Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers: Do'B, Kimavinzant, TheProlificWriterGirl, XxHiddenInTheShadowsxX, Guest, luciinwaters, Alena, Vinaa Belikova, and Guest! I appreciate every ounce of support that I get for this story. Enjoy the chapter, and hopefully you guys don't hate me too much at the end.
With that being said, I want to give a shoutout to my bestie, TheProlificWriterGirl, who beta'd this chapter for me, and puts up with me on a daily basis, and edits a lot of my writing. I love you, dear! PS if any of my lovely readers like Phantom of the Opera or CSI: New York, then definitely go check her profile out. She is an amazing, and heartbreaking writer that will leave you begging for more.
"I want you," I whispered as I pressed my lips against his. For half a second, I thought he was going to kiss me back. Instead, he shoved me aside, bolting up from the couch.
"Rosemarie, that will never happen again," he scolded, backing up further. "It was completely inappropriate. I am your teacher, not your classmate."
"I don't try to screw my classmates," I corrected, standing up from the couch myself.
"That is most certainly not the point of what I just said. If you are going to act inappropriate, then you cannot stay here," he snapped.
"Scared you might cave?
His brown eyes flashed. "Do not test me, Rosemarie."
I scowled. "My name is Rose."
"Children don't get to make requests when they've done something wrong," he informed me from his place in the kitchen.
"I'm not a child. I'm eighteen," I snarled.
"That obviously does not make you an adult," he barked back.
"Not an adult? You're right; being eighteen doesn't make me an adult," I said. A triumphant look crossed his face, quickly falling as I continued. "No, I like to think that I've long since been an adult. Witnessing your parents' deaths certainly makes you grow up faster, and adding being kidnapped to the list unquestionably doesn't make matters better. So no, being eighteen doesn't automatically qualify me to be an adult. I've been an adult for much longer."
"Rose-"
"I don't want to hear your excuses or your apologies. Good night," I interrupted, ignoring the brief flash of anger across his face. I shut the door tightly behind me, and curled up in the massive king sized bed. Thinking about my parents' deaths never ended well for me, and adding the kidnapping that I hardly remember obviously doesn't help.
Footsteps paused outside the door, the floorboard creaking under the weight as he stood there. I stared at the spot on the floor where the shadow fell, blocking the light. Some time later, the footsteps moved away, and the light seeping under the door disappeared completely as the living room light was shut off. I got up and tightly closed the curtains, hoping to appease the uneasy feeling that circled my stomach. The room was too different from my own to get comfortable and I tossed and turned for God knows how long before falling into a restless sleep.
When I woke, my arms were above my head, with biting metal cuffs preventing them from being pulled down. My body was stretched as far as it could, my toes just barely on the ground. The door swung open, and the girl appeared, her heels clicking against the floor. She approached me slowly, her perfume reaching me before she did.
The acrylic nails she wore ran along my wrist and forearm briefly, sliding through the blood that dripped from where the cuffs bit into my skin from too much struggling.
"You're not going anywhere, Rosie," she whispered from behind me. "I won't allow it."
"What do you want from me?" I sobbed.
I could hear the grin in her voice as she answered sadistically. "I want you to pay for all the pain you've caused."
I screamed as she kicked my legs out from under me, forcing all my weight onto my wrists and the metal cuffs bit in even deeper.
"I don't even know you," I gasped, trying desperately to regain my footing.
"Oh but you do," she hissed. "I'm so much closer than you think."
"Rose!"
I bolted upright, a scream on my lips. Dimitri was perched at the end of the bed, tense, and wide-eyed.
"Rose?" he whispered as the tears began to fall. Without hesitation, he leaned forward and pulled me into his arms, leaning back on the bed with me.
"You are okay. You are safe." He kept repeating those six words, over and over, until the shaking stopped and the tears ceased to fall. Small patches of sunlight creeped through the closed curtains, and I itched for them to be open all the way to prove that I was not longer in her basement.
"Rose?" he whispered, his arms still wrapped around me. I pulled away, and faced him slightly. "What did you dream about?"
I glared at him. "Rainbows and sunshine," I snapped.
"Rosema-." He cut himself off as my glare intensified, staying silent for a moment. "Please tell me what you really dreamed about. There's no need for sarcasm."
"There was no need for me to get kidnapped, but look what happened," I growled. "And what I dreamed about isn't any of my teacher's business. After all, that's what we are, right? A regular teacher and student?"
He barked out a laugh. "You know damn well that that is not what I meant when I said that."
I crossed my arms, ignoring him.
"Rose, please," he said softly.
I rubbed my wrists subconsciously, even though I knew that the scars there were faint. When I had first gotten to the hospital, after being rescued, I remembered Lissa rubbing a cream on to my wrists, telling me that it was going to make the scars go away. It never worked fully, but Lissa remarked that they were better than it originally was though, with the pained and discomfort look she always got when she or someone mentioned the kidnapping.
