Hey! I'm Melanie and this is my first story :) Tell me what you think. There is a...link to what Rose and Dimitri's apartment looks like on my profile! I hope you enjoy!

Chapter One

"Ugh! That was a heavy one!" I groaned. Laughing I turned around and jogged up my house front steps. "Dimitri!" I yelled, what was he doing sitting down?

"Yes bubble-butt?" He asked me, smirking while he sipped more of my mom's famous cherry-blossom iced-tea.

"Really? You're going to make fun of your new room-mate? May I remind you that I'll have access to all your belongings and food now?" I taunted, his face paled a little but my mom came in. I knew she heard me.

"Rose, are you teasing Dimitri again? You know he's going to be the one to bail you out when you spend your rent on food right?" she sighed, my mom knew me. I always bought food. I just wasn't the most creative and successful cook. I mean I could make ramen and mix a mean margarita which I always made on Friday's after class.

Normally Dimitri would join me, and just recently my other kind of friend Christian. We didn't really get along but it's because we didn't get along that he was perfect for margarita night.

I plopped beside Dimitri.

"Enjoying that?" I asked him.

"Are you both ready?" My dad asked.

"Ready to go off to college Roza?" He asked me in his deep, husky voice.

I smiled; Dimitri was especially beautiful when he smiled at me. His eyes would get dark and he'd hold my hand and I'd feel…special.

"As long as you're with me. Yea, I'm ready." I squeezed.

Dimitri got up because I sure as hell didn't want to get up. They made me pack all of my boxes and suitcases on my own. I mean seriously, I know it was a lot but I had a lot of stuff I needed to bring. Not want, but need. Did they expect me to live like some kind of homeless person?

He pulled me up and I was immediately surrounded by the smell of Dimitri. Which was unique.

"Mmm," I murmured. Then quickly pulled away, I didn't want my dad to get any ideas. When Dimitri and I were younger, being best friends wasn't a problem. But as we got older, and well, he did have a problem with us sleeping in the same bed ever Sunday evening and sharing the same bathroom.

Not that we showered together, just that we didn't have a problem walking in and using it when the other was using it.

"You should drive." I told him as I hopped into the passenger side. We rented a moving vehicle and my parents would drive in my car then they would drive the moving truck back home. It was going to be a long drive so they wanted to join us to make sure we made it alright, and to make sure I didn't mix up our apartment like I did before.

It was tough getting it back, but it wasn't my fault. If the clerk would just do as I'd asked I wouldn't have had to threaten him.

"What makes you think I would've let you drive Roza?" he asked me, ever since Dimitri moved from Baia, Russia, he's called me that. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about it but not it made me weirdly happy.

I leaned towards him and whispered, "I know, you'd let me do anything I want if I really wanted to." Then gently kissed him on his cheek. He was shocked for a while but recovered.

"You're messed up Roza." Putting the truck in gear he drove off. "I'm going to get you back you know that right?"

Three Hours Later…

Our apartment was two blocks down from Columbia University. Dimitri got a full academic scholarship there and was also offered a football scholarship because he is truly amazing at football, but turned it down because he already had one and didn't want to take two scholarships when someone else could get it. So they offered him the opportunity to play football and the school would provide everything for him.

I on the other hand got a half scholarship, so I had to pay for the other half which was mostly books and small school fees.

"So, when are you going job hunting?" Dimitri asked me as he brought in three more boxes.

This time him and my dad were unloading everything and my mom and I were unpacking them.

"Uh, I talked to Christian and he told me his aunt's looking to hire someone again. So I'm going in Monday that way I'll have a week's pay before we actually start school." I told him as I got the throw pillows my mom insisted I get and place them on the three sofa's in our little living room.

It wasn't extremely big, but it was big for the two of us.

Our building, if I do say so myself is awesome. It had security and you needed a room, or be invited by someone who lived here to get inside. My dad made sure we only got the best. It had to be in a safe neighborhood, and excellent security, actually Dimitri and my dad made sure of that.

The living room and kitchen was an open space design. We walked into the living room and towards the back was our kitchen. The rectangle island separated the two and a walk way was made between our living room and the kitchen. To the left was the dining area that had a stand. Then to the right were our bedrooms and one full bathroom.

"Are you sure you want to work?" Dimitri asked me. I knew he was concerned that some of my shifts were going to be nights because of school.

"Yea, it's going to be fun." I smiled, then I whispered, "You're already paying for our apartment, let me help."

He touched my cheek, "I'll pick you up. No walking alone. Alright?" He said, sometimes Dimitri was like the older brother I never had.

"Whatever." I muttered as I threw a pillow at him. He left to get some more boxes.

Later…

"Oh god! I feel like I can crash right here." I exhaled; it's been a long day. My parents were long gone and Dimitri and I were lounging on our extremely comfortable chair.

Then there was a knock.

"Oh, no, you get it." I grumbled to him.

"Will you rub my feet after?" He asked me. Then leaned in to give me a little kiss that made my insides flutter. I turned away and he got up chuckling.

I heard when he opened the door but heard nothing after. It got weird.

"Dimitri, is everything alright?" I asked as I walked towards the door.

Then I saw him. In all his signature suit and tie that was tailor made for him, green eyes and dark hair. My ex-boyfriend who dumped me a couple months earlier and not a week later started dating my cousin.

I froze, which wasn't good because I thought I was over him, but now I knew I wasn't because right now, right this very minute, my heart was racing and my palms started to sweat.

He smiled, "Hi Rose." And if this day couldn't get any worse, she came.

"Hi Rose."

"Hello Sydney."

Did you like it? I would love to read a review of your thoughts! What was Adrian and Sydney doing there?