A/N: Thanks for the reviews :) I'm glad you guys liked the chapter, even if it was sad.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything VA related, the idea belongs to DEE 2389

DPOV

"We have to figure this out," I said in an exasperated tone. We had yet to figure out what we were doing for our project and I needed to know we were making some progress so it wasn't done last minute.

"Yea yea I know," Rose said, waving her hand as I trailed her to her locker. "But I have class in 15 minutes, with a quiz I need to study for and I need to hunt Lissa down, she hasn't been responding."

"So you're putting it on hold…again."

"Not on hold," she said, looking up at me from behind her locker. I could see the bags under her eyes, even if she tried covering it with makeup. Her eyes had lost some of the shine and twinkle, a tell-tale sign the accident was still haunting her. "I just can't think about it right now. I can't even think about the quiz. All I can think about is Lissa. She's been holed up in her room when we're not at school. I'm worried and I don't know what to do. So until I can figure that out, I can't really figure school out, or how to do a presentation on sports medicine."

"Sounds like you need a break." She let out a snort, telling me just how much she believed she'll have one. "Have lunch with me," I blurted out. She looked at me wide eyed before hunching over, laughing. "I'm serious. Take a break from Lissa and eat with me at lunch. Maybe I can even coax to start thinking of the project."

"No," she said firmly as she closed her locker.

"Please?"

"Nope," she said, popping her 'p' as she shook her head. "There is no way in hell you'll get me to be at the same table as the screaming cheerleader. I can promise someone's going to end up at the nurse's office...and it won't me." She then turned around and walked down the hallway, leaving me unable to respond. With an exasperated sigh, I headed down the opposite way.

RPOV

"No offense to your food or anything, but is it so hard to change it up a bit and serve I dunno maybe spaghetti or pizza or burgers," I said to no one in particular when I got to our table. Not like anyone was listening.

Sydney had started eating lunch with us, so her and Adrian were on one end in their own world. Christian also had moved over here, so he was sitting next to Lissa, trying to coax her into eating, but he had a better chance training a snake to walk on two legs. Out of the three of us, Lissa was the worst. Getting her to talk was a miracle and getting her to smile or laugh was ludicrous. Andre was better, he immersed himself into his studies and trying out for soccer, or futbol as they call it here. It also helped that Viktoria would come by the house after school with dinner her mom had made for us that night and staying to "get extra help" on her homework. What she lacked in academic smarts she overcompensated for in guy smarts. Her father and Adrian's had taken the responsibility of planning the funeral, which was to happen this weekend. Hopefully everything starts going back to normal afterwards. As much as I miss Eric and Rhea, I miss my best friend more.

As for me, I devoted myself to practice. When I came home I was so exhausted I only had enough energy to do homework and eat dinner. I was too exhausted to feel anything. My mom made herself scarce, but I don't know if that was a good thing or bad thing. Sure it's only been a week so it make sense that Lissa's still grieving, but it worried me that she wouldn't leave her room or talk to anyone. Except for Christian. Which pissed me off. I was her best friend, the sister she never had, shouldn't I be the one she talks to instead having late night phone calls with the pyromaniac? I mean, I was glad she was opening up to someone, I just wish it was me.

When no one else responded, I sat down with a disgruntled sigh. "Whatever," I said, poking around my food, just eating the slice of black bread. I honestly think I've lost weight with the "black bread" only diet I had going.

"Hey man what are you doing here?" Christian said a few minutes later, looking at something behind me in utter surprise. That caught everyone's attention and they all looked up at whoever was behind me. I would have turned around too but he sat down next to me. Like right next to me, shoulders rubbing shoulders, electricity filling the air around us. I looked over, my eyes widening to see it was Dimitri looking at me with a broad smile.

"Because the view here is better," he answers, eyes still on mine. I look down, blushing, and I see Lissa's eyes trained on me, the hint of a smile playing on her lips. How is she the only one to notice? I wonder before Andre answers my question.

"Vika? What are you doing here?" he asks, causing everyone's head to snap to the other end of our table. I would have looked too, but I couldn't stop the smirk forming on my lips so I keep my head down.

"You're late you know," I said when I muster the strength to keep a straight face and give her a pointed look.

"Don't I know it!" she says exasperately, shaking her head dramatically before she sits in front of me, a little too close to Andre. "You could have told me this school is filled with animals in a feeding frenzy, ya know."

