A/N: SO! In honor of the movie premiere today, I decided to update early. That and God knows what kind of conditons I'll be in after seeing the movie. Might have a heart attack from so many feels or be comatose cus the movie sent to fandom heaven. Either way! I'll aslo try to update on Sunday (we'll see)
I hope you like this chapter.
PLEASE READ MY A/N AT THE END!
Disclaimer: I don't know anything VA
"I have bad news," I announced as I joined everyone for breakfast. "I'm broke. Well, correction, I don't have enough money for Christmas shopping. So I propose another idea. I go get my job back and we go see a movie and grab pizza." After unanimous head nodding we all went our separate ways to go get ready, promising to meet at the theater downtown in an hour.
"Knock, knock," I said thirty minutes later as I entered the boutique.
"Rose!" Sonya squealed when she saw me. "Well don't you look nice, going somewhere?" I was wearing a grey sweater shirt that hugged my curves, just like the black jeggings I had on, and a grey beanie that I placed on the back of my head instead of over my head, and black uggs.
"Haha thanks Ms. Karp," I said, laughing when she grimaced as I formally addressed her. "And I'm meeting some friends to see a movie, but I wanted to see you first."
"Oh? And what about?"
"Well…I was kind of hoping to get my job back," I said slowly, gauging her reaction.
"Back? You never lost it! You mean in the store right?" I nodded my head. "Oh then yea, I just wished you didn't have to go back to school after new years."
"Be careful with what you wish for," I told her I was went behind the register. "So when can I start?"
"How about tomorrow?" I nodded my head and after getting a schedule I left to go meet up with everyone.
"God, this feels like high school," I said as we walked up the stairs to our movie.
"You used to come see Disney movies in high school too?" Joshua asked.
"No," I said exasperately. "But we used to come to the movies like once a month and see like three movies."
"Oh, Roza," Vika said, shaking her head. "Only you would do something like that."
"It wasn't just me! It we Christian, Lissa, Mia, Sydney, Eddie, and Mason too! Hell usually it was Mason and Eddie who wanted to do it!" Everyone laughed as we collected our snacks before entering the room. Yea, our movie theaters were cool. There was a concession stand in the main lobby, and three in the two wings each. We took our seats in the middle of the room and enjoyed the commercials before Frozen started. This one movie really caught my eye. I never was into the whole vampire craze, but this movie, Vampire Academy, looked so interesting, it looked dark but comically, action packed but romantic, it was like all my favorite things in a movie put together. Lissa and I definitely seeing it.
2 weeks later
"Gimme gimme," I said eagerly as I came to the front of the line, knowing Kristen would already have my order ready. Sure enough she handed me a white paper bag with a matching white disposable cup with a giggle and head shake.
"I'm worry you're getting addicted," she stated, her tone serious but her glistening eyes the complete opposite.
"Honey, please," I said as I handed my money. "Would you rather I was addicted to crack? Or that my best friend was a bottle?" I raised my eyebrows and she shook her head. Thought so. I smiled at her as I retreated to my usual table and took out my little tablet Sonya gave me for work.
"You know he comes looking for you," she said as she sat across from me. I didn't lift my head up, just looked up with a questioning look. "I mean not like everyday but he comes at different times on different days. Last week he came on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at different times. Then this week he came on Tuesday and Thursday."
"Oh yea," I mumbled. "Close call last Monday."
"Hey Alberta, I was just wondering if you and Sonya wanted anything life coffee or pastry," I said into the phone as I waited for Kristen to come and open up. When Alberta said coffee and I nodded my head (like they can see that) and said I'd see them in a while just as a very flustered Kristen came running, scrambling to find the right key and get the door to open. "Actually…I might be a little later than usual," I said before disconnecting.
"Hey Rose," Kristen said breathlessly as we walked in, she turned the lights one and went straight for the counters. I stayed behind and put all the seats down while she got everything started. "Oh you didn't have to do that."
"It's fine, are you ok?"
"Huh? Oh yea, I just had to drop my little sister off and I didn't know until this morning so I didn't have time to get ready and then since I was in a rush I almost left all my stuff for work so I had to turn back and grab it and ugh…not my best morning."
I chuckled at her frustration, glad I was an only child. "Well not to burden you more but you think you can add two coffees to my usual order?"
"Yea sure. Late night?" she asked with a non-inconspicuous wink before turning around and getting the coffee going.
