I can't remember the last time I drank alcohol, not to mention the last time I was anywhere near drunk. But I was perfectly buzzed and enjoying it. The last hoorah after passing all of our exams and Aaron threw a rager. I was hesitant to go but with Lissa's pleading, I broke a went. It started with only one drink, and then two, and then five. And it wasn't cheap keggers, it was good liquor. Gin, Tequila, Vodka, Whiskey, and they were all being consumed.

Lissa was flushed from the drink and it was amusing to see her pale skin with pink rosy cheeks. Christian seemed to be nursing his drink that smelled horrible and Eddie was doing the same. I looked into my cup and frowned, I wasn't even sure what I was drinking anymore but sipped at it anyways. The music was surprisingly loud for it to be happening in secret but I didn't pay much attention to it. It was my last night of freedom before becoming a full-fledge Guardian.

"So, did you pick where we are going yet?" Lissa slurred perched in Christian's lap. I starred down in my cup and pursed my lips.

"No. I think I want to go somewhere hot though. Would you be ok with that?"

Lissa tried to nod her head but her whole body moved too, making her sway slightly as she smiled at me. I smirked back at her and leaned against Christian's shoulder, something I wouldn't be caught dead doing sober, but I need the extra support.

"What are going to do though? It's going to be hot and you're so pale," I said, my head lulling to rest against Christian's. He started to laugh and gently nudged me but I groaned and pushed back against him. The noise around us stopped for a moment before a loud voice boomed through the room.

"We are giving you five minutes! Everyone back to your dorms!"

Ah shit. There was the cavalry. I jumped up from the couch and swayed a little but got my footing and stumbled from the room with Lissa and the boys. We slowly made our way back to Lissa's dorm and deposited her and Christian before Eddie stopped in to check on a buddy of his. I wandered back towards my dorm, trailing my hand against the stone wall of the main campus building, humming tunelessly to myself. The downside right now was that the sun was so bright it practically burned.

I was starting to feel the last drink I had and I had surpassed buzzed and drove right into drunksville.

"Rose?"

I jumped and came to a stop in my place, spinning around slowly expecting to get a strip torn off me for being out and drinking, only to find my confused and extremely sexy boyfriend.

"DIMITRI!" I squealed as I half ran half stumbled towards him. He put his arms out instantly and caught me, which would have saved me before having scrapped knees in the morning.

"What are you doing here, Comrade?" I whispered, worried that he was going to be in trouble for being out after curfew.

"Rose, I'm coming off shift. What are yo- are you drunk?" Dimitri said, his voice becoming stern when he caught a whiff of the alcohol on my breath.

"Uhhhhhhh. Maybe just a bit," I slurred, holding my thumb and index finger just a mere centimetre apart. Dimitri shook his head looking less than impress before helping me stand up on my two feet on my own before gently pulling me with him.

"If you get caught, you'll be screwed," Dimitri said pulling me along but my feet couldn't keep up. Eventually, he spun around and tossed me over his shoulder, his arm clamping over my hips and legs as he walked. I playfully smacked his back before dizziness swept in and I stopped, moaning and resting my head against his back instead.

I resorted to closing my eyes as he walked, the sensation of being upside down and the movement not doing much for my stomach. The click of Dimitri's door opening made me aware that he got to our destination. Dimitri set me down gently on the bed and tugged my shoes off.

I opened my eyes to find that I was laying in bed. I blinked and groaned as my head pounded. I reached up and pressed my fist against my eyes, trying to make the pain go away. I tried to roll out of my bed only to have a heavy arm tighten around my waist and I stopped.

Oh god. Who's arm was around me? Who's bed am I in?! I gingerly took in that I wasn't wearing any clothes aside from my panties and carefully looked behind me to find a mop of brown hair.

I breathed a sigh of relief when the room became familiar to me and I relaxed back into Dimitri, taking the warmth that his body provided me. I rolled under his arm and curled into his chest, burying my face against him. The movement startled him but when he realized it was just me and pulled me closer to him and kissed my head.

"How are you feeling, drunky?" Dimitri mumbled and I groaned.

