I wondered if he regretted any of it with her. I wanted to know more.

"You...." I started but couldn't finish. Was it right for me to ask like nothing of something that was a sensitive issue?

He looked up at me curiosity clear on his perfect face.

"Go on." he said encouragingly.

"You said you knew someone who lost the will to live, and in the end she killed herself......Why?" I asked still unsure if I should have asked.

His serene smile let me know that it was okay for me to have asked.

"Yes. Her name was Lillian. She was supposed to be my fiance. It was arranged so I wasn't too familiar with her. Once I found out I got to know her. It was not love at first sight or anything like that. It took me years to accept that she would be the one I would be spending the rest of my existence with. I was found of her dearly but I didn't love her."

The look in his eyes told me that though he didn't love her he still cared very deeply for her.

"If i had met her by fate and not by convenience I think I would have fallen in love with her, but it didn't turn out that way. She was beautiful and of high class and she was very sweet. She had this innocence about her that was strange for her age, almost child like. To be honest I don't know why she lost interest in life. I remember her for being full of energy and enjoying what ever she could find new to do." His voice sounded amused at remembering her but it was also filled with sorrow for her.

"Then...why? Why did she do it?" I asked. There were those of us who after a very long existence lost all reason for living and decided to end our own lives, but it seemed strange that someone who had lots of energy and a child like innocence would do something like take her own life.

"I still don't know. If her family knows anything their not saying. The last time I saw her I knew something in her had changed. The spark in her eyes that always showed when she was doing something was not there. They seemed blank and she wouldn't say much. I tried to get her to talk but she didn't want to talk. Her usual energetic charisma was gone. She seemed weak. I offered her my blood to feed but she didn't want it. I should have known what she was thinking, planning but I didn't. I stood by and let her do it. I should have tried harder to save her, bring the old her back. I had been told that she had been like that in the week I hadn't seen her."

He stopped and looked at me, but it seemed like he wasn't aware that he was looking directly into my eyes. And I couldn't look away from his either.

"I was not in love with her but I cared about her very much. I was....heart broken if you will when I heard of what she did. They had given me half her ashes since we were to be married. My mother was planning on keeping them in the play room since she loved it and we always played there when we were younger but I knew that though she loved that room she loved the backyard better. It was her favorite place, so I spread them there. I felt a lot better when I did but I could never stop blaming myself for not doing more to stop her."

"What she did was not your fault. You shouldn't blame yourself" I said trying to get him to smile a little. It really wasn't his fault for what she did. He just felt guilty about it and it was normal that he feel this way but I didn't like it. This whole time he was holding this inside, how long had he been blaming himself?

"There must have been something I could have done to stop her." he added more to himself than to me.

"Don't you know that when a girl makes up her mind they won't change it?" I smiled at him.

"It's how we are. Or else we wouldn't be the way we are."

"Hmmm, that may be true." he said smiling with amusement.

"It's your smile that I never want to see disappear. You had the same look in your eyes as Lillian did before taking her life when I saw you. I never want that to happen to anyone I care about ever again." The sincerity in his words made it very easy to believe him, even more was the way he was now looking at me. Like he was seeing me after centuries of being apart.

I couldn't help myself. Knowing that he was suffering bearing the burden of thinking that he could have saved someone who he cared very deeply for had somehow gotten to me. Thinking that he didn't save the person he cared for forced me to think of my current situation. I tried my best to save Shiki from those controlling him to prevent from ever losing him yet somehow I had still lost him.

"Rima? Whats wrong?" the way he said my name, so urgent made me realize that I was silently crying.

With my fingertips I was able to feel the wet little stream that was on the sides of my face. Why was I crying? Out of pity for him? For me?

I always thought that crying was a sign of weakness therefore I never showed it. I never had a reason to cry and if I ever did I would never let anyone see me, yet here I was crying in front of Rokoru and it didn't seem to bother me. I knew that he would never judge me and with him I felt like I didn't have to hide anything about me from him.

"Why are you crying?" he asked in a low serious yet soft voice.

"How long were you silently suffering?" I asked him feeling another wet streak down the side of my face, but my voice was stable.

He looked at me with eyes that were filled with happiness and a smile that was so peaceful I wanted to touch his perfect face. He must have known what I was thinking because he reached out to take my hand and held it in his. His skin on mine felt very warm I didn't want him to let go. It didn't seem to be enough for him.

Still holding on to me he walked around the table and was soon kneeling on one knee right beside me. He brought my hand to his face and held it there.

"You were crying for me?" he asked looking up at me. He seemed to be really touched by it. It was clear on his face. In his eyes, his smile.

