Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy Chapter 13: Wine Bottles and Rotting Thank You's, a vampire academy fanfic

RPOV

I'd love to say I woke up the next morning to a clear head, with a perfect view of my own life and a certain knowingness of how my life is now to be lived out.

No, I woke up to the sounds of someone crying, a nurse trying to usher an old man back into his seat, beeping noises of machines in the emergency room, and I think I could hear someone peeing on the floor. Nope, no clear head – in fact, my head hurt quite a bit.

There was, however, a certain noise I loved. The sound of Dimitri, nestled beside me in his chair, sleeping. He snored, but it was a soft noise, like a lullaby. I was actually content in watching him sleep, the way his chest moved up and down, how his hair rested against his cheeks.

Even the way his eyes flickered open – wait.

"Were you staring at me Roza?" He asked sleepily.

"N-no. I was looking for my water when you opened your eyes." I said, smirking as I reached for my small glass of hospital water.

"You rarely drink water. You're a creep." He laughed, rubbing his eyes.

"You're a cradle snatcher." I could hear a crowd from Jerry Springer cat calling.

"Or are you a man eater?" He winked at me, reminding me again that I couldn't wink back. Stupid eyelid muscles.

"You don't seem to mind…" I trailed off, kissing his lips softly.

"No, I really don't. Now, let me talk to your doctor about you going home." He said, kissing my forehead before getting out his seat.

It didn't take him long, and returned with a grin on his face. "You can leave Roza, I'll let you get dressed and pack while I get the car."

He helped me get up from the bed, and I noticed for the first time I was wearing a hospital apron, or whatever they're called. Made me wonder who changed me…

"It wasn't me." Dimitri must have guessed from the curious expression on my face.

"I have a question." I said, as he turned to close the curtains so I could change.

"Yes?"

"You call me Roza, what does it mean?"

He seemed amused by my question, but also a little embarrassed. "I'd of thought you were smarter… Rose, it means Rose in Russian."

"I like it, Cowboy. Actually, it makes Cowboy seem pretty weak… Oh well, such is the burden of not knowing any other language than English." He chuckled softly, before leaving to get the car.

I winced as I pulled my t-shirt over my head. Dimitri had been a real gentlemen and snuck into my room before he'd come to the hospital, so he could fetch me some clothes. The pain came from one of my ribs, so and I realised I had no idea about the damage done to me by Jesse, Ralf and their friends.

I took the Doctor's slip from the end of my bed, and flicked over it. Apparently I'd bruised three ribs, split my lip, cut – shallow luckily – my back with glass, lightly sprained an ankle and cut the back of my head a little deeper than the cuts on my back. I didn't have a mirror, yet I was fairly sure I looked like a potato and a pumpkin's love child. Great.

Something else was bothering me though, how long would I have to wait before I could ride again?

It was only when I was in Dimitri's truck, on the way home that I had the courage to ask him, "At least a week. And most of that week should be bed rest, so I've organised to have your school work sent to you."

A week, I guess it could be much worse.

"Damn… Wait, so I don't have to go to school?" That was an upside.

"No, not for the week. But I will be bringing your homework to you at the end of the day, and I'll ask Abe if you can come to my cottage so I can teach you what the others learn in Equine." He said, dark eyes focused on the road.

"Oh, I see. That's a good excuse for make out sessions in your cottage. Good plan."

"No, that's a good excuse for you to not get left behind in classes." Kill joy.

"What about Cody?"

"I'll take care of him, maybe Christian will help me." Dimitri mused, flicking on his indicator.

"I doubt that."

He surprised me when he took a different turn half an hour later, "Hey, where are we going? You're not leaving it until now to tell you're a serial killer are you? You don't hunt down girls my age and tell them you love them, before killing them and walking around in their skins?"

"No Rose, no. I am Dimitri Belikov, international rider and teacher. Now a killer. We are going to talk to Natasha Ozera before she does something we'll regret." Dimitri said, shaking his head at my apparently distasteful joke.

Tasha lived in a brick house, in a part of town full of the same boring brick houses. They were all commission by the same company, built by the same company and designed by the same company. So, they all looked the same, were the same and radiated boring.

Dimitri opened the door of his truck for me, and wrapped an arm around my shoulder to help me out. "Nervous?" I asked him as we began walking to the door.

"No." He gripped my hand, reassuring me we were safe. Or at least, I was from her.

Knock. Knock. Kn-

"What do you want?" Natasha's door swung open, and there she stood. She was wearing a pair of black jeans and a grey t-shirt, and her raven hair was tied back in a tight pony tail. She looked tired, and more so mad.

"To talk. Please, may we come inside?" Dimitri asked, his mask on. I wondered how often he used it with Tash.

"And if I don't want to talk?" She demanded, one hand on her hip, the other holding the door.

"Natasha," Dimitri warned. "If we don't talk then how can I remain your friend?"

This actually got to her, as he face softened for a moment. Only a moment though, "That skank can stay out here. You can come in though Dimka."

He looked down at me for a second, and then gripped my hand a little tighter. "No Natasha, she comes in with us. Or I'm leaving." He said, and I almost laughed – it's funny how he managed to turn the situation around.

She narrowed her blue eyes, the same shade as Christian's, at me, taking in my shape, then opened the door wider. "Fine. Come in."

And I thought my room was a mess… Inside her house was like walking inside a garage bin. The entry was a hallway, and amongst what I think is a carpet, was dirty clothes, rotting food and wine bottles. I don't know whether she just likes drinking or collects wine bottles, but I lost count of the long necked bottles after a while. They lay everywhere.

She led us down the hall, with its stained red walls, and into her kitchen. It was actually a little cleaner, but not by much. Again, wine bottles everywhere, and now that I thought of it, the whole place smelled like red wine, but there was also smashed plates, dirty dishes and you guessed it – rotting food.

