Merry Christmas, my beloved readers. I decided to give you guys an early Christmas present, and give you some updates. I knowwwww, it's been like.. Forever. I'm really sorry that I can't update often, I'm just super busy about school

Anyways, I need some help. What kind of poem-story should I write about? I have to make one by January 3rd. Ohmaaaaayyygooodness. Well, leave me some ideas.

Don't forget to review. *U*

~JairahSummers~

Ten; Long Live

RPOV

"Wake up, Rose! Wake up!" I heard someone shout at me. I ignored it and covered my ears with a pillow, then continued to sleep.

That person must've gotten pissed as he—or she—climbed on my bed and started jumping like a crazy freakshow. "Rosemarie wake the fuck up! Oh my Gawwwd."

I quickly jumped up and threw my pillow at that person, who turned out to be Lissa, and began speaking profanities in Filipino.

She began giggling and then guffawed. "That was soooo fun!" I rolled my eyes. Lissa had such a boooooring life if she thought that THAT was fun. Haha. Just kidding.

"Why'd you wake me up so early?" I asked, rubbing my eyes. She rolled her eyes at me. "Rose, are you serious? Today is your birthday AND it's not even early. It's like, 9:30 in the morning." She said in a 'duh' tone. I slapped my forehead. "Oh, yeah. I forgot my birthday." I said.

Her eyes widened and she then began talking nonsense. "How the hell do you NOT remember your birthday? It's like… the day you get lots of gifts and go shopping, eat cake, receive some money, go to cool places and probably dance a lot."

"Maybe because I didn't celebrate my birthday for two years…"

That shut her up.

While I was cleaning up, changing clothes, and fixing my self, she had sat on my bed and looked at my photos. The ones I always hid under my bed in a carefully done box that I'd made as a project a year ago in my not-so-fabulous adventure in Cebu. She then stood up and took me quickly to the guardian's lounge.

"Why didn't you celebrate Christmas for two years?" she asked, sipping her hot chocolate carefully. "Because of—" I stopped myself. I was about to say Dimitri, but thought better of it. "Because of the accident."

"What happened?" "Someday I'll explain. When I feel comfortable about talking about it." I said, then switched topics. We were talking for quite a long time, just talking randomly about different topics and gossips.

"Hey, how about we wander the school today? Not much people right now and it's kind of nice out." She said.

It was not a bad idea actually, but I was thinking about the places that would trigger memories. Memories that were heart-breaking, yet so precious.

"Hey, if you don't want to go, it's okay." She said. I hesitated before saying, "Yeah, let's take a 'tour' in the campus."

We went to our old dorm rooms, finding mine is unoccupied while Lissa's has been taken by two Royal Moroi. We headed to the gym, where my thoughts had returned to those times when Dimitri had mentored me. Where our first kiss had happened, where we'd shared a lot of make-out sessions, and where we'd always promised to not lose control, but always did.

The gym was different and the same. A lot had changed, but still, to me, it looked the same when I came here everyday for my training sessions.

We then headed to the woods, in the clearing where I usually went to when I liked to compose songs or sing alone. This was where we usually went to when we cut classes and drank or smoke—well, them.

"Hey Lissa, I wanted you to see this." I said, plopping down on the grass as I took out one of my guitars, which I hid in one of the oak trees, giving Lissa a piece of paper with a few lines I'd written back then. I wrote a few more and then gave the paper to her.

"Hey this looks cool. Let's sing this?" she asked. Lissa had an okay voice, she didn't quite hit the notes right but it was nice.

"Let's head over to my place and have some food?" she said after we finished singing. My stomach made that weird noise and I nodded. She smirked and said, "Some things never change, Rose." I smiled.

As we were heading back to Lissa's place, someone—no, some people—suddenly ambushed us. Lissa's screams were muffled and I was desperately trying to fight the ambushers. Why, oh why did things have to happen like this a lot? I knew they weren't Strigoi, because Strigoi can't get in the wards, but who would dare play a prank on the queen and, well, me?

"Calm down." An unfamiliar voice said in my ear. How could I possibly calm down when they were ambushing us?! Are they serious?

I then stopped fighting back because I realized they were taking us in some sort of room. It was eerily silent. I think it's dark inside, but I can't really see anything.

As my ambusher was about to make me sit on a chair, I elbowed him in the gut and then kicked him where the sun don't shine. Then I noticed my surroundings. It was dark, then suddenly the lights went on. I finally realized where I was. Lissa's room.