I could only smile a sad smile at him. I had cried for him. For his pain. He knew what my answer was without me having to say it out loud.

"You are a strange girl." he said stroking my hand.

"Rima" The way he said my name so filled with passion, I wanted him to say it again.

"Will you marry me?" he asked turning my hand and kissing the center of my palm.

Like someone being thrown into frozen water I couldn't feel my self move. Had I heard him right?

"I know we have only known each other for a very short amount of time but I feel like I've known you for much longer. Spending my endless existence with you now feels like something I need more than blood. I want you, forever. From the moment I saw you I knew you were different. I didn't know what was causing you such great pain, but I knew I had to be there for you because if what happened to Lillian happened to you I wouldn't know what I would do." I knew that what he was saying was the absolute truth even as I felt something cold in my hand.

"You don't have to answer me now if this is too much for you. But will you wear the ring?" he asked. Opening my hand I saw a gold ring with diamonds encrusted all over it topped off with a seven caret turquoise stone in the middle.

"The color was the same as your eyes being reflected by the moons glow the first night I saw you."

Every time he looked at me I couldn't help but be amazed at how peaceful and bliss he seemed to be. I couldn't bear it if I was the one who took that look away from him.

What else did I have? Shiki had left me and it was made very clear.

I nodded my head a little to let him know that I would wear the ring. His serene smile became that much more radiant as he put the ring on the third finger of my left hand.

Looking at it he kissed it, "I'll be waiting for your answer sometime after the dance." he whispered softly before getting up.

Hearing the gates open at the front we knew it was time to leave for class.

Walking hand in hand he led us to class.

Since it was the night of the dance class started earlier and ended so early that many students with the permission of Kaname didn't show up to class.

Through out all of class I couldn't stop thinking about his proposal. It had been real. He had meant it. What was I going to say was what I couldn't seem to find the answer to. I was still no where close to being over the fact that the one who I was in love with for so long now was with another. Could I be able to love him the way he deserved? But who's to say I wouldn't try my hardest. Half of me was saying yes but there was that side of me that was holding back.

I knew that if I said yes it would only be to save myself from the loneliness I knew felt deep inside me, the ache I felt when I remembered Shiki. I would only be using him, but I knew inside somewhere I would without a doubt come to love him completely like he deserved someday and knowing that he would marry me and wait until the day came.

I didn't dare look around before or after class for Shiki. I wouldn't know what to expect from him or from myself. Instead I sat right beside Rokoru grateful that his smile was still there even when I wondered what to say to him.

He walked me to my dorm kissing my hand and the admiring the ring on my finger. There was something he awoke from within me whenever he looked at me with that beautifully bliss smile. Before I knew it he was leaning in to kiss me.

And I couldn't resist.

Or was it that I didn't want to resist? I didn't react at first but when I knew it I was kissing him back. His soft silk like lips. The energy around him became stronger when I responded to him. My hand had found its way to his beautiful face softly caressing it. With that his kiss became stronger yet still gentle enough. He cupped my face with his warm hands making me feel like I was in a beautiful dream and i didn't want it to end.

His smile was still there when we pulled away.

"Good night" he whispered in my ear as he wrapped me in his arms. With a kiss on the top of my head he sighed before pulling away to leave.

"I'll wait for your answer, and as for the dance I'll pick you up." he smiled again before turning to disappear down the hall.

I was a little surprised to see Ruka wasn't in the room when I walked in. She must have stopped by the cafeteria to eat.

Being alone for once, everything seemed to hit me at once. Feelings of happiness, confusion, loneliness, bliss, and others that I still couldn't describe filled me from the inside out.

Confusion hit me the most when I saw an envelope sitting on my bed. Picking it up I caught the all too familiar scent.

'Meet me outside at the very back in an hour' it read in elegant script.

It didn't have to be signed to know from who it was. How was I going to explain this to him? But why did he want to talk now? What could he possibly want? Could it be that he already knew that Rokoru proposed to me? There was no way he could have known unless he was there or heard it from Rokoru himself but he wouldnt have said anything, I still hadn't answered him myself.

Looking at the time I decided I still had a few hours until the dance. Killing the time left before I had to meet him I started to prepare for the dance opening the box my dress had come in, making sure the shoes had also arrived and then other little things.

when the hour was up I felt a little nervous. I wondered what he would say once I got there, if he asked me to leave Rokoru for him I truly wouldn't know what to say, but the chance of that happening was very low.

Usually it would seem that the walk there would take some time but today the walk didn't feel long enough. I still wasn't sure what I would say to him if he asked me anything vital about the past few day, when everything had drastically changed.

