Back in my old glory days of being the wild child at the Academy, despite the consequences of a month's detention and Kirova's wrath, I had done a lot of things under the influence of alcohol. I'd climbed out dorm windows, into dorms windows, ran around the surrounding forest, hid firecrackers around the teacher's lounge and got hot and heavy a time or two but never going any further than removing my shirt. But never had I found myself hanging upside down from a 6'7 Russian.
"Dimitri put me down!" I shriek for the countless time and like every other time he ignores me. I struggle to push myself up from his shoulders but the hand he had clamped around my hips was making it hard to do anything. After some futile wriggling I give up and flop against his back.
"You son of a bitch." I growl through my teeth.
No answer.
"Everyone is going to see my underwear comrade!"
No answer.
The concrete sky was blurry. Dimitri was moving so fast it seemed he hardly touched the ground at all. I was starting to feel sick.
"I did not spend good money at Victoria Secret to give anyone a free show!"
After he'd thrown me over his shoulder it had taken me ten seconds to realise he had done it. He'd actually followed through in his threat and was willing to humiliate me just to prove a point. It had taken me two more seconds before I followed through with my own threat. The problem with that being it only drew the attention of drunk passer-by's who cheered Dimitri on. It really says something about the general public when they cheer on a caveman.
It was quieter now wherever we were. The side of town that hosted the nightlife was well behind us and with the awkward position I was in I couldn't gauge more than glimpses of the surroundings but I had the best view of his back side.
His stupid, perfect, arrogant ass.
"You've made your point you can put me down now." I say, slapping his back.
"We're nearly there." His voice sounds smug.
"If we're nearly there put me down! Unless your ulterior motive is you can see my underwear?"
I knew my dress was in a modest position. Dimitri was kind enough to yank the material down in the process of pulling me over his shoulder and his grip was keeping the dress from riding up but I was hoping the accusation would be enough for him to put me the fuck down.
No answer.
"Urgh!" I begin pummelling his back with my fists and wriggling again, "Put me down!"
A wave of nausea rolls over me and my fists falter against his back. My fingers dig into the material as I try to centre myself. The world starts to tilt bizarrely in my periphery.
Dimitri's muscles have tensed up under my fingers and I briefly remembered how I used to cling to him when we had stolen moments. How the first time we slept together being skin to skin felt crucial and any space between us was unbearable. I wonder if he remembered it or at least his body did…
Another wave rolls over me and spots appear before my eyes.
Maybe throwing up on him wouldn't be such a bad thing; it would work better than screaming had.
"Comrade I need you to put me down!"
"Not until we're there, encase you have ideas about using your fists. You're trying my patience as it is."
I could barely hear him, "Dimitri please."
The change in my voice must have surprised him as his pace slowed, that helped a little. He stops and then hesitates. His grip on my hips loosens and I gently push at his shoulders, hoping the wooziness would show mercy.
Dimitri helps me down and sets me on my feet. The dark parking lot we're in tilts and my knees go weak. Sure hands grasp my arms and hold me secure as the world gets its shit together.
"Rose, are you okay?"
I blink a couple of times and the carousel I'm on slows down, with a shake of my head it finally stops. I look up ready to tell him I was fine but the word slips back down my throat. He was much closer than I anticipated and it was different without the blaring music of the club. I'd been well aware of him then but there had been distractions unlike now. Unlike now when his face was holding a glimmer of an emotion he hadn't shown for me in months, concern. It was in his eyes as they searched my face, in the tension of his lips…his lips.
I slap his hands away, "I'm fine."
The concern is wiped away and left a clear and empty surface. His hands drop and loneliness spreads like damp under my skin. I cross my arms and look around the parking lot, "Could you have parked further away?"
"It was the closest I could get considering." He replies deadpan. "Come on."
He steps around me and I don't move. I didn't want to follow him, I didn't want to have to sit in car with him for twenty minutes and I didn't want to go back to an empty house. But what else could I do? The excitement from earlier was long gone and all I felt was irritated and since when did I get what I wanted?
