Hey!!

Don't own anything.

This is kinda lame. Okay, it's REALLY lame. I'll probably end up changing it. Or erasing it.

thanks to Eta Carinae1 for the idea! ;)

Have a Great Day!

~Rose

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Interrupted

Without warning, Rose leaned forward and kissed me. I found myself kissing her back. I didn't want to, but I was powerless to stop myself. I'd been wanting to kiss her since that night of the lust spell. It was so hard to stay focused on business during our training sessions, when all I could think about was how close she was.

In the back of my mind, I knew I shouldn't be doing this. I should pull away. Pull away, then walk away.

Instead, I pressed my body to hers. She was caught between me and the wall. I held her wrist with one hand, and the other hand moved into her hair.

Finally! After so long, I was able to run my fingers through her hair. My kissing increased.

All I was aware of was Rose. Her lips, her smell, her body…

Which was all a mistake, because when I was focused on her, I didn't hear the door open.

I'd lost track of the time, and I didn't hear the doors open. A group of novices came in, laughing and joking with each other.

Rose and I jumped apart like teenagers caught by an adult. But it was too late. The novices saw everything.

Mason Ashford stepped up. "What's going on, Rose?"

Rose gave him a lazy smile. "Nothing."

I didn't know what to say. When they left here, it would be all over the school. I would get fired and Rose would be expelled. End of story.

Mason gave her a skeptical look. He didn't believe it. Okay, no one would.

The novices looked at me. Then at Rose.

Eddie Castile let out a whistle.

Rose strode forward. "Shut up, Eddie. Nothing happened. It's a new fighting technique. If you'd come if a couple seconds later, you would have seen me throw his ass to the floor."

"You seem to know all about his ass," Mason said. There was a chorus of Ohhh.

Rose walked forward and punched Mason on the arm. "No, I don't."

Mason didn't look convinced.

Rose sighed. "Oh, grow up, Ashford. You guys need to get your minds out of the gutter."

With that, she walked off and class begun. But I knew this wasn't the end of it.

---

By dinner time, the whole school was abuzz with rumors about Rose and me. The older guardians were disgusted with the students, convinced they'd made it up.

At dinner, Rose finally had enough. I could tell it was bothering her.

I was passing through the commons when she decided to make her outburst.

Rose had been sitting with Lissa and Christian Ozera. Her face was twisted into a look of disgust as she shot glares around the room. Students openly laughed and pointed at her.

She stood up and I thought she was going to leave. Only she didn't. She stepped onto her chair and then onto the table. Lissa looked at her in surprise.

Rose let out a whistle and everyone stopped talking.

"When I find out who started this fucking rumor, that person's ass is mine. He's my mentor you sick perverts," she snarled.

"Miss Hathaway! Get to my office now!" Headmistress Kirova showed up.

Rose smiled, jumped off the table, and walked out of the room. It was silent for a second, then everyone started talking again.

I followed Rose to the headmistress's office.

"Miss Hathaway," she began when Rose was seated. "The tables are not to be used for a stage. Next time, conduct your little show somewhere else."

Rose jumped up. "I've had enough of this! I stood up there on your precious table because I'm sick of the rumors! Rumors about me are one thing, but I will not tolerate rumors about some sort of secret affair between Guardian Belikov and myself."

Ms. Kirova looked at her. "Why would you stick up for Guardian Belikov?" she asked.

"Because if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be here. He kept me here with Lissa instead of letting you ship me off somewhere." Ah, so Rose did appreciate my efforts.

"That was still no excuse for your behavior."

"So, what? Are you going to send me to wash tables, now?"

Headmistress Kirova's face went hard. "I think that's exactly what you should do. After every meal for a week. You're dismissed."

I nodded at Headmistress Kirova and left. Rose followed me out.

We walked arcoss the quad toward the gym.

"Dimitri," she started. "I'm sorry. I want you to know...it won't happen again."

I nodded. "You could have cost me my job and your education. And possibly Lissa's life."

She looked at the ground. "Well, you're not getting fired."

It was silent for a minute. "Thank you," I said.

"For what?" she kept looking at the ground.

"For taking the blame and coming up with an excuse."

She looked up finally and smiled. "No problem, Comrade."