Rumor Has It

For the most part, the next few hours were only eventful, which is saying much, thing to happen was falling asleep in my theory class. I just wasn’t anticipating what happened next.

I recognized the feeling of one of Adrian’s dreams. I was on the porch of the ski lodge, where we’d first met, again. This time, it was still winter time I refused to see what I had been wearing. I had no doubt that it’d just piss me off as usual. Instead, I took in my surroundings. Everything was exactly as I’d remembered. Peaceful. And yet, I hated the place with a passion, despite the reason why I hated it hadn’t taken place there.

I saw Adrian sitting on one of the porch steps. I brushed some snow off the same step and sat down beside him. For a minute, there was a comfortable silence.

His eyes squinted as he took in the landscape. “Why are you asleep?”

“Alto’s class is boring.”

“Guardian Alto already hates you, little dhampir. You’re just giving him more justification as to why he does.”

“Yeah. I don’t care, honestly.” I glanced over at him. “So, why are you dream walking right now?”

“Boredom got the best of me too. I didn’t actually expect to be pulled into anyone’s dreams, but at least I can get a laugh out of it.”

“What were you planning on doing if you actually got in someone’s dream?”

His face fell as he thought about it. He would eventually tilt his head to the side, smiling vaguely. “Like I said, I didn’t expect for this to actually happen. So, I didn’t plan what I’d talk about with anyone.” He looked at me for the first time and smiled brightly. “I’m actually surprised that you’re the one who’s asleep. What with how serious you are about becoming a guardian. What would Belikov say?”

I rolled my eyes. “I couldn’t help myself today. I didn’t get the best sleep last night and the constant training took its toll on me. Plus, I hate this stupid theory class. The last thing I want to do is listen to is Alto lecture us.”

Adrian went to say something, but he seemed to decide against it. He sighed. “You’re waking up.”

I cursed under my breath.

I sat straight up at my desk, only to look into the angry face of Guardian Stan Alto, my least favorite teacher. I about smiled at him and apologize, but he pointed to the door and yelled, “Out of my classroom, Miss Hathaway.”

I scoffed, gathering my things and leaving the room. Just before I left, I turned around and saw Eddie watching, amused. I mouthed ‘Tell me what I miss’ and he replied with a nod. I turned on my heel and left.

…

It was lunch time now. As usual, I was sitting with Lissa, Christian, and Adrian. The atmosphere was comfortable. For the most part.

Adrian had taken our conversation from the day before to heart. He would suggest dates and getaways; in turn, I’d point out that I was still a student and couldn’t leave campus, unless it was approved by the almighty administration of the academy. Truly, I didn’t understand why he gave so much effort; he was just fighting a lost battle. But, I’d still smile and nodded every few minutes, humoring him.

A shrill, prepubescent voice cut into my focus. “Rose!” My head shot up and I looked around the room, eventually find the source: Paul. I waved lightly right as he hopped into the seat next to me. He was beaming. “Hi.”

“Hi, Paul.”

The others shot me confused glances. Peeved that he had been interrupted, Adrian spoke up, “Who’s this?”

“Oh, sorry.” I shifted in the seat. “Everyone, this is Paul.” Lissa smiled appreciatively, but still was confused. Christian and Adrian just nodded. I introduced them to Paul.

The boy’s smile stayed. At least until a flustered Olena scurried to the side of the table. “I’m so sorry, Rose. I think Paul is a little anxious today. I really don’t know why.” I noticed that her accent was considerably thicker than Dimitri’s, which made it a little more difficult to understand what she was saying at first.

I shrugged nonchalantly. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure he’s just happy to be visiting his uncle.”

“Who’s his uncle?” Lissa frowned.

“Guardian Belikov.”

She smiled at Lissa, Christian, and Adrian. “I’m Olena, Dimitri’s mother.” Olena shot me a pointed look, aware that I was on a first name basis with her son. I couldn’t really blame her.

To say Lissa was ecstatic would be an understatement. “Oh! Hi. I’m Lissa Dragomir.”

I nearly want to pound my head into the table after that. Olena bowed to Lissa, then to Adrian and Christian once they introduced themselves. I wasn’t really surprised when they had asked her to not bow and just call them by their first names. I did notice the small elation Christian felt for being treated like the royal he was, instead of the indifference nearly everyone else showed him.

What did surprise me was when Yeva entered the cafeteria.

She had her arm linked with Dimitri’s and guided him across the room and toward us. Naturally, they were speaking in Russian and I had no idea what was being said. Their tones were similar to those of Dimitri’s and Paul’s a few hours before and I recognized a few of the words they had uttered too. I took a mental note saying that I needed to try and get him to tell me their definitions. I doubted it would work, but I did say try.

Yeva still had that knowing glint in her eye as she looked at me. I had to admit that it was kind of freaking me out.

Paul exhaled deeply as he turned his attention back to me and spoke in one breath, “So-what-about-what-Aunt-Vikki-say-about-you-and-Uncle-Dimka?” He caught his breath and continued. “Was she right?”

I groaned and slammed my head on the table. Why did this kid have so much energy? For a moment, I wondered if he had ADD or something, but I shoved that thought away and settled with the answer that I had given Olena about him being excited to see Dimitri. After a few more seconds, I sat back up, rubbing my forehead, and took in the amused—or, in Dimitri’s case only, frustration—faces of the Belikovs. Lissa, Christian, and Adrian were flat out confused.

