One Month Later….
"Yume," Yori says as we walk down the hall after class ends for the day, "what is up with Zero? He has been acting weird lately."
I shrug my shoulders. "It is really complicated," I say.
"Oh, OK," she says.
I turn to smile at her, but find myself on the ground quicker than my mind could react. As I push my books off me and look up to see what I bumped in to, I find Kaname standing in front of me with his hand out for me to grab. I sigh and take it because everyone would find it rude of me if I don't.
"Thank you, Kaname," I mutter.
"I'm sorry I made you fall," Kaname says with his sly smile.
"Sure," I say as I walk by him.
"Oh, Yume," Kaname calls after me.
I stop and turn to face him. I do not have time for his crap today. Well, I don't feel like it to say the least. "Yes, Kaname?"
Kaname walks towards me. "I need to talk to you," he says as he grabs my arm.
"Kuran, what are you doing here?" Zero asks as he jerks Kaname's hand away from me.
Kaname glares at Zero. This has been going on for the last month. And it has been getting worse since this month is almost over.
"I came to ask Yume a question," Kaname replies.
Zero chuckles. "Like I'd allow you to talk to her. She is taken." Zero glances down at me with his perfectly practiced smile.
Kaname walks past Zero, barely muttering, "Not if I can help it," so Zero and I are the only people to hear it. I glare back at him, but he never looks back.
"What was that all about?" Yori asks once again.
I look at her and shrug my shoulders. "It just got more complicated."
When Zero, Yori, and I get to Yori's room, Zero and I say goodbye. We walk down the corridor and down the stairs to the front doors of the school. Today is the day that I have to decide, and I have no choice but to be honest with my choice. Kaien already made it clear to me when Kaname interrupted class by bringing me giant stuffed animals (which were soooo adorable I might add) that I can't just lie and choose Zero. I have to be completely honest with myself and them.
"Rose, are you awake?" Zero asks me.
I snap to and look at Zero. "Of course Zero-kun!"
Zero rolls his eyes. "I've already told you countless times before not to call me that," he grunts.
I smile. "You've only said it one hundred times. No, this makes one hundred-one times you've said it." Zero face palms himself. I laugh since this may be the last time I'm with him.
"Zero! Rose!" someone shouts from behind us. I turn around to see Yuki running towards us.
"Hey, Yuki," I say as she stops in front of me.
Yuki looks at me with a puzzled expression. "Rose, what are you doing here?!" she shouts at me.
"What are you talking about?" I ask.
"Is something wrong?" Zero asks with slight curiosity.
"Uh, yeah something's wrong!" Yuki shouts again. "There are vampire hunters after Rose!"
I roll my eyes. "Who told you that?" I ask.
"Kaname," Yuki replies.
"Have you not been paying attention the past month?" I ask. "Kaname will do anything to get me away from Zero."
"Oh…" Yuki glances around frightfully.
"What are you scared of?" Zero asks.
"Kaname just seemed… mad now that I think of it," Yuki says.
"Come with us, then," I say. I grab her hand and begin walking again. It has been a while since the three of us have had a chance to talk. But now we don't have anything to talk about because of the extreme tension.
I suddenly stop walking. "Rose, what's wrong?" Yuki asks.
"I smell something," I mutter. Zero takes a deep breath. Then he puts his hand over my nose and mouth. I try to pull his hand away, but he is still much stronger than I.
"Zero, what's wrong?" Yuki asks quickly.
"I smell blood," Zero replies in a whisper.
My eyes widen. The only blood I've ever smelled is my own, and Hanabusa's, so this is really something new for me.
"What are we going to do?" Yuki asks as she pulls her Artemis rod out.
"Stay quiet," Zero says as he reaches into his jacket to retrieve the Bloody Rose.
I struggle to move Zero's hand so I can breath. "Zero," I mumble. "I…can't…breath." Zero removes his hand from my face, but grabs both of my hands and holds them behind my back. "What the-"
"Shush!" Zero says in to my ear.
I glare up at him. "What are you doing?" I whisper angrily.
"I'm protecting you," he says, a cold look in his eyes.
