Reality Bites - Wattys 2018 Shortlist

Chapter 52 - A Roll In The Hay

I looked at Eddie's eyes closed in pleasure, a satisfied moan escaping his lips before he opened his eyes and then returned them to look at mine.

"Go on. Again," he begged. "I'm just imagining the look on Zeklos' face!"

Eddie, Lissa, Christian, Dimitri, Mom and I were in the cafeteria eating lunch. Dimitri was sitting beside me eating, pretending not to be joining in the conversation while I told them about yesterday's visit from Grigor and Jesse.

"I wish I'd been there" Eddie moaned again. "I would have given anything to see Jesse apologize to you and then Dimitri," he said, grinning.

Mom was standing just behind us guarding, but I could see a twitch at the corner of her mouth revealing she, too, was appreciating the retelling.

By now, the story of Rose pinning Jesse against a wall and putting a stake to his back at the party was on everyone's lips. Jesse's pulverized face furthered the conjecture about what happened. Some people thought I'd beaten him up; others thought it was Dimitri. Either way, Jesse was refusing to talk – even outright lying in Moroi Studies, telling the teacher he'd tripped down some stairs when she enquired about his injuries.

Of course, me being me I wasn't prepared to completely let things go. So after a gruelling training session with Dimitri this morning, my outfit of choice for the day was a pair of super tight black jeans, the tight Badass Bitch TShirt, both my stakes (one at my knee, the other in a hip holster I'd borrowed from Mom) a pair of lace-up Dr Martens, and my hair up in a high ponytail to show off my new molnija.

"Really Roza?" Dimitri had said with a raised eyebrow as Mom and I came out of the ladies change rooms ready to head to breakfast.

"I kind of like it Belikov," Mom said with a wicked smile at me.

However, the party was not the only topic of gossip. Eddie and I getting molnija was a pretty big deal, too – especially amongst the Novices and Guardians. The Novices were excited to see two of their own coming up with the goods. The Guardians were a lot more circumspect, those who'd been on shift and unable to attend the ceremony seeking out Eddie or myself individually to shake our hand or give us an understanding nod or comment.

After the third or fourth such encounter, Eddie sought me out in the back of a noisy combat class to talk about it.

"It's hard to believe in a couple of months that's going to be our lives," he said. I nodded, not wanting to tell him it might not quite be mine.

"So what are you hoping to do after graduation?" I asked him, keeping in the back of my mind Lissa's thoughts about having him as her Guardian.

"Not sure, really," Eddie replied. "Ideally I'd like to get a position as a second Guardian somewhere? Maybe in a bigger household? I mean, I know we're meant to be good to go as soon as we graduate, but I think I could use some on the job training with an experienced field Guardian before I take on solo guarding."

And there, again, is why Eddie will be wonderful at his job. He knew enough to know not to overestimate his skills and abilities.

"Of course, if they assign me to someone like Zeklos, I'm going to be hitting your Dad and Pavel up for a job," he said, absolutely seriously.

"I'm sure that won't happen, but if it does I'm sure they'd take you," I said, equally as serious. "In fact, I'll have a word with Baba tonight and mention it."

"Thanks, Rose I'd appreciate it. I'm sure I'll get someone ok, but it would be nice to have a backup plan all the same" Eddie said, looking relieved.