"Most definitely not. I'm taking them for my co-workers." She nodded her head in understanding. Once she was done, she turned around and started fidgeting, not looking up at me.
"Not to pry or anything, but did everything workout on Friday? I didn't mean to leave after we got out the shop, but it didn't seem like my place to stay and I highly doubt you guys noticed, but nether of you came in this weekend and so I was curious."
"Friday…oh that," I said, realizing what she was referring to. I hopped onto the counter and swung my legs back and forth as I continued. "Yea I guess it worked out. I mean no one got hurt…physically. I just, I'm hoping to catch a break and not -"
I cut myself off when I saw a very familiar, tall Russian standing outside the door, his phone against his ear, and his stance agitated. Wonder what's wrong, I thought in passing, my whole body freezing, hoping he doesn't come in. When the door open, the chime seemed to break my spell and I threw myself backwards, behind the counter, right as he looked up. I hope he didn't see me, I thought as I cowered next to Kristen who was looking at me like I grew a second hand. I brought my index finger to my lips, telling her to keep it cool. She shook her head before looking up and smiling like a good barista.
"Tasha," I heard Dimitri growl. "I told you I needed to stay at home and help my mama with Paul and Zoya."
He remained silent as I assumed Tasha responded.
"They all went out to some girls weekend. I don't know…If I went to spend the weekend I would have told you, and not use my mother as a cover…are you listening to yourself? What part of she said to stay away do you not understand? Even Christian confirmed it!…The what? Tasha you're not even six months pregnant, can we wait on changing my apartment into baby station?…STOP BRINGING ROSE UP! SHE DOESN'T WANT —No you know what Tasha, goodbye," he said gruffly, slamming his phone on the counter. Well I guess it's safe to say I know who the she he kept referring to is. I hung my head against my knee in shame. I should have never came home. "Sorry about that. Can I have -"
"I already got the pot going, it should be ready soon. I hope you don't mind, but I already have an order for two coffees so I have to get those ready."
"But there's no one…"
"She called ahead," she said curtly.
"She? You just…was it Rose? Is she coming to get them? Is she here?"
"Noooo," Kristen said. Her face said oh shit but she kept her cool. "I haven't seen her. You know what. Since she's not here, I'll give you yours first." She turned around and made him his coffee before turning back to give it to him. "There you go." She then turned around and started making my coffees.
"Thanks," he grumbled as he paid her. "Is it fine if I sit for a while?"
"Actually since technically I'm not open yet and have to get ready, you kinda can't."
"Oh. Well I'll see you later," he said before leaving.
When I heard the chime signaling he left, I popped up and groaned. "That was close. We need to have code words for when he's here so I don't come around at that time."
She giggled before saying, "I thought you said everything worked out."
"In the sense that if need be, I can be civil with him. But unless I am forced to be in the same room as him, I rather not." She opened her mouth to counter. "And no this doesn't count. He didn't see me and I didn't see him. Ok, so here's how it's going to go. I'll be here first thing in the morning, after you open of course, and again in the evening. If he comes in before then, send me a text saaaaying Cheetos. And when he leaves say Fanta. If it's in the morning, come out and bring me my coffee, please." She nodded her head, voicing how childish I was acting but I waved it away as I grabbed my breakfast and headed to work. Little did I know that a certain truck had stayed in the parking lot.
Kristen shook her head laughing. "Can you believe he came back asking why I lied?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't know he stayed. Oh well, he still hasn't been able to catch me so I guess that's a good thing."
"What are you going to do about this weekend? Don't you have some big fashion show?"
"No, that's next weekend. This weekend it's Christmas shopping. But speaking of fashion show, I still haven't finished this!"
"You know I know you dress reasonably fashionable, but I didn't you were a fashionista."
"I'm not. That's Mia, but she's rubbed off on me, so I'm able to help Sonya run this shindig, but I'm mostly in charge of organizing it, getting everything ready, and Sonya's doing the actual show, the models, the outfits, all that. Alberta does the contact stuff, getting the venue and caterer and the stuff we need to set up and the workers to do that."
"So what do you do?"
"Music, lights, the pamplet that says what's happening, and the swag bags. Plus I'm MC so I have to memorize most of this. But it's going well. Just one more week," I groaned. My phone's beeped, reminding me I have to go.
"Well I have to run, I'm meeting with some friends for dinner." I gave her a quick hug and left to go have dinner with the girls.
"So where should we go this weekend?" I asked after we had ordered our food.
"I thought we were going shopping?" Jill asked as she munched on some bread.