I sigh and turn to follow Dimitri, who was standing by a blue car waiting for me.
I raise an eyebrow, "Don't they allow you to have a guardian SUV or are they afraid you'll break it?"
"It's Tasha's." he said unlocking it.
Oh wonderful.
"Of course it is." I mutter getting in and slamming the door behind me.
Dimitri got in the driver's side and I found the whole thing so bizarre I almost laughed. Almost. The car wasn't exactly small but it wasn't a guardian car. In the SUV we would have a comfortable distance between us, in Tasha's car that wasn't the case. It even smelt girly and it bothered me. The fact Dimitri could fold himself nicely into her car without looking awkward bothered me even more.
I cross my legs and keep my arms tight around myself, leaning right up against the door so to put as much room between us as possible. He starts the car and I'm surprised by the growl of the engine.
Why was he driving her car? Why not his own? Maybe he was staying with her at Christians to. I mean it wouldn't make much sense or him to go back fourth to his accommodation when his girlfriend and his moroi were in one place and whatever the reason it still meant he'd have to return her car back to her, he'd still be leaving to go to her. Not that it mattered to me. There was no reason for it to.
The silence between us was so tense I could have cut it apart with a knife. I could slice it right up and see if anything would pour out but most likely I'll take it home with me because that's all Dimitri had left me with, silence.
Urgh, now I wasn't using any energy the alcohol was becoming heavy in my body. It was also making me a depresso. I lean my head against the window, the cool surface was soothing but it made goose bumps run along my skin, making me shiver.
Dimitri's long, slender fingers move from the gear shit to turn on the heater.
I pretend not to notice.
"Why did Lissa send you?"
My voice sounds too loud and too blunt in the small confines of the car…I suppose I'd used the knife.
"She didn't." He finally said, "I volunteered."
I frown at the dash board. "Why?"
"It was convenient. She was worried you wouldn't be picked up or something else might happen. Me going made her feel the whole situation was safer." After that nomad strigoi ventured too close to the College ward boundaries Lissa had been more conscious about stepping outside of them. Considering I'd only taken the soulless bastard down last week, after he'd broken my wrist, I could see why she'd been freaked out tonight. I'd been alone, slightly drunk and too angry to see why that combination could cause problems. In light of this I couldn't really blame her for allowing Dimitri to come. That didn't mean I had to be happy about it. "Besides," He continued, "someone else would have only waited for you in a car whilst I would make sure you were actually in one. A good thing really otherwise they would have been waiting all night."
"That is not true." I snap. "I promised Lissa so I would have been out by twelve."
"That's not the impression I got."
"And what impression was that?"
In the dim light I glare at him whilst he adamantly looks straight ahead. "That you weren't going home anytime soon."
"Of course I was." I hated that he thought I'd let Lissa down but reassuring him didn't make me feel better. I turn away from him and try not to smirk when I add, "Maybe just not alone."
The silence was almost violent.
He could think whatever he wanted of me except that I'd let her down. He was the one who told me ages ago that I understood my responsibilities more acutely than guardians twice my age. Unless he was just trying to piss me off, I had interrupted his night with the birthday girl, but I had no sympathy, especially as the feeling was mutual.
"Then again" I begin cheerily, "with your conversational skills this car ride would have been a lot more awkward with another person."
"I doubt it. There wouldn't be any other person present." He says flatly.
"There might have been if you hadn't attacked them."
"I did not attack anybody Rose and do not act like I didn't remove you from a situation that you didn't want to be in."
"Another impression of yours? That's the thing about perspectives Comrade, they differ."
"Stop calling me that and stop lying. You cannot honestly believe that you can convince me you wanted that boy to kiss you, not after you diverted his advances yourself."
"If you're so convinced about that then what would have me stay? Why would I need someone to make sure I was in the car?"
"Just because you didn't want to kiss him doesn't mean you didn't want to play with fire. That was clear from the way you were dancing."
"There's nothing wrong with dancing and maybe Matt just caught me off-guard and even I didn't want him to kiss me you shouldn't have pushed him like that. I can look after myself!"
