Reality Bites - Wattys 2018 Shortlist

Chapter 76 - Reminiscing

As I'd anticipated, my fight with Dimitri was indeed all over the school by the next day. It seems like everyone had a clip of it on their phone, and everywhere we went people were playing it. I thought I'd be pleased, but more than anything now I was embarrassed. At the time, it had seemed so important to prove I could match Dimitri. Now I couldn't care less. Right now I just wished I could tell people I was his.

"Sorry Comrade" I muttered as we walked past yet another group of Novices talking about the fight and watching their phones.

"Don't be worried on my account," he said with a genuine smile. "I couldn't be prouder."

I actually could have done without the extra attention – today was the first day of exams, and I was kicking it off with a written test for Bodyguard Theory and Personal Protection. Walking in with Dimitri and Kirk, I think I was early for the first time. Ever. I took my usual seat beside Eddie, and a group of guys gathered around my table showing the clip and asking about a few of the more advanced moves Dimitri had taught me which I'd used against him. Because Dimitri had trained at St. Basil's, some of the moves were quite different to what we learned here, and they were keen to know more.

"Still showing off are we Hathaway?" Stan snapped walking into the room obviously peevish. "If you manage to graduate you'll soon learn it's not about fancy footwork but all about dedication and hard work."

I opened my mouth to say something but quickly shut it. There was no point arguing with Stan when he was in this sort of mood, and I didn't want him pissed off when he was marking my paper. Besides I had kind of been showing off a bit during the fight. Usually, Stan would let it go if I didn't take the bait, but today seeing me back down seemed to give him further impetus to continue his verbal assault.

"In fact, I have to wonder whether your fighting is all that it's made out to be. I know you think you're something special because you have a few molnija - but in the real world what you've achieved is nothing."

I was looking down at my hands. I wanted to tell him to go and fuck himself, but I knew I just had to bite my tongue and suck it up. Unfortunately, someone else had taken exception to his words.

"So you think killing ten Strigoi is nothing Guardian Alto? Easy perhaps?!" Dimitri said very calmly from where he was standing at ease against the wall beside me.

"That's not what I meant," Stan said, looking at Dimitri uneasily.

"I'm glad to hear it," Dimitri said, his voice measured but the underlying anger in it evident – at least to me. "As for Novice Hathaway's fighting? As her former mentor, let me assure you she is exceptional. In fact, as an investured Blood Master, I intend to recommend her for Grading straight after her Graduation" he said, his eyebrow raised looking right at Stan.

Stan looked shocked, and the whole class reacted with titters and gasps at Dimitri revealing he was a Blood Master, and that he was planning to nominate me for Grading.

Grading? What the fuck?! Dude! Way to spring something on a girl right before an exam! Like I didn't have enough on my plate right now! FUCK Dimitri! NOT COOL! Plus he'd sounded every bit the pissed off boyfriend, and we couldn't afford for Stan's thoughts to go in that direction.

"Back off Belikov," I said looking at him, channeling my bitchy teenager voice, but hoping to God he realized he'd overstepped the mark by a mile. "Stan and I are cool. He likes to help me keep it real" I joked. "It's hard being this naturally awesome" I added. I knew I sounded like a tool, but neither of us needed a pissed off Stan on the warpath. "Besides some of the moves I took you down with actually came from Stan here. You obviously should have listened more when you were guarding in class" I joked.