"I need to get ready for school," I changed the topic, sliding off the bed. "Are my clothes here?"
"I set them in the closet by the door," he murmured. "Lissa gave Ivan a couple of things to bring over. I guess you had left some clothes and shoes in Lissa's room or she borrowed a couple of things, and so they survived the attack."
I frowned. "Lissa and I aren't the same size."
He shrugged, and I stumbled out into the living room. The curtains were all open, allowing brilliant sunlight to come streaming in, blinding me. In the closet were my other bags of clothes, and another bag that I quickly recognized as Lissa's suitcase from when she was younger. I laid it on its side, and unzipped it. There was a black lace dress on top with a pair of lace black flats. Neither item was familiar. However, under the dress was my favorite sweatshirt and a VHS Cheer t-shirt. A note in Lissa's familiar handwriting was taped to the inside lid.
Rose,
The dress and flats are my birthday present to you. They should be the right size. The sweatshirt I found halfway under my bed, don't ask me why it was there. I know you're probably wondering why I included the cheer shirt, but it was another one of your things that I found intact, and figured that you might want it, regardless of bad memories or whatever. I'll see you in class, love you.
Lissa
I sighed, and tucked the suitcase back into the closet. Seeing as my dark wash jeans were currently crumped in Dimitri's bedroom, I opted for my light wash jeans and an oversized black sweater, and changed in the bathroom. I slipped into the black flats that were in the suitcase once I came out, and noted that Dimitri's door was still closed. I crossed into the kitchen, flipping the light above the sink on as I went. The fridge was to my left, and when I opened it, I found it close to empty. The pizza from last night was on the middle shelf, and there was a half a gallon of milk besides the orange juice. A few cartons of yogurt sat on the door, and there were apples and oranges in one of the drawers. In the drawer next to the fruit was a small array of vegetables. I snagged a yogurt and found a bag of granola in the cabinet that I sprinkled into it. As I sat down at the island, the bedroom door opened and Dimitri walked out in a white button down and dark wash jeans. He walked past me, grabbing an apple and a bottle of water out of fridge.
"How soon are you ready to go?"
"I'm ready," I mumbled around a bite of granola and yogurt.
"Attractive," he mumbled dryly, and I glared.
"Why does it matter to you?"
He didn't answer, and instead walked to the front door, holding it open for me. I walked through it, still eating my yogurt, and paused while he locked the door.
"You are dressed conservative today," he murmured as we stepped into the elevator.
"And by that you mean I'm not dressed like a slut?"
"What I mean by that is there is more of your skin covered than there is showing," he corrected.
I rolled my eyes, sarcastically adding, "This whole no clothes thing really cramps my style."
He ignored me again and I scanned the parking lot as we walked outside. There was indeed no sign of the Impala, just as he promised. The ride to the school was without conversation, the morning NPR the only thing breaking the silence. I stared out the window, trying to remember the path to get from the school back to Dimitri's apartment. We arrived at the school early, and not many students were hanging around, allowing me to linger slightly without risking being seen.
"I'm going to get my car today," I informed him as I climbed out of the car. "I need to be able to have my own transportation."
"It is not safe," he started.
"I don't care. I need my car."
He sighed. "We will go get it after school. I will be ready to go at two thirty. Please be ready by then."
I scowled. "I don't need a babysitter."
"It is not up for discussion, Rose. We will go together or not at all." He glared at me, daring me to challenge him. I sighed, and relented. I would rather have my car than challenge him. Grabbing my bag from the back, I glared back at him and walked into the school building. When I reached my locker, I immediately noticed that it wasn't closed completely, and that the lock was hanging open. I was almost positive that I had shut it completely yesterday.
Opening it slowly, I saw nothing out of order. Except for a folded piece of paper sitting on top of my English composition book. I set my bag at my feet before carefully unfolding the note. The writing looked vaguely familiar, but the message sent shivers down my spine.
You can run, but you can't hide, Rosie. I will get you, and you will be mine, it read.
My hands were shaking as I reread the note over and over. She has access to the school.
"Rose? Is everything alright?"
I shrieked and jumped ten feet in the air. Haley appeared behind me, silent as silent could be.
"You scared me," I whispered.
"I'm sorry," she frowned. "That wasn't my intention."
"How long have you been here?"
"At school? A half hour? Give or take. I was working on a project," she answered, tilting her head slightly to the side.
"Have you seen anybody else around here?" I gestured to the hallway.
She shook her head apologetically. "I've been in the library." She gestured down the opposite way that I came. "Why?"
"It's nothing," I murmured, crumpling the note up. "I'll see you in English."
I slammed my locker, making sure for a fact that it was indeed shut before making my way outside. There was still a tiny bit of the chill that was noticeable when I walked outside this morning, but it was nowhere near as strong. The metal bench I sat on carried even more of the chill.
You can run but you can't hide.
