THE OTHER WAY ROUND
Chapter 22
(DICLAIMER- I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS. THE AMAZINGLY TALENTED RICHELLE MEAD DOES)
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previously on The Other Way Round…
Rose: "when did my life get so fucked up and confusing?"
Every minute I was slowly- slowly falling for him… and I didn't even know…
…
Mike: "earth to Dimitri"
Dimitri: "no I-I was just-"
Mike: "checking out Guardian Mazur?"
…
Guardian Bonville: "Novice Belikov"
Dimitri: "Guardian Bonville"
Guardian Bonville: "Headmistress Kirova would like to have a word with you in her cabin. "shall we go?"
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DPOV-
Calm down Dimitri! just calm down! Its just a talk… she will not eat you…
God! I shouldn't have kissed Rose…
Huh! Asif you are actually sorry for last night.
Okay… im not sorry for what happened, because I don't regret it. It was the best kiss I've ever had! But I cant afford to get expelled or loose Rose as my mentor….
I really have overstepped my boundries…
Before I even knew, we had reached kirova's office.
"go ahead" Guardian Bonvile said nudging me to go inside, if I were just 1 year older, I swear I would beat the shit out if this guy.
After restraining myself from that I quietly took a step inside her office after he opened the door
"may I come in?" I muttered
"come in Mr. Belikov" Kirova said flashing her shiny white teeth and fangs…
I quietly stepped inside trying to have my gaze set on the floor but how could I look at the ground when a Turkish goddess was sitting right in front of me.
Now is not a time to think about how beautiful your mentor looks!
I quickly averted my gaze and sat down on the chair infront of kirova's desk.
"now that you and Mr. Zeklos are here we can start this meeting" Kirova said sitting back on her high head chair.
?
My head snapped on my left and saw ivan sitting next to me, looking nervous…
How the hell is he here?
Why didn't I notice before?
Maybe because I was too busy looking at Rose.
"headmistress" rose's voice echoed in the room "I don't quiet understand why I am here?"
Wait- so rose didn't tell Kirova?
What the hell is happening?
"Guardian Mazur, now that you havent got the information out of them, im afraid ill have to confront them myself. And that's why you're called here" Kirova answered
Information?
I was hella confused right now. I looked at rose with my eyebrowed furrowed in confusion. Her face was pale… like Kirova just said out a big secret of her's…
"what information" I heard myself asking, my eyes still at rose.
"the reason why you both left the academy. The council-"
"Kirova please!" rose's pleading voice cutted Kirova
"im sorry rose but the council is done with your excuses!" Kirova said throwing her hands up in surrender.
"what did you tell rose to do?" I asked, this time in a firm voice.
Kirova's lip twitched up in a smirk "well… the day you arrived back at the academy we needed the answers to why you left. So the council decided that your mentor will get them for us, because you wouldn't say the reason. So the got rose to be all lenient to you so that we can finally have ourselves a statement." She said "but she hasn't given us the answers yet. Always a different excuse everytime."
I felt something break inside me.
It was all a set up?
Rose being so lenient… so friendly. It was all planned?
It was all fake?
No…no- no- no!
This cant happen… all the conversations we made… all the laughs we shared… they cant be just to get out an answer!
I looked at rose, she was sitting on the chair with her head fallen and eyes looking everywhere but into mine.
"so it was all fake?" I croaked out
Rose snapped her head up at my words. Her guardian mask was off. she was hurt, but I didn't wanted to see that! I trusted her and she betrayed me!
"no it wasn't-"
"yes it was." Kirova interrupted rose "im sorry I didn't wanted to tell all of this but you both leave me no choice. The school board needs answers!"
I gripped the hands of the chair with my fists…
So many emotions were running all inside me…
Hurt.
Betrayal.
Anger.
Confusion.
I cant believe it…
From day one, rose fooled me!
She had me think that she was my friend, that she always wanted the best for me…
That she would be with me…
How could I be so stupid?
I always knew that she was too good to be true!
I feel so dejected right now.
