Disclaimer: Richelle Mead owns Vampire Academy

Next chapter here. I can't believe I got around 40 reviews for the last one! Most I've ever gotten for one chapter! Thanks so much! :D I'm glad you all like this story! Wanted to say: If there is anything in this chapter that doesn't make sense, don't be afraid to mail me or say something in your review. I didn't have the time to edit this chapter. So, please keep that in mind! If something is wrong, I'll correct it ASAP!

Anyway, I hope you love this chapter just as much. Enjoy...

chapter twenty one

It's been a full three weeks since I had last seen Dimitri.

I didn't want to think that it was the end of us, but it was starting to seem like it was.

He hadn't called or anything since then which led me to believe that he really had 'settled' it with Tasha. In fact, they were probably together right now anyway.

It was the weekend, so they'd probably both have the day off. I knew Dimitri closed the dojo on the weekends sometimes to get away from work so I assumed that's what he was doing...

Which was only reason I dared to actually walk by the dojo today. Not because I wanted to see him, or the building of peek in. Nothing weird like that. Or pathetic... Passing by it was the quickest way to get to Adrian's house. Or Sydney's house I should say.

Yes, I was going to see him. For a date.

I sighed as I stepped onto the sidewalk that was outside Dimitri's dojo.

After confessing to Lissa all about what had happened between Dimitri and Tasha and I, she comforted me as much as she could and then said the classic line that there were 'other fish in the sea.' So here I was, on my way to see Adrian who was going to take me the lunch. Lissa had set it up without telling me first and when she did, I couldn't get out of it.

She told me Adrian was ecstatic. Whatever.

I passed by the dojo warily, hoping that it really was closed today. And for once, someone out there was on my side, because it was.

"Thank God," I mumbled to myself and then looked down at the paper in my hands. The address was scribbled down on it. Looking up at the street names, I could tell that I was close. Closer to going out with a guy I could barely stand.

Just as I was about to step out into the street, I heard my name being called out. Naturally, it was the person I wanted to avoid most.

The dojo had been closed. Why in the hell was he here?

I cursed to myself and stopped walking. I didn't turn around in fear. I was scared that I'd go running back into his arms. That was how these things usually worked wasn't it? Like in the movies? The minute the guy comes back they make up and then the girl gets screwed over again. Sometimes literally...

But no. That was not going to happen to me. So, I stayed with my back turned.

"What?" I spit out.

I heard footsteps nearing me, after hearing the sound of the dojo's door bell. He must've been inside anyway, despite the closed sign. Damn it. Why didn't I consider that?

"I saw you from inside."

I shrugged my shoulders and rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see me. "Okay? Good for you." I moved the keep walking.

His hand fell down on my shoulder to stop me and glared daggers at it.

Biting my tongue, I mentally scolded myself. His touch shouldn't be doing this to me. I'm supposed to be mad at him!

"I've been meaning to call you."

"I've been meaning to not answer."

I pushed his hand off of my shoulder and kept on walking.

He followed. "Rose, I wanted to explain some things to you."

"I don't have the time right now and I really don't want to hear you talk. I've had enough of that to last me a lifetime."

"Rose, please hear me out."

Finally, I turned around to face him. I almost gasped at the sight of him. His eyes were tired, the bags under his eyes shown that he hadn't gotten enough sleep. His hair was frumpy and he looked outright disheveled. He was still beautiful to me, though. I couldn't deny that.

No matter how many nights I spent in my bed trying to convince myself that Dimitri was an ugly hideous lying scheming cow, he wasn't. Well, maybe two out of three, but he was not ugly or hideous.

I averted my eyes.

"What is there left to say? I told you already. There's nothing left between us." That was a lie.

"You don't mean that."

I laughed humorlessly and crossed my arms. "Nice to know that after all of this you think I'm just kidding."

"I didn't say that."

"Might as well have. You don't take me seriously."

I eyed the paper with Adrian's address in my hand again and thought about how I better leave soon...but then again, I sort of wanted to put it off as much as I could. It's not exactly something I was looking forward to.

"You don't mean that." Dimitri repeated.

"Since you know me so well, can you tell me what I'm thinking right now?" I replied snarkily. I wanted to hurt him as much as he hurt me.

Dimitri's eyes darted over my face and I suddenly felt like he was looking into my soul. It was an uncomfortable feeling, especially now with these circumstances. I looked away from him and wrapped my arms tighter around myself.

Dimitri ignored my question.

"I wanted to tell you what you had wanted to know that day. About the bad things from my past. I'm ready to tell you now."

Raising my eyebrows, I scoffed at him and shook my head unbelievingly. Was he serious? Now he wanted to tell me? When it was already too late?

"There's no point to it."

A car honking beside us brought me back to the reality of the situation and I pursed my lips. I better get going. I was already late and Lissa would get angry with me if I ended up showing up for Adrian really late.

I had decided that I was the one going to pick Adrian up because I didn't want him knowing where I lived.

Dimitri started talking, trying to explain himself, but I wasn't really listening. Eventually, I held my hands up to shut him up. It wasn't very effective. He just kept on this is rambling, because he knew that I was going to leave soon. He wanted me to hear it. Too bad.

When he started mentioning Tasha, I knew that was the end of it. I shoved my hand over his mouth and closed my eyes in annoyance.

When I opened them, Dimitri parted his lips under my hand. That was my cue to stop touching him. Bringing my hand back to my side, I cleared my throat and said something that I knew would hurt him... and maybe even shut him up for good.

"I have to go. I have a date with Adrian. Goodbye."

He flinched openly and before he could say one word, because I had deemed him speechless, I turned around and finally went back to walking.

Dimitri didn't try to stop me this time.

fifteen minutes later

When I reached the address on my paper, I stood in front of the door for a while trying to compose myself.

Seeing Dimitri had affected me more than I would've liked. I could still smell his scent, still feel his lips on my palm. The burn of his mouth on my skin wasn't fading anytime soon, it seemed.

After about five minutes, I told myself I might as well get this over with.

I raised my hand to knock on the door, but I heard the lock twist and then the door opened. Adrian leaned against the frame, looking nice in a button up with dark jeans. He did look good, I must admit. I looked down at myself and thought that maybe I should've dressed up more for this.

But Adrian shut me up a moment later when he said, "You look beautiful." I didn't even have to force my smile. It came easily with the compliment.

"Thanks. You look great." He shot me a happy smile and then closed the door behind him. I eyed him. "Were you watching me through the peephole?"

How else could he have known that I was here? I hadn't knocked yet.

Adrian laughed nervously and said, "Well yeah, I've been looking forward to this, Rose."

"Oh. Well, we should get going."

"Of course. I hope you like Chinese food."

I smiled at him and nodded. "I do actually. It's one of my favorites."

But during the whole time we walked over to the restaurant, I was only thinking about how Dimitri and I often ate Chinese together.

Dear God, was I really going to think about him when something as little as this came up?

But who was I kidding. Almost everything reminded me of Dimitri...

This was going to be hard. Getting over Dimitri, I mean.

If only I didn't have to...

More of a filler chapter, huh? Ah well. It's still a chapter. Listen, I've got school starting in two days, so I don't know how often I'll be able to update, but just know that I will try very hard! I'm hoping to get this story done before the end of this month. So bear with me! :)

So what did you think? Don't worry, this story is indeed DimitrixRose! Just reminding you all of that! Thanks again!