Richelle Mead owns these characters.

Chapter 11: Everybody Lets You Down in This Brief Hole of a Town.

School was a blur, work couldn't go by quick enough and when I got home; Abe wasn't feeling good. So he went to bed without dinner and I cleaned. Silence, I was covered in it. Thoughts racked my mind and I felt little, almost non-existent. I was confused, angry and frustrated with everything that's happen in the last seventy-two hours. I won't lie and say I'm not curious about what Dimitri did or where he is at the moment. I didn't see him at school and for some stupid reason; I caught myself looking to the door every few minutes at work. It bothered me. What happen that he was scared away, was it me? He said he was doing it for the better, but why. It never left my mind; the way he looked like he knew what he was doing would hurt me. The way he tried to explain everything without giving anything away. I didn't understand, why didn't he want me? I took his pain away, right?

Then there was the whole Lissa fiasco at school today. That left me with even more confusion and anger. I was so frustrated I had to distract myself with homework and trying to sort out my college applications. How could she, she was my best friend. How could Mason? I mean I get it your mad at me, but telling everyone my business. As if I wasn't already in a crappy mood, I had walked right into a trap with Lissa at lunch today. I felt bombarded and left the table in an even worse mood. Then I had to work with the big mouth jerk that went and told every one of my friends I was sleeping with Dimitri. They didn't need to know that and why the hell did he assume we had already slept together? To say the week was bad was an understatement. It was shit, pure and simple.

...

'So, where have you been lately? Did you forget about your real friends?' I place my tray full of food down on the table and hesitantly sit down next to Mia. Lissa had a playful tone in her voice, but I saw something else in her eyes. 'I've been kind of busy, I guess, with work and all.' I decided to ignore Lissa's comment about my real friends and began to eat my pizza. It was quietly awkward for a few minutes until Christian decided to break it. 'So, Rose, how's your dad these days? Still making fun of your bad cooking?' I roll my eyes at his smirk and continue chewing before speaking. 'He's actually doing okay. We kind of had a mishap the other morning, but he's okay now. And my cooking isn't that bad.' Christian snorts a laugh as Mia and Lissa have been quiet the whole time. I glance at both of their stoic faces and then continue to eat as if this awkward silence is normal.

Something was off about them. The atmosphere wasn't very comforting and Lissa wasn't her usual happy optimistic self. I let it linger though and kept to eating my food. I could feel their awaiting gazes on me as I ate. It was tense and awkward, not the normal relaxed laughing you usually hear at our table. Christian seems to be the only one being normal or maybe he was acting that way. I couldn't tell, but the quiet was itching at me and it was beginning to drive me crazy. I look up to everyone's eyes as I chew and Christian avoids me by turning the other way. Mia also looks out to the window, suddenly finding something interesting. It was just Lissa who stared back at me and I knew something was up. 'Is there something I need to know?' As the other two kept silently avoiding me, Lissa just shrugged and looked down to her plate moving her un-eaten food around. 'I don't know, Rose, is there?' I watched as she looked back up to me with something I couldn't make out.

I waited for what seemed like ever for her to continue talking, but she just stared right back at me and waited herself. 'Liss, what's going on?' 'You tell me, Rose. You're the one who's been ditching us for the weirdo.' The surprise that ran through me as she stayed looking at her plate was sudden. Lissa had complained about Dimitri before, but this was different. Things were different; it was like she knew more than she led on and I wanted to know how and what. I look toward Christian and Mia again; both were quiet and seem to be waiting for my reply. They weren't very much help and Lissa seem to be getting a little impatient. 'Ditching? Liss, we were just hanging out. It's not a big deal; we were friends just like you and me.' I was trying to hold back the rush of emotions going through me. There was anger, frustration and most of all confusion. Why was she mad at me for making another friend? 'That's not what I heard. I heard you two are getting a little too close for comfort. What are you thinking, Rose? Dimitri... of all guys to hook up with, that's the one you choose?' My curiosity sparked and I wanted to know everything else that she knew. What did she hear and from who? The snarl she spoke with and the disgust in her eyes made me feel small. It must be that bad that I "hooked up" with Dimitri. 'So what if I did? What's it to you?'

