Rose POV

I looked from Mason to Dimitri, I knew I was pretty much screwed, but I didn't want to really think about it right now. God, how did I not see them hiding in the shadows? Now I knew that I was going to totally flunk the Qualifier. I couldn't even spot my god damn mentor for crying out loud! And he's the hot sexy Russian god, how can no one spot that?!

"Hathaway, Ashford, off the bleachers, put on the padding and let's see some action," Dimitri said, his voice was harsh, just like it almost always was.

I thought he said no practice, so why the hell was he standing in the gym ten minutes before he was suppose to come? Because he's Dimitri, a voice in my head sounded. I sighed, yes, because he was Dimitri and just had to be early.

I slid off the bleachers with Mason following behind me. He looked pretty tense. I mean who wouldn't be when they were in the presence of the most bad-ass Guardian in the whole country? But he tried to cover it up with a joke.

"Looks like your mentor caught us, we're screwed," He laughed it off.

I choked out a laugh of my own, trying to make it believable. Dimitri was such a freaking ninja sometimes.

I put on my padding, sliding the leather pads over my body and over my legs. I had been doing this every day since I was in the seventh grade, you would think that I would know how to put on my chest pads by now.

"Here, lemme help you," Mason said, and took the pads away from me and covered my breasts, his hands lingering on them just for a second before tying it behind my back. I noticed that the place he touched with his hands felt like they were on fire, but in a good way.

I smiled, "Keep your hands off me until after class so you don't get your ass kicked," I whispered to him as we approached a pretty pissed off Dimitri. I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that he saw what Mason did. I sighed; well at least Mason's head was still attached to his body. For now at least.

We walked to separate ends of the mats, and then walked to the center so that we were a few feet apart.

Dimitri came between us, and between the both of us, his eye lingering in mine, and I felt that familiar flush creep across my body. But then he broke away, breaking the connection. That's what I hated about him, he always broke away first, leaving me wanting more. I know that that's what people should do, that way the magic lasts longer and it's more pleasurable the next time they meet, but what the phrase "always leaving them wanting more" didn't seem to show how that person who wanted something hurt when she didn't get it, or when he broke it off.

He nodded, and signaled for us to begin. Mason immediately launched himself at me, a move that was so clumsy I hadn't expected it. But I swiftly dodged to the side, every muscle in my body tensed up just like I am when I fight Dimitri.

Mason came at me again, trying to pin me to the ground, using his weight, but I resisted and squirmed out from under him. I grabbed his arm and pinned it behind his back, struggling to grasp the other one. But during my struggles, I hadn't noticed that the arm I was once holding slipped away until it came in contact with my stomach. I hunched over in pain, but he didn't give me any time to recover. Mason immediately spun around and kicked me in the same place. He was punching and kicking too hard, but he hadn't realized it yet.

I tasted blood in the back of my mouth, and firmly pressed my lips together. I saw Mason falter as he tried to gain his balance and I jumped him. I pinned him to the ground, feeling the taste of iron increase as I pushed my efforts into keeping him down. I felt a little leak out, but couldn't brush it away until Dimitri called it.

"1, 2, 3, nice job Rose," Dimitri said.

I jumped off Mason, turning to face Dimitri. I saw his expression go from pride, to horror. He immediately went over to me.

"Rose, why didn't you say you were hurt that bad?" He asked me, whispering urgently.

I wiped away the blood and said calmly, "I'm not, It's no big deal."

He shook his head, "You're lying. I can see that you're in pain. You've been in pain ever since he kicked you."

Dammit, why did he have to know me so well? My stomach wasn't exactly killing me, but it hurt pretty badly.

"Rose, oh my god, are you ok? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to kick you that hard, I lost control," Mason started, getting up from the ground.

I shook my head, "It's cool Mase, I'm not hurt that bad."

"But you are, you were bleeding a few seconds ago," Mason started and was at my side in a few seconds.

"Chill Mason, it's not like I'm on the floor bleeding, relax," I told him.

I felt Dimitri's eyes on me the whole time, I swallowed the remaining blood in my mouth, and tried to look like normal Rose. The one that didn't have an aching stomach that felt lik it was bruised everywhere.