I didn’t really know why I decided to give myself a headache and I was angry with myself that I had, but I’d take care of that later. I made a small shoulder gesture that wasn’t even worthy enough to be called a shrug as I glanced down at Paul. “I’d rather not talk about that right now. Maybe later?”

The boy frowned, but didn’t object. He simply held up a fist, only having his pinky finger stick up. I laughed, nodded, and wrapped my own pinky finger around his.

Something flashed in Dimitri’s eyes when mine met his. He cleared his throat, which got everyone’s attention. “If you all don’t mind, I’d like to have a word with Rose.”

I wasn’t expecting that. I just stood up and made my way toward the exit without a word to anyone. Dimitri was at my side almost immediately.

We walked outside for a little while in complete silence. We didn’t always need words when around each other. It was nice. I really didn’t understand why he would want to talk to be privately, but I followed anyway. I figured he was just going to complain about me falling asleep in class.

I took advantage of campus being temporarily deserted and reached over to grab his hand. When he didn’t let go, I couldn’t help but smile. I exaggerated a little by swing our arms back and forth a little. Dimitri looked down at our hands swinging in the air and laughed. I nearly felt like my legs had turned into jelly. His laugh was one that I so rarely heard and it always so harmonious.

I was surprised that he was risking this much. After all, he was the one that always was chastising that anything more than a student-mentor relationship was wrong. My being a student and being Lissa’s future guardian along with him was too dangerous. They come first. I frowned at the thought.

He came to a halt and looked at me. “Are you okay?”

I tried to swallow. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

He frowned. “Rose.”

“What?” I looked into his eyes. His deep brown eyes. The ones I could get lost in. “It’s not like we should be doing this.”

He dropped my hand immediately. “You’re the one saying that we are wrong?”

“No.” I shook my head. “We are right. It’s just that, if we do this, we’d be putting whatever Moroi we guard in danger, just like you always say. I don’t know how I’d live with myself if I let that happen to anyone, especially Lissa.” I coughed. “I also don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you.”

He smothered me with a hug then. I buried my face in his chest, inhaling the scent of his after shave. I calmed down. At least until I heard a sob. I pulled my head back a little and brushed my fingertips across my cheek. When did I start crying?

Dimitri sighed. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll figure something out,” he murmured into my hair, still keeping his hold on me. “Everything will be fine, Roza.”

I smiled, wiping my own tears again. “I really hope so.”

“I hope that I’m not interrupted something.”

Dimitri and I jumped apart, facing the new third party: Eddie.

I gave a sigh of relief. I’d be freaking out had it been someone else. “No, you’re not interrupting anything.” Why was he here? “Why are you here?”

“You wanted me to tell you what happened in Guardian Alto’s class after you left, remember? I went to the cafeteria, but some little kid said that you and his uncle were having a talk.” His arms were crossed. “I’m curious, but I’m not going to ask.”

Dimitri just stood there, in complete guardian mode. I sniffed. “What happened in class?”

Eddie shrugged. “We reviewed the basics.”

“Why?”

“The field experience starts this week. He wanted to make sure we’re ready.”

“So why did he kick me out?”

“You were sleeping,” he said slowly, uncrossing his arms and frowning. “You were also mumbling in your sleep.”

“Was I?” Adrian had visited my dream during class. I didn’t think talking in my sleep was possible. “What did I say?”

“I couldn’t make it all out.” He ran a hand through his hair. “You did say something about Mason…”

“Oh.” I didn’t—Before Adrian showed up, I was dreaming about seeing his ghost the other day. Ghost? I think stress was getting the best of me. “I had a dream about him.”

Eddie’s face paled. He had been Mason’s best friend. Obviously he was just as—if not more—effected by his death as I was. He forced himself to smile “I’d best get going. I’ll see you in class.”

I started to follow Eddie, but Dimitri grabbed my arm and guided me a little way into the forest nearby. He pressed me up against a tree, placing his hands on either side of me and trapping me there.

“Rose, why didn’t you tell me that you’ve been having dreams about Mason? I may have been able to help.”

“I haven’t had them often.” I glanced down at the forest floor. “Actually, I think the first one was today.”

A line creased in his forehead. “Don’t be afraid to tell me anything.”

“I’m not.” I rubbed my eyes. They had been stinging for a while.

He caught my hands, intertwining his fingers with mine. His eyes scanned the area before resting on me again. “I’ve been thinking.”

“What about?”

“About what you said. I should be contradicting myself every time I see you.” He sighed. “I shouldn’t have the feelings I do. I should choose only being your mentor.”

“Then why don’t you?” His constant change of mind was turning out to become one huge headache. I was about to giving up on it all. Close, but I couldn’t.

“Do you remember why I didn’t take Tasha’s offer?”

I forced myself not to scowl at the mentioning of Tasha Ozera. Had she not tried to pry Dimitri away from the academy to become her guardian with fringe benefits, I’d almost like her. She was nice and didn’t let her royal name give her an ego, which, after what happened to Christian’s parents, it made plenty of sense. What with majority of the vampire world believed that any Ozera would go Strigoi any moment.

I nodded slowly. “Something about your heart is somewhere else.” I actually remembered the day clearly. He’d told me that he turned down Tasha’s offer. I’d been listing off reasons why we shouldn’t be together. Then he kissed me.

He was so close in that moment. I could see the shades of brown, even in the shadows of the forest at night. I could distinctly see the slight stubble trailing along his jaw. When he smiled, it was extremely bright.

“Yes,” he breathed. “Even then, I implied how I felt.”

What was he on about? I watched as he carefully planned his next words. I’d never felt so much anxiety in my life to hear what a person would say.