Though the sun was just setting because of the many trees around it was dark. It was pretty far from the school grounds though still within them. I looked around but saw no one. The wind started to pick up but I was able to catch his scent it was faint but it was there.

"Aren't we a little slut?" came an icy voice.

"One minute with one guy and then running back to the other at any given chance. Your type are the worst!" it went on.

I should have known. It wasn't Shiki but Kaori. That explained the faint scent from Shiki coming from her.

"Why don't you come out already? You bore me." I said calmly putting a hand on my hip, pretending to wait.

In a flash she appeared before me with a smirk on her face.

"Acting all high and mighty! There's no one to interfere this time."

I knew what girls like her hated and I was going to play on that.

"Your threats dont bother me. If you're going to fight then start already" I taunted her not flinched at her words.

It was like that day with Shiki, when we first met at my backyard. Only this time there was an enemy before me.I didn't know what her element was but she already knew mine. She probably had some advantage on that.

She went in for a hit with her hands and not power. I dodged it and landed a blow on her with a kick to the stomach sending her a few yards back.

Landing on her feet she got up and came at me again with full speed kicking and throwing her hands. Though I kept blocking them she managed to land a hit on my right shoulder. It seemed she was very serious and I was going to fight back at full force as well or just us enough to beat her.

Standing up we ran to each other at full speed using force, me landing several blows on her face, stomach and back with both my legs and fists while she tried to dodge the when she went flying back she didn't land as softly breaking a tree in half.

Breathing hard and with blood coming from her mouth and face she still wanted to fight.

In a blur she was standing in front of me trying to land a hit on my face. Seeing her I bent over backwards and kicked her in the face before landing with a back hand sprint but it didn't hold her down for long. Before I was able fully land right she grabbed my wrists spinning me around and threw me with full force into the air. Before I could stop in a flash she came from behind me and landed a kick on my back. A large crate formed when I landed causing a thunderous sound as well.

I hadn't realized how serious she was.

"Now" do you get it?" she asked still breathing hard.

"I don't know why you're so set on fighting with me but I could care less" I answered.

It seemed to get her madder as she finally seemed to be using her element punching the ground hard causing the ground to rumble under me.

Quickly getting off there and watching the hole cave in even more before it was drowned with dirt I realized I wouldn't be safe on ground. I couldn't stay on one spot unless I kept her busy trying to dodge my hits.

Switching from the ground to a tree branch I took my first aim at her. I sent a powerful surge with the point of my finger easily hitting her. Watching her drop to the ground I quickly made my next move before she got up.

Before this got anymore out of hand and someone noticed I decided to quickly end it. Taking aim I fired and though I had been standing over her when the smoke cleared she wasn't there. I looked around to find her but couldn't spot her. I kept moving around but it seemed useless when I felt the whole area around me rise above the air and higher than the trees.

"Stop hiding" I shouted for her. With no where to really move around I sent waves of electricity all around me. If she managed to land a blow on me it would also reflect on her when she came into contact with me.

Feeling the piece of ground under me start to split I realized she was coming from under ground. Grabbing my ankles she dropped me and shot me into a pile of trees. I landed harshly and tried to get up but couldn't. She was using the dirt to hold me down.

"This is your first and final warning" she said standing before me. She may have me but she was pretty bruised up and bleeding.

"Stay away from Shiki. He gave me his blood because he chose me and not you." she acidly smiled.

Picking her hand up and aiming it at me hundreds of thorns surrounded me. She sent a branch filled with thorns right next to my face causing them to cut me as they passed me.

I felt the blood start to trickle down the side of my face and create a miniature stream that flowed down the thorns branch and pile on a bed of leaves.

I stopped struggling when I heard that but I didn't let her see how much it hurt me to know she was right.

"I couldn't care less. I give you my blessings for all I care." I said sounding annoyed making her think I was upset about trying to get out and not what she was saying.

"eh? So you don't care if we are together?" she asked confused.

"Thats right I don't. We were only friends. But tell him thanks for the bear." I added.

Every move I made thorns would cut right through me. Finally managing to lift my hand without having her see I pointed my palm out and aiming all my anger and power at her sent an ocean of thunder at her. I heard her scream and soon the branches around me pulled back and I was able to move again. Jumping up I saw her limp body on the grass. She wasn't dead only unconscious.

Walking right by her I left her alone. It seemed I was right. He had picked her over me and this confirmed it. Shiki and I no longer had anything together. After so many years in the end it was all for nothing but heart ache. The pain returned to my chest and I found it difficult to breath again. I could feel the small cuts around me healing already but that was very little comfort.

