VA isn't mine, sadly.
R-pov
"My, oh my. If it isn't the one and only Rose Hathaway?" I huffed and crossed my arms defensively.
"What do you want?" He held up his hands.
"Woa calm down! You ran into me – not that I mind." He smirked and I felt disgusted which I am pretty sure showed on my face.
"Well excuse me but I got better places to be right now." I tried to push past him but he went to stop me.
"Rose slow down. Don't you want catch up or something?" He sent me what I believe was his version of a charming smile and school girl me would have melted, but I was no school girl anymore.
"I don't believe you and I have a whole lot to catch up about." I growled. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. If I didn't know better I'd say he looked remorseful.
"Look Rose I am not a monster okay? Sure, I was a jerk to you in high school, hell I was a jerk to most people in high school, but that was almost four years ago! That is like most of college! I've grown a lot since then, we all have." I huffed, the simple college reference a proof he was still as self-centered ignorant jerk.
"Well I spent three of those four years locked away in a basement so I am glad if you had a great journey of maturement but to me you are still the same jerk you were in high school." He sighed and looked at me pleadingly.
"I am sorry, really I am Rose, for you, what you went through and for what I did to you back then. Please let me at least take you for a cup of coffee?" I laughed, I couldn't help it, this was just too absurd.
"Like I am going anywhere with you?" He frowned and looked a little hurt.
"Come on Rose, don't be like that. Yes, I was a terrible playboy in high school but I am not anymore and I would like to show you how I have changed. It is just coffee, 30 minutes that is all I ask for." I was about to decline when he added. "It is not like I am going to murder you or something." Old me would have smiled at that. Old me would have found it funny for being so absurd. New me didn't know what to think. But new me also tried being more like old me. I sighed and considered my options: one, decline, walk away and never look back. Two, accept, let Jesse confirm he is still an ass, walk away and never look back. Either way it wasn't like a cup of coffee was going to change my life.
"Fine, one coffee, but if you are still a perv I want the right to throw it in your face." He let out a soundless laugh.
"Sure, come on I know a place." We stepped by the nearest shop. It was a small French inspired place, not a place I would have pictured Jesse in. Then again probably wouldn't have pictured Jesse in anything other than Goldfinger's layer.
"How do you like your coffee?" he asked and steered us towards the counter.
"Actually I don't like coffee – can I have a hot chocolate?" He blinked a few times then smiled and nodded.
"Of course! One hot chocolate and a latté please." He asked and paid with a ten-dollar bill. The waitress told us to sit and she would come with our order when it was ready.
"So, what have you been up to? I heard you are working for Tarus?" he asked, interested. I nodded and leaned back.
"Well not so much anymore – I hold a council seat now." His eyes widened.
"YOU are the guardian on the council? Well I shouldn't be surprised but damn…" he trailed off and looked impressed. I nodded not really comfortable discussing it.
"Yeah, anyway what have you been up to?" he shrugged.
"Well I went to college, got the degree my parents wanted me to get, nothing out of the ordinary." I didn't make a face but I wanted to. Parents deciding their children's future was a disgusting thing, but I knew it was common for royals. Then again: Didn't my mom chose for me by putting me in the academy? Or was it society? I shook my head, I wanted to be a guardian, I just wished I had the choice.
"And college was the time of your life? The eyeopener to your destiny or-?" he grimaced.
"College was a lot of work to be honest. Real work and well emotional pain too." That sparked my curiosity: Jesse had emotions?
"Emotional?" He nodded thoughtfully while the waitress came by to place our drinks.
"Yeah, guess I was privileged actually. Didn't feel like it but I know I was. I didn't have to worry about money or getting a job after. Mom and dad got all that figured out. I know my peers struggled with that so I am grateful I didn't, but… I don't know it was still overwhelming. Even with my privileges I still needed good grades in classes where no one even knows how to get one. So, I was like failing two classes, stressed and anxious about how it would affect my future, and then my girlfriend decides this is the moment she wants to tell me she is leaving me because secretly she and my flatmate has been screwing around the entire time. So, there I was; failing, depressed, stressed, anxious and needing to find a new place to live."
"Wauw that must have sucked, I mean good thing I never had that problem." I said sarcastically.
"Sorry I didn't mean-" I waved him off with a smile.
"It is okay, I know. Anyways, sounds like you had quite a few thing to deal with yourself." He gave me a crocked smile.
"Nothing compared. Tell me anyway Rose, what is it with you and our dear old queen?" I laughed, Jesse always was a sucker for gossip.
