I think I edited this alright, but I have a high fever and covid... so who knows.

Enjoy!


Dimitri POV

We stood silently, staring at each other, even as others around us began to speak. We had to wait until our hands were untied before we could part. As soon as they removed the wrap, the candle went out, and we released our hands.

Rose looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Her eyes were wide, and I swore her face had lost all colour.

I didn't know what to say—if there was anything. Rose didn't want a soulmate; I knew that with certainty, just as I knew she didn't want me. But I promised myself that I wouldn't hold her to it.

"Rose," I started, my voice startling her. She blinked and then took a step back.

"I–I need a moment," she mumbled and then she was gone. I watched her sprint back to the house and disappear through the glass doors.

I felt a sharp pain in my chest that she had run away, but I wasn't surprised. I forced all my emotions down and stepped back, wanting to get away from all the eyes on me. The stares filled with pity and curiosity—everyone wanted to know why I was rejected.

"Don't worry, she'll be back," Christian came to my side, patting my back awkwardly.

"No, she won't," I replied in a tight voice.

There was no point in hoping for a different outcome.

I rolled my shoulders and straightened my back; I marched to Abe and held my hand out to him, "Thank you for your kindness again. I am sorry for any issues I caused today."

He raised his brows, slowly shaking my hand, "You're leaving?" he asked with a curious brow lifted, then tilted his head, "I know that your relationship with Rose is not what she led people to believe, but you can't deny the strength of that flame." It wasn't a shock that he knew our relationship was fake, though I was surprised he hadn't mentioned it sooner.

"I don't deny it," I replied honestly, "but Rose doesn't want this, and I won't force her. Please tell her thanks and that it's okay." I glanced at my clothes and pressed my lips into a firm line, "I'll have this cleaned and returned to you."

"Keep it," Abe waved off. "It was a pleasure to see you again, Dimitri." There was a glint in his eyes as if he was aware of something I wasn't, but I ignored it.

I nodded in thanks and then made my way back to the house. I hesitated in the living area, glancing around as if hoping for one last chance to see Rose. Maybe she would come out and have changed her mind.

Or she would remain hidden until I took the hint and left.

It was for the best. At least, I hoped it was.

I gathered my coat and the plastic bag that held my ruined suit and left through the front door.


xXx


Rose POV

I slammed the bathroom door closed and locked it. I was hyperventilating. It might have been a panic attack—all I knew was I was freaking out.

Dimitri was my soulmate.

Our candle lit, and it was bright as fuck. What was I meant to do?

I had fucked up so badly.

I spent the whole day complaining about soulmates being a waste of time, claiming how much I hated them, and all to Dimitri's face. And then he just happens to be my soulmate.

What the fuck do I do now?

"Rose?" Lissa knocked on the bathroom door, her tone concerned, "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," I called through the door and grasped the bathroom sink, trying to control my breathing. "He's my soulmate, Lissa."

"I mean, I don't want to say I told you so, but…"

I spun and opened the door, gripped her arm and pulled her in. "What am I meant to do? What do I even say to him?" I asked desperately. I never imagined we would actually be soulmates; it had been a slight hope, but that was all.

I never expected that candle to light.

"I think not running away from him might have been a good start," she replied with a look of confusion, "Why did you run away? I thought you wanted this."

I groaned, "Because all day I've been telling him I don't want one." My head dropped to Lissa's shoulder.

"Oh."

"Yeah," I whined. "I didn't even think it would happen, and then it did, and I…I panicked." I didn't even think it through before I took off. All I thought about was needing a moment to wrap my head around what happened.

The look on Dimitri's face flashed in my mind, and I winced.

"God, he's going to hate me."

"Dimitri?" Lissa confirmed, "I'm sure he will understand, but you really should go back out there."

She was right. I needed to toughen up and go back out there, and then I needed to talk to Dimitri. I wasn't lying when I said I hated the idea of the Soulmate Ceremony, but that was always because I thought it would be something weak and towards someone that I had been pressured into being with.

But that wasn't what happened with Dimitri.

Dimitri made my knees weak and made me smile like an idiot. He was caring and protective, and when I spoke, he listened.

I just hoped that last one wouldn't come back to get me.

Lissa walked with me, squeezing my hand in encouragement when we separated; she went to find Christian, and I scanned the crowd for Dimitri. Who knew finding such a tall person would be such a struggle?

"Rose." Lissa's hand took mine suddenly, making me turn to face her. She stood with a strained expression, Christian shifting awkwardly beside her; he wouldn't meet my eyes, and it made me nervous. "Let's go inside," she offered with a sad smile.

I pulled back, "I have to find Dimitri."

"That's the thing…" Christian began, hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Rose, Dimitri left."

I laughed, thinking it was a joke, but Lissa's eyes filled with pity, and Christian still wouldn't look at me. "He left? He just left?" I repeated, dread and anger stirring in my chest. I knew he might be upset that I ran off, but I didn't think he would just leave.

"I'm sorry," Christian apologised.

I shook my head, looking around me again, but there was no sign of Dimitri's towering form.

He really was gone.

I didn't understand.

I took off, racing through the house and out to the garage. Maybe he was still there, and I could stop him. It was a misunderstanding, it had to be. Dimitri said he wanted a soulmate; he thought it would be a great thing.

Why would he just leave?

I searched the garage, but there was no sign of his bike; both helmets were gone. I raced to the front, but all I could see was the gates closing, and I could hear the distant sound of a motorbike driving away.

Dimitri had just left me.