Dusting myself off I safely made it to my room with no one seeing me. Even better when I saw that Ruka was still out. I headed for the shower to clean myself off from all the dried blood and dirt. When I was done showering and cleaning my body I couldn't bring myself to get out. Feeling the hot water on me I began to silently cry as I sank to the wet warm floor. The pain inside me had grown sharper and more painful how would I ever get over this? I loved him so much and yet there was nothing between us anymore.

Bringing my legs to my chest I tried to compress my cries as they grew louder but it was no use. The warm water hitting me didn't seem to be of help. I could f eel my hair cascade around my shoulders hiding my face as my tears mixed with the water.

When had I become so weak?

"Rima!? What's wrong?" his alarmed voice stopped my crying for a minute. I looked up to see the blurry figure of Rokoru outside the crystal shower door.

My crying picked up as I realized I didn't deserve him. I would only end up hurting him somehow in the end. But even worse was knowing that he would forgive me for it all.

"Rima! I'm opening the door" he said hesitating a little when he didn't hear my answer.

The first thing I felt was him drop a towel on me to cover my body before he turned the water off.

Wrapping the towel around my figure like I was a toddler in his arms he picked me up off the floor and carried me to the bed. Sitting me down he picked up another towel and began to gently dry my face and hair.

"I came to pick you up for the dance. I heard your cries and I had to see what was hurting you." he gently explained. Knowing he cared so much about me I started to cry all over.

His eyes became filled with sadness and concern for me. With the towel around me secured I held on to him and cried. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close caressing the top of my head.

I knew what I had to do. I knew that Shiki would understand just like I did for him. Though I loved him I let him find his happiness when I realized it wasn't with me. I knew he would do the same for me, if not today then someday he would be happy for me.

"I do have an answer for you." I said into his chest trying to stop the overflow of tears.

He looked at me with cautious eyes.

"Yes. Yes I want to marry you, Rokoru." I somehow managed to smile for him even with the tears that wouldn't stop from coming.

"Rima, its okay. You don't have to answer me now. You're under too much stress" he softly whispered wiping a drop that was falling from my eye.

"I'll wait for you to heal. Then you can give me an answer" he smiled but he couldn't hide that sad look from his beautiful purple eyes.

"No. I know what I'm doing. My answer is yes." I said again

"Rima, this isn't the best time for you to answer. You're very hurt and-"

"You...dont want to marry me?" I whispered feeling more tears fall.

"I do. But I'm not sure that you're ready-"

"I am ready. I want to marry you" I said again.

Though he was right I wasn't going to let him know that.

Putting my arms around him I brought my face to his.

"I do" I whispered again before meeting his lips.

He didn't respond at first but soon he was kissing me back. It wasn't fair to either of us but more to him but I was too selfish to stop myself. Though I knew that I would come to love him too, truly love him it wasn't fair that I was doing this.

"Are you sure?" He asked pulling away.

Bringing my hand where the ring was placed on I kissed it to show him that I wasn't lying.

Taking my hand in his he placed a kiss on it too before kissing me again.

"I never want to see you suffer like this. I will do my best to make sure that you are happy." he said smiling at me.

That smiled that I loved so much was back and I was glad for the first time since I saw Kaori that I was the reason he smiled like this.

"We have a dance to attend. Get ready and I'll be back to pick you up. And please leave your hair down tonight, it looks more beautiful than usual." he said picking us both up. I hadn't realized until then that he had been kneeling on one knee this whole time or that I somehow managed to be on the floor too.

"Where are you going?" I asked

He smiled seeming to be happy that I didn't want him to leave.

"I have to go change again." he smiled softly caressing my face with his finger.

Looking down I felt bad when I saw that I had ruined his suit. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen how amazing he looked in his black tuxedo.

I felt my face get warm knowing that I had been staring.

"You look so cute when you blush" he laughed. With another kiss he was soon gone and I was left alone again, though I knew he would be back.

Having known what I just did, I sank back down to the floor crying more silently this time. I had said yes to Rokoru and knew that there would never be any chance of being happy with Shiki now. Though it still hurt so much, the pain inside me seemed to have faded just a bit. It may not have been much but I knew that there was hope still.

If I got the chance tonight I would say my goodbyes to Shiki. Staying here would be too painful ruining any chance of me healing. I would ask Rokoru to leave school so that we could move to our own estate somewhere far where no one knew. And he would allow it as long as it made me happy.

I didn't want to be weak, but it was also impossible to stop crying over the love that I had lost.


~I'll show you another sweet dream~