"Don't talk so loud," I complained. It felt like someone was trying to beat their way out of my skull. Dimitri chuckled a little and rolled onto his back, pulling me with him. I grumbled and wiggled my way on top of him, tucking my cold toes against his legs and rubbing my nose against his neck.

"How much shit am I in?"

"Well," Dimitri started, running his fingers through my hair, "If I was still your mentor, you'd be doing laps until you puked. But because I am your loving boyfriend, no punishment beyond what your body is going to dual out for you. What were you drinking, absinthe?"

"No. You can't get that stuff here. I'm not sure what I was drinking near the end of it," I said, groaning as my stomach rolled. Dimitri rubbed my back and made soothing noises, but it still vibrated inside my skull.

"I think I'm going to be sick," I moaned.

Dimitri moved to sit up and tried not to jostle me as much as he could and I sat up in his lap, pressing the balls of my hands against my eyes. God, I'm such a lightweight now. I sat there for a moment before my stomach rolled again and I flung myself out of bed and ran to the bathroom, barely making it.

I rinsed my mouth out with water and mouth wash before coming to a stop in the doorframe. Dimitri was still in bed, arms folded behind his head as he watched me.

"See something you like?" I quipped half-heartedly.

Dimitri smiled, "I see something that I love."

The phrase made me smile and I crawled back into bed with him.

"What time is it?"

"You've only been asleep for a few hours. It's only three."

"Good. I'm going back to sleep now."

Dimitri chuckled and kissed my cheek as he pulled me back to his chest. I laid there for a few minutes before snapping my eyes open?

"Why exactly am I naked?"

I could feel Dimitri's body shaking in his silent laughter. "Because you puked on yourself."

"I am never drinking again," I grumbled as I sat down with Lissa, waiting for my parents to join us. Lissa made a noise of agreement and played with her glass of water, not drinking from it. I rested my hand on the table and closed my eyes. I was thankful that when I woke up again this morning Dimitri was already awake with a fried egg sandwich, a bottle of water and two pills for my head. If I didn't love him already, I definitely loved him then.

"Do you think your parents are going to know how drunk we were last night?" Lissa whispered. I seriously hoped they didn't, Dad may let it slide but Mom wouldn't. She would be livid that I drank underage. The upside of meeting my parents for breakfast was that it was in guest housing and it was quiet.

The door creaked open and I lifted my head, which was more difficult than I thought it would be, and saw Mom walk in. I mustered a smile as she sat down, sliding two glasses towards Lissa and me. I looked at the green glasses and sniffed mine, gagging instantly.

"What is that?"

"The best hangover cure you'll find. Now drink it before your father comes in, he's still with the feeders."

The word feeders made both Lissa and I groan and I reached for the cup, eyeballing it before chugging it down. It was thick and chunky but I powered it back, setting the glass down on the table with a small thud. I looked over at Lissa who was grimacing but drank the whole thing down.

"What was in that?" Lissa asked, whipping her mouth with her napkin.

Mom chuckled and sat down across from us with a smirk on her face. "Kale, Pineapple, Coconut Water, Bananas, Lemon Juice, Chia seeds, and a little bit of protein powder."

I grimaced and made a face while looking at the glass. "Alright, lay it on me."

Mom raised her brow at me as she crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back into her chair. "Rosemarie, I was a teenager once. In all honesty, I expected you to be worse off than the Princess. I remember the parties we threw on our last night as students. I can't expect you to not follow that right of passage."

I was stunned. Mom seemed like the kind of person who would have laid down the law about drinking, but I was surprised that she didn't.

"How did you get back to your room? I came to get you earlier but you weren't there. You were drunker than I was last night," Lissa pipped up.

I looked from Lissa to Mom and then back to Lissa, trying to formulate how exactly I got back to my room without saying that I didn't get back to my room.

"Uhh."

Mom raised her brows, giving me an indulgent look that made my stomach churn and Lissa looked at me with confusion.

