DIMITRI'S POV

Once I was safely inside, with the door closed behind me, I laid my back against it and took a deep breath. This was wrong, wrong on so many levels. Who was I to be feeling this way about a child? It made me feel dirty to even think of Rose as anything more than a novice, but I couldn't seem to help myself. Rose was beautiful, and pure, and everything that was magnificent about the world all wrapped up in one. How I'd come to this conclusion so quickly, I'd never begin to understand, but I knew that I'd never felt this way about another person… ever. I didn't know what to do with that information seeing as how she was seven years younger than me. Regardless, no matter how hard I tried to shake what I was feeling, it just wouldn't seem to go away. The kiss had really sent me into a frenzy of emotion. What was I supposed to do when my beautiful, intelligent novice kissed me? Not kiss back? Push her away? Tell her how wrong it was and sent her to her room? No… I couldn't, because the attraction was there. I felt it from the moment she stepped off that bus and into my world. I finally walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water before looking up to see Adrian come around the corner.

"Morning man, sorry I'm up late. I was gonna help you and Rose practice again." He said. I couldn't help the anger I felt towards him.

"Yeah, don't worry about it." I snapped. He raised an eyebrow and sighed.

"You know?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Adrian. Just stay away from her. Don't influence her more than you already have." I said, my voice hard.

"She came to me, Dimitri. I offered, knowing she'd turn me down. I didn't think she'd come back." He said. I didn't know whether to believe him on not, so I nodded once.

"Don't let it happen again, or you will be out of here, Adrian. I won't tolerate it. She's got other things she needs to focus on, and alcohol and partying isn't one of them." I said. I watched as he tilted his head, and raised an eyebrow.

"What's gotten into you, man?"

"What?" I asked, sharply.

"You're aura. It's black and red. I've never seen it so dark before though. The red isn't even really a red. It's crimson. That means whatever emotion you're feeling is deep." He told me. Automatically, I knew it was Rose. She was the one bringing this out of me. Rose walked in the back door, and Adrian turned to her. I wondered what he was seeing in her aura, because he just stared for s second before turning back to me. Finally, Adrian spoke.

"Morning Rose."

"Hey Adrian." She said, simply. We all stood there for a second in silence, before she spoke again. "Yeah, this is awkward. I'll be in my room if anyone needs me." She tiptoed around us, and upstairs.

"Why do I feel like there's a part of the story I'm missing?" Adrian asked me.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I've got stuff to do." I said, trying to walk around him.

"You're aura's are almost the same colors." He said. "Hers is darker, obviously because of the darkness from Lissa, but other than that, they're the same. Why?"

"I don't know, Adrian." I said, defeated. I sighed. "I've got to go. I've got paperwork, and some things to call around about."

"Alright, we'll talk later." Adrian said, before I turned and walked out. Our auras were the same color. I wondered what that meant. If she was feeling the same thing I was feeling, that meant that she'd lied about the kiss, just as I'd suspected. She didn't regret it. She simply said all those things to keep herself out of trouble. She legitimately felt something for me as well, and she wasn't going to be able to deny that. I sighed. I'd gotten myself into the mess that was Rose Hathaway, but I couldn't say that I didn't like it. I walked into my office, and sat down at the desk, running my hands through my hair. Oh boy.

ROSE'S POV

The moment I was around the corner, I wondered what Dimitri had said to him. I wondered if he'd yelled at Adrian for what happened last night. I wondered if Adrian had told him about the kiss. Suddenly, I was sincerely worried. What if Dimitri was upset that I'd kissed Adrian not long after I'd kissed him? What if Dimitri kicked Adrian out because of me or kicked me out because of him? There were so many things running through my head, and all I knew was Dimitri wasn't happy with Adrian. It was obvious in his rigid disposition when I walked through the door. As I started up the stairs, Landon called after me. I turned, remembering being with him slightly last night as well.

"How's the hangover?"

"It's… a hangover." I answered, simply. He chuckled.

"You were a trip last night."

