Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy and neither of its characters. That is all the work of the marvelous author Richelle Mead. I just own the plot of this story.

CHAPTER 35 - A test. Dancing with our hands tied

I was having a big test the next day and I wasn't able to remember a thing. I had all my books spreaded on the floor and my sheets with multiple choice questions were all over the place. I knew the teacher was a big pain in the ass and would address us trick questions. God, I hated when teachers would do anything to make you fail your exam. I tried all day long to learn and not a single thing remained in my head. So I did the only thing I could do in that moment. I began to cry. I was having a major breakdown.

Someone knocked on my door. I wiped out my tears and opened the door.

'I bought us Chine-' Dimitri began to say but then he saw me. His face instantly filled with worry. 'Rose, what happened? Why are you crying? Did someone hurt you?'

'It's nothing.' I replied sniffling.

He took me inside. 'If you are crying, then it means it's something.'

'Yeah, it's something. But it's stupid. And I know I shouldn't be crying about it. But I have this huge multiple choice test tomorrow and I just can't remember a thing I read. And I don't want to fail.'

'It's okay. Come, sit. I'll be back immediately.'

When he came back he was holding two M&M's bags in his hand.

'Why did you bring these?'

'This is your motivation. You said you need good motivation. So here it is. I'll help you study. And at every three correct question you get a bean. Deal?'

Laughing and wiping another stray tear I nodded.

We spent the next couple of hours doing quizzes. He found funny ways to make me remember answers to various questions. Once, he was trying to make me say the part which is picked up from saffron flowers. I couldn't say it. It was there, in my brain, but I couldn't get it out. So he took a paper and a pen and began to draw. When he showed me the drawing I burst into laughter. It was the silliest flower I've ever seen. But it was correctly drawn, scientifically speaking and I was able to realize what he was trying to show me.

'I am so keeping this. This is pure art, comrade. One day it will be worth millions of dollars, trust me, I'm an expert.' I said as I went and pinned the drawing on my cork board in the hallway.

I don't remember when I fell asleep. I guess we were talking about ways to multiply plants when my eyes decided they couldn't stay open much longer.

When my alarm went off, I was laying in my bed. On my nightstand was a bag of M&M's and a note that simply said ''Good luck'' in a perfect calligraphy.

One night, I couldn't fall asleep. I spent some hours just twisting in bed, trying to find the perfect position, but it was pointless. I got up and started to walk around the house. I watered Lil' Dimka. I took a little snack. I had nothing to do. Then I got back to my bedroom and saw the big pile of clothes I needed to take care of. I remembered that the laundry shop is always open on week days. So I gathered all my things and I was on my way.

The walk there was pleasant. I had my headphones with me and I was listening to music. The January night was perfect. Cold air surrounded me and I was taking deep breaths. It was amazing to think about what other people were doing. I was going to do my laundry. Some people were sleeping. Well, the majority of them. But what were the rest of the restless people doing in that exact moment?

I got to my destination and as I reached for the door, I saw Dimitri sitting on a chair, reading, and a washing machine was functioning in front of him. The rest of the shop was empty. I opened the door as silently as I could and I got in. I easily sneaked behind him, and I was preparing to scare him by whispering into his ear ''Howdy, comrade''. But the person scared wasn't him; it was me because as I was bending over the chair behind him he said:

'Hi, Roza.' I squealed.

'What? How? I could have been a serial killer sneaking behind you; how did you know it was me?'

He turned, kissed my cheek and said: 'I always know when you are round.' ah, wasn't he such a cheesy man sometimes?

I put my clothes into the washing machine and plopped onto the chair beside him. I put my head on his shoulder and ask:

'Couldn't sleep either?'

'No. I usually come here at night. It's quiet. And anyway, this place is stacked up with quacking college girls all day long.'

'Hey, am I not a quacking college girl?'

'Yes. But you are my quacking college girl.' he said as he kissed my forehead.

We just stood there, him reading, me listening to the background music.

Then 7/11 by Beyoncé started.

'Oh. My. God. I love this song.' I rose up. 'Comrade, let's dance.' He shook his head no. 'Oh, don't be such a party pooper.' I said as I began dancing. I was fooling around big time. I would clap my hands, spin around, raise my hands and do everything that Beyoncé was saying in her song. And I was singing too. My voice was awful, but I was having fun, and Dimitri didn't seem to mind. I was dancing all around the shop. When the song ended I was in front of Dimitri. 'You are so not fun, buddy.' He rose and came to me. Took my left hand into his and placed his other on my back.

'Let's do this the right way, this time.' he said. I was so confused. Do what the right way? Then it hit me. The radio was playing the same song we danced on, on Christmas. I smiled and placed my head on his chest. I could feel the cold leather from his duster. For some minutes, nothing else existed but us. We were dancing slowly into that laundry shop. And everything else didn't matter.

I kissed him. And our kiss turned into something wild in a matter of seconds. My hands were under his shirt and his hands were disheveling my hair. We were breathing heavily and had to stop from time to time to catch our breaths. Our hands were all over each other. When his hands made their way under my blouse, I could feel the warmth of his skin and the hunger that he was massaging my flesh with. A little moan escaped my mouth.

'Ahem!' someone said from the other side of the store. Instantly, we were apart. Busted! It was the owner. He had that weird eye. Then, he puffed, rolled his eyes and as he turned around he said something in Russian.

I was soothing down my hair and trying to arrange my clothes. 'What did he say?'

Smiling, Dimitri responded: 'Lovers.' I smiled too.

He sat down and I laid myself on two chairs with my head on his thighs. I fell asleep as he was playing with my hair.