Rose is finally deciding to grow up! Lets see how her first training session goes!
USE SOMEBODY
I swear I had only been asleep for 3 hours when I heard someone banging on my door.
"GO AWAY!" I yelled throwing a pillow weakly at the door.
"Rosemarie Hathaway if I have to break down this door and get you out of bed you will regret it!" I heard my mother shouting from the other side of the door, probably waking up every other guardian on the floor in the process. Not that anyone would dare question Janine Hathaway.
"Okay! Okay! Give me a sec!" I called out, sitting up in bed. I apparently sat up to quickly and groaned as my room spun. Hangovers sucked ass. Too bad this would be my last one for a while if my mother has anything to say about it.
Begrudgingly I pushed myself out of bed and toward my dresser. I looked out to the window briefly and smiled at the fact the sun was still up. I would have to savor the few times I was out with the sun, now that I was back on vampire time. Thinking that I threw on a sports bra and running shorts, wanting to be able to soak up a little sun while I could. I laced sneakers onto my sock clad feet and rushed to the bathroom, my mother had knocked again, in warning. I furiously brush my teeth and pushed my hair up in a ponytail, and looked over my reflection.
I had lost a bunch of muscle tone because of all the drinking and not working out I had been doing the past four years. Lissa was right I was downright skinny now. I still had a full chest and my hips were a little wider but my arms and legs were thin. I guess I had been doing more drinking than eating. My stomach was flat but my amazing six back was now barely a two pack. That was a thing, right? I also had a single stretch mark on the left side of my belly button stretching out to my waist. It was slowly fading with age, but I could still see it. My eyes would zero in on it every time my stomach was bare. It was the only evidence that I had of being pregnant, an incubator basically. The whole time I felt like I had a parasite leeching off of me taking my food and nutrients, slowly taking over my body and ruining my life. I shuddered remembering how I felt. Shaking my head, I turned off the bathroom light and rushed to the door.
When I opened it, my mother was standing there dry toast and water in hand.
"You couldn't throw on a shirt?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"At least I'm dressed."
Rolling her eyes, she continued, "eat fast, we have a lot of work to do, and I don't need you passing out." She handed me the food and turned walking briskly through the hall, as I shoved both pieces of toast in my mouth then washed it down with some water. She took me to the gym, and I blushed at the site of it. The place where I fell for him. All those touches, the kisses, the sweat. I shivered involuntarily.
We entered the dark gym and I was thankful no one would be here to witness what would probably be the most embarrassing day of my life.
"Stretch." That's all she said before she did it as well stretching her legs.
"You're a ray of sunshine this morning." I murmured. Knowing full well she could hear me.
"I'm not here to chit chat Rosemarie. I'm here because my daughter is unfit to be a Guardian and that needs to change." I didn't even reply I just stood up, done with my stretching and crossed my arms over my chest. "Time to run."
I groaned. This was going to be bad.
It turned out to be not too terrible… The first two miles. Then my mother informed me that we would be running another four. Apparently, she was going easy on me because it was my first day.
Fuck.
On mile four I thought for sure I was going to die. I pulled back a little from my slightly faster pace into a slow jog, but my mother sighed and shook her head. My face turned beat red. I so badly wanted to prove myself to her, to everyone. So despite the urge to throw up I sped up to match my mother. I would finish the last two miles, and then I would go back to my room and die.
By the end of the two miles I was beat, and suddenly the urge to throw up was hitting me so hard I had no choice but to give in. Right after the run was over I jogged pathetically over to the bushes on the side of the gym so my pathetic breakfast of toast and water could make a reappearance.
"Was the tequila worth it?" my mom appeared at my side holding a bottle of water. I didn't dignify that with a response. I just rolled my eyes and took the bottle, squishing the water in my mouth and spitting it out. I was sick of throwing up already.
"I don't think I did so bad," I shrugged and stood up taking a sip of the water.