"Happy Birthday!" voices had chorused. They had planned a surprise party. I then looked at my 'ambusher' and saw that it was Dimitri. I probably turned as red as a tomato as I apologized.

"Don't worry, Ashley. It's really no problem. I 'kidnapped' you so I kind of deserved that." He said, humor in his intense brown eyes, making air quotes.

I then excused myself and hurried off to find Lissa, who was by the punch bowl. "You planned this for me?" I asked. She shrugged and said, "Of course! You're my best friend. You deserve a birthday party." I smiled and hugged her. "Thanks, Lissa. You're an amazing friend." That probably made her die in happiness.

"I love you, Rose. You know that?" she said to me, her eyes looking at me with awe. The Moroi Queen was looking at me with awe. Aren't I the luckiest girl in the world?

"Of course I know that. And I love you so very much. Queen, or not. Royal Moroi, or not. You are special to me and you're my sister." I said truthfully. I haven't told Lissa about the accident, but when I'm ready, she'd be the first to know everything.

"You can trust me." She said. I nodded. "I know. I'm just not ready to talk yet." She looked at me sympathetically and smiled sadly. "I understand."

"Hey how about we sing that song you wrote right now?" she suggested, changing the awkward topic. I smiled and nodded. "Okay."

I took my guitar and started strumming. "Hey everyone, Ashley and I are going to sing!" Lissa announced to all the friends. They all gathered around and sat down.

"So I wrote this a few months back, and I thought it'd be nice to write a song about the memories I had when I went to school here since I was five, and how I feel about this school."

Rose is bold, Lissa is italic, and Both is bold italic.

I said remember this moment, in the back of my mind
The time we stood with our shaking hands
The crowds in the stands went wild

We were the Kings and the Queens
And they read off our names
The night you danced like you knew our lives
Would never be the same

You held your head like a hero
On a history book page
It was the end of a decade
But the start of an age

Long live the walls we crashed through
All the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming long live all the magic we made
And bring on all the pretenders
One day, we will be remembered

I said remember this feeling
I passed the pictures around
Of all the years that we stood there
On the side-lines wishing for right now

We are the Kings and the Queens
You traded your baseball cap for a crown
When they gave us our trophies
And we held them up for our town

And the cynics were outraged
Screaming "this is absurd"
Cause for a moment a band of thieves
In ripped up jeans got to rule the world

Long live the walls we crashed through
All the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming long live all the magic we made
And bring on all the pretenders
I'm not afraid
Long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you
I was screaming long live that look on your face
And bring on all the pretenders
One day,we will be remembered

Hold on to spinning around
Confetti falls to the ground
May these memories break our fall

Will you take a moment, promise me this
That you'll stand by me forever
But if God forbid fate should step in
And force us into a goodbye
If you have children some day
When they point to the pictures
Please tell them my name
Tell them how the crowds went wild
Tell them how I hope they shine

Long live the walls we crashed through
I had the time of my life, with you
Long, long live the walls we crashed through
All the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming long live all the magic we made
And bring on all the pretenders
I'm not afraid
Singing, long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you
And long, long live that look on your face
And bring on all the pretenders
One day, we will be remembered

"That was awesome!" Christian exclaimed as everyone had applauded for us. He had stood up and kissed Lissa senselessly as I stood there awkwardly. They then stepped away from each other and blushed. "Sorry." Christian muttered, not sounding sorry at all.

"Awkwaaaard." Adrian said as he stood beside me and draped his arm on my shoulders. "Happy Birthday, Ashley." He began singing and the rest soon joined in.

"Thanks you guys. I really love you all!" I said after they gave me their gifts. "And I really appreciate these presents. Thanks for the party and thanks for coming."

And with that, I realized that friends always gave me happiness. It wasn't my songs, it wasn't the gifts, it wasn't the party, it wasn't the food—I know, it hurt to say that, too.

It was the effort my friends had put in just for me to have a good time with them.

And that was the best birthday gift I've ever been given. Friendship.

Whew, one of the longest chappies so far. Thanks to the reviews and thanks for giving me inspiration to write. More reviews makes me write longer chapters! xD

Lots of love from Jai. Mwah!

Next up, What really happened in Cebu? Ever wondered what the accident REALLY WAS ABOUT? Stay tuned for more. x)