"There are, my girls," Dad exclaimed as he walked in and sat down next to Mom. Saved by the bell! I sighed quietly in relief as Dad swept all of my late-night whereabouts and started a loud conversation about prom. I nodded along and gave the appropriate responses but I really wasn't feeling the conversation yet. I needed food and possibly a pot of coffee to get through the morning.

Lissa squealed as she pulled the black garment bags out of the closet. I shook my head as I laid back on the bed and groaned. The next three hours were going to be long as she did her magic on my hair.

"I am so excited for tonight! It's going to be so much fun!" Lissa exclaimed and she hung the bags on the back of the doors, unzipping the bags and pulling them out. I chuckled and rolled my head to the size only to shoot up. That was my dress! But not the dress that I purchased!

"Uh, Lissa? What is that?!" I exclaimed launching off the bed and coming to a standstill beside her. There in the black garment back was the beaded dress that I had fallen in love with at the mall. I shook my head in confusion.

"Please tell me that you didn't buy my dress," I said pointing at it, but Lissa smiled and shook her head.

"No, I didn't buy the dress."

"Dimitri didn't, did he?"

Lissa laughed, "No. Your father did."

I furrowed my brows and tried to figure out exactly how he did that. He didn't come with us. Lissa wrapped her arms around my shoulder and rested her head against mine.

"When we were leaving your dad pulled Dimitri aside and gave him a credit card. He told him that if you found something you were in love with to buy it for you. He figured that you didn't want your parents coming so figured Dimitri would do it without you noticing. Or that you would let him buy it for you."

I didn't really know what to say. I wasn't used to this kind of thing, for someone to be there to buy things for me. Sure Lissa did it from time to time and while we were on the run, but I couldn't remember the last time my parents bought me anything. But it made sense now why Dimitri took my dress and my wallet, ad why there was so much money left.

"Rose? You okay?"

I nodded my head and wrapped my arms around her waist. "Yeah, just stunned."

Lissa chuckled under her breath before pulling me towards the chair in front of her vanity, picking up a brush and wagged her brows at me. Oh boy, here we go.

She straightened my hair to precision, spraying stuff on it to keep it smooth and shiny as she worked the flatiron. She seemed to know exactly what to do without my input so I let her do it. I was slightly mesmerized watching her. She smirked at me in the reflection as she pulled my hair back into a twist, pulling a few pieces out to frame my face.

"Hold this," she instructed as she handed me jewelled pins. I held my hand up and did as she asked, smirking at her as she pinned my hair. I put my hand down as she started to curl the pieces she left out. The moment she finished that she started on my make up. I warned her that I didn't want anything crazy for makeup and the only response I got with a grunt and a nod.

I closed my eyes and let her do what she wanted and thought about how much I started to look forward to Prom. Sure I wasn't going with Dimitri, but Eddie was right. Going with him would be fun and I wouldn't have to worry about unwanted advances at the end of the night. Plus I knew Eddie was a good dancer and wouldn't stomp on my toes all night!

Lissa tapped my shoulder and told me to open my eyes. I did and was happily surprised. The makeup was elegant and beautiful, but simple. The shade of eyeshadow matched my dress and made my eyes pop, with a slight shimmer of gold to highlight them. The eyeliner was minimal but made my lashes look long.

"You are an artist," I said with a smile. Lissa beamed and moved to start on her hair while I got dressed. She seemed to get herself ready faster than she got me ready and slipped into her dress with ease. I turned to let her zip the last of my dress and leaned down to tie up my shoes.

"You look beautiful, Liss."

"Thank you, you look amazing yourself. I wish I could fill out a mermaid style dress like you do," she said as she fastened her earrings. I didn't go crazy with the jewelry and went with Dimitri's cross instead. If anyone asked, I could always pass it off that it belonged to the Dragomir's or my parents.

Lissa eyed it for a few seconds before smirking and slipped her shoes on. I waited for her patiently at the door before opening it. We had agreed to meet Christian and Eddie in the lobby and headed down arm in arm. When we got down there was a lot of people mingling around with their dates, but I easily zoned in on Christian and Eddie.

I stirred Lissa over and I watched Christian's face light up as he saw her. It was sweet that he loved her so much and as much as I hated him in the beginning, but now I couldn't be happier that Lissa found someone who loved her as much as I did. Eddie smiled too and gave me a hug.