Dimitri's once tender eyes turn cold as he looks down at me slightly angry and slightly annoyed. "Why didn't you tell me anything?" he demanded.

"She made me pinkie swear!" I said defensively. "You don't understand the power of the pinkie. Plus, I wouldn't have even known if I hadn't caught her this morning walking around aimlessly looking for her class." He huffed, and muttered something in Russian, which Viktoria caught and glared at him, but before she could say a comeback or I could ask what he said, the bell rang and we all got up to leave for class.

DPOV

"Dimitri," Alberta said as I walked to the stairs to warm up for practice.

"Yea, Coach?" Please don't ask about Rose's training. Please don't ask about Rose's training, I kept hoping for in my head.

"How's it going with Hathaway? I see her here in the morning, but after practice she's the first one to go and I don't remember saying her after practice sessions were over," she stated, giving me a pointed look.

"Oh well, I figured she'd get better at running if she didn't do it on the track field so after practice we go running on a trail I run everyday, that way she not only gets faster but she learns how to run through obstacles and turns while keeping her momentum," I fibbed. It wasn't a big fib, it just wasn't the whole truth.

"Oh. Well that's a wise decision. Good job, son," she praised. "So what's her time?"

"Honestly, I haven't really been keeping track," I said, looking down shamefully as I lied again. I had been keeping track, but I didn't know if Rose was where Alberta wanted her, so I rather hear what the goal is so I can decide how much work we had left. "I know she's been getting faster because I have her run for a set amount of time, and the amount of times she does a complete lap has been increasing."

"Oh well that's good. I guess," she said slowly. "I would rather you time her though, it would help with keeping track of her progress. But don't worry, you're doing good."

I nodded my head before excusing myself so I could go start practice.

"Actually, Dimitri," she said, grabbing my arm so I couldn't leave. "I'm running practice today. The race is in a month, and I want to get everyone's time down so I can create a program over the weekend to get everyone up to par. So today you're just another member on the team. Ok?" I nodded my head again, trailing her as she went down to tell everyone we were going to run a mile while she timed us.

I went up to Rose and saw past her calm, nonchalant mask, seeing the nervousness and fear she hadn't improved as much as we thought. I assured her that no matter what, this was a good thing. It would tell us where she stood and how much work we had to do in the next four weeks. I told her how much faith I had that she was almost where she needed to be, even if a small part of me worried that she actually wasn't and my feelings for her has clouded my judgement, wanting to make her feel better more than telling her how things were.

Wait…feelings? I can't have those kinds of feelings for her. Sure we've kissed, and she's the only person I feel I can truly relate to since Ivan passed away, but that can't mean I have feelings for her can it? Before I could answer that, Alberta lined us up and fired the gun, our sign that it was time to run.

"Good job everyone," she said once we all finished. "Dimitri, Eddie, Scott, Amber, and Michelle, keep your times up like that and you'll have a spot in the race for sure. Everyone else, keep it up! Dimitri, Rose, can I talk to you guys for a second?"

Rose looked at me quickly, showing me how worried she was about what Alberta would say. Even though Rose wasn't one of the first five, she had finished a lot sooner than I expected her to and she had been one of the first ten to finish. Alberta enrolled anywhere between five to ten runners in this race depending on our times. I looked at Rose reassuringly, trying to lend her some courage to hear what Alberta had to say.

"Well, I'm not gonna sugar coat anything, you're still not where I want you to be," she said once everyone had gone to their bags, her voice flat. Shit, I thought. "With that said, I am impressed by your improvement Rose. You ran the mile in under ten minutes, placing you in the top ten. And you were trailing the slowest of the top five by a minute, I'd like for you guys to work on shaving that minute off in this coming weeks. I'm still not sure if I'm sending more than five, but I'ld like to have you in the group. Dimitri, keep up the good work. I'll see you guy tomorrow."

"Actually, Alberta, I can't come tomorrow," Rose said quickly. We both looked at her confused. "It's…it's the funeral this weekend and tomorrow is the memorial vigil. I can't not go." The funeral! I completely forgot about it. After the accident, I told Alberta, figuring Rose would take a few days off, and when she didn't Alberta told her it was fine to take some time for herself, but Rose refused.