I was sulking. I knew it.

Since that party, I spent my time in my room, silently and loudly, cursing Dimitri's name. I would have done it to his face, but I never got his number, and I didn't know where he lived. So my pillow became a stand-in when I thought of how he left without saying anything to me.

I was humiliated.

Everyone saw our flame—knew that we were soulmates—and they also knew that he left. Gossip went around quickly despite my mother's attempts at containing it; everyone talked about how my soulmate didn't want me.

It only took three hours before I got a text from Nathan claiming that I should have just gone to the party with him. I told him to fuck off and then blocked his number.

It hurt. I thought Dimitri wanted a soulmate, but I guess he didn't want me as one. It was the only thing that made sense.

Once I knew Dimitri was gone, I begged Mason and Eddie to take me home. I didn't even stay around to talk to my parents and had avoided their calls since. I brought a guy to the ceremony and basically got dumped—I didn't want to explain that to my mother.

Lissa came to check on me, but I told her to not worry; she and Christain were soulmates, and as much as it hurt, I wanted them to enjoy their moment.

On Tuesday, I finally pulled myself together and got dressed for work. I hoped Sydney would let me work in the back because I was not in the mood to greet customers. If anything, I was likely to cause a scene as soon as someone was rude to me.

Wouldn't be the first time.

Sydney took one look at me when I arrived and asked me to just focus on cleaning up. I gladly took it and focused on the brain-numbing task of collecting plates and wiping tables.

It wasn't a busy night, and I was thankful for it, humming along with the country music playing, or as Mason described it—the music of pain.

The new girl working was peppy and full of cheer, just listening to her made me tired, but she was good at the job. I hadn't interacted much, not in the mood. Sydney must have warned her because she hadn't approached me other than to ask some questions about where things were.

I could hear her talking to a customer, guessing she knew them from how they spoke. I picked up my cloth and spray, turning to see when I bumped into a solid form. I wasn't watching and managed to run into someone leaving the bathroom.

"Sorry about that," I quickly apologised, using my customer service voice and a fake smile plastered on my face.

"Rose."

The smile fell from my face when I recognised the voice, my eyes snapping to their face. Dimitri's eyes were wide, but otherwise, his expression was guarded. He took a step back, eyes flicking away and then back to me.

"I didn't know you were working tonight," he murmured.

The hurt returned, but my anger was stronger. I crossed my arms, "I switched shifts. Are you avoiding me now?"

"I'm just doing what we agreed on," he replied calmly, not responding to my defensive tone.

I scoffed. "Of course, well thanks for that."

A look crossed his face and he tilted his head, "Isn't that what you wanted?"

I wanted to say no. I wanted to tell him to forget all the crap I said about soulmates being a waste of time. But then he spoke again.

"I know you aren't looking for a soulmate, and neither am I. We can just forget it happened and go back to how we were. I'm sorry for just leaving, but I assumed it was easier than having to keep pretending."

… to keep pretending.

So I was right; he didn't want me as a soulmate.

I pushed down any words I might have said and schooled my features. "Right. Don't have to pretend anymore." I gripped the spray bottle in my hand like it was a lifeline and gave him the fake smile I had perfected over the years, "Hope you have a great meal."

Back to how we were before. We weren't even friends, we were acquaintances at best.

I turned and marched back behind the bar and through the kitchen. I opened the storage room and closed myself in. Tears welled up in my eyes, my face heated in anger and shame.

I wouldn't cry over Dimitri—he wasn't worth it. I won't cry.


Two Weeks Later.

It was another boring lecture with Stan droning on; it was disappointing because what he spoke about was interesting, but the way he delivered it left a lot to be desired. The class used to be my favourite, but that was before. Now, I had to avoid Dimitri. I'd risked coming in late a few times just so we wouldn't meet in the elevator by chance.

I even had to change where I sat so I wouldn't just be staring at him the whole time, filled with a combination of longing and irritation. But mainly, I felt regret; I just didn't know if the regret was because I never said anything or because I asked him to the party in the first place.

Before that party I never wanted a soulmate, and now I longed for mine to want me too.

This was exactly why soulmates were so stupid.

I huffed, sank further in my chair, and brought my knees up. Really, it was a blessing. It taught me not to go to another ceremony. It was a waste of time.

"Okay. Now for your group assignment," Stan's voice boomed across the room and managed to bring my attention back to him. I sat up, pen ready to take down notes. "This is worth half your grade, so don't mess it up! I will be assigning the groups, and before you all moan and groan about it, I don't care."

I pursed my lips, unsurprised by Stan's approach. I listened as he gave the basics of what to do, placing a pile of pages on the edge of his desk that explained the assignment and then he held up another piece of paper and taped it to the wall.

"I've listed who you are working with. Don't come to me asking to change. If you do, I will fail you both. That's everything." He finished with a shrug, a simple dismissal of the class.

I took my time making my way down to the front, watching the students find their partners for the assignment. There was more than one that looked pissed.

I picked up the assignment sheet first, scanned the important bits and then walked to the list. I swore Stan used the smallest print to be a dick on purpose, having to squint as I looked over the list of names.

Rose Hathaway partnered with… Dimitri Belikov.

I read it four times before I spun; lips parted with a curse or a plea for the list to be a lie on the tip of my tongue. My eyes found Dimitri's, already watching me with an uncomfortable look.

"You have to be kidding me."


I have a surprise week off work (not really fun) but that does mean I should be able to get some more chapters written for this one and then get a better posting schedule 3