Mistake ♦ Romitri

Chapter 33

'Tasha, don't do this.' Dimitri begged, the phone clutched painfully tight in his hand- his eyes shedding just the slightest hint of tears.

'Do what, Dimitri? End this? It's clear that you don't want this to go on so I'm ending this before you can do the same to me. You love her, Dimitri and you're a bastard for doing so but it's nothing a can change- well, not without getting you in trouble, of course.' She sneered down the receiver as if that was exactly what she planned on doing.

'Don't you dare...' he warned, his eyes drying quickly and his mouth setting in a thin line, no thicker than the edge of a knife. I stood in my doorway, looking onto the scene with a glimmer of hope- the words that could lead to our happy ending. Not that that was coming anytime soon. I still had time until my birthday, although not long. It was a painfully slow countdown and it felt as if the last year had gone by as fast as a man pushing a car.

We had met on my birthday and now we would finally be us on my next. A year, that was all it was yet, why did it feel so long? Maybe, it was all that happened? I couldn't be so sure. If anything, the events that had taken place should only quicken the pace yet I could only guess that it was the cause of it going to slow.

'Ha! You don't even deny it! Does that not tell me everything?' She shouted down the phone, the once muffled voice, loud and clear even from the doorway.

'Tasha, as I said, don't...' he had no argument anymore, he just wanted it to stop, it was clear on his face- contorted in pain as her hurtful words stabbed at him like blades.

'Dimitri, do you really think this isn't best, for both of us?' She sighed, her voice finally reaching an acceptable volume, making me now have to strain my ears to hear what was going on. None of this had been on speaker, after all, I could only rely on the clear strength in Dimitri's voice to comprehend the incomprehensible words on the other end.

'Tasha, I know I haven't seen you a lot lately but I've just been busy. Yes, Rose has affected it but that's because she is no longer at school. We've tried to find a replacement and we've found none. She'll have to do her exams later in life so, no, I don't think this is for the best, I think this will only put more stress on my shoulders. You are someone that I can come to when it's all too much, do you not realise that?' His sincere words sent knives into my heart. After all this, he had finally admitted I was a burden. After months of me begging him to say it, he had said it- to Tasha. To bloody Tasha Ozera.

'You don't understand, Dimka. This isn't because I haven't seen you since Rose left. This isn't because you haven't done anything but call once in three weeks. This is about you and Rose. It's clear that you and that girl have...something! I don't know, Dimitri. Be glad that I care enough about you not to get the police involved.' Her voice sounded strained as if this was just as difficult for her as it was for him. Yet, I couldn't believe that was sincerity in her voice. It was jealousy.

And the thought made me smile.

'Not to get the police involved? You are taking this way too far, Tasha. Even thinking of me like that shows that you far from care.' He spat.

It was the first time I had seen him angry at anyone but me.

'Maybe you're right. Maybe we should just break this off. Because, you know what, you aren't worth it.' Dimitri took his phone from his ear and slammed his finger down on the disconnect button before Tasha could say a word. He had just ended it all.

I couldn't be happier.

'Dimitri, are you okay?' I asked, walking into the room, making no attempts at hiding my presence. We had long since learnt that we would always be eavesdropping on the other. We just lacked trust in that way. Any reason to trust the other had been broken long ago. We gave the other privacy only when it was required- now was not on of those times. He nodded wistfully and sat down on the sofa, motioning for me to join him. I complied easily and leant into his side, resting my head on his shoulder. 'Sorry that I keep ruining everything.' I muttered, sighing- I was too tired to give anything but a lackluster response. Without anything to occupy myself with, I found myself falling asleep easily- going through my day lethargically- uncaringly.

'Stop apologising. Tasha was right in one respect- we're better off apart.' Dimitri smiled down at me, reassuring me just slightly, sending a somewhat small smile to my face.

'You don't know that yet-'

'Yes, I do, it was clear from when she first talked to me.' I nodded in defeat as Dimitri leant back and brought me further into his arms. 'How long until your birthday now?' He asked calmly, fiddling with my hair- he loved my hair, he had said it often before this mess.

'A week or two.' It seemed so close but I knew, these weeks would go slower than the last year. That's just how it is when you want something. I drew my attention from the window back to the man above me, craning my neck to see him. He was tall, giving me a full view of his pale face- which had only gotten paler since this mess had happened. He almost looked ill but the gentle smile on his face almost convinced me it wasn't.

'Hot chocolate?' He asked and I hummed in agreement before being pushed away and Dimitri going to the counter to make two cups of hot chocolate. It was evening, neither of us needed the buzz of caffeine- nor did we need sugar but it was the best substitute we could get.

I fell back onto the sofa, bustling my head into the sofa cushion and closing my eyes, waiting for Dimitri to return for the drink that I now craved. When he did return, luckily, it was with two steaming cups of chocolate in his hands. I thanked him graciously and took the steaming cup from his hands, the China burning me to the touch but I had experienced worse so I just let my fingers adjust to the heat before taking a sip; it was bliss. The chocolate felt like it could send me to heaven and I giggled childishly at my glee from such a simple drink.

Dimitri smiled, taking a sip of his own, just as I took my second. It had the perfect consistency. He always doubled the chocolate and it only doubled how good it tasted. 'Rose, when you're eighteen, I want to take you to dinner.' I almost spat out my drink but I wasn't just shocked, I was ecstatic. Finally, he was accepting this. Finally, I was accepting this.

'Yes.' I said, no hesitation and a clear overly excited expression. Dimitri didn't tease me for it, though, he simply smiled and brought me back to his side.

'One day and suddenly everything will change. Seems silly really.' He smiled and I smiled back.

We couldn't stop.

'It is but it doesn't matter as long as on that day, our new story can finally begin.' 

word count: 1270

published: 16.04.17