"You look stunning," Eddie said as he pulled away. I rolled my eyes but thanked him. Christian handed Eddie a box and I remember Lissa's comment about the corsages. I dutifully stuck my hand out and let Eddie put it on for me.

"You know Christian, I think we have the best looking dates," Eddie said as he bumped Christian's shoulder. Christian rolled his eyes and muttered a comment under his breath before looking at me.

"I guess Rosie looks ok," he said with a shrug.

Hey, I'll take it. It's the nicest thing he's said to me this week. The lobby started to get crowded so we heading towards the banquet hall. Due to the irritation of sunlight against Moroi skin, the student committee that did all the work for prom voted that it happened during our day. But it worked out better for the theme they choose. They went with the whole enchanted forest theme so lots of trees with the help of the earth wilding students and staff and twinkly lights and such. It was over the top and a part of me wanted to gag at it, but looking over at the look of awe on Lissa's face made it worth it. She was happy and that's what was important to me at that moment.

Eddie lead me towards a table and I gratefully sunk down into a chair. It gave me a moment to observe everyone in the room. My dress may have been simple, but it was nicer than what some of the royals were wearing. If I was being honest, they looked fake and tacky with their fake tans and exuberant dresses.

"It's almost over, " Eddie mused next to me.

I snorted a laugh, "We just got here."

"No, I meant school."

I sat back in the chair and nodded in agreeance. It was almost over. This place was my home – I grew here. It was the only parent I really had until recently. I had memories here even if I didn't like most of them. This place would mean something to me after I left. I watched Lissa mingle around with Christian in tow, he looked slightly bored but anytime Lissa turned to look at him he put a smile on his face.

It wasn't long until the food was served and Lissa came to sit with us, all smiles and giggles. I laughed at her as she sat down and we tucked into our food. I was a little more careful because of the dress and I noticed a group of male royals glancing over at our table.

"I wonder why they keep looking over here," Lissa stated as she finished her me. Eddie and I polished off ours far faster than the Moroi at our table, and I eyeballed the last few bites of Lissa's mashed potatoes. Eddie's laughter pulled me away from the potatoes.

"They're looking at you and Rose, Lissa. You two look fantastic, why wouldn't they stare?"

I playfully pushed him, "Oh stop. Flattery will get you nowhere, Castile."

Christian shrugged and made a noise of agreeance. "But he is kind of right. I mean, look at how over the top some people went for this. Sometimes less is better."

"Wow," I said as I raised my hand to my chest, "Two compliments in one night. Did Lissa drug you this morning?"

Christian rolled his eyes at me while smiling, "Knock it off, porky. Don't act like I didn't just see you eyeballing Lissa's leftover food."

I shook my head while laughing, we may be at each other's throats but I did enjoy our banter to an extent. He got me on a level that Lissa didn't, and he used sarcasm to communicate with me. Sure sometimes he could be crude and a bit of an asshole, but I was grateful for those qualities at the same time.

I took my napkin off my lap and placed it on the table, "I'm going to get a drink. I'll be right back," I said before heading towards the long table. As cliché as punch at prom was, it was really good and nobody had managed to spike it yet.

"Hathaway, you look hot."

I set the ladle back into the bowl and rolled my eyes, lifting my glass to my lips as I turned away from the table. Maybe I'd be lucky to get back to the table before being accosted by Jesse. But no such luck, he stepped into my path as I tried to step around him.

"You know, this may be the last time we see each other for a while," Jesse began but I quickly cut him off.

"Thank God for that," I replied and stepped around him again.

"Oh c'mon Hathaway, don't be a frigid bitch."

I stopped in my tracks and my eyes widened. A frigid bitch? I spun around and opened my mouth to snap at him, but someone beat me to it.

"I believed I warned you about being near Ms. Hathaway, Mr. Zeklos."