"Yeah, but I'm sorry. We should take you to the clinic," He said.

I shook my head, "Class is about to start anyways, so no need and Mr. Guidice said that if I was late ever again then I would have a detention with him. Not that I'm complaining "cause he's 28 and totally buff, but it would look bad on my record."

"Rose, regardless of how you think you feel, you should sit out for this period," Dimitri said. His voice was low and husky, probably pissed off that I called my Combat instructor hot. But hey, he was Italian, had blue-gray eyes, and totally muscular. But he was 28, way too old for me.

I nodded as Dimitri scribbled down my excuse note onto a piece of paper as the class filed in. He handed my combat instructor the note and resumed his place in the shadows, almost blending in.

Mr. Guidice nodded, and walked over to me and Mason. Mason walked away, knowing and sensing that he wasn't wanted.

"Rose, Guardian Belikov just told me what happened, would you like me to tak you to the clinic?" He asked, his blue gray eyes were hinted with worry.

As much as an escort from him to the clinic was tempting, I had to turn it down. He looks so much hotter here working out in the weight room. Maybe he'll let me come and watch him.

I shook my head, "Nah, it's OK, I think I'll just do some weights with you," I suggested instead.

He smiled and nodded, "I'd like that."

Even though he was pretty god damn sexy, he was nothing compared to Dimitri. Mr. G was like the crush of all the girls in my grade, but that was only because they knew that Dimitri wouldn't exactly flirt with them. Believe me, they've tried. Mr. G was known to be more of a flirter, even though he was older than Dimitri. Him and I have flirted a lot, and shared one kiss, but that was it. My interest was dimmed when Dimitri caught us and wrestled us back to the Academy. After seeing such a hot Russian God, I couldn't possibly be distracted by someone who was just really cute.

We walked into the weight room and I sat in the corner with a couple of 10 pound weights.

"Hey Mr. G------," He cute me off.

"Call me Daniel," He said quickly, immediately going for the 20 pounds.

"Ok, Daniel," I tasted the name on my tongue, "Was the rumor about you and Meridith true?"

He looked taken aback, but quickly regained his composure, "No, she's too ugly for me, I prefer girls like you." He winked at me.

I knew he was playful, but I never knew that he would be this, but i never knew that he would act like a teenager and flirt so well.

I laughed it off, "That's really nice, especially when she looks up to you as like a god or something."

I had heard a previous conversation that involved Meredith babbling on about how hot Daniel was. I almost stopped and laughed in her face, no way would he go for her.

He laughed too, "Yeah, that's a good point, but I'm trying to avoid her, so yeah."

I nodded, heard the bell, and walked out of the room. Dimitri was standing right by the door, almost scaring me half to death.

"What the hell, you scared me Comrade," I told him as I walked out of the gym.

"I don't like you and Daniel together," He abruptly said.

I stopped, did I hear a note of jealousy in his voice? 1 point for Rose! Finally struck a nerve.

"He's just my teacher, Dimitri," I told him, with the slightest smirk on my face.

"He's tryin to get you to fall in love with him," Dimitri stated bluntly.

Yup, he was definitely jealous.

I shook my head, "Not gonna happen relax."

I walked off to my next class, in a daze. Was Dimitri really that jealous? God, that was a happy/scary thought. He was always so calm and never showed how he felt that this shocked me. I passed through my classes by thinking of DImitri and occasionally talking to Lissa to find out if she got any worse. The whole day I felt nothing but calmness and happiness through the bond, which made me relax a little bit.

Once the last bell rang, I was a bundle of nerves. All I could think about was the Qualifier, It was today, and I had to meet up with Dimitri right now. God, I'm screwed. I didn't even notice Dimitri there in the gym, what was I going to do now?

People I'm starting to feel really ignored now how come none of you guys r reviewing? tell me what you want to see in the next chapters and i'll take your ideas! ALL OF THEM so review ppl! nd if u do u get to join da dark side -evil/ cute laugh- we gots cookies nd marshmellows!!!!