Vampire Academy - Dimitri and Rose

I looked over at my best friend's furious face. Her face flooded with red at his lying and highly insulting comments.

My clenched fists were white and my nails cutting into my skin, causing blood to spill down my hand and into a small puddle on the floor.

"What?" he teased, his humor masking his fear. "I bet you're thinking about all the ways to kill me right? But, I wouldn't lay a hand on us if I were you..."

"You're not me," I warned him taking a step forward but Lissa's hand locked down on my arm. Damn... I never knew she was so strong.

"You start a fight, and Headmistress will kick your sorry ass out for sure," Jesse said testing me.

He was right. Kirova would throw me out. But that's not what I was afraid of. I was afraid of leaving Lissa here, alone, with that threat hanging over her head.

"She'd throw you out to live with all the other Blood Whores," Ralf said smiling, enjoying the stunned look on my face.

I looked at Dimitri's face, to see if he any any hurt facial expression that someone brought up a sore subject

I looked at Dimitri for another reason though. There is something that I have learned over the days that I have been here: When I look at Lissa, I see a friend that I will protect with my life. When I look at Dimitri, I see a person I want to impress and make proud.

I also see him naked occasionally, but I won't get into that for the moment...

Dimitri was looking at me, and cheering me on with the look in his dark soulful eyes.

In that moment I did what I always did. I pulled myself up by my combat boot strings, and I coyly smiled back.

I didn't need to look at Lissa too see the anger her mixed emotions, and most of all, blind rage. More importantly, I could just feel the rage pouring off her in waves.

Slowly I walk up to them, hearing the click-clack of my high heels bounce off the walls.

I walk up closely to both Jesse and Ralf's backs, and bend down next to their ears.

Even though I was whispering, everyone in the room could hear me.

I grinned, and I caught my reflection in the mirror. Even I scared myself a little bit.

"You c-can't hurt us," they said dropping the tough act.

"You're right," I said dropping the smile now, "So I'm just gonna let Lissa do it for me."

The room was drop dead silent when I walk out, past the hidden smile of approval on Dimitri's face, and now smiling for real, I leave the two to answer to Lissa.

***

I was staring up at the bright stars up in the sky with one headphone in my ear trying to calm down.

"Here," Dimitri said taking my hand in his, "I'll help bandage that up..."

"Thank you," I said looking down at him covering my hand up with white gauze.

I look off past the balcony and past the school's light.

"Do you ever think about trying see the world?" I ask him abruptly.

"All the time," he said. "I never got the chance. I was a good boy and did what I was told."

"Were you told not to run away?" I asked, letting the tingly sensation of his hand heal me in a way no medicine could.

"That was implied," he chuckled.

We were silent for a while, but then I joke, "How badly was he hurt?"