I smirked as I watched Jesse's eye widen before he scurried away. I looked up and smiled at Dimitri before taking in his appearance. I had never seen Dimitri in dress clothes aside from his formal Guardian wear, but this was a sight to behold. Dimitri had his hair tied back at the nape as usual but he was dressed in charcoal grey dress pants and a deep blue dress shirt. He didn't have a tie on but left the top two buttons undone.

"You look good, Comrade," I said as I took him in completely. He looked better than good, he looked hot, hotter than he usually does.

"Thank you, you look beautiful, Rose."

Wow, he is totally checking you out, Rose!

I snickered at Lissa's voice in my head as I turned to look at her from across the room. She smiled at me and raised a brow as if to say tell me I'm wrong. Dimitri raised a brow at me as I turned back to face him, but waived him off.

"Can I steal you for a moment?" Dimitri asked quietly. I nodded and turned to grab Eddie's attention. I gestured my head towards Dimitri and Eddie gave a sharp nod of understanding with a smile. I turned my attention back to Dimitri as he guided us out of the main hall and out to the back garden. The breeze was nice against my skin and I enjoyed the closeness between Dimitri and me. He was quiet but we came to a stop in the middle of the gardens where the gazebo was lit up with lights.

"What are we doing all the way out here?"

Dimitri smiled at me and pulled me into the gazebo, coming to a stop in the center of it. He placed a hand on my waist and pulled me towards him, dipping his head down to rest against mine.

"I'm going to dance with my favourite person in the world."

I reached up and rested a hand on his shoulder while sliding my other hand into his.

"I didn't know you were the dancing type," I said softly as I moulded against him. Dimitri smiled again as his hand came to rest in the small of my back, his hand warm against my skin. While the music was faint all the way out here, we could still just hear it as we danced slowly. It was similar to a waltz, but not much turning and much closer than normal. It was sweet and slow, but I felt like we were in our own little bubble.

"You look stunning in this dress," Dimitri said as he kissed my cheek. I blushed a little and turned my face to catch his lips. He didn't hesitate and deepened the kiss, his fingers tracing along my spine as they travelled upwards.

"Better or worse than the last one?" I quipped when he pulled away from me. He laughed and kissed my nose.

"Both. Definitely both."

I giggled and dipped my head to rest on his shoulder. I could feel his face against the side of my head as we continued to dance. It was nice until a cough interrupted us. My head shot up out of fear and I turned to see Eddie standing a few feet away. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sorry, but it looked like some people were heading this way," Eddie apologized with a small shrug. I nodded and turned back to give Dimitri a quick kiss and headed towards Eddie. Eddie nodded at Dimitri before walking back with me to the banquet hall.

"Surprised?"

"I'm surprised that he dances," I joked as we walked back in. Eddie chuckled and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"I did promise him that I'd let him have a dance. After all, he is your boyfriend," Eddie said. I snorted and rolled my eyes at him. But I was grateful for the few minutes alone I got with Dimitri. I spotted Lissa and Christian quickly and Eddie suggested we join them. The music was more upbeat and the dance moves Lissa was executing had me doubled over laughing. She may be a princess, but when she wants to be, she just as much a regular girl as I am.

Eventually, Lissa and I both kicked our shoes off and sat down at the table again, leaning against one another with our heads resting together.

"Did you think we'd be back here?" Lissa asked. I yawned and cleared my throat.

"No, I never thought we would be coming back to the academy. I never thought we'd be going to prom either."

Lissa chuckles and runs her fingers through her hair. She was quiet for a few moments before blowing out a puff of hair. The even was starting to come to an end and I let my eyes wander around the room before coming to rest on Dimitri standing at the end of the hall, speaking to a dark-haired woman in a very pretty silver dress.

"Did you know Tasha was chaperoning?"

"Yes," Lissa said, "Why do you think Christian and I are still here? We couldn't sneak off until it was a respectable time or she'd ask questions."

I snorted a laugh. She wasn't wrong there, but I appreciated her staying as long as she did. Despite not thinking I was going to enjoy myself, I had a lot of fun. I noticed Dimitri stepping away from Tasha and heading towards us. I smiled at him and reached up to play with the chain around my neck. I noticed earlier that Dimitri's eyes went right to it and I was happy to see the flicker of happiness in his eyes when he saw it. A small, private token of his affection.