"Who's Matt?"
Oh for god's sake. "I meant Max."
"What a romantic connection you've shared."
"Piss off."
I took a deep breath not realising how worked up I was becoming. And since when did he do sarcasm? Since when did he do anything besides remain the calm and infuriating type?
"I know you can look after yourself." He says quietly and I bristle anticipating an attack. "But that doesn't mean that you should make it that you are the only person that will look out for you."
I open my mouth but nothing comes out. Shut it. Open it. "What does that even mean?"
"That boy wouldn't be worth the consequences with Adrian or the regret you might feel."
"I don't need Adrian to look after me either." I retort. "And I certainly didn't need your help tonight and I don't need you words of wisdom either."
"Noted." He says in a tone that wants to end our longest conversation in months. I'm not feeling particularly accommodating.
"Besides I have nothing to regret, all I did was dance with someone and accept a drink. Hardly qualifies as cheating, ESPECIALLY when you are no longer involved with someone else."
"Does Adrian know that?" he asks and I'm thrilled to hear the undercurrent of agitation in his voice. "And it wasn't just innocent dancing, it never is."
"Compared to what it could have been, and believe me it could have been if I hadn't stopped it, it was just dancing. In the twenty first century it is. Did they make you have five inches of space between you in Russia? Never mind, you dancing is less likely than the Queen inviting me to a slumber party."
"More likely than you stopping being so ridiculous."
"So If I stop being ridiculous you'll do a jig?"
"The day you stop being ridiculous the sun will fall from the sky."
"And you'll be dancing in the midst of an apocalypse. Got it."
This conversation was ridiculous but I was far too irritated to find it remotely funny.
"Don't make a fool out of Adrian." Dimitri said. "He doesn't deserve that."
Silence stitches itself in to the confines of the car.
"Don't make a fool out of Adrian?" I repeat quietly.
Dimitri inhales awkwardly. "Yes. He was pretty frantic about finding you tonight. I'm sure whatever fight you two had can be reconciled, he seemed genuinely sorry-"
"DON'T MAKE A FOOL OUT OF HIM?"I erupt and Dimitri jolts in surprise but manages to keep control of the car. "HOW DARE YOU TELL ME WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! MAKE A FOOL OUT OF HIM? I'M THE ONE WHO'S BEEN MADE TO LOOK LIKE A FUCKING IDIOT BUT HOW WOULD YOU KNOW THAT? IT'S ALWAYS MY FAULT RIGHT?"
"Rose." His tone the right mixture of shock and reproach you'd give a pet when you were trying to calm it down. That just made me madder.
"AND HOW DARE YOU START TO GIVE ME ADVICE ON MY LOVE LIFE! YOU OF ALL PEOPLE LECTURING ME ON HOW TO TREAT SOMEONE? TAKE YOUR OWN ADVICE AND SHOVE IT RIGHT UP YOUR-"
"ROSE!" His voice slapped down on my rant and squished it.
I dragged in a lungful of air noticing how much my hands were shaking. I needed to punch something. I needed to break something. I needed away from him before he ended up being the goddamn target. His posture was rigid and as he'd yelled we'd been slowing at a stop light. The beam of the car behind us flooded the car. We were on the last part of human civilisation before the turn that would take us onto the stretch of road leading to the Moroi College.
The human civilisation being a little diner and a gas station. This road was always busy but rarely someone would take the right Dimitri was about to.
The light turned amber.
I flung the door open and got out before he could stop me.
"Rose!" he barked and as I slammed the door whatever curse he said in Russian was cut off.
A car horn blared a warning as it flew past me and I darted across the road in the limited time I had before the next car could flatten me. That would be the cherry on top of tonight. The car whooshed past and I could almost feel the metal glide along the back of my legs as my hair reached out in the direction it had gone. My heart stuttered and then got promptly back into tempo as I reached the safety banks of the diners parking bay.
I reached the step in front of the door when gravity flung me to the left. I caught myself on rail, set out for pensioners to navigate the monstrous ledge no doubt.