I ran a hand in my hair but instead ended up harshly pulling it
Im so stupid! Such a fool to fall for her…
Everything was a lie… a set up… a façade!
"is that the reason why you made Rose, Dimitri's mentor?" I heard ivan questioning Kirova
She pursed her lip "no… it was her own decision. We just wanted answers. And now that she hasn't given any of them to us and I don't even think she ever asked you this, has she?"
That question was to me…
I ran our conversations in my mind and realized that Rose never asked me about that…
She never asked me about the reason why ivan and I left… she didn't tried to meddle in my life in any way… everything I told her, I told her at my own will…
"no." I answered
"well… that calls for severe consequences, Hathaway!" Kirova said eyeing rose.
Consequences?
What kind of consequences? I couldn't help but feel mad at Kirova for talking to rose like that.
"what kind of consequences?" I asked Kirova boldly
She took a moment to answer "your mentor here, told us that she tried getting the information but couldn't… and now you have given us the clarification that she never asked you the question, she has no choice but to face the outcome of lying to us and wasting the board's time."
"but- its not her fault!" I argued. As much as I was angry at rose for keeping all this hidden from me, somewhere I knew that she doesn't deserve this.
"im going to give you 2 options rose" Kirova turned rose, completely ignoring what I just said "eighter you resign your post as Vasilisa Dragomir's guardian… or you resign your post as Dimitri Belikov's mentor"
Her eyes widened in shock and so did mine and ivan's
How can she make rose choose between these 2 things?
I know im being selfish and stupid, but even after all this I still want her as my mentor. But its her decision and lissa's is her bestfriend, her sister!
There's no way in hell she would give that up just to teach me…
Rose's face was dull now. Sadness and pain all over it. I knew she wanted to argue so bad but she was holding back.
"I'm lissa's guardian" rose said in a low rough voice "its my duty and my responsibility, and you have no right to take that away from me just because I lied"
"I know." Kirova said in a calm voice, which rarely ever happens "but as you know, a guardian is suppose to be reassigned after 5 years. And you've been guarding her for far too long for the royal board to be okay"
"so? I just let her go and become unemployed?" rose said and let out a humourless laugh
"not unemployed… you will be dimitri's guardian and we will have to reassigned to some other royal or a family perhaps" Kirova said.
"what if I don't decide to leave her?" rose questioned "what if I resign my post as dimitri's mentor?"
And my heart sank to my stomach…
"well then there will be a proper procedure. A very long one. I wont tell you what you should do, you are not a student anymore, and asif you listened to me while you were. You have 2 people's future in your hands. Choose wisely." Kirova said "and I will call you two in my cabin first thing Monday morning to explain the board the real reason while you left, so be ready" she said moving her fingers between ivan and me and the dismissed us.
Rose was the first one to get up, as she was about to burst out of the room Kirova stopped her
"I want to hear your decision by tomorrow evening and I want the zeklos file on my table by evening" she said. rose didn't said anything and threw the doors open and stepped outside.
"MOVE!" we heard rose bark at Kirova's bodyguards who stepped aside in fear.
"what the fuck just happened in there?" ivan asked me once we were out of the building
"trust me. I want to know the same thing too" I said
"hey- you don't believe what Kirova said, right?" ivan asked me curiously
I didn't reply "you seriously believe that rose would do that!" ivan exclaimed "she may be behind this plan but she didn't faked any of it! Her friendly behaviour towards you isnt fake okay! All of this wasn't a façade from her part!"
"why would kirova lie, ivan?" I groaned
"I- I don't know! But I can tell you for sure that Rose didn't set any of this up. She never asked you about the reason we left? Right?"
I nodded
"see! She didn't asked because she didn't wanted to know. She cares about you Dimitri! you matter to her, not some stupid answers!"
"I- I don't know okay!" I said in a low voice "she could've told me if she really considered me her friend. She should've trusted me, not backstab me!"
"just talk to her. Please! Figure this out like adults… and Dimitri, for vlad's sake! Rose did what's best for you, she really likes-"
A voice interrupted ivan "Dimitri! come here" we turned around and saw Janine calling us.