I glance at Yuki who is standing just a bit behind Zero. "Yuki," I beg.
Yuki shakes her head. "Let Zero do what he has to do," she says.
Great. Just freakin' great! I'm being held hostage by Zero.
"Rose, be quiet and breath slowly," Zero says once more in to my ear.
I sigh and do as he says, but apparently not fast enough. A shadowy figure approaches us from the woods. Wait. We are still on school grounds. Who the hell is this?! Out of nowhere, Zero's hand covers my eyes and I can't see who it is.
"Zero!" I shout.
"Rose?" a voice calls out. A voice that I don't recognize. It is a harsh male voice that sounds choked or suffocated even.
"Don't say anything you monster," Zero says cruelly.
"Zero," the person says again, this time sounding clearer.
"Shut up!" Zero shouts.
At this moment I take my chance and remove Zero's hand from my face to see what it is that he is trying to hide from me. Though, when I see Kaname standing before covered in blood, I wish I hadn't.
"Kaname?" I ask. "What… what have you done?"
Kaname looks away from me. "Rose… I-"
"You have no right to speak to her in the state you are in," Zero shouts.
I glare back at Zero. "And what right do you have to control me?!" I ask, raising my voice.
"Do you not want me to protect you?" Zero asks.
"That isn't what I meant," I say, turning back to Kaname.
"What have you done, Kaname?" I ask again.
Kaname turns his head in my direction. His eyes are glowing red along with the red blood dripping down his face. "I'm sorry," I says.
I look in to his eyes and feel sorry for him. I know Kaname has a problem, almost like a drinking problem just with blood. It gets worse when he doesn't get what he wants, which is what has been going on for a month now.
"For what?" I ask because I have a feeling that there is more to this than just because he let me see him like this.
Kaname looks behind him, and I smell the blood again. My eyes widen as I realize whose blood it is. "Sky," I say as I follow the scent.
I look behind a tree and find Sky propped against it looking up at me. I crouch down and look in to her eyes. "Sky, are you alright?" I ask worriedly.
Sky nods her head. "Rose, don't be mad at Kaname. He…" Sky takes a deep breath. "He loves you, and he didn't want to hurt you. But he… he just."
"I know," I whisper as Zero, Yuki, and Kaname walk up behind me. I look into Sky's eyes and give her a half-smile. "I know."
"Sky, are you alright?" Yuki asks as she kneels down to check her wound.
"Yes, I'm fine," Sky replies.
Yuki looks at me and then to Zero and Kaname. "I want to three of you to get headmaster Cross and bring him here. And do it in a nice manner," Yuki adds.
I get up and walk away from Sky and Yuki with Kaname behind me and Zero in front of me. For a while we walk in silence. An eerie silence that is frightening. But out of nowhere, Kaname grabs my arm and stops me. I look back at him and notice that moon light is all around us.
"Kaname, what' wrong?" I ask gently. Zero places his hand on my shoulder. What is it, tug-of-war?
"You need to decide, Rose," Kaname says in his usual manner. "And you need to decide now."
I look into Kaname's eyes, and then into Zero's eyes. Their eyes are so intense that I can barely look at them. I jerk away from their grip and walk over to a tree. I have to choose, but who? I know that I now have feelings for both of them that I never thought I would have. But I have to choose truthfully and honestly like Kaien said.
I turn back to them. Their stares haven't changed any. I know that being with Kaname might get me killed in the end and might not even make me happy. However, Zero has made it clear that he doesn't love me, or at least that's how he felt a month ago. But I have feelings for him.
I shake my head and take a deep breath. I have to choose. I have to. "Zero, Kaname, I… I choose…."
I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry that I haven't updated in forever. I have had trouble with this chapter. But because of that, I decided to leave it at a cliff hanger. I appreciate all of those who continue to read this. It makes me happy. And if you notice that I haven't updated in a while, please inform me. I may be lazy and a sudden reminder helps me know that people actually read this. I would like to know who this Rose/Yume chooses. To be honest, I don't even know. But that's life. Thanks for reading and please leave a review if you have time. Thanks soooo much!