Love Fades, But Mine Never Will

Suspended in a compromise

•Rose Hathaway•

                  Dimitri helps me to stand up and his hands feel warm and my body tingles where he holds me. Why do I still feel like this? Is it always gonna be like this? "How...? Viktoria! That little sneak! Excuse me Guardian Belikov. I have to go." I mumble and remove myself from his arms. No matter how much my body begs me not to. Stupid traitorous body.

           "Roza, wait please!" Dimitri pleads but I shut his voice out and keep walking. I walk in the opposite direction and speed walk to the bathroom. I walk through the door and slam it shut and lock it behind me. I let out a shaky breath and close my eyes. I refuse to cry. I refuse to cry. I will not cry, I mentally tell myself over and over until I feel the tears leave. I breathe deeply and calm my breathing and attempt to smile before unlatching the lock.

            I pull open the door and walk out the bathroom only to nearly run into someone. "Rosie there you are! I've been looking for you." I snap my head up and l see Christian grinning down at me.

         "Have you been here the whole time Fire Crotch?! And I've told you not to call me Rosie." I smack his arm before pulling him into a fierce bear hug.

           "Woah I didn't think you'd miss me this much. But I missed you too Rose. Things haven't been the same without you around. " Christian smiles and hugs me back. "So tell me what you majored in? I'm sure you followed a different major with a different charge?" Christian asks offering me his arm and leading me back toward the party.

                "Yup, Vika was her near guard so they have the same major. But I'm the classes that didn't interest me Yelena let me take stuff that actually interested me. So I have a major in animal biology with a minor in psychology. Vika and Lena have majors in Psychology and minors in Business Administration." I explain as we walk back in the room. Christian leads me over to a familiar face. "Eddie, I didn't know you were here too. I've missed you, how are you doing?" I smile and hug him.

              "Rose, I'm so proud of you! Congrats on graduating. It's really good to see you again." Eddie smiles and hugs me back. "Have you met my charge, Jill?" Eddie asks and gestures to a familiar face next to him.

         "Jill oh it's nice to see you! I don't think I've seen you since right before I graduated from St. Vlads? You look gorgeous, how are you doing? I heard about the revelation of you and Liss being sisters. How has that been going?" I ask hugging Jill.

           Jill shoots me an enormous smile. "Hi Rose, I'm happy to see you again. You look really great! I've been doing alright, I'm in college now too. I'm going for fitness so I can teach other Moroi to fight. And as for me finding out I have a sister... it's really hard at times. I think it hurts her to have this image of her dad shattered, so it doesn't always go smoothly. It's gotten better though, we can be in the same room and not argue most of the time now." Jill sadly explains.

           That doesn't sound like Liss, I frown. Hmm, maybe I'll have to do damage control. "Huh that doesn't sound like Liss. I can talk to her if you'd like? I talk to her on occasion but I'll call her tomorrow and try and figure out what's wrong?" I offer with frown. Jill smiles and shakes her head in agreement.

           "Rose there you are, I've been all over looking for you. My parents want to see you." Yelena huffs dragging Vika along behind her. She points her parents out talking to Baba. I huff and allow them to lead me over there. They drop me off and then head back over to Lina and Sonya.