Getting Out While You Can

It's Not Like I Haven't Seen It Before

I could tell that the drinks I had were warring on me, but it helped curb the cornucopia of emotions I was experiencing. I felt angry, devastated, and slighted. I was so angry, but I was angry for Dimitri too.

Hence why we were both sitting on the couch finishing a bottle of vodka.

"You know, I think that it was destiny that I left," I said bluntly, not exactly speaking to Dimitri, but in general.

I could hear him drink his shot and then set the glass down on the coffee table to fill it again. "Oh yeah?"

I nodded. "I think I was destined to tell every single one of those assholes to go fuck themselves," I slurred, leaning forward to fill my glass too. Dimitri looked at me skeptically but filled it halfway anyways.

"It wouldn't be the first time you told them off, especially the royals," Dimitri said dryly, huffing as he leaned back on the couch.

"I'm surprised Lissa just sat by while they made these decisions."

Dimitri got quiet and because very interested in his glass.

"What?" I asked.

"She voted for it."

"Pardon me?" I asked, sitting up at starring at him with furrowed brows.

"Vasilisa voted for the age law. It was a unanimous vote, Rose. She is not the same person anymore. Her new boyfriend was not a great influence either," Dimitri said with a frown, "You didn't know that?"

"No," I said with a shake of my head, "The antidepressants I'm on block the bond completely. It sucks taking them, but I'd rather that than the alternative."

Dimitri frowned and took a sip from his glass. "I can understand that."

"When did you stop being as loyal to Lissa?"

"Right around the time she started talking smack about you."

I rolled my eyes. I wasn't all that surprised, to be honest. There was always a part of me that felt our friendship was more one sided, and it was apparent that I was the one who really worked and provided for said friendship.

"It can't be worse than what others said about me at the academy," I mumbled, tucking my legs under me with a sigh.

Dimitri looked at me and shook his head. "And what was said wasn't warranted then, either. You deserve more respect than people give you. I owed you more respect," Dimitri said quietly, looking down at his glass again.

I didn't know how to respond to him so I took a sip from my glass again, knowing that this had to be my last drink of the night if I didn't want to be hungover at work.

"Did you mean it? What you said at the church?"

I frowned and looked at Dimitri. "What do you mean?"

"That you had forgiven me for everything that had happened, that you didn't blame me for the things I did to you in Russia? That you hadn't given up on me?"

"Of course," I said quietly, tilting my head down to look at Dimitri, sticking my hand out on the coffee table when I toppled a little bit. Dimitri nodded to himself and finished his glass, setting it down on the coffee table with a small thud.

Dimitri's lips shifted as if he was going to speak, but no words came out of his mouth, just a sigh. I blinked at the clock on the wall. It was much later than I anticipated.

"I should probably get to bed, I have to be at the home early tomorrow," I grumbled as I stood up.

Dimitri nodded and gave me a weak half-smile. "Good night," he said quietly.