"Thank you for taking me to my room and stuff." I said.

"It wasn't a problem. I didn't need you getting into any more trouble." He said, smirking. I could tell he was teasing, but I knew he was right. If I got into anymore trouble, Dimitri probably wouldn't hesitate to kick me out.

"I know." I said. He chuckled.

"You look like you need a nap."

"I need something." I muttered. He laughed.

"Another drink maybe?" I snorted.

"Not this time." I told him.

"Come on, you gotta bite the dog that bit you." He teased. I smiled.

"Not this time." I repeated. He laughed. We talked for a few more minutes before he told me he was going to go get a shower. I nodded, and watched as he turned to walk away. It was then I remembered something that I'd said last night and smiled. "Hey Landon?" I called.

"Yes?" He asked, turning back to me.

"I wasn't that drunk last night. You really do have pretty eyes." I said. His face flushed a light shade of pink, before he smiled.

"Thanks Hathaway."

"Not a problem." I said, before walking upstairs. I felt his eyes on my back as I left. When I got upstairs, I sat on my bed, and ran a hand through my hair. I had to put up with this weird relationship with Dimitri for the remainder of my stay here. Before, I looked forward to practice. Now, I couldn't say the same thing. Now, it was weird, and everything was strictly professional and rigid, and no fun at all. I hated it. I knew it'd be this way from now on. I sighed. I got a quick shower, and lay down in my bed. I was hoping I'd fall asleep, so my hangover would pass sooner, but I couldn't sleep. My mind was racing, and I knew I'd never be able to sleep. I finally decided I was tired of lying there, wallowing, so I got up and started outside. The moment I opened the back door, I saw Dimitri running the track. It was obvious he was trying to get his mind off everything. I stood and watched as he ran around the track. Eventually, my eyes fell to the ground. I felt eyes on me, and looked up to find him looking at me. I sighed, knowing I'd been caught. I walked forward, knowing he was going to want to talk to me. When I reached him, he picked up a towel off the sidewalk, wiping his face.

"What are you doing up?" He asked. The light was starting to shine over the horizon, meaning everyone else was probably asleep. Except the two of us, of course.

"Probably the same thing you're still doing up." I said, my voice barely audible. He just sighed. "Did you yell at Adrian?"

"No, I didn't yell at him. I told him never to let it happen again. I guess I understand why you did what you did." He said, looking down. I just nodded. It was silent for a second, before I spoke.

"I lied to you today." I said, not sure where the words were coming from.

"I know." He answered. I knew he'd seen through me.

"I'm sorry I lied to you."

"Don't apologize." He said.

"I feel like I need to apologize. You do so much for me, and I lied to you. You didn't deserve that, regardless of the circumstances." I told him. We stood in silence for a second before he spoke.

"Don't you think you should be in bed? Training is going to come awfully early in the morning." I shook my head, sitting down on the sidewalk.

"I couldn't sleep if I wanted too." I muttered.

"Rose, if it's about what happened, just let it go. It's the past, we can't change it. We've got to move on." He said. I nodded. I knew why I did what I did, but I still couldn't move past the fact that I didn't know why he did what he did. Finally, I nodded.

"You're right. I'm gonna go try and get some sleep." I said. He just nodded, meeting my eyes for a second, before looking away.

"Goodnight, Rose." He said. I turned and started back towards the door. I heard him sigh and could tell that he was about as restless about it as I was. I couldn't stand it anymore. Finally, I turned around and called his name.

"Yeah?" He asked. I took a deep breath.

"Why'd you kiss me back?" I asked, meeting his dark brown gaze through the darkness. He was silent for a few seconds. Finally, he sighed.

"I don't know, Rose." He said.

"You may be able to read me like a book, Dimitri… but you're not exactly hard for me to read either. I can tell when you're lying too." I said. He was silent, I'd rendered him speechless. "Goodnight, Dimitri." I said, before walking inside and leaving him with those final words. I went upstairs, and curled up in my bed, closing my eyes and letting unconsciousness slowly find me.