If it wasn't silent before, well, it sure was now. Mia had turned to me after I spoke and Christian had just kept his head down, but I knew he too was surprised at my words. Lissa huffs and gives me a wide eyed look of confusion. 'First of all, ew! Secondly, what the hell are you thinking and thirdly; are you that desperate?' I stood quiet and waited for her to finish. The anger was suddenly rising out of me and not to mention I was already feeling a little humiliated from Dimitri. Now she had to go and add this. 'Geez, Rose, he's like poor and always getting beat up, and not to mention his dad is like the scum of the earth. What do you feel sorry for him or something? Mason was right; you must be desperate for company. Although, I don't know why, you do have us.' So many words and thoughts occurred at that moment. How could she say something like that to me? How could Mason say and do something so hurtful toward me? Did he really hate me that much? I try to calm down and think clearly though, there was already so much on my mind from last night. I just wanted the day to end. So I could go home and forget everything had happen and spend time with the old man. He would always make me feel better about whatever was bothering me. So taking a deep breath and swallowing my anger, I calmly spoke. 'What's wrong with hanging out with Dimitri? Were friends, just like you and me, what's wrong with that?' Even though I was sure I most likely would never talk or see Dimitri again. I wanted to know the real reason she didn't like him. I wasn't going to tell her that whatever did go on between me and him had already ended. She didn't need anymore proof that what everyone said about him was true. 'That's the thing, Rose; he's not like you and me. He's- I don't know, he's..'

Her lack of explanation bothered me. It made me feel worse for putting myself in a position to get close to Dimitri. 'What, he's what, Liss?' As calm as I spoke, the fury was aching to come out. The frustration and pain of Dimitri's words and the fact that Mason was running his mouth was consuming me with feelings that I was losing control with. 'Different. He's scary and weird, always coming to school in blood and stuff. I mean be his friend, but don't lower your standards and throw yourself at the guy.' Something sparked within me. Whatever Mason had told them, she believed and it hurt that she didn't give me a chance to explain. 'Is that what you think? You think I fucked some poor weirdo because I felt sorry for him?' She didn't say anything, but her eyes had answered for me and it just pissed me off even more. 'You think I lowered myself to screw him because I was desperate?' Once again she didn't answer and it only infuriated me more. Everything was catching up with me at this very moment. Dimitri ending whatever happen between us, Mason gossiping like some little girl and now Lissa. Someone who I thought was my best friend. Someone who was supposed to be there for me and support me no matter what. She was judging me and just from something that she supposedly heard. The silence seems to seep into the whole room as my voice was now getting louder. 'Do you!' She continued to stare down to her plate and avoid my eyes and question.

I could feel everyone's eyes on me and even though I didn't care what everyone thought or was going to say; I looked out toward them anyway. I felt incredibly small. Insignificant. My best friend had just basically called me a slut and the boy -who even though hurt me- still meant something to me poor and below me. Below her and everyone else because he had trouble in his life and kept everyone away. 'Well?' I waited for a few more minutes as she finally looked up to me and shrugged. She just shrugged and stayed silent. I nodded in understanding in hurt and frustration. 'Okay.. I'll just go and continue to be desperate. I'll keep screwing the poor weird guy because I feel sorry for him.' I rise to my feet and grab my backpack and the tray of food.

Once I get a few inches away from the table, she calls out to me. 'Rose! Rose, wait!' I continue to walk outside the cafeteria and her voice trailing behind me. I hear her footsteps as she is now running after me and then in a flash she's at my side. 'Leave me alone, Liss.' 'Will you wait, please?' Her plead came out in a soft tone of voice and it angered me more. I stop and turn to face her watching as she now seems afraid. 'For what! So you could shit all over me again? So you could make fun of me for wanting to be with him?' She steps back from my close proximity and holds her hands out toward me in a stopping gesture. 'No! Rose, I wasn't trying to do that. I was just-' I don't let her finish. 'What?' I yell in her face and she flinches at the sound. She takes a step forward and yells right back. Her fear now seeming to evaporate. 'I just don't understand what you're doing with him is all!' A small moment of silence occurs. It makes me think of what she's asking. I didn't understand it myself. I felt drawn to this boy, a pull I didn't understand or try to. I just wanted to be close to him. He seems to always appear in my thoughts and I would wonder about him through the day. I liked him and I knew that, I just didn't know why.