"Nothing I am sure. If anything, she is doing a favor to Rufus, why that is what I would like to know, but I guess we never will, not with her anyway." Jesse smiled, I couldn't read whatever it was ignorant or secretful and honestly didn't care enough to find out either.
We talked for so long we had to order another round of drinks. Eventually I was reminded that I had stuff to do, except I wasn't really sure what council members actually do.
"This was actually nice but I have to get going." I told Jesse, surprised by how sincere those words was. He jumped up so he could follow me out and held the door for me.
"Of course, let me accompany you, I am sure you are going to the discussion?" I nodded through not sure what he was talking about.
"Yeah right, the discussion…" I trailed off trying to mask my lack of knowledge but he caught it.
"About higher education for the public. It is an open discussion where everyone can give their opinion." I nodded, that did sound like something I should go to. He politely showed me the way while not making it obvious I had no idea where I was going. However, he did have to run a few steps and catch my arm when I kept walking straight ahead instead of turning.
Lpov
The room was already buzzing. I was as usual surprised by the turn up to these events. I shouldn't of course, this was very important to non-royals and the only way for them to be heard. Christian had agreed to go with me for once and I was relieved not be alone for once. Tasha for once hadn't showed up and I had to admit that felt slightly good.
"I hope this won't take too long, I'd like to talk to Rose before we leave tomorrow." I said to Christian while checking his watch as I didn't wear one myself.
"Well you can do that now, she just walked in." he noted dryly. I looked up and sure enough there she was.
"She never shows up to these things." I noted and he shrugged beside me. "Who is that guy she is talking to?" I felt Christian tense and looked at him to see him make a grimace.
"I think that is Jesse Zelocks." He sounded weird which was understandable, I myself couldn't believe it.
"What?! No she wouldn't.." but now that he had said it I recognized the familiar traits of our former classmate. Although he was now dressed in a well fitted suit and his hair seemed to have turned a more silver blond shade, the Zelocks traits was hard to overlook.
"Rose over here!" I waved at her while I felt Christian gripping my other wrist and dragging me down, I didn't even realize I had stood up.
"What are you doing?" he sneered in a hushed voice. I shot him a look.
"I am sure there is an explanation – maybe they just stumbled across at the door." But as Rose approached with Jesse beside her it became clear they had not simple stumbled across each other but arrived here together.
"Hi, I didn't expect to see you here." She said with a smile. Clearly, I thought and looked at Jesse.
"Hi Lissa. Long time, no see. How are you?" He asked lightly and I glared. I hadn't forgotten the torture he made me go through on the forest ground. He seemed to sense I wasn't about to answer and turned towards Christian.
"Ozera, good to see you, how are your aunt holding up? I thought she would be around for this." There was nothing indicating hostility but this was Jesse we were talking about.
"She had other things. As I would assume you did too." Christian answered coldly. Rose looked at us both disapproving, but why? Didn't she hate him as much as we did?
"Oh no, universal education is a topic I care for very much. If we prevent people from learning how can we expect to evolve as a society?" I blinked a few times. Jesse was certainly the last person I expected to say that.
"Wauw, I didn't know you cared for something like that." He smiled and turned to Rose.
"Well there is plenty we don't know about each other. But as I told Rose, there is also a lot we don't know about ourselves. We can only hope to find that with time." For a moment I forgot it was Jesse talking. For a moment I just fell completely in love with the handsome, sophisticated and kind man in front of us. So, did Rose I think, cause she gazed at him with an admiration I hadn't seen since… Since she fell in love with Dimitri all those years ago. Of course, I didn't know it was love back then, but I had never seen her in love before and my teenage-self wasn't sure what to look for. This time I wasn't making the mistake. That was a teenage girl falling for a guy she really shouldn't. I remembered again this was Jesse, the asshole from high school, and that no one should be looking at him like that, definitely not Rose.
"Well that is all very inspiring but I do remember someone clever once said others often see what we cannot. Certainly, I have found that to be true along with something else: People don't change. They just get better at hiding who they really are." Christian spoke beside me. Thank god for his ability not to put up with any crap. The tension grew as we all knew who those words were for.
"I think there is a few free seats over there." Rose pointed a little back to some empty chairs as our line was filled. "We should go I think they are starting soon." She turned to head over there but he stopped her.
"You are a council-member, the front row is reserved for people of your position." He told her seriously and I noticed how she bit her lip.
"I don't want to – can't I go sit with you in the back? I don't want to be in the spotlight." He didn't argue and they went to sit further down. Although the discussion – which was very interesting – I couldn't focus as I kept gazing back at them. I think I half expected to find them kissing at any given moment but they sat beside each other without much exchange. Every once in a while, some of them would say something and the other would smile, laugh or make a comment back but there was no leaning, kissing or shoulder bumping.
"You are going to hurt your neck if you keep it at that angle." Christian told me dryly. I turned around, somewhat assured they weren't flirting, and sighed.
"What do you think?" I asked him concerned.
"I think Rose is smart enough that we should let her handle her own business." I sighed. He was right but I didn't like it. When the thing was over we lingered and hoped to catch Rose again. Luckily, she too stayed behind while Jesse was nowhere to be seen.
"Hi, so… what on earth was that?!" I asked her as we approached. She rolled her eyes at me. She fucking rolled her eyes at me!
"Liss, chill. I bumped into him on the street and he insisted on buying me coffee." She explained. Christian let out an amused snort beside me.
"See? I told you. No way Rose would associate with that." He joked but Rose frowned.
"Guys I really think he has changed. Honestly it has been four years wouldn't it be weird if he hadn't?" She argued and I felt my eyebrows raise on their own accord.
"No? This is Jesse we are talking about. I would be surprised if he wasn't the same slime he used to be. Have you forgotten what he did to you?" She sighed and mumbled something under her breath.
"No, I haven't. I also know I am not the same girl who would have gotten caught with a moroi boy in an empty lounge so why would he be the same jerk he used to be?"
"That is not the same Rose. You have been through so much-" I didn't know how to finish my sentence. Had she grown because of it? Or in spite? I didn't know. Maybe she grew back at the academy and I just didn't notice.
"What makes you think Jesse hasn't been through things too?" Christian snorted.
"You are telling me Jesse's royal ass hasn't been sitting properly on his twenty pillows? Did his parents forgot to bribe the person grading his papers? Or did the rain ruin his hairstyle regularly. That must have been awful. A true tragedy really." He snarked. Rose just rolled her eyes.
"Look what he told me isn't your business. Why is everyone so obsessed with the company I keep anyway?!" She growled. I blinked a few times in surprise. Then I remembered she was on the council. The lack of privacy I had dealt with for years was all new to her.
"Anyway, did you come for anything other than to stick your nose in my personal business?" she demanded. I was mildly shocked at her tone. Rose never talked to me that way not even when I had been so cruel to her.
"Just to tell you we'll be leaving for Brazil tomorrow." She nodded, visibly calmer.
"You'll be missing the summer's end ball then?" I nodded.
"Yeah we didn't want to stick around for it anyways – Christian and Tasha aren't really fans." I didn't know why, but both family members seemed determined on never attending that ball again.
"Shame, I was hoping for moral support but I guess I'll be on my own then. Not like I haven't handled that before." There was an unexpected bitterness in her tone. Rose had never blamed me for anything ever before and I wasn't entirely sure if she did now.
"Rose." Christian spoke softly all of a sudden. I was slightly taken aback but he gave me a look as if to tell me to stay back and let him handle it.
"Rose – should I get someone for you? Adrian or Dimitri?" She snorted.
"What on earth would we need to drag them down here for? As if I am unable to handle myself. I am not a damsel in fucking distress!" she yelled.
"I know you are not, but Rose this isn't you. We both know this isn't you." He spoke calmly, holding out his hands as if to calm her.
"What do you know about that? You don't know me! None of you do! You weren't there with me and you will never understand what it was like! I went through hell and back and the Rose that came back isn't the one who they dragged in so don't you talk about who I am! Don't you dare!" Christian stopped moving forwards but didn't break eye contact.
"Call Dimitri." He told me in low voice so she wouldn't hear. I had Dimitri on speed dial incase anything happened. He would be here in a few minutes we just had to keep her.
"You are right Rose I don't. No one does, we can't even start to imagine. But I knew you before. I knew what you was like, your joys, your struggles. Whatever we liked it or not fate pushed us together and forced us to be friends. So, I know this isn't you Rose. This is the darkness, it always is." Rose glared lightly. Then she pulled up in her things and left. She tried to at least. Dimitri came bursting through the doors right then.
"Princess, Lord Ozera, you called?" Rose looked back at us in disbelief.
"You called him." It was a statement, trough disbelief clear in her voice. She shook her head then brushed past him.
"You need help." Christian called after her making her stop.
"And we want to help you Rose." She looked at us over her shoulder.
"I don't want your help." She simply stated then left.
So how was that? Do you really believe Jesse is reformed? Review please!