A/N: Thanks for the reviews :) Another day has come, and with that is a new chapter :)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything VA related and idea belongs to DEE2389

"I'm sick," I groaned as Lissa tried waking me up.

"WIth the love bug," she muttered before swiftly tearing off my blankets.

"LISSA!" I shouted when a wave of cold air hit me.

"You already missed your morning practice. You are not missing school! So get your ass dressed or we'll take you in your pjs," she threatened. Looking down at what I was wearing, the threat didn't seam all that threatening. I had on a navy blue off-the-shoulder shirt and a pair of short navy and pink plaid shorts. "Get dressed."

I gave an overdramatic sigh as I got up and went to my closet.

"What if I really do have some deadly virus and I contaminate the whole school?" I asked as I picked out an outfit from my oh so diverse uniform selection.

"Then you wouldn't look all healthy," Lissa said as she sat on my bed. "I don't get what the big deal is. He's kissed you before. And the man all but declared his love for you…in front of Tasha no less."

"Yea but that's the problem!" I said, looking for a sweater to wear. "It's one thing when we're getting caught in the moment and he kisses me. What if he wants to go out? Like he wants the real deal, with dates and songs and flowers…I'm not the kind of girl you take home to meet your mom."

"Good thing you already know her then," Lissa said with a chuckle as I put my stuff in my backpack.

"Not the time for jokes. I'm serious. And what if I'm hyping all this up and really he was just using me as a way to get Tasha off his chest and he doesn't want any of that and he just wants to keep things as they were. I don't know which one's worse."

"Second. Definitely. At least with the first one you both like each other, second one you have unreciprocated feelings."

"Gee, thanks," I said sarcastically. "You know you aren't helping. For someone who over thinks everything, you're surprising mellow about this…but then again you have your perfect boyfriend."

"Who's scared to come around now, thanks a lot. Either way! I'm mellow because what you're thinking is exactly what I was thinking before I started going out with Christian and look at us now! So I know for a fact everything's going to be fine, you just need to talk to him."

"God, I hate Mondays," I answered as we walked out to the car.

"Roza, wait up!" Dimitri called out as we walked out of first period. Well more like flew out for me, but obviously I didn't fly fast enough. "You weren't here this morning."

"Yea…I think I'm…coming down with…something," I said, coughing throughout.

"If you say so," he said, clearly not buying my lie. We walked to my locker in silence, me looking everywhere but at him and him looking down at his shoes. It wasn't until I had opened my locker that he spoke again. "So…how was your weekend?"

"Oh just dandy! My mom decided to tell me she was leaving a minute before her ride came for her," I said dryly.

"What?"

"Yup! I mean all I was missing was death threats from Russia's own ban-chi."

"What happened?"

"Rose? Rooooooose!" my mother shouted from downstairs. My mom? I jumped off my bed and ran down the stairs to see my mom waiting for me. "About time!"

"What are you doing here?" I asked, she was suppose to be away doing something or another, I zoned out after she said she was leaving.

"We need to talk," she said in a serious tone, guiding me to the living room. As I walked by, I noticed three suitcases by the door.

"What's going on?" I asked slowly.

"Rose, I'm leaving and I don't know when I'll come back."

"What?" I asked, anger starting to stir inside of me.

"I found a job but it's in Turkey, but he has a lot of partners in Russia so whenever he comes I'll come too and stop by."

"Stop by? Stop. By? You're my mother! You're not just suppose to stop by! You're suppose to stay with me and be there for me! Like Rhea was!" I shouted, immediately regretting what I said at the end. I saw hurt flash through her eyes, but it was quickly consumed by anger.

"I'm sorry I'm not the stay-at-home type," she said through her gritted teeth. "I can't stay around and babysit. You're old enough to know right from wrong. I need this job, Rose. I can't rely on Nathan and Alexander paying me for not doing anything, it's wrong." I didn't say anything and we got into a staring war.

"Who is he?" I said finally.

"Who?"

"The guy you're working for," I said, air quoting the last part. "If you found someone that loves you then just say it. I'd much rather you leave because you have someone than because you have a job."

"It's not like that, Rose," she said. I rose my eyebrow. It's never like that, I thought to myself. From the ways her eyes widened I think I said it out loud. "I'm being serious. I'm too damn old to just up and leave because a man sweeps me off my feet. That happened once, and look what it got me."

"Gee, thanks," I sarcastically said. "I like to think I was a blessing that brought pizzazz to your dull life."

"That's not what I meant. I mean, he's…an old friend…I ran into him and when he found out my situation he offered me a job and I took it."

"You still haven't told me who he is."

Before she could respond, someone walked in.

