Hey! Sorry this took so long! Hahaha.

Thank you so much for all your reviews! I've been too busy to reply them. I really, really want to though! December's a pretty hectic month. With Christmas coming and birthdays, including mine and my little sisters! Heheheh.

The first part's a little boring but it gets interesting in the second part.

Anyway, I have something important later at the bottom so, go read that! Hahaha.

Chapter 17

Dimitri and I were in the car, listening to some 80's love song. Talk about awkward. It was an hour ride to a small mall nearby and it felt so weird. Especially after the whole drama yesterday.

Before I knew it, we reached the mall. Dimitri thankfully found a parking space really close to the mall. We stepped out and walked into the mall in awkward silence.

Dimitri led me through a few shops and stopped. I faced him.

"Why did we stop in front of a lingerie shop?" I questioned him.

He looked nervous. "Oh God, you're not making me buy something-"

"No!" He raised his hands in self-defense. I let out a sigh of relief. Cause that would be just...weird. "It's just that the shop used to be right here...but not it has been replaced with...that." He had a hand at the back of his neck. His innocence was adorable. Wait, what am I saying?

He ushered me to the mall directory instead to look for that shop. The mall directory was colour coded, showed every shop on every level and a huge red dot saying 'YOU ARE HERE'. He scanned it quickly and frowned. "It's not here." He said.

"Maybe we should ask someone..." I suggested. He nodded and walked into a shop. There was an Indian man, with cropped black hair, who seemed to be about thirty.

"Is that who I think it is?" He asked aloud when he spotted us. He had a slight Indian accent.

Dimitri laughed and went to shake his hand. I stood awkwardly beside him.

"Dimitri Belikov, it's really you!" he laughed and went around the counter to give him a hug.

"It's been too long." Dimitri stated and he agreed.

"And who is this?" He asked, realizing Dimitri and turning to face me.

"Oh yeah. Umm...Rose, this is my long time friend, Peter." I gave him a weird look.

"My mother was English. She moved to India when she met my father. Thus this Indian accent and the English name." Peter explained.

"Ohhh..." I smiled at him.

Dimitri wrapped an arm around my waist. "Pete, this is my Rose." Dimitri introduced. "I mean, Rose, my wife. I mean, my future wife. My fiancé." He stuttered out.

I down right laughed at him.

Peter wriggles his eyebrows. "You got him good, don't you?" He winked and I chuckled.

"I think I like her. Answer me this. Explain imbecile." He asked me.

I thought for a moment. "In two words?" I clarified.

"Sure." He folded his arms.

"Dimitri Belikov." I answered simply.

Peter laughed. "Now I know I like her. Anyway, what do you need, Dimka?" He asked.

"Well, do you know anywhere that sells phones and stuff?"

Peter's facial expression changed. "Oh no you didn't."

"What?" Dimitri looked confused.

"Look at me. Do I look like a directory?" He seemed furious.

"Well...I...uhh..." Dimitri stuttered.

"I am NOT a directory! You see this dot?" He pointed to the red dot on his forehead. "You see this dot? This does not say 'YOU ARE HERE'!"

Dimitri was stunned. And then...Peter burst out laughing.

"I'm just joking. I do that to everyone who ask for directions." He explained.

Dimitri breathed out a sigh of relief. "Don't scare me like that, man!" He scolded his friend, laughing.

"But it was funny huh?"

"Well...yeah. That I'll admit." Their laughter died down and Peter gave us directions to a new shop that sells phones. We waved him goodbye and made our way there.

The shop wallpaper was apple green, displaying different phones, categorized by it's brand and which ones were on sale.

I looked around until I spotted the iPhone. Since my last phone was an iPhone, it's just easier to get the same one since all my data is saved in the computer anyway. Thank God it's saved in there. All the important stuff. Apple is a genius!

I spoke to the salesman who walked me to the counter. He told me to wait for a moment while he went inside to get a new box containing my new phone.

When he came back, I was about to pass him my credit card when Dimitri slapped my hand and handed him his. I gave him a look saying what-the-fuck-are-you-doing?

