Chapter Two

When I wake up in the morning, I feel as though I haven't slept. I push myself up, still over the top of my duvet. All of my joints ache, and when I look at my knuckles I notice they're caked in dried blood. I stretch out my tight fingers and grimace at the sting. I take a quick shower and throw on some leggings and a jogging top and start stretching in front of the mirror.

I moan when I pull my foot behind my back, feeling as though all my muscles will rip. My eyes water, but I blink it back. I'll be fighting Strigoi one day, this is nothing.

I make my way downstairs to the field and run. My feet are pounding on the ground, my eyes watching the land blur beyond me. I am determined to beat my last time. One, two, three, four. I count my breaths desperately, trying to distract myself from the pain in my legs.

I don't notice the person in front of me until I smack my nose into his back and fall backwards, flat on my ass. My head hits the ground with a thud.

"Rose? Rose, are you okay?" Dimitri desperately asks above me. I feel his tender hands on my shoulders, and I'm surprised he is being so... gentle. When I open my eyes, he is literally centimetres away from me. His eyes seem to melt into mine, full of something I had never really seen in him before. Compassion?

"I'm fine," I sigh, going to sit up. A wave of dizziness almost sends me back to the floor. I feel a warm liquid running down my lips.

"Oh shit, shit, shit, you're bleeding." Dimitri pushes his finger against the bottom of my nose and holds my head up with the other hand and I yelp. A nose bleed, how attractive, Rose!

"Ugh, no! That's disgusting!" I moan. "You don't have to do that-" He pinches my nose together and gives me an embarrassed smile.

"I don't mind, really." He says, sounding genuine. "Why were you up so early any ways?"

I shrug, tight lipped. " I could ask you the same thing."

"I was stretching for a run when you head butted me. I like getting up early. More practise. Combats my thing, but not running." My eyes widen, surprised by his reply.

"Same, actually." I'm even more surprised by my reply. "I mean I... I want to be better, all the time." Why am I sharing this with him? Did I knock out my brain to mouth filter when I smashed into him?!

He gets up and stretches his hand out to me. I take it this time, and let him pull me to my feet. "It looks like it has stopped bleeding, but you should sit down or-"

"Will you run with me?" I ask, then immediately want to disappear. Why would he want to run with me? I would probably slow him down or...

He opens his mouth to speak, but is interrupted by Jesse, who walks over with a shit eating grin. "Nice form, Rose. Giving our Dimitri here a good morning present?" He elbows Dimitri with a god awful annoying laugh. I watch Dimitri carefully, looking for his reply. He runs his fingers through his hair, even though they're all bloody and-

"She wishes."

My gaze snaps to Dimitri's eyes, but he's looking straight ahead. I ignore the stupid flare up which taste suspiciously like denial and I slap him. I was not a slut. I still have my virginity for gods sake. My hand strings with the shock.

Jesse gets a rush out of this and rocks back on his heels, smiling. "That's what I love about Rose here. I bet she's a viscious one in bed. I'm sure she would love a good slap."

I go to punch Jesse in the face, but Dimitri grabs my wrist before I have the chance. "You know the consequence if you beat up a Moroi."

"Too bad I don't give a shit." And then I punch Jesse so hard he blacks out. I'm sure Dimitri could have stopped me if he wanted to.

That's how I ended up in headmistresses Kirova's office before first lesson.

"Rosemary Hathaway. You are wild, reckless and-"

"He called me a slut!" I argue back, gripping the seat in clenched fists.

"On no occasions do you harm a Moroi. You broke Jesse Zeklos' nose. I don't care what rank you are in your classes! How on earth can we trust you to protect the Princess when you still act like this?!" Kirova stares daggers at me and I resist the urge to flinch,.

"So Jesse just gets away with it? It's not fair!"

"Life isn't fair, Hathaway." Kirova mutters. "You are under dorm arrest, other than lessons, until you fix this disgraceful behaviour I stupidly thought you had grown out of."

"What about practise out of lessons?!" I cry out, but she ignores me.

I give up, keeping my gaze tight on the floor.

"Don't make me have to expel you , Rosemary. You know I will if I have to. You're dismissed."

"Okay." I say, more bitterly than I probably should have, then I get out that room as quick as possible.

Dimitri is waiting outside, and I shove my shoulder into the side of him. He grabs my arm and forces me to come to a stop.

"What do you want? I can't believe I actually thought you were alright." I bite out to him, giving him my most defiant look.

"I'm sorry, Rose, I just find it hard to-"

"Hard to what? Resist joining in on making me feel like shit?" My eyes are stinging now, from tiredness and anger. I just want to run to Lissa and tell her everything that has happened in the last couple of days.

"No, of course not-"

"Don't talk to me again, then. Because every nice thing that comes out of your mouth just bounces back to some kind of insult." Then, before I start crying over some stupid guy, I leave with one last stare.

The next week is hell. Dimitri doesn't speak to me, or look at me for that matter. He simply pretends I don't exist. I'm unable to practise out of my dorm other than lessons, so I spend every minute in my room doing sit-ups and push-ups until my head feels like it is going to explode. I spend any other time with Lissa, who puts her hand on mine and gives me those perfect eyes which promise everything will be al-right.

Lissa has gotten close to Christian recently. Usually I would have a fit over this, Christian being the psychopathic idiot that he is, but Lissa looks so happy... I can't take that away from her. Sometimes I wish I could be as happy as she is.

Jesse has ignored me too, thank God. I get a lot of dirty looks from his friends, but I'm used to that. So when I go to the dorm party two weeks later, because Lissa begged me to sneak out, I never expect it.

A/N Thank you so much for reviewing! I am hoping to update every couple of days because I love writing short chapters, but if you review I may just update even faster. ;) Next chapter is where the story really sets off... (dun dun dun)