RPOV (two weeks later)

Tasha's been staying at the Academy for two weeks and hasn't made any attempt to leave. I've tried spending time with her to please Lissa, but I've been trying not to spend too much time with her. There's something about her that isn't right. The way she looks at my stomach and the way she always seems fixated on it. I can tell Christian is loosing his patience with his aunt's constant topic of my baby and how she's so curious on who the father is. Lissa, always the optimist, seems a bit oblivious to Tasha's creepiness and always tries lightening the mood.

Besides Tasha, Dimitri and I have been discussing the baby—what will happen once the baby's born, how I'll deal being a young mother, and the Strigoi problem. And I was going to the gym to meet Dimitri there. When I walked in, I saw Tasha and Dimitri, Tasha's hands on Dimitri's chest, and them standing very close together. The look on Dimitri's face, the way it was so close to hers...

I hadn't noticed I made a noise until Tasha looked at me in surprise. Dimitri blinked and looked at me, frowning. I felt an overwhelming feeling rush over me. All these feelings making my head spin and my stomach knot.

"Rose, what are you doing here?" Tasha asked in a sweet voice. She looked at Dimitri when he walked over to me. I backed away from him.

"Roza what's—" He stopped when I slapped him across the face.

He was going to kiss her, I thought hysterically. Why was he going to kiss her?

Deep down, some rational part of me said Tasha could've compulsed him, but even if she did, the idea that Dimitri was so close to kissing her made me feel dirty and betrayed. Was he cheating on me with Tasha? I was younger than him and pregnant, I could understand how he'd get tired of being around me. But the whole prophecy...

I felt tears sting my eyes.

Dimitri looked at me in confusion. "Roza what's wrong?"

I glared at him. "Why're you asking me?" I asked icily. "You're the one who almost kissed that." I pointed at Tasha, she glared at me. The confusion deepened on Dimitri's face. Before Dimitri could utter another word, I turned and left.

... later that very day ...

I was able to get out of class and go to my dorm. Alone. I didn't trust Dimitri. Sad, isn't it? I told the teacher that I "wasn't feeling well" and she let me go. She said I could come back to class whenever I felt better; she tried getting a guardian to go with me but I convinced her I'd be fine. Without a guardian to watch me, that meant I'd be able to get away.

To put in simpler terms, I'd be able to runaway. Everything became so overwhelming, so unpredictable. I stopped packing when I felt the baby move in me. I put a hand on my stomach and sighed. Shaking my head, I continued packing.

... even later that very day ...

I didn't go back to class. Lissa and the gang tried checking up on me. When I wouldn't answer to them, Dimitri tried, multiple times. He tried apologizing, he tried using the baby to get in. I only got angry at him. By the time it was curfew, I opened my door, a backpack slung over my shoulder, and tiptoed out.

I made it to the main entrance without getting noticed. Once I was at the edge of the wards, I took a deep breath and continued walking. I only made it three feet when I felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck.

QUICKY A/N: IF THIS CH. WASN'T GOOD, YOU CAN TELL ME. SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG FOR ME TO UPDATE. SO, HERE'S THE NEXT CH.

:I :I

YOURS TRULY,

~SMITHY