He simply gave me a smile that said, yes-I-am-still-in-the-right-mind.

I shrugged and took my phone as he took his card back.

We walked outside the shop when we bumped into Tasha. Dimitri's eyes instantly lit up and walked towards her.

"Tasha!" He called out. Of course. Tasha. I sighed and caught up with them.

"What are you doing here?" Dimitri asked, seeming truly interested.

"I just finished a class with some kids." She replied. And she loves kids. Dimitri wants kids. She can give him kids. Oh how perfect.

"Oh a Karate class?" Dimitri wanted to clarify.

No, a class where she teaches humans all about our races and how to burn Strigoi.

"Yeah, a Karate class." She answered, smiling, while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't like her, it's just that...well, I don't know, she's a better candidate to be his wife then me...which makes me not like her.

I stayed there, listening to the two of them conversing about random stuff.

I was so bored that I went into Lissa's head. She was trying on an elegant green dress that matches here eyes. That's the dress she's going to wear on the Queen's birthday party thing, I don't know, there's food so I go.

Christian was staring at her in awe. Oh crap. I know that look. That's the we're-gonna-have-sex-later look. Note to self: Stay out of Lissa's head.

Viktoria happened to walk past and she let out a low whistle. "Lissa, you look wonderful in that dress."

"Thank you." She grinned.

"I think it's like you were born for that dress!" She complimented.

"Me too!" They whipped their head to face Christian.

"Oh no, I mean, she was born for that dress. I was born a boy. I was referring to agreeing with Viktoria. I mean, you know...never mind." He stammered as Lissa giggled.

"Rose!" Dimitri shook me out of Lissa's head.

"What, what? What happened? Who died?"

"Oh, Mad-Eye Moody." Tasha replied.

"Excuse me?" I faced her, feeling furious. Did she just call me mad eyed and moody? Ohhh she's dead now.

"Oh, you asked who died and we were talking about the recent Harry Potter movie and Mad-eye Moody died." She calmly replied.

"Ohhh...Wait he dies? Damnit, don't tell me, I haven't watched it yet."

"Didn't you read the book?" She asked. I snorted.

"Do I look like someone who reads books?" I pointed to my face.

Dimitri laughed. "Shut up stupid cowboy. You read Western Novels."

"So?"

"I know you secretly want to buy a Woody costume and pretend to be a cowboy, riding horses and going for shootouts and all that." I raised an eyebrow but failed miserable.

He laughed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say."

He looked at his watch. "I think we better leave. Goodbye Tasha." He gave her a sweet smile.

She waved us goodbye as we walked towards the car.

"Thanks… for the phone." I mumbled once we were in the car.

"I mean, I'm perfectly capable of purchasing my own phone and you didn't really have to buy it for me but-" Dimitri placed his hand on mine, effectively cutting me off.

"Rose! It's fine." He flashed me a smile before placing his hand back on the steering wheel and pumping the gas, causing the car to start moving.

It wad a quiet ride back to the house...that is, until Dimitri started singing to one of his favorite songs.

Oh my God, kill me now. He started singing to the radio, which was playing 'I've Had The Time Of My Life '.

I wanted to slam my face on the dashboard. Repeatedly. It's bad enough he didn't let me touch the dial saying that my touch was bad luck and the thing might explode in our faces.

"You know, your mum did say that your singing was pretty good." I confessed to him.

He faced me with an eyebrow raised. "What do you think?"

I folded my arms. "I think she was tone deaf at that point of time."

He laughed and shook his head. He finished singing his stupid song and the rest of the journey was pretty quiet.

By the time we reached home, we were sleepy, we were tired, we needed a bath and it was raining heavily. It was a freaking thunderstorm.

The two of us headed up to bed without another word to the others and fought over the bathroom.

"I want to go first!" I screamed, pushing him.

"No way, my bathroom. Now go!" He pushed me back.