Rose was with her, talking to some man in black overcoat, I couldn't makeout the face from the distance but the more closer we got the more angrier I became…
"Dimitri, this is my charge. Lord ivashkov." Janine introduced him "lord ivashkov, this is Dimitri Belikov- My daughter's student" he threw an evil smile at me.
I cant believe he had the nerve to come here….
RPOV-
Just as mom introduced her to her new moroi charge and fist came flying out of no where and hit lord ivashkov across the face.
My head snapped in the direction.
"fuck" lord ivashkov grunted in pain as Dimitri continued beating the shit out of him
"Dimitri!" Ivan and I exclaimed and tried pulling him back but he wasn't stopping. He continued kicking and throwing curse at the man.
"you piece of shit! How dare you here!" Dimitri yelled at him while ivan and I held him back
"Dimitri! stop it!" I said struggling to pull him back as he once again pounced on him.
Thank vlad, baba came at the right time and helped us pull Dimitri back.
Lord ivashkov's nose was bleeding badly and had several bruises on his face, my mom helped him get up from the ground. He wasn't shouting or calling for help instead… he was laughing…
What the holy fuck is going on here!
"Dimitri! Son, calm down!" baba said to him coming in between him and lord ivashkov
"how is he here abe!" Dimitri demanded panting "I- I thought we had a deal!"
A deal?
What kind of deal?
"I didn't had the slightest clue Dimitri! please calm down" baba said to him but he wouldn't stop pulling out of our grasp.
In one swift move I turned him around, facing me and kicked the back of his right leg, making him fall on the ground. In no time I was over him, pinning him down tightly.
"Calm. Down." I said each word slowly. He was breathing heavily and so was I. he kept struggling but I restrained him. after some time his struggles stop.
I freed him after Lord Ivashkov was taken to the hospital by my mother and a few other guardians.
Once we were back standing on the ground in took dimitri's arm and started dragging him towards my apartment.
I was so mad at him for this…
I mean- how could he just jump at someone! And not just anyone- at Lord Ivashkov! The ivashkov prince!
Doesn't he know how much this is gonna get him in trouble?
I quickly unlocked the door and flung the door open, then threw Dimitri inside in and slammed it shut.
"What. The. Hell. Was. That? I questioned him. he didn't answer, instead he turned his face around which infuriated me even more!
I walked up to him and turned him around by gripping his arm.
We were now eye to eye.
His chocolate brown eyes were dark with rage and anger and im sure as hell that mine weren't filled with love eighter.
"answer me" I said, my voice was husky
He still didn't reply, just bored his eyes into mine. Now I was growing restless! No one has ever ignored my question and gave me silent treatment… and right now its so wrong to even feel like this but I was literally turned on.
Huh! This guy will be the death of me!
"I asked you something" I said gritting my teeth "tell me why you jumped on Lord Ivashkov like that-"
"WHY DO YOU CARE!?" he yelled at me.
I froze at my place.
He stepped in closer to me "why do you care, huh? Did Kirova put you up to this? To find the reason?" his voice was low and rough, dangerously low.
I stood there in shock. For once in my entire lifetime, I didn't had an answer or a sassy reply.
"I-I" suddenly I wanted to say a lot of things… but I couldn't manage to get them out!
"what? You lied to me! I thought we were friends, Rose. All this time you were lying to me, just for some bloody answers! If you wanted to know it so much then you should've asked me! not back stab me." he said gripping me shoulders tightly "I trusted you…" a small tear leaked out of his eyes.
I felt so broken… so vulnerable. I was angry at myself.
I really shouldn't have kept it a secret. I should've told him… he trusted me and I lied to him…
Tears were threatening to spill out of my own but I held them back.
"it was all a façade wasn't it?" he asked me giving me a blank smile "our 'friendship' our conversations… everytime you laughed with me, that concern! That care! Those hugs… Everything was a lie, wasn't it?"
What?
Did he really thought that it was all a fucking set up?
My feelings for him weren't real? Our friendship wasn't real?!
I get that he's mad right now and he has every right to be, but how could he thing that low of me?!
How can he seriously think that it was all fake?
