Reaction to Frostbite

Chapter 9- Alberta

After a tense but delicious lunch, they re-took their seats and got stuck into the readings again. Alberta collected the book and began from the marked page.

I DIDN'T SEE DIMITRI FOR a while after that. He'd sent a message later that day saying that he thought we should cancel our next two sessions because of the rapidly approaching plans to leave campus. Classes were about to end anyway, he said; taking a break from practice seemed like the reasonable thing.

"Lame" Adrian said. Christian agreed and added: "Bet she sees right through it." Alberta furthered their comments with her own. "Didn't take you for a coward Belikov", her voice dripping with disappointment. Abe almost smiled at thoughts of the big bad guardian being scared of his little girl, as did Pavel. Kirova and Janine wore the only happy faces.

It was a lame excuse, and I knew that wasn't the reason he was canceling. If he wanted to avoid me, I would have preferred he made up something about how he and the other guardians had to up Moroi security or practice top-secret ninja moves.

"I don't know why you didn't just tell her that you and some of the other guardians had to talk about security for the ski trip" Alberta voiced, though she knew that even then Rose would think the same, regardless of what excuse Dimitri used.

Regardless of his story, I knew he was avoiding me because of the kiss. That damned kiss. I didn't regret it, not exactly. God only knew how much I'd been wanting to kiss him. But I'd done it for the wrong reasons. I'd done it because I was upset and frustrated and had simply wanted to prove that I could.

Alberta, Abe and Pavel were thinking about what he may be doing with Tasha for the same reasons, simply because he could. None of them could say they would be surprised if Dimitri and Tasha didn't end up 'cosy' by the end of this.

I was so tired of doing the right thing, the smart thing. I was trying to be more in control lately, but I seemed to be slipping. I hadn't forgotten the warning that he'd once given me-that us being together wasn't just about age. It would interfere with our jobs. Pushing him into the kiss...well, I'd fanned the flames of a problem that could eventually hurt Lissa. I shouldn't have done it. Yesterday, I'd been unable to stop myself. Today I could see more clearly and couldn't believe what I'd done.

"So she only regrets it because of what it could do to Vasilissa? It's still something I guess" Janine grumbled, upset her daughter is still so interested in her older mentor though she can't exactly comment on age differences. There is more than a few years between Ibrahim and I but that would never stop me.

Mason met me on Christmas morning, and we went to go hang out with the others. It provided a good opportunity to push Dimitri out of my head. I liked Mason- a lot. And it wasn't like I had to run off and marry him.

"She shouldn't even be thinking about marriage. She's too young and it complicates things anyway" Janine growled thinking back to when Abe had proposed, she had chosen to be a guardian instead. 'And Rosemarie will choose the same'.

Like Lissa had said, it would be healthy for me to just date someone again. Tasha was hosting our Christmas brunch in an elegant parlor in the Academy's guest quarters. Lots of group activities and parties were occurring throughout the school, but I'd quickly noticed that Tasha's presence always created a disturbance. People either secretly stared or went out of their way to avoid her. Sometimes she would challenge them. Sometimes she would just lie low. Today, she'd chosen to stay out of the other royals' way and simply enjoy this small, private party of those who didn't shun her.

Christian and Dimitri seemed pleased at that. Dimitri especially missed his family around the holidays and would normally be alone so small and intimate seems good. Christian is just thankful he's not getting dragged around to all the Royal parties now that he is dating Lissa. Abe had a feeling of what the boy was thinking and his thought was celebrating too soon, Christian would certainly be dragged to the parties at the lodge.