Mistake ♦ Romitri

Chapter 29

'Rose Hathaway!' The voice echoed like the devil itself. The headmistress was strutting towards the two of us who both had bottles in our hands- there was no way of escaping this. Mason made a signal for us to leave but I stayed still. I watched as the headmistress' muscles relaxed as she realised we were making no plan of escape. It would simply be easier for both of us.

What I didn't realise was that she wasn't alone. Behind her were the two people I least wanted to see. Dimitri and Tasha stood there, side by side, both with looks of disappointment on their faces. They knew of my problem and they had thought that phase of my life was over. They were wrong.

'Rose, what have you done.' Dimitri approached me, ripping the bottle out of my hand. Mason went to speak but Dimitri immediately turned to him, looming over him like a skyscraper compared to a fly. 'You know nothing of what's going on Mason. Leave. They can deal with you later.' Dimitri spoke so calmy, so gently yet it still sent Mason scrambling across the school campus and back to lessons.

I stood, staring Dimitri up and down. 'You're not a teacher. You have no right to order him around like that.' He pursed his lips, his muscles bulging under the tension he held in his body. He was stressed, that much was clear, and it was even clearer that I was the cause of it.

'You can talk to the teachers then. Come on.' He sounded frustrated but not yet angry. I knew he wouldn't break until I spoke up. We both would wait until we were somewhere private. Despite enjoying making a spectacle, this issue was too private to share with the entire student body- or so I thought.

We made our way to Miss Ozera's office, the Headmistress leaving it to her to solve this problem. I sat down in my usual seat just as Dimitri did the same. 'Actually, Rose, can you wait outside for a second?' Miss Ozera gave me a sickly sweet smile, telling me I had no choice in the matter. So, in turn, I stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind me.

But, no way was I giving them any privacy. They talked often and it was time I heard what they had to say. 'Dimka, she can't go on like this.' Miss Ozera's voice came, muffled by the door in my way. Dimka? I couldn't help but wonder what it meant or why she had said it.

'Tash, I know but I don't know what to do anymore.' I almost reeled back. Dimitri was being so open with her, he sounded so vulnerable. He had never sounded like that with me. The nicknames, too, maybe they were closer than I thought. The idea sent sickness to my stomach. I wanted to gag but I withheld it, continuing to listen to their conversation.

'Dimitri, she has to go to rehab.' Tasha's voice was uncaring, forceful as if it were an order. Dimitri seemed unfazed, though.

'I won't do that to her. She doesn't need it, she was fine until today. I can't send her away, I've ruined her life enough already.' I gulped, my eyes welling up. I always thought I was the burden but Dimitri was holding it all on his own shoulders.

'You haven't done a thing, Dimka. This is her. You can't blame yourself.' I wanted to scream those words along with her. No matter how cruel she sounded as she said them, they were all too true. I gritted my teeth not letting the tears spill. I wanted it more than ever now. Yet, I couldn't even say its name. It brought fear to me more than anything else in that moment.

I had stopped thinking about what it did to me. I began to think what it did to other people. I had become selfless. I wanted to stop drinking again, for him. That's always been the reason- for him. I had often said it was for the both of us but it never was. It was simply and purely for him.

'I can blame myself. I'm her parent after all.' He sighed. I wanted to run into his arms and tell him that I regretted it all but I wouldn't risk my cover, it would only end up worse for me. I was no help to him anyway.

'You're not, though.' Tasha stated. It was all too true. I wasn't a child nor was he a parent. We were just in this together, doing what we could. That was the problem. Neither of us had any idea what we were doing. Neither of us knew what was happening. It just happened as it did. We put our faith in destiny. But, destiny doesn't always create happy endings.

'Rose, you can come in!' Tasha called out, apparently already fed up with Dimitri and her's conversation. I was too. I went in and sat back down in the seat I had been sat in before.

'Rose, this is your final warning. I've talked with Dimitri and after this, it will be required of you to go to rehab-'

'Tasha,' Dimitri tried to interrupt but failed.

'No, Dimitri. This decision is final. One more incident and that's it, Rose.' I nodded solemnly, trailing my eyes to the floor.

'Let's go.' Dimitri growled, rushing out, me following quickly behind him. He wasn't happy, that was obvious and I could understand why. Despite his protests, Tasha had the audacity to tell me that she would send me away. Even others didn't see Dimitri as a parent and I could tell it was starting to get on his nerves.

'You two seem close.' I noted as we walked to the car, Dimitri pulling me out of classes once again.

'Don't, Rose.' We were hardly out of the campus and as usual, we had attention on us from all sides. I stopped, looking around, counting the number of people around. More than I would have liked but I no longer cared.

'Why not?' I taunted grimly. He growled, using his height against me but I wasn't intimidated, I knew him too well. He wouldn't lay a finger on me.

'You know why.' He took a step forward just as I took a step back but I wasn't standing down. I had the power in the conversation and we both knew it.

'No! I don't!' I called out, throwing my arms in the air, drawing attention. Dimitri looked around but he lost the crowd easily as his eyes focused back on me. We both forgot the crowd.

'You don't want to do this, Rose.' He warned, taking a step back. It was my turn to take a step forward.

'Yes, I do. You want to know why I drink. It's because of you!' I was so caught up in the motions that I didn't know what I was saying, I didn't realise I was spitting out lies. Lies that Dimitri believed. We had drawn a crowd by now, all curious as to what was going on. Neither of us cared.

'You think I don't know that! You think I don't blame myself every day for not getting you a better home!' He shouted. I rarely heard him shout. It scared me but once again, I wasn't backing down.

'Then why do you not send me away!' I screamed now, no longer caring. I wanted to hear. I wanted him to hear it loud and clear. I had spouted nonsense, lies but the last statement was all too true. Why hadn't he sent me away? Why did he keep me with him? Why did he keep the burden on his shoulders?

'You know why.' I heard it all too clearly. It was true. I did know. No matter how much I denied it, I knew. I love you. Those were the words I heard. We both knew it. We both felt it so strongly. Despite the residing bad feelings towards him, I would always love him.

Then, despite his words, we fell into silence. Again.

word count: 1338

published: 02.04.17