"Yea, but where?" I asked again.
"What about the city? We usually go there around this time of year," Mia suggested.
"Oh I wanna go to the city," Vika said, already getting excited.
"Anybody not want to go?" I asked, nobody said anything. "Well the city it is. Are the guys going to come?"
"Wouldn't that make us a really big group. I mean girls alone is six, add a plus one and it's twelve," Sydney pointed out.
"How about we all meet up and get to the city together," Vika started to suggest. "But then when we're there we break off into our own coupling and go shopping, that way we can get it for everybody without risking anyone's gift being spoiled. And then we can meet again for lunch or early dinner and then either break apart again, or leave for the day." We all liked her idea and then added that at some point all the girls had to go shopping together for "things the boys couldn't see" aka Victoria Secret and Sephora.
"Speaking of giving gifts," I announced after our pizza came. "We're having a party at my place, right?"
"I don't see why not," Mia said. "We've done that since I can remember."
"Ok, oh so we need to go find dresses for the fashion show. So we have to do that tomorrow."
"Wait what fashion show?" Jill asked.
"Sonya, my boss, is having a winter wonderland fashion show, and I'm MC'ing among other things. So you're all coming. And then, the models are throwing an after party."
"Oh, Dimka, doesn't she look like your baby sister?" I heard a voice whisper somewhere behind me. Are you kidding me? I thought, recognizing the nickname and Tasha's voice. Vika heard too because her eyes widen and locked on mines. After slowly sliding down my chair so you couldn't see me if you were behind it, I ducked under the table, hitting everyone's legs so they'd pull them back.
"Oh it is," I heard Dimitri say. I saw his feet right next to where my seat was. "Hey Vika, girls." Everyone greeted him and Tasha.
"Aren't you missing someone?" Tasha pointed out.
"Nope," Vika said quickly before her tone turned defensive. "What we can't hang out without Rose being here? Unlike some people, we don't need a middle man to keep us together." I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. I could imagine Vika's defying stare and smirk, and I wished I could see Tasha's reaction.
"Well, I just meant because you have an empty chair with a jacket over it."
"That's mine," Lissa spoke up. "It was too uncomfortable behind me so I put it on the spare chair. So, what brings you guys here? Date night?"
"No," Dimitri said quickly. "We're having dinner with Tasha's parents."
"Wait, Christian's grandparents are in town? How come we didn't know?" I didn't have to be there to see Lissa's glare at Tasha.
"He does. You don't," Tasha bit back. "He's actually went to pick them up."
I know Lissa was about to say something she'd regret so I did what I could to stop her. I punched her leg. I heard her groan and saw her arm come under the table and rub her leg.
"You ok, Liss?" Sydney asked.
"Yea," Lissa said softly. "I just banged my foot against the table." For added measure, she slapped me. I don't think she meant to hit my face but she did.
"Ow," I said instinctively as I cradled my face.
"What was that?" Dimitri asked. Oops, I thought.
"Don't you have a dinner to go to?" Vika asked quickly.
"Oh you're right," Tasha said, and I saw his feet pull back as they left.
"It's clear," Mia coughed out. I quickly got out and glared at Lissa while I rubbed my face. After a few apologies, and some calming words to assure Lissa that Christian had his reasons for not saying anything about his grandparents, we finished our dinner in peace and retreated by to our cars.
"That was a close one, Roza," Vika joked.
"Yea. I'm getting tired of these close calls. I honestly don't think I'll make it through the next month without running into him," I grumbled.
"Maybe you should stop acting like a five year old and go out of your way to avoid him, that's going against the whole 'not letting him interfere with your life.' You should just go about your days and if you run into him you run into him. No one said you have to acknowledge seeing him, just walk past him or whatever, but it's worse if you hid behind a counter or under a table," Sydney said. I guess she had a point. After we said our goodbyes and agreed to meet at my house.
A/N: Wowzers! So who has a point? Rose or Sydney?
So I know many of you want Tasha dead...so I have this question for you...any ideas? Also, I think you will be very pleased with next chapter :)
IMPORTANT: I NEED YOUR HELP! So in a casual convo I came up with a brilliant idea (well my best friend and I did)...I want to make a MASSIVE post of basically Do's and Dont's: How Guys should treat a lady...taught by the men of VA (both the characters and the actors playing them - because I have seen how the actors are just like their characters mostlly)...so tell me a Do and/or a Don't in a review :)
Leave me a review :) And I'll see you next week :)