DPOV-
Okay… maybe I said a little too much.
A little? You practically called her a cheater!
But I didn't meant it to come out like that!
"how dare you!" rose's loud voice made me snap my head back in her direction.
"how could you think that low of me!" he demanded "do you really think everything was fake? A set up? All those feelings… the concern the bond we have. Everything was fake?!"
My mouth was sealed. I couldn't speak anything…
My mind went to the night she brought me and ivan back at the academy… she personally convinced Kirova to let be stay by becoming my mentor. And when she caught me with tasha… she didn't report us because she knew I would get expelled!
And the night when she came in the middle of the night just to check if I was okay, how she comforted me everytime I was angry… she really cared for me. that's the reason I trust her so much.
Now thinking of all this… Im realising how big of a fool I am! im such a bloody idiot to think that everything was just a façade.
Ivan was right… Rose never asked me the reason why we left…
"well guess what! You're wrong!" rose's voice bought me back in the room.
Tears were falling down her soft cheeks. I wanted to punch myself in the gut for making her cry.
"It was never fake! Everything was real. EVERY. DAMN. THING. My friendship was always real! I-I've never l-lied to y-you" her voice was breaking now which pained me even more "I-I just kept t-this hidden because- I knew you would get angry… T-Trust M-Me, I just wanted to make them realize how this was a bad idea… I-I never m-meant to hurt y-you… P-Please… T-Trust m-me!" she fell on her knees, I dropped down to catch her.
She was crying badly. I made her cry… im such a bad person.
"please!" she croaked out "I- trust me!" she begged me.
I couldn't see her like this. I immediately hugged her tightly.
She insantly hugged me back with equal force and buried her face in my chest while she sobbed bitterly.
Her sobs were low but they were painfully piercing my ear.
I hated the sound of Roza crying...My Roza crying…
"shhhh" I ran a hand throught her hair trying my best to calm her down "im sorry Roza… im so sorry! I trust you. Please forgive me… im such a jerk!"
Her sobs died down slowly and her breathing became normal again.
I pulled back from our embrace only to cup her tear-stained face.
Her eyes had regret and pain in them… I gave her pain.
"im sorry" I mumbled softly locking my eyes to her beautiful dark brown ones "im so sorry. Please, forgive me! I know it wasn't a set up… im stupid! I didn't mean it to come out like that. please Roza."
"so you're not mad?" she muttered
"no im not." I told her honestly "I was. But I shouldn't have been. You never asked me the reason why I left or meddled in my life in any way… and now I understand why you kept it all a secret. Please forgive me…"
she gave me a small smile "apology accepted… and im sorry I kept it all a secret"
I smiled back and slowly wiped her tears with my thumb "don't ever cry please" i whispered to her "it pains me seeing you like this"
I got up and helped her get back to her feet again.
Just as I was about to go get her a glass of water she stopped me by gripping my arm. I turned back facing her.
"comrade" she spoke hesitantly asif she was fighting something in her mind.
I hummed.
"do you know Lord Ivashkov?" her voice was down to a whisper. I immediately stiffened at his name.
I know that bastard very well…
I just nodded.
I didn't wanted to tell her this because it'll only make her ask more questions… but was I afraid of telling rose about my story? No
Was I embarrassed? No
I trusted her… I shouldn't keep this from her…
I looked down at her, bracing myself for her reaction.
"I know him" I said slowly…
"who is he to you?" she asked curiously
"Randall Ivashkov is my father."
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Author's note- (btw, there are only a couple more chapters left to this story so sit tight and enjoy!)
Yet another mysterious ending…
How do you think rose will react to this news?
Will Dimitri open up to rose about his past?
Who knew that the infamous Rose Hathaway could cry?
The meltdown scene was a bit overdramatic (I know!) but it was much needed. What do you think about rose being a mole? Did she the right thing by keeping the board's orders a secret, or not?
But the real question is… what is Randall Ivashkov's real motive for coming to the academy?
And what is the reason of Dimitri and Ivan leaving?
If you wanna know you gotta keep reading…
Until next time…
~K