"Fucking shoes!" Run through traffic, fine. Navigate step? Nah.
I hobble to the door and push it open, stepping in the fluorescent light. It was mostly empty. A middle aged waitress was at the far end of the room serving coffee to two men. They all turned around at the sound of my entrance.
"I'll be right with you Sugar." She calls out with a smile on her face. The two guys were looking me over. I glared before stalking over off to a booth on the other end of the room. I sat down heavily on the hard cushioned seat and took a deep breath.
Now what?
To be honest I was surprised Dimitri hadn't got out of the car after me, the queue behind him be damned. He was probably half way back to campus to inform Lissa what a raging bitch I was and that someone else could go fetch me. It was for the best, I mean, I was half way to putting my fist through the windshield… or imploding.
"Tough night honey?"
I look up to find the waitress smiling sympathetically down at me, a notepad poised in her hand acrylic nailed hand. I bet her name was Candy or Dolly. "You could say that."
"I'm sure we have something sweet to make you feel better. A pretty face like yours shouldn't look so sour, how about some hot chocolate?"
"Do you have anything stronger?"
She titters and then when she sees I'm serious her expression softens, "Hot chocolate with a twist then."
"Thanks." I mutter and she winks.
She walks away and I realise the other two men were watching the exchange.
"What?" I challenge and they both turn away hastily. Behind the counter the waitress shakes her head and whispers something to them that looks reprimanding. The low murmuring of their voices drifts around the diner, along with a song from the radio. I took another long, deep breath trying to settle the erratic feelings pumping through my veins, adrenaline tinged feelings. What the hell had I just done? It was stupid, completely stupid but I didn't quite regret it… I needed out of that damn car. I'm so tired people telling me what I should and shouldn't be doing, reminded all the time of who I actually was when I wasn't that person at all…
The door bursts open making the two men jump so high they almost all off their stools. The sight was quite hilarious, the alarm on their faces as Dimitri filled up the entrance looking murderous. In three strides he's towering over my table and my hands curl into fists at my thighs.
When he was strigoi his face always held some kind of remote fury, like a storm you can see far off in the distance but you knew the clouds were going to roll your way eventually. Even though it was the same face the fury was different. The same hard planes and angles of anger but this time his face held fire instead of ice. Raw, living fury that a small part of you knew originated from a good place, even though it might not feel that way.
His eyes are mahogany shut doors. His jaw clenches and I knew he was fighting for control.
Probably not to throttle me.
"I'll scream." I say simply.
His eyes narrowed into slits.
"It's all kicking off in here tonight." One of the guy's whisper but the place was so silent it carried. Even the radio was holding its breath.
"Are you okay sweetie?" Dolly called over to me in much stronger voice than I would give her credit for, "Any trouble and I'll dial 911. Do you hear me?"
I hadn't broken eye contact with Dimitri and I was sure I didn't really have a choice in the matter. His gaze was pinning me to the seat and I'm certain he was close to throwing me over his shoulder again, human authorities be damned.
I tore my eyes away to assure Dolly, who was eyeing Dimitri, brave woman. "Everything's fine. Maybe a second order over here please." I turned back to him. "He's sitting in."
"Alright." Dolly said slowly before disappearing back into the kitchen.
I kept my ace blank under Dimitri's gaze, his frame was rigid and his hands (like mine) were fists at his sides. I gestured to the opposite seat. "Are you going to sit down or are you going to stand there? Perfect vantage point to see my cleavage I know but have some subtly."
He exhaled heavily and closed his eyes. Whilst he did his breathing exercise my gaze dropped to the rise and fall of his chest… I could almost feel the beat of his heart. I snapped out of it when he said something in Russian and took the seat opposite, glaring at me the whole time.
It was like he'd absorbed some of my anger, or maybe it was just seeing him so pissed, because I started to grin.
Now he looked ready to implode.
"You're reminding me of USSR missile Comrade."
Silence, silence and a scowl so dangerous I must have been giddy for the miracle of being alive.
