A hidden past. (A Vampire Academy fanfiction)

Friend, foe, or fan?

"Hey guys." I walked into dinner, joining Eddie and Mase in the line.

"Hey Rose. Where have you been?" Mase asked.

"Yeah Rose. Where have you been? What had Alberta shooing you out of third period yesterday? With Belikov in tow?"

"Hey! Art called me in for my qualifier. After I snapped in Alto's class she called Art to ask if he'd give me my qualifier. When she explained a few things he basically said 'get her out to me now, with Belikov'. So, she rushed us out the gates."

"'Art'?! As in The Arthur Schoenberg?!" They squeaked.

"Yes. 'Art' as in The Art Schoenberg." I responded nonchalantly. The guy, like Dimitri, was a living legend. But, also like Dimitri, was humble, easygoing, and down-to-earth. Though it was hard to get on a first-name basis with him, harder still to impress him as I had. I had a life long friend in him already.

"What is with you and getting to be on a first-name basis with living legends?" They asked, stunned, as we sat down. I simply shrugged my shoulders.

"I don't go all 'fanatical hero-worship' on them. Plus, he's on good terms with Dimitri. Although," I let that hang, half because I wasn't sure I wanted to let them know how high in his esteem I was, and half because if I told them I wanted the suspense built.

"Just spit it out Rose." They laughed.

"Fine. I'm held in higher regard than Dimitri." Their mouths started to open and I cut them off before they could start. "Shh!"

"Rose? Where have you been?" Liss asked as she and Christian joined us for dinner.

"Qualifier," I simply answered.

"That's not all. You've been gone too long."

"Fine. You're gonna be pissed you couldn't come. I got to go Christmas shopping, with Dimitri." And got a dream date.

"You hate shopping!"

"Only when I'm your guardian."

"Not only then. You hate spending money, period."

"I hate you wasting money on me, Liss."

'Humph. Hang on! You said you went shopping with Belikov, right?' What was she getting at? That girl will be the death of me.

"Yes."

'Did you do a VS trip?'

"No! Good god. I've told you about that before."

'Oh?! So explain the promise ring.'

"Screw you Lissa!" I muttered in Russian.

'I caught that!' Then it truly registered I'd sworn in Russian and shock coursed through the bond. Soon followed by confusion and disbelief. 'Since when did you speak Russian?'

"Since Dimitri's helped me re-learn it. I am Russian by birth."

'Good god! We don't know you, do we?'

"It's my model mother's meddling at fault. Not even I knew until Dimitri brought us back- and don't ask for details."

'So. What's with the ring?'

"Don't ask. You really don't want to know."

'Rose.' She whined. And the petty and pushy Princess returns. 'I want to know. Best friends don't keep secrets.' They don't ignore them for their boyfriend either.

"Best friends don't push topics they're not ready for."

And that was how the rest of dinner got awkward. A one-sided conversation with Lissa that got us no where. I soon learnt that I'd missed a huge fight with Christian while I was gone and she was using me to avoid him. Typical. And again, 'they come first' was about to go to a whole new level.