"Not too bad," she said granting me a half smile. "But it'll get worse, don't waste my time Rosemarie." She warned. I got the message. Don't embarrass me again, don't drink again and don't quit again. I nodded in understanding.
"This is how we will start every morning. Running, then you can eat breakfast before you start your shift."
"Shift?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. What did you think you would just get your days free?" she shook her head at the notion.
"I thought I wasn't allowed to Guard yet?" I asked confused.
"Oh, you're not, you'll be working." She smiled knowing. I had never worked a day in my life.
"Where?"
"In the Elementary Building." I blinked trying to let her words sink in. This had to be a joke. Me? With kids? No way…
"Trust me it wasn't my idea. It was Alberta's' but you'll be fine. It was the only non-Guardian position open. It'll only be until you're back in shape and actually able to handle an attack." She explained when she saw my stony expression. I wanted to protest, stomp my feet and yell until I got my way, but a voice in the back of my mind told me that would not be how I won back my mothers' and everyone else's' respect. So, I swallowed my pride and gave her a curt nod.
"Okay then, where to now?"
She blinked I think she fully intended to have to scream me into submission, and was genuinely shocked when I went along with her. "We can go have breakfast and I'll show you where you'll be working."
I followed her slowly, my legs were already sore I couldn't imagine training again. "When's our next training session?" I asked as she pushed open the door.
"Tonight before dinner. We are doing weights an-" I didn't hear a word of anything else she said because I heard him. He was in the gym with a few other Guardians. I could hear him say something in that beautiful accent of his, his loud voice filling the gym and I froze. I couldn't get my legs to work. They wouldn't move and I could barely breath. He had his back to me as he was saying something to the other three Guardians, but I didn't hear exactly what he was saying. I couldn't concentrate on his words only the sound of his voice. The love of my life was a few yards in front of me, so close I could run up and touch him, but I couldn't. Because even though I still loved him, he no longer loved me. He loved that thing. That parasite took him from me and I found myself hating a daughter I never met.
(Flashback)
"Is there anyone else we should call?" the nurse asked me.
I had just given birth. I had pushed the parasite out of my body, it took 18 hours but it was over now. Now it was laying in a pink cot on the opposite side of the room, as per my request. I couldn't stand to have her so close to me.
I was alone; I had been alone through the whole birth. My water had broken in the middle of the night and I was rushed to a human hospital since the Academy's nurse's office was not equipped for deliveries.
"No." I said stiffly. My whole body hurt. Why women put themselves through this multiple times I would never understand. The nurse busied herself with checking my vitals then on the baby's, when the door opened. My Mother walked in tentatively as if she wasn't sure if she was welcome, but my eyes watered upon seeing her, she was exactly who I needed to see.
"Mom!" I cried out, she rushed to my side and smoothed my hair. One of the only motherly gestures she had ever done.
"Where's the baby?" she asked.
"She's over here," called a nurse, who was finally happy someone was here to hold the baby. I'm sure she thought I was a horrible person, when that thing finally popped out of me they tried to hand her to me and I became hysterical pushing her away and making her scream. After that the nurse gave me scathing looks every time she was forced to talk to me.
"Mom?" I whispered as she rushed toward the baby.
"Oh Rosemarie, she's beautiful," my mom gasped at the pick bundle.
I broke down. My mother who had never really showed me affection as a child was gushing over this one, this mistake, instead of comforting me in my time of need. We had just started to really get along but my mom shattered any sort of bridge we had built by choosing that baby over me.
Another person I loved taken away by that baby.
I just couldn't take anymore so I rolled over to my side and started sobbing silently. I heard the door open again and someone came in but I didn't roll over to see whom it was. I didn't care anymore. Until I heard Dimitri's voice, "Where is she?" I rolled over slowly, thinking he meant me, but he was talking about the baby, his daughter.
"She's here," my mother said handing the baby to him.