"Are you heading out soon?" Dimitri asked us. Lissa and I both nodded as Christian and Eddie appeared. We both stood up and smiled at our respective dates.

"Yes, I believe we are," I said. Dimitri nodded and put his arm up to let us go first. Lissa and Christian walked a few steps ahead while Eddie, Dimitri and I walked a few steps behind. We stopped at Lissa's room first before heading towards the Novice dorms. I wasn't surprised that Christian was staying the night with her, but I was a little jealous. If I could stay with Dimitri tonight I would.

Eddie's room was before mine so we went there first. Eddie gave me a tight hug before saying goodnight and Dimitri and I headed to my dorm.

"Did you have fun tonight?" Dimitri asked.

I nodded my head while smiling at him. "Yes, I did. It was fun and I had a good time with Eddie. And I really enjoyed being able to dance with you," I said quietly as I reached the end of my sentence. I really did enjoy dancing with him. Dimitri used his key and unlocked my door, letting me in before following.

I pursed my lips when he locked the door behind him, but the pursed look split into a smirk as he stepped closer to me, slipping his hands around my waist. I stretched up on my toes and looped my arms around his neck to balance myself.

He didn't kiss me right away, just rested his head against mine as he bowed me back before pulling us up straight.

"Only a few more days," he whispered. I could hear the relief and happiness in his voice and it made my heart flutter. But the idea of the next few days made a question rise to my lips.

"If Lissa and I are going on a trip right after graduation, who will be guarding Lissa? I know you said that you were getting a new allocation, but it hadn't been settled yet."

Dimitri kissed both my cheeks before kissing my forehead. "I am. I told them that I would be Lissa's Guardian until my reallocation was finalized. Three weeks guarding my girl and her best friend seem alright to me."

I rolled my eyes, "You aren't guarding me."

He shrugged and finally kissed me softly. "If I'm guarding Lissa, I'm guarding you. You're on vacation too."

I sighed and rolled my eyes at him again, letting him believe that before pulling him back down to me. While our kisses in the gazebo were sweet and soft, these weren't. These were hungry and passionate. The thought of being free to do whatever we wanted still loomed over us, but our bodies had other ideas. While my fingers worked on his shirt, his worked on the silk ties at my back. The moment the dress was loose he slipped the straps down my shoulders and I pushed his shirt from his. I wiggled my way out of my dress and he lifted me up before setting me on the dresser.

Screw waiting. I was tired of waiting.

I slipped my fingers into his belt loops and tugged him closer, wrapping my legs around his hips. The low growl that left his lips as his hands drifted up from my waist to my breast excited me and I arched my body into his hands. I let go of his pants and unhooked a leg, fumbling with the buckle on my heel but Dimitri's hand came down and hooked my leg back around him.

"Leave them on," he said between kisses. I shrugged internally and twisted my hands into his hair instead, snapping the hair tie that kept it in place. I could feel my body heating up where he touched me and I moaned into his mouth as he pushed his thickening length against my core. I ran my fingers over his scalp while one hand trailed down his chest to the button of his dress pants.

I felt a tickling at the back of my mind but the smell and feel of Dimitri clouded it. That was until I heard the click in the lock slide and the door swung open. I pulled my lips from Dimitri's and we both looked to the door, only to find Lissa standing there with her mouth open.

The three of us stood frozen and I could hear the cogs in Lissa's head turning before she blushed and turned, closing the door behind her. It must have been quite a sight for her to be frank. She just walked in on her best friend practically naked with her shirtless mentor and her Guardian. Not to mention that his hands were groping my chest. I looked up at Dimitri and felt a twinge of panic because I could feel what Lissa was feeling.

And it was betrayal.

Hello hello lovelies! I wanted to get another update out before Christmas.

This chapter was only edited by me, so if there are errors, I'm sorry!

If you like it let me know! I love hearing your feedback!:)

And I want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas (Or whatever you do or don't celebrate)!

Also... have you ever been put in a really tight spot? My best friend walked in on me in a similar situation once (cue embarrassed laughing face emoji)