However, seeing as of right now I would probably never see him again it didn't matter. So I left her question and a lot of my own unanswered. 'You don't need to understand, no one does. He's my friend.. And I wanted to be with him. That's it. That's all.' Her eyes had caught something in my statement. I quickly went through the words I had just said and tried to catch myself before she spoke. 'You like him don't you?' Shit. There it was, obvious to her and still a mystery to me. I decided to play it off and act like I knew what was going through her mind. 'That's kind of why we hung out, Liss.' My voice much calmer and lower. Her eyes still held that revelation expression though. 'No, I mean, you like him like him. As more than just a friend..' I was still too angry to figure it out myself. I kept my guard up and just shrugged. 'So what?' Her eyes changed back to the surprise and disgust as she had before, back in the lunch room. She took a moment to take it all in and so did I. She made a lot of sense in a way, a really mean way. 'Nothing, I just think you could do better.' And then crushed it all again with her last words. 'That's funny; he says the same about you.' It wasn't true -sort of- but I wanted to hurt her as much as she had hurt me. After that, I had walked away and left her there, standing alone.

...

'Rosemarie..' I sit up from my position on my bed and see my father standing in the doorway of my room. He's still in his pajamas and looks a little tired, but better than he did earlier. 'Pop, are you okay?' He nods and takes a couple of steps into my room. 'I'm fine, kiz. What about you? You look like you could use a grill cheese.' I sigh and stare at the gentle softness of Abe's eyes and find myself smiling at his words. 'Actually I think I could.' With that, we make our way to the kitchen and Abe begins getting the food from the fridge. I sit at the table and watch as my father prepares to make us grill cheese. It makes me smile to see him back to the way he used to be before getting sick. It was like the old times when I was younger, but now it was different. This morning he was fine, but when I had got home he looked a little flushed and tired. He moved about the kitchen as if nothing was wrong and it made me think of how life would be when that time came. My smile drops and my eyes begin to blur at the forming tears.

I would be alone when that time comes. I would have no one but myself and even though I knew this. It didn't mean I was prepared for it. 'Kiz, what's on your mind?' I close my eyes tightly at his voice and shake away the thoughts along with all the other things I was feeling. 'Nothing much, old man, just don't burn my sandwich.' He laughs and continues cooking, flipping the bread over in the pan. 'So you're worried about your sandwich? That doesn't explain the glum mood you've been in since coming home.' I sigh and fold my knees to my chest. The old man may love to give me a hard time and poke fun at me, but he knew when to be serious. I shrug and lean my chin on my knees then feel my father's gaze on me. 'Come on, kiz. You can't hold it in forever.' Another long sigh leaves my lips as my thoughts scramble on where to start.

'Pop, you ever hear the stories about Dimitri and his mom?' He turns back around to face the stove and flips the sandwich again. 'Once or twice. Why?' I take a moment to let the question settle in my mind and then look to my father while I ask. 'You think it's true, that any of the stories going around are true? You think he killed his mother?' A long moment of silence lingers between us and I wait as Abe thinks it over. 'Do you think it's true, kiz?' I hated when he did that. 'I asked you first, old man.' He turns around to face me and smiles, and then quickly turns back to the stove. 'My opinion doesn't matter, yours does. So what do you think?' It kind of surprised me when he asked that. There a million things I wanted to let out and get off my chest. Why did Lissa say any of those things, what's Mason's problem? The question that I wanted answered the most was about Dimitri. What was he hiding and what happen that he had ended things before they even got a start? 'I think there's more to it than people know or that he lets on.' Abe turns back to me again and in his eyes there's a proud glint seeping through. 'Then that's all that counts, kiz.'