He looked down at that thing with the biggest smile his eyes full of love, a look he used to reserve for me. He whispered to her quietly in Russian and I recognized one phrase, "I love you." I nearly broke down there but I didn't lose it until Dimitri looked at me in gratitude, and said "Thank you Roza."
"Get out." I said my voice full of hurt. I needed to be alone. He moved to put that thing back in its crib but I shook my head. "Take it with you."
I rolled back over so I didn't see everyone leave, but when I felt someone walk up behind me I looked back. It was Lissa.
"I'm sorry Rose. I'm so sorry you had to go through this, but you're making a mistake. That little girl needs you to love her, and one day you'll regret ever leaving her." With that said she turned and left me alone. Like I wanted.
(Flashback)
That had been the last time I saw any of them, so far, I had seen Lissa and my mom but not him. I wasn't ready for it yet.
My mom stopped walking when she realized I was no longer listening. Then looked forward following my eyes to him. Realization was apparent on her face.
She opened her mouth to say something to me, but just then the thick gym doors banged shut behind us and the Guardians turned their attention over to my mother and I. He hadn't turned around yet but I knew any second, he would.
Suddenly I figured out how my legs worked, and I dropped the water bottle I had been holding and took off back out of the door. I heard my Mom call my name but I just ran. My legs barely protested they also didn't want to be standing in the gym. I ran as fast as I could, despite the workout I had just put my body through. I raced to my building and up the four flights of stairs and didn't stop until I was safely in my room.
I needed a drink. Badly.
But my mom took my alcohol so instead I decided on a shower, I peeled off my sweaty clothes, turned the water on as hot as it would go and stood under its spray. Letting the scalding water wash away the pain that I could no longer drown with alcohol. And for the first time in a long time I let myself cry. I cried because I had to leave my life in California with my friends. I cried because everyone here hated me, and I knew why. Mostly I cried for him, Dimitri. There I said his name. I cried for Dimitri, my lost love.
I just let my tears flow freely mixing with the water from my shower until I couldn't tell if they were tears or water. I washed the sweat and tears from my body until I was satisfied with how clean I was, and then I turned off the water. I hadn't realized it had been running cold until then. How long had I been in there? I wrapped my towel around me and moved to my room. I felt her presence there before I heard her voice.
"You missed breakfast." It was statement. I just shrugged.
"Wasn't hungry."
"You need to eat. You're too skinny." She wasn't trying to be rude, I could hear the sorrow in her voice. She felt sorry for me. For me! Now! Not when I needed her most but now.
"I'll eat a big lunch," I offered and honestly, I was starving so that's probably what I would do anyway.
"You'll have to see him someday." That's my mom never subtle or beating around the bush.
"I know. But not today." She looked like she was going to say something else but chose not to.
"Well get dressed in something comfortable." She turned around to give me some privacy. I threw on a pair of black leggings a big college shirt and then I shoved my feet into some boots. It would be cold out, without the sun so I grabbed a jacket and threw it on.
"Ready?" I asked my mom, since she still had to show me exactly where they expected me to "work."
She eyed my attire again just like this morning. "Leggings are not pants Rosemarie."
I gave her an incredulous look, "you said comfortable so that's what I did."
"I guess it'll do." She led me out of the building and all the way across the Academy to the Elementary campus. We entered the building and already I felt weird. All the furniture was small. I was only 5'4 but I felt like a giant.
"There," my mom pointed to a room at the end of the hall. "My shift starts soon meet me in the gym right after dinner." She gave me a stern look and I raised my hands in surrender, "Okay! I will."
"Good," she nodded her head then swiftly exited the building, leaving me to face a classroom of kids.
God, I hated kids.
Sorry it was so short! I hope it was entertaining at least, we got to see Rose get her act together at least and we got another flashback! I know everyone probably thought we would FINALLY get to see Dimitri and sorry we really didn't but trust me the next chapter is FULL of Dimitri Dimitri and more Dimitri! And we will finally get to meet a certain infamous daughter as well.
If you read it, review it!