"Your hot chocolates. One deluxe with a twist." Dolly announced, setting one down in front me with a wink. Then she set other down in front of Dimitri with a vulgar thud. He didn't even look up. "One regular."
"Thank you." I said and she gave me a look as I to say 'any trouble and you just let me know' before retreating back to the other two customers who must have been regulars. I took a tentive sip of my drink, trying to avoid getting whip cream all over my face as deluxe meant a mountain of it. It also meant Tia Maria. I wonder why she had that stashed.
"What…the hell was that?" His tone was low and strained.
I shrugged because it seemed to be most infuriating thing to do and took another sip.
"So help me Rose-"
"What?"
"I feel like I'm dealing with the reckless girl I first met in Portland but ten times worse!"
"Adrian had a lucky escape huh?"
He looked away toward the rest of the diner and hushed voices started. I guessed the others had been staring at us and now trying to hide it.
"I shouldn't have said anything about you both. It is none of business." He said. The sincerity of the apology was apparent even If his tone was rigid. He turned back to me "But it doesn't prompt you jumping out of a car into heavy traffic. Are you insane?"
"No insane spells here, not since… Lissa's taking more care of Spirit and her mood levels."
No insane spells since Jesse's attack on Lissa when I absorbed her rage…and Dimitri wrestled with me as I was consumed with bloodlust, pleading for me to snap out of it because I was stronger… it was one of the reasons why he had loved me… and then showed me how much.
I hadn't said it but I could tell he was recalling it to and I suddenly felt like running out into the traffic again.
"Where's the car?"
His expression turned dark again. "Outside. I had to make a ridiculously dangerous turn on the highway."
"Was it like fast and the furious?" I asked, smiling around my mug. I'd gotten half way down and the alcohol had turned up a kick, it must be all lurking at the bottom.
"No. It wasn't remotely like that."
"Since when did you get so proper? Back in the day I would have thought you'd have just jumped out and threw me back in, hurting the cars if they got in the way."
"It's Tasha's car, I couldn't let it get reported."
My smile vanished. "Right."
The Tia Maria was kindling the rest of the alcohol in my system and warm tingles ran up my back. I felt light, despite the heavy thoughts in my head.
"I'm not going to comment on you and Adrian again-"
"Wise."
"But I have to ask Rose, there's more going on here isn't there? It's just not a fight."
"What was your first clue?" I drained the last of my drink, the warmth just made me realise how cold I was but it didn't bother me. Dimitri looked down at his own drink like he just realised it was there. He wrapped his hands around and it and took a sip.
"It needs more chocolate." He commented. I called over to Dolly for a refill and she collected my mug, ignoring Dimitri. Even that was impressive, I was pissed at him but I could appreciate he was nice to look at.
"What's going on Rose?"
"It's not your business."
"After the behaviour you've displayed tonight it is my business." He said voice hard. "You've been reckless and quite bizarre, not exactly traits a guardian should have."
For a moment I thought his expression of concern was for me but with the mention of our line of work I realised it wasn't about me at all. Stupid girl.
"I'd never do anything that would put Lissa at risk." I said steadily, returning his gaze. "Never."
"Tonight-"
"Well she isn't with me tonight is she?" I snap.
"And when she is? How can I trust you to act responsibly?"
"Have you thought that maybe that it's just a reaction to your presence?"
"Yes." He answers without hesitation, "But I have to be sure. I know you're not, we're not, on good terms at the minute but we've been able to be civil these past months, why's it different now?"
I force myself to remain eye contact and avoid the question. "I've had a really bad day. I took advantage of having a night off duty, it's not a crime."
"This isn't some side effect of spirit?"
"For god's sake Comrade."
"You were healed last week." He accused. "You've struggled with it before, the anger, the intensity of what Lissa can feel and tonight you had less regard for your own safety."
"Last week was minor." I argued. "She shouldn't have done it but she insisted. Spirits under control."
"So why Rose?"
"Why does it matter? I'm not losing my mind. It's just classic drunken behaviour."