I picked up a random object from the table and screamed, "I have this thing and I have no idea how to use it! What the hell is this thing anyway?" It looks like some freaky bug with an open mouth.

Dimitri saw the object and laughed. "Rose, that's a stapler."

"Oh. I have a bug and I'm not afraid to staple with it!"

"Don't be like a child, Rose. Now go!" He argued.

"That's okay, we can go in together." I suggested.

"Oh God NO!" He screamed, backing out.

Success! I screamed a "WHOO HOO!" and ran into the bathroom first.

I took a nice, long bath that relaxed my body. The other reason why I took so long was because I just wanted to annoy Dimitri.

After soaking myself in that hot bath, I got dressed in shorts and in an old shirt and slowly walked out of the bathroom.

Dimitri was lying on the bed, waiting for me to get out.

"Rose, I know you're doing it on purpose. Hurry up." He said without looking.

I rolled my eyes. Smart-ass.

He walked past me to get into the bathroom when I stopped him. "Hey, a fly. Don't move." I said as I grabbed one of his novels on the table and smacked the top of his head.

He gave me a death glare. "It wasn't on my head, was it?"

I grinned. "Nope."

He groaned and mumbled, "What am I going to do with you?" as he entered the bathroom.

In doubt, quote Garfield. "Love me, feed me, never leave me." I said as I laid on the bed.

I could here Dimitri chuckle from behind the door. "Did you have to quote, out of all the people in the world, a fat orange can who loves lasagna?"

"Hey! He's not fat, he's fluffy." I scolded him. I could here him laugh again.

After what seems to be an hour, Dimitri walked out while wearing a plain white shirt, with water still dripping from his hair. To be honest, it looked sort of sexy.

Suddenly, my brain pictured him walking slow motion out of the bathroom and the background music going 'BOOM BOOM BOOM' With every slow step he took as he-

"Rose!" He called my name.

"What? I was just thinking." I covered myself.

"Hey, if you use too much power from that tiny brain of yours, it might explode." He grinned.

I laughed as he picked up his western novel only to drop a card that he used as a bookmark. He looked at it and laughed.

"I had a teacher who used to give us cards with motivational quotes on them." He smiled, remembering the time.

He cleared his throat. "Ahem." He took a deep breath and in a funny accent, he said, "Young grasshopper, when a door closes in your face-"

I cut him off by saying, "Knock the fucking door down."

He chuckled but continued anyway, "Another one opens."

"Or you could just blast the whole wall down. That's a better option." I mumbled. Dimitri seemed to have heard me and laughed.

Dimitri's eyes flickered to a picture on the table. "Hey, that was the first time you and Adrian met Tasha."

I laughed at the memory. "Yeah, remember what I said when you asked us how was she?"

He laughed as well. "She's a keeper. Just keep 'er somewhere else." He quoted in a high-pitched voice.

I smacked his arm. "I don't sound like that! It's completely off. I mean, there's only one way of knowing if I sound like that."

"Oh yeah?" He raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"The Strigoi would laugh at me."

"What?"

"Imagine death coming straight at you with a freaking high pitched squeaky voice. Like Tinkerbelle or something. It would totally throw the whole 'death' appearance off."

He laughed. "Rose, I've watched the movie a million times with Paul. Tinkerbelle doesn't have a voice."

"Whatever Peter Pan, you know what I'm talking about." I cleared my throat and spoke in a high-pitched voice, "I'm going to kill you." and then held the stake with my pouter finger and my thumb like a fairy wand.

Dimitri down right laughed at my expression. "I think Santa Clause would scare them more than that."

I laughed at the thought. Death coming in a Santa costume complete with the beard and the belly saying "Ho Ho Ho! Now DIE!" and driving a stake into a Strigoi's heart.

I think even the Strigoi would be too busy laughing.

Once we settled down, lying in our respective sleeping areas, it started to rain truck-sized raindrops.

Soon, I could see flashes of light every once and a whole from the lightning. The thunderstorm was getting worse and it was freezing.