"That's alright then," Alberta said gently. "Again, my condolences to you and your friends. I can only imagine what you kids are going through. I'm glad you guys didn't have to move or anything and if you need anything, let me know." Rose nodded her head before going and packing her stuff up.

"If you want, you can head up to a car, I'll be there in a minute, I just want to make sure Vika got home ok," I said as I went to my bag. Rose laughed softly, shaking her head and showing me her phone, where a text from my baby sister was displayed, saying she got a ride from Andre. I growled without wanting to, causing Rose to laugh harder.

"Plus, I can't go to afternoon practice, Comrade," she said sadly. I gave a "what the hell?" look, not understanding why she was skipping on practice now. "I have this stupid meeting to go to for the dance and if I don't go Kirova will have my ass."

"That's fine," I said, grabbing her hand as I dragged her up the stairs. "I can walk you to the meeting if you want."

"That's fine, I have to go get Lissa first," she said, squeezing my hand before letting go and walking into the girls locker room.

RPOV

"Please Lissa!" I quietly begged in the library, where I found her and Christian doing homework.

"No, Rose. I don't feel like going, plus I'm about to go home," she said, not looking up from her book. Christian kept glancing up at us, not sure if he should leave or butt in.

"Exactly! What difference does it make if you go now or in an hour?" I argued. "And why don't you want to go? Because Christian won't go?" I couldn't help the envious tone in which I spat out the last part, and I hoped Lissa didn't catch it. But of course she did.

"What's that suppose to mean?" she asked looking up at me defiantly, and angrily too.

"It means that you don't go anywhere without him. You don't leave your room unless it's for school. And when you're here, it's always with him. It's not that I don't like him, but seriously Liss? Would it kill you to spend one hour with your supposed best friend? And I'm pretty sure Sparky here could help out too."

"Like you've noticed. You've been spending your whole time at Dimitri's house 'practicing,'" she said, air quoting the last word before muttering "practicing making babies."

"You know Liss, I wasn't the one that was quick to jump into bed with my boyfriend. And I've been spending so much time with Dimitri so I can compete in the race next month, not like you'd notice since you can't see past your nose," I said angrily. "And what's the point of being at home trying to get you to leave your room if Anna had a better chance at getting Elza out of her room? You know what, forget it. I'll just go alone. What's the point of having a best friend if they won't even go to my first meeting with the spawns of Satan." I got up and walked out.

Once I got outside the library, I leaned against the wall in between it and the staircase contemplating going upstairs or walking back in and trying again with Lissa. Before I decided, the library door opened and Lissa walked out and walked past me, going up a few steps before turning around.

"We're going to be late," she said matter-of-factly. I broke into a big smile and caught up to her, linking my arm with her.

"What made you change your mind? My compelling argument?" I asked, cheerful that she agreed to come. She let out a small chuckle. I got her to smile and laugh!

"Yea, definitely," she said sarcastically before getting serious. "I'm sorry I've been pushing you away. I didn't mean to make you feel like you weren't my best friend, it's just Christian knows what I'm going through. He hasn't said much except for he knows what it's like to have your parents die. I know I've sucked at grieving, but it's like I'm in denial and then when I realize it's real, the pain hits me all over again. And, I know if I were to go to you, you would have your arms wide open and help me, but I also know you're grieving too and I can't make you put aside your grief to help me deal with mine. And I'm sorry for suggesting you and Dimitri were doing more than running. I just god I'm so fucked up."

"Hey that's not true," I said gently. "You are not fucked up. You just lost your parents and you're dealing with it the best you can and if anyone ever tells you otherwise, you let me know and they'll wake up in the hospital with a breathing tube in their throat, got it? And I forgive you, plus I said somethings I probably shouldn't have too."

"Yea, thanks for that, Rosie. Now I get to have the very wonderful and very awkward sex life talk with Christian. God he's gonna think the worst of me now."

"That's not true. I can see how much he likes you. I might not like whatever you guys have got going on, but I can see he's good for you and what's good for you is good for me. Plus, if he doesn't like what you tell him, then he's a complete dick and when I'm done with him he's not gonna have one. By the way what did you tell him."

"Nothing, I packed my stuff and left before he could ask." I laughed and was about to say something when we were interrupted. When we looked up, I noticed that we had walked into the auditorium and a red-headed bimbo in a cheerleader uniform, chewing gum like a horse, was standing in front of me.

"Who are you?" she asks while chewing her gum. God that sound was getting on my nerves.

"We're here to help with the dance stuff. Kirova told me I had to come," I said.

"Oh Rose right? Yea she told us you'd be here. Who's she?" she asked, nodding her head to Lissa.

"She's Lissa and she wanted to help." She nodded her head and told us to follow her, taking us a group of girls dressed like her.

"What are they doing here?" sneered the leader. Tasha. Well at least she wasn't screaming. The redhead told her who we were and Tasha's lips cracked into a smirk. "Well I got just the job for you two. Rose you can go with the guys and you're on paint duty. Mostly you'll paint the structures but since none have been built you can work on the backdrops we've sketched up. And you, Lisa can go with Jill and work on costume."

"It's Lissa you deaf pompomphiliac," I said.

"Excuse me," she said slowly, in a low threatening voice, as she got in my face. Well it sounded like it was suppose to be threatening, but from the defiant, challenging look in my face when I looked up at her, you could tell it didn't work on me. Next to me, Lissa tugged my arm and whispered in my ear to let it go. "You should listen to your friend. I'm not someone you want to fuck with," she warned.

"Oh yea?" I challenged. "And you don't want to fuck with me. I already don't like you so don't give me more reasons to full on hate you."

Before she could say something, and I know she wanted to from the hateful look she gave me, someone came up behind her and asked her something.

"Hey, where do you want us?" he said, in a Russian accent I'd notice anywhere. I snapped my head up and met Dimitri's eyes, his were confused and guarded as he took in our stance. Tasha whipped around and visibly calmed when she saw him, obviously forgetting about me. Even though she wasn't facing me, I still had a good side angle of her so I saw when she bit her lip as her hands trailed up his arm and gripped his bicep. My fist clenched as I kept myself from ripping her hand away and stake my claim. Wait what? My claim? It's not like we're dating or anything, so I have no reason to be jealous or anything.

"I missed you at lunch," she purred, snapping me out of my turmoil and boiling my blood. "Maybe you and I could ditch and go make up for it."

He politely but forcefully removed her hands off of him before he responded, "I don't think that would be a good idea. There's no one here you'd trust enough to take charge and the guys wouldn't get much done without me."

"Hmm you're right. And I'd get to see you shirtless. I mean you came from practice right? So you must hot," she said coyly, running her index finger down his chest before grabbing the hem of shirt and start lifting it, exposing his six pack under.

"Tasha stop," he said firmly, grabbing her hands with one of his and flinging them off him. "Let me ask you in a different manner. Where's the stuff for us to start building?"

"Backstage," she huffed, running a hand through her hair in a seductive but aggravated manner, clearly telling him she's not happy but she's willing to let him work for forgiveness. I'd say beg but that wouldn't include the sexual things she has in her mind. He gave a curt nod before looking at me again.

"So you ditched practice for this?" he asked, fake hurt in his voice. I gave a soft chuckle before nodding my head in playful shamefullness.

"Alas you have discovered my secret love the the theatre," I said. "Like you're one to talk, though, seeing as you are here as well."

"Ah but I was going to ditch this for practice," he countered as he intertwined his arm with mine and lead me towards where he was walking.

"Wait," Tasha's voice rang out. God, could she not take a hint? "She's who you've been having extra practice with?!"

"Yup," I said, popping my 'p' as I looked over my shoulder. "And we're partners for the bio project." Then I looked at Dimitri. "You know for not being your girlfriend she's very possessive." His eyes widen but I saw the hint of a smile on his face as he shook his head. From the corner of my eyes I swear I saw Tasha's face turn red. I turned around and walked with Dimitri backstage. Ironically enough, I was working with his group, painting whatever they built. Lissa had left with Jill to do costume I assumed, so I got right to work, painting some backdrops while Adrian, Christian, Eddie, and Mason worked with Dimitri. After a while of the only sound being the tools making contact with the materials they were working with, I got up and asked if there was any speakers. Adrian being Adrian ran out and got one from his car. For the rest of the hour we worked to my Pandora, everyone adding their musical preference, so for the first time a week I found myself laughing and being my old, carefree self outside of practice. And damn did it feel good to be back.

A/N: Uh oh seems like Dimitri and Rose are treading some unknown territories in the matter of the heart ;) What was your favorite part? Leave me a review and I might be inclined to update on Wednesday. If i don't I'll see you next week where we go down tragedy lane :'(