"Ah there you are Janine. You said you would only take…" he trailed off when he saw me. His eyes widened as he looked at me. It wasn't a creepy, sleezy, sexual checking out, but an dumbstruck, can it be? kind of look over.

There was something familiar about him that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I was too zoomed in on his outfit. He was wearing. He had luscious, thick brown hair, brown eyes that seemed to never miss anything, and a suit that could be spotted from Vegas. It was a grey jacket and pants, with black dress shirt, but a red tie, handkerchief, and scarf. He had a gold hoop earring on one ear and a gold chain around his neck. But what surprised me more was that it worked. He made it work.

I saw him look at my mom questionably before composing himself and extending his hand out to me. "You must be Rosemarie. You mother's told me a lot about you."

"Rose," I corrected. "And must not have been much since she's never been around." My mom turned and glared at me before going next to the man. There was something weird about this. Some piece I'm missing and that should be obvious to catch, but it wasn't coming to me.

"Ah, don't be so hard on her. She's just doing what she thinks is right."

"And who are you to know that?" I shot back. Who does he think he is to defend my mom like that? Actually… "Who are you period? "

"Rose!" my mom scolded. "This is Ibrahim Mazur, my new boss."

He wrapped him around her shoulder and pulled her close. "I told you we're going to be more like partners."

"Old friends my ass," I scuffed as I walked passed them.

"ROSE!" my mom shouted.

"WHAT?! It's crystal clear how impossible it would be for you to my mom for five fucking seconds so why am I going to waste time trying to change your mind? I don't give up a lot, if ever, but I will this time. I give up trying to get you to be in my life, so go ahead go guard him or have your honeymoon or whatever it is you two are doing. Just do me a favor and don't bother coming around if you're just stopping by," I said, my voice deflated and resigned. I kept going up the stairs, hearing my mom tell the guy that they should leave now.

"Some weekend huh?" I said with a small smile. Dimitri's eyebrows were furrowed, and his lips were in a tight straight line. Wonder what he's thinking about.

"Don't get close to him," he said after I closed my locker.

"Huh?"

"Ibrahim. Don't aquaint yourself with him."

"Please that would require my mom to be around."

"I'm serious, Rose. He's…he's not good news. He has a nickname."

"What is it? Flash mob?"

"Zmey. It means snake in Russian. Please try to steer clear of the guy."

"Cross my heart and hope to die," I said as I playfully traced a cross across my heart with my finger. I spun around and started to walk away, but he grabbed my wrist.

"Stay with me the rest of the break? We could work on the project," he asked, hopefully. I softly pulled my hand away and gave him a small smile.

"I promised to go study for a quiz in math with Mason and Adrian. Sorry." I maneuvered my way around the other students so I could get lost in the crowd. I passed through the next period in a daze, contemplating going to lunch with my friends or hiding away. In the end, I decided that enough was enough and went to our table.

"Ass…all I see is pale white ass," I said when I saw Christian, who in return glared at me while Lissa's face turned red.

"Who's talking about ass?" Eddie said as him, Jill and Mason joined us.

"Rose," Adrian answered. "Apparently she saw Christian's…this is a story I'm dying to hear."

"Yea well I died when it happened."

I ran up the stairs, desperate to tell Lissa what happened with my mom.

"Lissa, you-" I called out as I opened her door, but what I saw made me speechless.

All I could see was someone's ass. Pale, white as chalk, ass. From all the times we've changed in front of each other, I knew it wasn't Lissa's. So that only left someone else. Christian. My eyes widened when I realized it was Christian's ass, and completely bugged out of my head when I took a better look and saw Lissa was under him, both in a very…very…very compromising position.

When I barged in, both Christian and Lissa jumped in surprise while Lissa screamed bloody murder and Christian got off her, covering himself with the blanket. I immediately covered my eyes with my hand, his ass more than enough to scar me for life.

"What the fuck, Rose?" Christian shouted.

When I took my hand away, I saw Lissa was under the covers too, just her head popping out. I don't know what broke inside me, but whatever it was it made me start laughing, like bending over, tears in my eyes, lose of breathe, laughing.

"Uhhh...babe…is she ok?" I heard Christian whisper to Lissa.

"I don't know…Rose? Rose?" she asked, making me laugh harder.

"Christian I'm going to beat your ass!" I said once I regained my composure.

"Why?" he shrieked. "You walked in without warning."

"Because! You blinded me with that pale ass of yours! I mean damn boy get some sun!"

"Seriously…cockblocker," he said, muttering the last part.

"Um not my fault you didn't put anything on the door. Jesus, it's like you guys are virgins. Speaking of which, that's another reason I'm kicking your ass…you took away her innocence!"

"How?!"

"It's one thing to know she did…HER PURITY IS RUINED WHEN I SEE IT!"

"Well next time knock!" Lissa said.