I swore I could hear Dimitri's teeth chattering, no matter how big and tough he claims he is. It's freezing and... he's on the cold floor. While I am up here, snuggled in a nice warm blanket. His blanket. Damn it.

I sighed and called his name. "Dimitri."

No answer.

"Psst! Dimitri!"

Still no answer.

"Wake up you nincompoop!"

Silence.

"Hey Moron!"

Oh great. He's snoring.

"Wake up already!"

Still snoring.

"Stupid, idiotic, nimrod, brainless goon."

Suddenly, he stirred.

"I had a dream." He said. Oh now he wakes up.

"You were insulting me. Repeatedly." He continued.

"I always insult you."

I could here a soft chuckle. "In this dream, you were actually good."

I rolled my eyes. "Come up here before I change my mind."

"No. I'm fine here." He argued.

"Don't lie to me Belikov. I can hear your teeth chattering."

"No."

"Admit it, you're cold."

"I am not."

And the bickering continues. Talk about tough love.

"Fine. Don't come up here then." He's so going to come up here.

Five...

Four...

Three...

Two...

One.

I felt the bed move. I secretly grinned.

"Wipe that smirk off your face." I heard him mumble through the pillow.

My smile grew wider. I felt him tug on the blanket and the bed shaking slightly. He was still cold.

I sighed and turned around to face him. I reluctantly wrapped and arm around him and pulled him close. Hey, body warmth right?

He snuggled closer to me and I felt him chuckle.

"What?" I asked.

"Isn't it ironic?" He questioned.

"Huh?"

"Before this, you won't even touch me. Unless you're hurting me..." he commented.

"And now I'm hugging you to keep you warm." I finished for him. I laughed as well. Truly ironic.

"Thank you." He mumbled.

I gave a nod in reply, knowing that he could feel me. I heard his breathing slowed till it acted as a soft lullaby as I fell asleep.

When I woke up, our positions were slightly different. My arm was no longer around his. Instead, it was I who was snuggled against him. He had an arm draped around my waist. My arms were tucked in against his chest. He was still asleep.

Wait a minute. I can't be in this position. He can't be in this position either. Unless...he was awake a few minutes before.

Nah, it can't be. I moved slightly, trying to wriggle my way out but he mumbled something incoherent, which sounded something like "Roza" and pulled me closer.

Okay, too close. Too tight.

"Dimitri, wake up."

He's still snoring.

"Wake up!"

Nothing.

I grumbled and slapped his face lightly repeatedly. "Wake up!"

That did it. He released me to stretch his arms and legs. Sweet, sweet freedom.

I sat up and so did he.

"Hey, what's Rosa?"

He laughed. "Roza."

I shot him a look. "That's what I said!"

"No, you said RoSA. It's RoZA."

I waved my hand. "Meh, poh-tae-toh, poh-tah-toh."

He laughed. "Where'd you here that?"

"You said it in your sleep."

He seemed surprised. "Ahh...well, more the reason not to tell you." He grinned and get out of bed, walking towards the bathroom.

"Come on! Tell me."

"No."

"Tell me."

"Nope."

"Come on!"

"No way."

"Ughhh" I grumbled. He laughed but before he closed the door, he paused. I heard him let out a deep breath and said, in a soft voice, "It's your name. In Russian. Roza."

What? He said my name in his sleep?

Alright, I know Christmas is coming in a few days so Merry Christmas! To those who celebrate Christmas.

And if I don't update before New Years, Happy New Year! It's time to start fresh and actually start to follow those new years resolutions. I know I screwed mine halfway this year. Hahah. It's a new year so let's start a new, forget all those past mistakes and everything and just, well, start a new.

I've written a one shot called "The Other Side Of Down" so please go check it out! Here's the link, (Exclude the spaces) http: / www . fanfiction . net / s / 6559971 / 1 / The_Other_Side_Of_Down

Thank you!

I don't know when i'll be able to update though. But I swear I won't suddenly go MIA again! My little sister's birthday is coming up next week and the day after that is my 16th birthday!

So, once again, Thank you, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. And Review.