No One Ever Looks Up (VA - Romitri)

Chapter 5: That's Not Your Key

I was still reeling when we left Alberta's office. Dimitri took one look at my face and slipped his hand into mine, squeezing it gently.

"Come on – I'll make you dinner." I smiled up at him gratefully, looking forward to a quiet evening in, a sexy Russian cooking dinner... but of course, life had other plans.

"Rose!" Lissa motioned me over to where the others were sitting at one of the picnic tables in the courtyard. 'And bring Guardian Belikov.' she added through the bond. Her nose wrinkled as she thought it, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Please, Liss," I grinned at her when we were close enough to have some degree of privacy, "call him Dimitri – at least in private and through the bond."

"I dunno, Rose..." she started.

"Or," I interrupted, as I flopped down on the bench across from her, "I'll be forced to call your boyfriend Lord Ozera."

"I'll do my best." She said hurriedly. I grinned at her horrified expression.

"Atta girl, Liss. Knew you'd see it my way."

Dimitri looked adorably awkward through our exchange. He shifted from one foot to another uneasily, and his guardian's mask had slipped enough that he wore a slight frown.

Christian and Eddie were both glaring at him, which was obviously adding to his discomfort. Mason, bless him, just looked confused.

"Uh, Rose?" he finally asked, "Did I miss something?"

"That's right!" Christian smacked his forehead. "You missed lunch! Where were you, anyway?"

"Retaking that math test." Mason grimaced. "I know I told you guys about it. So spill – what did I miss? Besides lunch, I mean. While we're at it, why is Guardian Belikov here? And why is he fidgeting?"

Dimitri glared at him. "I do not fidget."

"Uh, yeah, Comrade, you sort of are." I couldn't help laughing at him. "Here," I patted the bench next to me, "have a seat. And try to relax. They don't bite, I promise."

"Actually Rose," said Eddie hesitantly, "remember that one time..."

"Guys!" Mason sounded annoyed. "Focus! I'm feeling seriously left out, here."

"Rose." Dimitri warned. I followed his gaze to the next table, where some of the students seemed a little too interested in our conversation.

"Sorry, Mase." I apologized. "But this isn't really the best place to talk about it."

We all shared an awkward glance.

"Maybe we should move this discussion to my room?" Lissa suggested.

"Um, Liss?"

"Yeah, Rose?"

"What about Natalie?"

"Oh." She looked momentarily guilty. "I sort of forgot about her."

Not difficult to do, I mused – though I knew it was cruel. Natalie was just... forgettable. But I definitely didn't want her in on our secret. It wasn't that I didn't trust her, exactly... Oh, who was I kidding. It was exactly that I didn't trust her. Natalie had a tendency to hang around with the school's most notorious gossips, and also to revel in spreading whatever rumors came her way. If we talked openly in Lissa's room, the whole school would know about our relationship by the end of the day. And then Alberta would kill us. If my mom didn't get to us first. I shuddered and looked pointedly at Lissa. The bond may not be two ways, but we know each other well enough that she can usually pick up on what I'm trying to tell her.