Mistake ♦ Romitri

Chapter 35

A/N The finale of part 1 is here!!!! I'm so excited for this! I can't wait to see all of your reactions. I've been working on this story for so long and I'm so happy to get to this point. Thank you. everyone, so much for reading. Enjoy!

'Happy Birthday!' They all cheered. I looked around the room to be met with bright smiles. Lissa, Chris, Eddie, Jill, Mia, Mason, and Dimitri all crowded me. Even this small group of friends felt like a lot but I was glad for the company. This would hopefully be a lot better than last years celebration. Well, I mean it wasn't that bad. I met Dimitri that day, after all. This wasn't just my birthday anymore but an anniversary too.

I smiled back at everyone and turned back to the cake, chocolate- obviously- and blew out the candles. I did it all one, gaining a loud applause from the group. I found myself smiling wider as Dimitri helped my give out the cake. Soon enough, everyone had a slice in their hands and it was time to give the presents out. Dimitri gave me his first, our eyes meeting, wide smiles on both of our faces. We both knew this would not be the only present of the day- he would simply have to wait until the others left to give me the rest.

I opened it hastily, revealing a large box. I smelt it before I saw it and began ripping it open immediately. I looked like a child as I salivated just looking at it: a pile of chocolate of every kind especially for me. No way was I sharing this. I smiled widely at Dimitri and flew into his arms. 'Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!' I shouted, laughing. I drew away quickly and graciously took the next gift, Lissa and Christian's. Although, I knew before I even opened it that it might as well have been Lissa' alone. Lissa, no doubt, put hours into this. Not because it was me, not at all, it was simply the type of person she was. She wanted to make every little thing special and if that meant a few hours more then she would gladly take it.

The box was small, delicate looking, and took a fair amount of restraint opening as I willed myself not to rip up the beautiful craftwork Lissa had put into decorating the box. Once the wrapping was put aside, a small black box was revealed. I opened it carefully, peering inside and gaped at what was inside. A necklace, simply put but it was so much more. It was pure crystal, a small crystal trinket on a silver chain. 'The man I bought it off said it was called a Zvezda.' Lissa smiled as I stared at the beauty of it.

'Star.' Dimitri murmured. I looked at him curiously and he reiterated. 'Zvezda, Russian for star.' I looked down at it. It really was a star, it shone so brightly and it's shape was no more than intricate, delicate, beautiful. 'It's beautiful, thank you.' I smiled at Lissa and gave her a gentle hug, the smile never leaving my face.

Mason was the next to give his present but it seemed all he wanted to do was whine about being outdone as he gave it to me. 'How am I supposed to beat that?' He threw his arms up in the air dramatically and I snorted.

'You don't have to, Mase. I really don't expect you to spend anything more than fifty cents on me.' I laughed and Mase smiled.

'Well, I at least broke that mark.' I smiled at him and took the square shaped present from his hands. What was inside was probably the most clever of them all. Boxing gloves. He had actually bought me boxing gloves.

'Maybe now your punch won't hurt as much.' He laughed as I threw my fist at his shoulder jokingly.

'See! That hurt. You need them!' He laughed and I almost doubled over laughing. The others began to laugh too as I put them over my hands and began to pummel Mason. Hopefully not giving him any physical trauma in the process.

After that, present after present came each as caring, thoughtful and kind as the last. By the end, I felt spoilt but I made sure to thank all of them more than enough times, mostly getting the reply of 'you're eighteen now, you deserve some good gifts.'

Before I knew it, the apartment had cleared out and it was just Dimitri and I left. 'You know, you're going to have to start paying rent soon.' He joked, making us both a cup of hot chocolate. I sighed dramatically.

'How could you, comrade! I thought I could get through life free of charge!' I laughed, laying across the sofa, pretending to be a damsel in distress. He laughed heartily and handed over a cup of hot chocolate to me. I took a sip, wallowing in the amazing taste as he did the same. We both leant over and placed our cups on the coffee table as our eyes met. We smiled, shyness surrounding both of us still.

'I don't believe I'm finally eighteen. This is all over, Dimitri. It's over. Well, most of it, anyway.' I smiled brightly, shuffling minutely closer to him. He did the same. Our eyes never left each other.

'You don't realise how desperate I've been to do this, Roza.' It was the only warning I got before his lips were on mine. We had waited for this for months and it was finally here. I couldn't believe it, this was really happening. I kissed him back, relaxing into his touch. Chocolate was what hit me first, from the hot chocolate no doubt, and then it was just him. All of this was just him. There was no way to describe it. It was so unique- what I felt, only he could give that to me.

'I love you.' I blurted, pulling away, meeting his eyes again.

'I love you too.' He replied, giving me one of those rare, genuine smiles. This was the man I had craved my entire life. This was paradise. This was my paradise. This was his paradise. This was our paradise. I leant in again, my lips grazing his when we were interrupted.

There was a loud knock on the door. 'If that is Lissa, I swear to God...' I warned before I stood up, Dimitri staying on the sofa, leaning over to bring his hot chocolate back to his lips. The lips that had just been on mine.

I trudged to the front door, my mood sour, ready to punch whoever was at the door. I swung the door open and scowled at whoever was there.

A pause.

A gasp.

A breath.

A bang.

The man who had killed my parents had just shot a bullet... aimed straight at my heart.

word count: 1151

published: 30.04.17

FACE REVEAL FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO KNOW WHAT I LOOK LIKE BEFORE THEY KILL ME.