"Sorry! But don't mind me, you two go back to what you were doing," I said as I started retreating, closing the door at the same time. Safe to say I ruined the moment for the whole day.

Everyone busted out laughing, except Andre had an uncomfortable look in his eyes. Shit, I forgot it's his baby sister. I gave him an apologetic smile and he returned with a small playful one, letting me know it was all ok.

"What's so funny?" Dimitri asked as he sat next to me.

"Nothing," Christian said quickly. "Just Rose not knowing how to knock."

"Actually it's about your buddy of there not knowing how to put a sock…or tie…or hat…or even an underwear on the door so I know not to come in." Dimitri raised an eyebrow at me and I just shrugged my shoulder. "Well as fun as it was to tell you all about the wonderful end to a wonderful weekend, I must go. See ya later."

"Wait. How was your math quiz?" Dimitri asked, trying to get me to talk to him. Shit.

"What math quiz?" Adrian asked.

"Yea, what class were you in?" Mason added.

"Rose said she had to study for a math quiz with you," Dimitri said.

"Yea, remember?" I said, giving them a look that told them to go with it.

"Oh right! Yea that wasn't a quiz. Far too hard, right Mase?" Adrian said, covering for me.

"Totally. He threw a curveball the curveball didn't see coming."

I gave a big smile to Dimitri before rushing off, but he followed me, giving us some space from the group, and grabbed my wrist, pulling me into his arms.

"You're ignoring me," he stated in a whisper.

"No I'm not. I just have to go."

"If you say so, but you can't run away from me at practice."

"Isn't that what I do?" I countered. "Run and try to finish before you…effectively running away from you."

He gave me a pointed look before giving a soft kiss that left me wanting more and ended too soon for my liking. And he knew it. He was baiting me to kiss him back, but I wasn't going to. Not until we talked things out. So instead, I bit my lip and turned around and left the hall.

"Great job everyone!" Alberta called out when the last person finished. She decided to pop in again and time us. I can officially say I got better. "So off the times I have, I'm taking five runners to the race. Those five are: Dimitri, Eddie, Amber, Rose, and Scott. Everyone else, keep working hard for our first meet. Can I talk to those five names I called please?"

Everyone else left to go pack their bags and go home. I go stand by Eddie and Scott and wait for Alberta to start.

"Well first of all, congrats on making the cut, I just wanted to talk to guys about the race. It's this Saturday, so I want you here bright and early so we can take the bus and get there for sign in. Ok, now go home, I'll see you in practice tomorrow." We had all turned to leave, when she asked me and Dimitri to stay back. "Nice job you guys. I knew you'd pull through, Rose. Good coaching, Dimitri. I guess it's only fair I reward you. Dimitri, you can bring her to the gym."

"Are you sure, Coach?" he blurted out.

"Are you questioning my decision?" she asked, challenging him to say yes.

"No, of course not, ma'am. Do you want me to take her now?"

"No, tomorrow is fine. As long as you use your morning practice to run, then I see no problem in taking her during team practice."

"Will do. Thank you, Coach."

"Yeah, thanks," I said before she let us go grab out bag.

"So are you finally going to talk to me?" Dimitri asked from behind me, making me jump.

"Geez! Thanks for letting me know you were behind me. Plus, I have been talking to you."

"Rose, you've been running away. You haven't said a word to me this whole weekend, and then you say a few words and then run and I honestly don't know what I did wrong! I mean I thought I had made myself pretty clear at the dance when I called you my date, and I thought you made yourself pretty clear when you kissed me in front of everyone. So why are you avoiding me like we did something that you feel guilty about."

"Because what's all this suppose to lead to? Your psycho not-ex basically put a target on our backs and I don't have the world's best track record with guys. I don't want to imagine something being there and then find out too late it was just in my head."

"And you still don't get it do you! Rose I'm not looking to mess around. I thought after all this time you'd figure out that I want something more, something intimate, something serious. And I don't mean sex, I mean a relationship, where cuddling is a perfectly fine option. I like you, Rose, for your beauty, your personality, even your stubbornness I like."

"You're serious?" I asked, relief filling my heart while butterflies went crazy in my stomach. He likes me. And he wanted a relationship.

"Yes I am. You asked what's this suppose to lead to, and I hope it leads to a first date," he said before a taking a deep breath and pulling out a small box from his pocket. He opened it in front of me and in it was a white gold Claddagh ring, with two hands holding a diamond heart that had a crown on top of it. "Rosemarie Hathaway, will you be my girlfriend? My Roza?"

A/N: hehehe sorry not sorry for the cliff hanger! Writing that last paragraph gave me major squeals! What about you? Leave me a review and tell me what you thought :)

Then tomorrow you'll get her answer...maybe ;)