As we were eating I kept all the questions surrounding my mind at bay. It was quiet as we both sat there, but every once in a while I felt Abe's eyes on me. 'Are you going to find out? We both know you want to.' I snap my gaze to him and shrug, thinking of the words that Dimitri had told me. Sometimes you have to run away. 'Probably not.' 'Why? It's not like you to give up and let things go.' He was right, but did I really want to go and make more of a fool of myself in front of Dimitri. Did I really want to prove Mason and Lissa right and waste more time on someone who obviously doesn't want me? 'There's no point, I don't think we'll see much of Dimitri anymore.' I get up to put my plate in the sink and rinse it. Abe snorts and I turn to face him. 'Why is that, kiz?' I shrug and turn back to the sink. 'I don't know, Pop. He keeps a lot of things from me, from everyone really.' 'I'm sure he has his reasons to, kiz. Maybe he thinks it's best that way or maybe he's trying to protect you.' Abe's words made me realize something, maybe he was trying to protect me, but from what?

It was like I said; Dimitri had kept a lot from me. Things about his father and pretty much his life. I wanted to know him, to know the real him. The one who would make me laugh and forget all the bad shit going on. The real Dimitri who when he kissed me, it felt like this electric pulse that made me react to his every move. When he held me and when we were together I can honestly say it was the happiest I've been in a while. The feeling of being with someone who I thought wasn't going to go away. However, it didn't matter now, because that's exactly what happen. Then and here at our old kitchen table, I had decided I wasn't going to be angry at Dimitri anymore. I was just going to let him go and move on as if nothing happen. Or mattered, maybe that was the way it had to be. 'Maybe your right. I'll just let it go I guess.' I got up to go back to my room thinking this was it, but at least I took a chance. 'You should fight.' I stopped at the door way of the kitchen and turn to face Abe. He looked as if he was remembering something, like he was back somewhere in the past. I had seen that look a few times before, it mostly occurred when he remembers my mother.

'See I didn't fight kiz. I didn't fight her when she wanted to leave. I just let her go. You.. You should fight though and don't give up. Never give up and you never let them go. Not without a fight.' He finally looked up from his plate to me and held a strong gaze. It was a little scary because I knew he was dead serious about what he was trying to tell me. I didn't know why though. Dimitri made it pretty clear that we weren't a good idea and I didn't want to put myself out like that again. 'Pop, sometimes you have to give up.' His eyes turned hard and determination shined clear in them. 'No. Not you, that's an excuse, Rosemarie. I know you and you deserve anything you want. Everything.' His firm tone was a little surprising, but clear as I took it in. We stared at each other for a couple of seconds and I knew he wasn't going to back down from this. 'Why are you pushing this, old man? You're supposed to be angry and want to kick his ass. You're supposed to tell me things like there's plenty of fish in the sea and no guy is worth my time if he doesn't want me. Why are you pushing?' He closed his eyes and swallowed deeply.

The silence still aiding him in the strength of his words. I couldn't understand why he didn't want me to give up. Especially on someone who I had felt betrayed my trust and hurt me, someone who constantly pushed me away. 'True and there more fish, but you want that one. I can see it, kiz, I know that feeling.' I was about to tell him that I wasn't even sure what my feelings for Dimitri were, but before I could get the words out, he cut me off. 'I promised I wouldn't leave you alone. I keep my promises, Rosemarie, you know that.' 'Pop, he doesn't want- he just pushes me away, there's no point.' He watched as I tried to explain in frustration why it wouldn't work. Why I wanted to walk away and forget I ever talked to Dimitri. All I could see in him was that he wasn't going to let me. So I stood quiet and waited for him to say something, to give me a good reason to not give up. 'I trust him, kiz. He'll keep you safe and you'll give him what he needs, what he deserves. You'll love him, kiz. We know everyone needs love.' It was clear to me then, why Abe had easily got Dimitri to talk. How much he liked it when I told him Dimitri was visiting me at work and when he had stayed over. He knew he was okay with me and that I was safe with him. It was all a part of his plan.

Sorry for the late update, life got kind of crazy and i ran into some writers block with this chapter. It isnt my strongest work but i tried.

The next chapter is going to explain some things everyone has been asking about and it will be up quicker than this (hopefully).

Thank you all so so much for the 50 reviews! I was not expecting that much, so thank you lots. And also for the alerts, favs and future reviews if you choose to leave one (: