Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Okay so here is the next chapter. Enjoy.

24

I sank against the wall. I was completely stunned. I had no idea what the hell was going on.

The only coherent thing going through my mind was: Adrian.

That's when I got a nudge from the bond. Lissa was trying to find me.

My eyes tore across the room for any incriminating evidence. I struggled to my feet and then ran from Adrian's place.

I found Lissa in the cafeteria.

"About time Rose," she chastised.

I sank down, "Why does everyone keep saying that to me," I grumbled.

Lissa's brow furrowed, "What's up with you?"

"She's probably pissed we're back here," Christian said as he plopped down beside Lissa. His face was colored and flushed, he had just fed.

I shivered, "Yeah," I agreed.

They both stared at me now.

"What?" I asked straightening up.

"Did you, were you, you agreed with Christian?" Lissa stuttered.

I rolled my eyes, "Sometimes he makes a good point Lissa. And right now I would seriously like to get out of this hellhole, I'm sick of people gawking."

Lissa glanced around, "Just ignore them then."

"Hard to when they actually come up to you," I said snagging a piece of toast from her plate.

"Just use your mad skills on them," Christian said, "And when I say mad skills I really mean your psychotic—" he stopped when Lissa elbowed him in the gut.

"So did you go see your mom today?" Lissa asked with a grin.

"Yes," I replied flatly.

Her smile faded, "What's wrong? Did something happen to her?"

I shook my head, "No she's just acting like she normally does."

The bond flared and it caused me to really look at Lissa. She was fidgeting.

"You healed her didn't you?" I asked, or more of demanded.

She shook her head no, "It was Adrian, his first really big injury. He was amazing."

I'm pretty sure all color drained from my face just then.

"I have to go," I said suddenly, whipping out of my seat. I didn't wait to hear Lissa's complaint.

"What do you mean he's gone?" I nearly yelled.

"He left about twenty minutes ago," the Moroi informed me.

"Twenty minutes ago, where the hell did he go?" I demanded.

The Moroi shrugged, "He went back to his school."

I turned on my heel and ran my hands through my hair. He was gone, and back to his school for god sake.

I closed my eyes as tears threatened to spill over.

"Rose?" a voice called from behind me.

I quickly wiped away any evidence of tears and turned towards Dimitri.

"What's wrong?" he asked as soon as he was a foot away.

Damn him for knowing me so well.

"Adrian went and flew the coop. I needed to talk to him."

Dimitri looked back towards the Moroi sitting at the desk.

"Don't bother he isn't helpful," I said walking towards the exit. He took up pace right beside me.

"How did you find me anyways?" I asked when we walked in to the dark grounds.

"Your voice travels," he says smoothly.

I flush and hide it with a swish of my hair.

"Well he pissed me off," I said nonchalantly.

"I understand," he said softly.

I looked determinately at the ground. "He healed my mom, I wanted to thank him."

Dimitri grabbed my arm and pulled me under a tree.

"How did that go?" he asked.

I glared at the leaves above me. "As well as it could have gone, she still thinks I'm worthless."

"I'm sure that's not…" he began before I cut him off.

"Oh yes it is. In her mind I'm always going to be the kid who took off and abandoned school for a hunch. She's never going to admit that I was right."

"Just give her time, she'll come around."

I shook my head, "I don't think so, she's stubborn."

He made a peculiar noise.

"What?" I asked looking at him.

"I know someone a bit like that."

I glared at him, "Do. Not. Say. I'm. Just. Like. Her."

"Wouldn't have dreamed of it," he said with a smile.

"That's just like saying it!" I said exasperated. I started to walk away but he grabbed my arm and pulled me to him.

"I'm sorry Roza, I couldn't help it. You do show some similar tendencies, she is your mother after all."

"Hmph."

He kissed my forehead, "Come on Roza let's go. We're leaving soon."

He took my hand and led me towards the parking lot.

"I'm glad we're leaving," I said suddenly.

"Me too," he said squeezing my hand.

That's when the guilt hit me.

It felt like a bomb exploded in my gut.

Dimitri stopped, "You okay?"

Instead of saying, "No I'm not. The reason I'm pissed is that I saw Adrian before he left. He kissed me and it felt absolutely incredible. It warmed me from my head to my toes. I think he might have compulsed me a bit to so I didn't immediately give him my knee jerk reaction of kicking him where it hurts. But the worst thing about this whole thing is that it felt good, but I knew it was wrong. Because I truly am absolutely in love with you, I know in my heart that I'm supposed to be with you. So why do I feel something for Adrian as well?"

I said, "I just remembered that I was going to have a talk with Lissa."

He raised an eyebrow, "May I ask what about?"

"About how stupid she acts."

"Okay," he said a little uncertainly.

I sighed, "About how she can't be naïve forever. That she needs to grow up and see the world for what it is. That her life isn't just filled with parties and the Court. That there are things going on that are not sugar coated and that she needs to learn it pretty fast."

He didn't say anything. That's when I felt the bond. And that's when I cursed (in my head) every swear word I've ever heard.

"So when exactly were we going to have this little conversation?" Lissa asked from behind me.

I whipped around to face her.

"Hopefully when we were back at Court," I said softly.

Lissa looked pissed so that made me pissed.

"But it's true Lissa. We both need to be careful now."

She rolled her eyes, "I like how you said we to my face."

I huffed, "I said we because it applies to both of us. I'm not going to go through any of that again so we are going to be careful for now on. Life is filled with people trying to kill us apparently and I'm going to attempt to prevent that."

"So me being naïve means what to that plan?" she asked coldly.

"It means that you don't think. That you don't consider the consequences of your actions, you're careless."

I bit my lip as soon as I said that. I felt the rage in the bond and flinched back a little.

"Careless," Lissa repeated. She glared at me then tossed her hair, she walked over to the limo that was waiting for us and got in.

Christian who had witnessed the whole fight looked from the limo to me, "Thanks for pissing her off."

"Anytime," I replied as he wrenched open the door and climbed in.

I looked back at Dimitri.

"That is exactly what I'm talking about. She's acting like a little kid throwing a tantrum."

He didn't say anything. He just opened the door to the limo and I climbed in. Lissa and Christian were sitting together. Lissa was whispering furiously to him but stopped when I got in.

I looked out the window and practiced being invisible.

Dimitri was sitting up front. I caught his eye from the window that separated the front from the back. He apologized without saying anything.

I wished I could do the same.

I hoped you enjoyed this wonderful bit of Lissatude. Just wait...there's more.

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