Whoever this was, she was most likely a student. An adult would have succeeded, wouldn't have let me leave. Whoever this was, she knew where my locker was and knew where to place the note to make sure that I would absolutely see it first thing. How many people were blonde and knew that I had English first period today?
"Rose!" I turned and saw Lissa jogging towards me. "Are you ignoring me?"
"Why would I be ignoring you?"
"Because I called your name four or five times? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I said, still tense. Lissa is blonde. I shook the thought off as soon as it entered my mind. I really needed more sleep; I'm obviously delirious. Lissa would never hurt me. She's practically my sister.
"You're not," she said softly, breaking me out of my thoughts. "But if you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to."
I arched an eyebrow. "You're willing to just drop the subject?"
"For now," she confirmed. "Pushing you will only make you clam up more. I hate that you're hiding from me."
"I'm hiding for your safety," I reminded her. "The last thing I need is you getting hurt too."
Her eyes hardened. "I don't need you to keep me safe. I'm perfectly capable of keeping myself safe."
"I know you are," I sighed. "I just don't want you to get hurt."
"I won't," she argued.
"You don't know that."
"Yes, I do," she said.
"Can we not do this? I don't really want to fight with you."
She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Fine."
"I'll see you in class?"
"Of course." She walked away as the bell rang, leaving me sitting on the bench by myself.
I was one of the last people to walk into English, and took my usual seat next to Haley. She smiled at me, but didn't say anything as Langston started her lecture. A note landed on my desk halfway through class.
Hang out after school?
Sure. Meet you at your house?
Sounds good
A separate piece of paper landed on my desk, her address written neatly on the first line. A few minutes passed and then the original note ended back up on my desk.
What happened last night?
I kissed him
And?
And he pushed me away. The end.
The end? There has to be more
There's not.
You seemed pissed at him this morning.
How would you know?
Library has good view of teacher lot
There was an argument. I don't want to talk about it. It's over
The note didn't end back up on my desk, and when the bell rang, I darted. I really didn't want to talk about it. I zoned out during culinary, mindlessly taking notes. A few minutes before the bell rang, my phone buzzed against my hip, and I pulled it out. An unfamiliar number was on my screen with the accompanying text message: meet me in my room during lunch. We'll go get your car, something came up after school –Dimitri
I sighed, and let myself be carried through the crowd until I reached his room. The door was unlocked and I let myself in, before letting the door close with a barely audible click. The office door was cracked and I could hear him talking to someone.
"You need to get her to trust you!" A jumbled voice came through what I assumed was a phone and I froze.
"What do you think I am trying to do?" he growled.
"Try harder! It cannot be as hard as you're making it out to be."
"All she wants to do is jump my bones," he said dryly.
"Then sleep with her, Belikov," the voice ordered. "Hathaway is a pretty girl, surely it can't be that hard."
"My job is not to manipulate her."
"Do you even remember what your job is?
"Of course I do," he snapped. "Last time I checked, my job was not to sleep with her."
There was a long pause, and then the voice on the phone spoke again. "Do you not understand that your job is on the line here?"
"My job should not be on the line over not sleeping with a minor," he bit out.
"She's not a minor, and you know that."
"I am not going to sleep with her to get information!"
"That's why you were hired in the first place, Belikov," the voice snarled. "Your job is to find out what Rosemarie Hathaway knows about the kidnapping. You are to achieve your mission, no matter what you have to do."
Panic clawed at my chest, and it felt like I was gasping for air as if an elephant was sitting on my chest. Tears welled up at the corners of my eyes, and I hastily brushed them away. The conversation was still going on, but I couldn't hear anything either party was saying. My vision blurred and I turned, slumping against the wall directly outside the classroom door, I relished the feel of the cold cinder brick against my overheated skin, as it seeped through my sweater. Slowly, I breathed in deeply, holding it for a second before letting it all out. My senses slowly came back to me, and my vision focused as the ringing in my ears stopped.
"Rose?" Dimitri appeared before me, and panic started to well up in my chest again and I shoved it down. "What are you doing?"
"J-just waiting for you," I stammered.
"In the hallway?"
I shrugged, and pushed myself off the wall, allowing him to go ahead of me. My leg twitched the entire ride to my apartment, and Dimitri kept shooting me looks, though he stayed silent.
"Straight back to school," he ordered as he dropped me off.
"I need to stop for gas, and then to school," I promised before hurrying away from his car, and into my own, without looking up at the apartment. My stomach growled in hunger and I ignored s I pulled out onto the main road, going in the opposite direction of the school. I wasn't lying about the gas, and as I filled up, my phone buzzed. I took it out with trepidation, but it was only a message from Haley.
Hey, I came down with something and went home early. Can we reschedule?
I didn't reply and instead got back in my car, and drove. Fifteen minutes later, my GPS was telling me that my destination was on the left and I parked in the street, practically running up to the front door.
"Rose?" Haley questioned as she opened the door.
"I need your help," I gasped.