"Rose." He said sharply, "I'm asking because I'm concerned. I need to know being this thoughtless is a onetime thing and that you're not going to endanger Princess Dragomir or yourself by being distracted by other things."
"I've told you-"
"You've ruled Spirit out and that's it. If you don't tell me then I have to report in and you can explain to Hans."
I stared at him in disbelief. "Are you serious?"
He stares back levelly.
"You're being ridiculous." I half shout.
"They come first."
I'd never shared this much hostility with anyone, all this pent up tension and nothing to do to get rid of it. It was always there between us over the past couple of months, awkward tension but leaving his presence would always make it dissipate, eventually, but now it mounted and getting away from him wasn't proving to be an option.
I was almost certain that if it were another Moroi he would have let this go, accepted being drunk and angry as my reasons but because this was Lissa he had this goddamn devotion to protect her at all costs. That is exactly what we do as guardians, what I'd always do for Lissa, but his gratitude toward her for using spirit to bring him back tied him to her he felt. He always owed her and he couldn't risk a thing.
Thinking I'd put her in danger showed just how protective he was or maybe it was slightly resentment towards me, I mean…he wasn't her guardian because I got in the way and he got the next best option, being Christians. That way he was always close to Lissa and protecting one of the people she loved most.
Dolly appeared and looked between me and Dimitri who were locked into a cold war. "Your deluxe, extra twist."
"Thank you." I said and I really meant it. Extra was what I needed. I scraped some of the cream away and sipped. Straightening my shoulders I met his eyes. "Let me make this clear Comrade. Lissa come's first to me, always has, you should know that by now."
"I believe you believe that."
"Don't be so condescending!"
"Stop yelling at me." He whispers fiercely. "I didn't mean it to be patronising."
The resurgence of alcohol was not helping control my irritation…it made it easier to talk though. "Sorry." I mutter, reaching or my mug again. I grab it sloppily and I hope he didn't notice. "You're not going to let this go are you?"
"You don't have to tell me."
I suddenly feel smaller. "But you'll report it in."
His eyes soften slightly and his lips purse. "It's not personal. It's just …"
"Isn't it? You not her other guardian and I'm sure you figure I had some part in that. You feel responsible for her. On some level I'm grateful for your obsession for her safety, I suppose."
"It's not personal." He repeats firmly and I'm grateful he doesn't inquire about what part I had played in denying him Lissa's guardianship. There wasn't enough alcohol in this diner to make me talk about it.
There's a pause as I gather my thoughts, it's slightly like trying to grab water. I take another drink. "It just all mounted up I guess. I was looking forward to tonight, not just because I was off duty, I don't mind looking out or Lissa at all, it's all I've ever wanted to do –"
"It's okay to want time or yourself." Dimitri says quietly.
I nod. "Adrian annoyed me, his family hate me and seeing one of them is Queen it can be…heavy. I'm just so sick of being told how to act or what to do when I already do what is required of me. I do my duty, I protect others…everything else should belong to me. My choices, my future…and acting like I have tonight was my choice and there was no one to tell me otherwise, there was no one else needing my constant attention. Maybe I just went a bit freedom crazy." The whole thing sounded so feeble that I felt awkward but I'd rather downplay it all as much as possible than tell him all. It's not like he deserved to know everything anyway. I took another drink and winced at the bite of alcohol.
"Just a bit?" he said, "Rose you were almost run over."
"But I wasn't." The hard look was back on his face and before he can speak I cut him off. "You wanted an explanation and there it is. It's not going to happen again because me and Adrian aren't together anymore. I'm not distracted." I drank the last of my special hot chocolate, it was basically the only good thing I had and now it had run out. I pouted down at it and looked up and to find Dimitri watching me.
"It seems unfair to give up what you have because of other people. That doesn't seem like you at all."
"It takes a lot for what other people think to bother me Comrade but it's not just them."
It was quiet between us and I caught sight of the clock on the wall, it was after one. I should call Lissa.
"Do you love him?" he asks quietly.