In the middle of the room was a small, wooden table and chairs. She gestured for us to sit down, but still wouldn't make eye contact with me.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" She asked Dimitri, smiling authentically to him.

"You know what we need to talk about. Last night." He answered.

"Do you want a tea? Coffee?" She avoided his question. He simply raised a domineering eyebrow. "Right. Well, I should tell the police, or your school, or better yet Abe!" Her voice was rising when Dimitri held his index finger up to silence her.

"No, I don't think you should." He said in a monotone voice. I chose to remain silent.

"Well you wouldn't would you? Not when you're getting in with that whore."

"Don't call her that! Her name is Rose." He said so sternly she winced.

"Dimitri…." I trailed off, because he turned to look at me with heart warmingly soft eyes.

"Let me handle this Rose, please." I nodded. "She's not a whore, and I don't 'get in' with her."

"Believe me, he's telling the truth…" I couldn't help but murmur, making them both glare at me. "Sorry…"

"I saw you two last night!" She barked.

"Yes, we kissed, but it's not like that. It was a moment of shock and relief."

"Really?" She asked, her eyes filled with so much hope that I wanted to puke.

Where was he going with this? I mean, I know we're keeping this relationship hush, but that doesn't mean I want him to deny our kisses meant anything. That's not how I felt and I couldn't stand to hear him talking like that.

"We're not exactly a normal couple, but… We do love each other. And until she turns eighteen we need this to be kept quiet." That made me feel so much more relieved, I could puke with happiness. He must have realized how wrong it was to go back on that kiss, and how it would only get him in worse with Tash.

Any hope in her eyes was replaced with hatred… towards me.

"You love her, huh? What about me? What have I ever done wrong? No way am I keeping your dirty little secret!" Tasha demanded.

"Nothing, well except that you have been arrested a couple of times. Now, what did they say about them being warnings? I really didn't want it to get to this Natasha." Dimitri sounded sad, but I was lost. What had she been arrested with?

"Th-They said one more charge and I was gone… You wouldn't though. Would you?" She sounded really concerned, and I was still left in the dark.

"I might, if you don't keep quiet. I want to be friends with you, but if you can't do this for us, for me… Then we'll be pressing charges for the slap last night." He said, still sounding disappointed himself. "Can we trust you?"

"Yeah, I guess you can. Now, would you mind leaving?" She said, her eyes watering.

"I'm sorry Tash, but than-"

She cut me off, "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for him, and only him. I hate you." Her words were filled with so much malice I flinched.

"Let's go Rose." Dimitri said, helping me up.

Now I had one more enemy, perhaps they'll start a little group, with weekly meetings to devise why they hate me so, and come up with little pep talks and maybe sing songs about me.

I could see them standing up one at a time.

"Hi, my name is Jesse Zeklos and I hate Rose Hathaway. I hate her because she won't let me have her. What's with that?" Then he'd sit down and Janine would stand.

"My name is Janine Hathaway, and yes, I am her mother." Shock would ripple through the group. "I hate her because she's a let down for a daughter and was an accident. She cost me, " She'd wipe a tear away here."She cost me over nine months riding time." Applause would follow for her bravery.

"My name is Natasha Ozera, and I have only recently become a RH hater. I hate her because she took away the man I love, and is keeping him for herself." More applause for this wonderful public speaker.

Others would follow, like Ralf, Stan and I think I even saw a horse I'd had to sell once…

Last but not least was the person who I'd hurt the most.

"Hi, my name is Mason Ashford and I love Rose Hathaway. Or I did, until she used me, and then tore my heart out. Thank you." Silence followed his speech, followed by the loudest applause I had ever heard.

The sound of the car's engine being stopped broke me from my horrifying imagination.

"Are you okay? You've been silent since we left Natasha's house." Dimitri asked, searching my eyes for an answer.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm just tired." It was the partial truth, but I wasn't going to tell him anymore and he seemed to know that.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" He said, kissing my cheek.

That cheered me up a little. "Yeah, I know. Are you going to help me up the stairs to my room?" I asked, as I hoped out of the car.

"If you want." He chuckled softly, escorting me to the door.

"Oh, you're home." Janine said, patting my shoulder. "I'll tell your father. Mr Belikov, please help her up the stairs." She swept off to Abe's office.

"Yes Ma'am." Dimitri said, helped me up like he'd said he would, twice now.

He had to be careful though, not touching me too much, but enough that he was still helping.

We made it up, one step at a time, until finally I was resting on my bed. He got out my favourite grey sweat pants and a comfortable t-shirt, as I asked, and sat beside me.

I wasn't going to change until he left, but I didn't want him to leave either.

"Okay, have a good afternoon and night Roza." He said, kissing my softly but thoroughly.

"I don't want you to leave. Please don't." I argued, wanting more kisses.

"I have to go Rose, but I'll come by after school tomorrow. Okay?" Dimitri asked, smiling softly. Wow, I really loved that smile.

"So long as I get to see you, then yeah, that's fine. Love you loser." I had to fit a witty quip in there sometime.

"Love you too Roza." He chuckled, leaving my room.

I was smiling when I heard my phone beep in my pocket. Picking it up, I saw it was a next from Mason.

Mason: I haven't forgiven you. Don't mistake this for that, but I heard about what Jesse did to you, the pig. I hope you're better by Sunday. Mase.

Ahh, yes, the Hunting Competition was this Sunday.

At least Mason was talking to me, even if he hadn't forgiven me.

Maybe there was one less member in the Rose Hathaway Hate Group.

Sorry that was a bit of a filler chapter, but it was up quick right? Heheh.

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Trick, xoxo.