Chapter 13 - Stop Hiding Secrets from me

Lissa POV

Rose was being quite distant from me lately; she finally got in to a regular schedule of going back to her classes and her training. Which was a good thing, I wasn't denying that but she's never been this secretive from me, at all.

Even on Saturday when I invited her to a small party, well it was more like a gathering, for Christian's birthday, she said no and went to the library to do some 'homework'. Which was a rubbish excuse because she has never done homework on the weekend for years; she preferred to do something a lot more interesting.

I have to get to the bottom of this.

Deciding that confrontation was the best solution at this time, I walked up to Rose in the canteen with my plate of food. Luckily for me, she was earlier than everybody and the only time you will find her early is if there's food. I hadn't initiated the conversation yet because I wanted to actually look at her.

Over the past couple of weeks the haunted look on her face was starting to fade away, she was not flinching at everybody's movements and she looked almost at peace. No, not at peace it was more like she was comfortable with being here.

"You didn't do the laundry yesterday" Rose said cheekily, shoving food into her mouth

"I did, I did my laundry" I emphasised, I was no longer going to do her clothes from now on

"Fine" she sighed at me "I'll just do my own"

"Finally" I breathed out dramatically, which made her laugh a little

"Hilarious" she rolled her eyes

"Hey, you laughed at it!" I pointed out "So… Rose, what homework were you doing last Saturday?" I asked curiously

"Oh, you know, just some stuff I had to research for Alto's class" she said coolly, apparently she wasn't going to give this up easily

"Don't you normally ask Guardian Belikov for the answers?" I half joked

"Yeah" she paused for a moment. "But he said it was time to do my own work"

I opened up and looked at her aura for just a second, long enough to tell that she's lying to me. Stupidly, I remembered that she could feel everything I was feeling. God, I'm an idiot, she knows that I'm on to her and now she was just playing me like a fool in front of me.

"Let's cut straight to the point, Rose" I said bluntly

"What?" she asked innocently, batting her lashes slightly, it was a charm she used when she wanted something.

"Why didn't you come to Christian's birthday? Do you not like him?" I frowned, she didn't exactly cosy up to him at first but I thought they were getting along.

"No, it's nothing like that" she put her cutlery down and reached out to hold my hands "Lissa, I promise you it was just research I had to do"

"What research?" I prompted; I could sense that there was something that she wasn't telling me.

"Just a small thing" she said quickly "Look, I'll make it up to Christian somehow, I mean I still haven't given his present yet so I'll get him something extra special"

I opened my mouth to speak back but then I could feel a peck at my cheek.

"This conversation is not over" I muttered to her quickly before turning back to my boyfriend. Christian had finally gotten his food and sat down at the table. I mean I love him and all but he had terrible timing.

"Hi sweetie" I said in a nicer tone "How was class?"

"The usual" he said slightly tired "I mean it wore me out quite quick but nothing that I can't handle. But I do have some new stuff to show off to Aunt Tasha" he winked at me

His speciality was fire and he had been working extra hard, in class and out of class (though it's not permitted to use his powers outside of class), to focus on learning new tricks. He had been working with his aunt Tasha on occasional weekends when she would come and visit.

"Aw that's nice" I said quite proudly "When is she coming over?"

"This weekend or next weekend, she hasn't really decided yet" he said, reaching down to get his muffin but finding that it was missing "Hey! Where did my muffin go?!"

I looked up and saw Rose giggling with Eddie and Mason with her back turned to us.

"Rose, did you take his muffin again?" I let out a deep sigh; this was becoming a daily thing

"I did not such thing" she said assertively then nudging her head towards Eddie, who had a really bad poker face on him.

"Every single day" Christian muttered under his breath, though he knew it was a joke, at least I had hoped he took it as a joke.

"Here" I reached out to Rose's plate and took her last doughnut "Take this"

"What?! I didn't take it! Why am I being punished?" she said exasperated

"You had like five" Mason elbowed her in the side and she pouted at him and looked back at me with the same face.

"Still not fair" she murmured, standing up with her plate and tray to put away

"So Mason" I said to get his attention, this was probably wrong to do but I had to get the information somehow "Rose said Guardian Alto gave really hard homework for you guys to research"

"Really?" he looked at me with a confused face "I don't remember getting that, do you Eddie" he turned to look at his best friend but didn't respond because Rose interrupted.

"Of course these idiots don't remember" she ruffled their heads "They haven't done homework in 3 years" and they both nodded in agreement.

Something was definitely going on, especially if she was lying about homework of all things. I mean, I will give her props for working it out smoothly for me but there was no way that she was going to hide this from me. I eyed her suspiciously.

I'm going to get to the bottom of this.