A dozen responses rammed through my head like freight train, all of them various attacks on how it was none of his fucking business, that he had no right, that he said he wasn't being nosey, why did he care? But when I saw the expression on his face they all disappeared. Tender curiosity, almost self-conscious, graced his features.
I was honest. "Yes."
He nodded as if this confirmed something and leaned back. Only then did I realise I'd been mirroring his posture, we'd both been leaning toward each other. I pulled myself back and hit my head off the back of the seat.
"Ow!" I rubbed the tender spot.
"Are you alright?" Dimitri asks, one of his hands had reached out toward me and it stilled in the air.
"Tip top, comrade." I say and giggle.
"Are you-" I'm sure he was just about to bust me and Dolly but his phone started ringing in his pocket.
"Standard ringtone comrade, I'm disappointed it isn't Wild West themed or something." He casts me a puzzled look before flipping the phone open.
"Hello?"
Whoever answered made a smile blossom on his lips. He so rarely smiled…
"No we're both fine, let Lissa know. We got held up in traffic and we've at a diner so Rose can get some food….I'm not sure… No she's fine."
My eyes narrowed because I knew he was talking to and I didn't like they were talking about me, the nerve of it. They probably had laughed that Rose was having relationship issues like silly teenagers tend to.
Assholes.
I tried signalling Dolly for a refill but she was engrossed with one of the guys.
"I'll ask… Rose?" I stopped waving at Dolly and turned to Dimitri, who was regarding me with a weird look on his face. "Tasha's invited you back to Christian's."
I smiled in what I would say was demure manner but my voice came out cold. "No thank you."
He was still watching me when he answered her, "She says no thank you. I'll leave Rose home and be right back… I'm sure she knows she's welcome."
I couldn't help the bitter expression that crossed my face. Hang out with the gang and be the fifth wheel? Nooo way. I didn't exactly want to go home either. I pulled out my own cell as Dimitri was finishing his conversation and fumbled over the buttons, I gave up trying to make the text perfect and send it.
Adrian's caller ID flashes up on screen and I press ignore.
"You should let him know you're okay." Dimitri advises, putting his cell phone into his pocket.
"Worry about your own relationship Comrade."
He squints at me and opens his mouth to retort but then stops. I raise an eyebrow. His expression shuts down and he snatches my mug off the table and brings it up to his nose.
Oh no.
Abort mission.
He lowers the mug and his lips are very thin. How odd, thin lips, I like them full… excellent for kissing and other things. They also don't look so angry.
"What?" I say dumbly. He just stares at me and I think he might actually explode this time.
I scramble out of the seat.
"Can I have the check please Dolly!"
A hand wraps around my arm and pulls me against Dimitri's side. He throws a bill down onto the table and pulls me toward the exit. Dolly's finally paying me attention, about time, I wave at her so she doesn't worry.
"Thanks for everything Dolly!" Dimitri is pulling me through the door and I grab the frame, "I think you're really great!"
I lose my grip and stumble out after him, tripping on the damn step again. He catches me before my knees hit the tarmac. That would suck.
"Quit manhandling me!"
He's changed dialects again so I don't have a clue what he's saying but I bet it isn't sorry.
"It's really rude to talk in a language no one else can understand. Although I know the swear words! Your sister taught me but I think the accent is off-"
"Shut up, Rose." He says through his teeth, leading us across the bay to the car.
"Do not tell me to shut up, you shut up. STOP TALKING IN RUSSIAN."
He yanks Tasha's door open and I'm surprised it doesn't come free of the car. I tell him as much but he just pushes me inside and closes it.
The world had taken on a soft look and I feel a little bit detached. Dimitri gets in and tells me to put on my seatbelt.
"There you go again telling me what to do but I will do it this time or safety reasons. I'm not going home though."
"You fucking are."
My jaw hit the floor. "Did you just swear at me? In English?"
"Rose for the love of God please stop talking."
"Fine! Drop me off home and I'll just get a ride somewhere else."
"You're going home and you're going to sleep this off."
"That's what you think."