Chapter 1
Rosalie Hale gazed out of the large living room window. The sun was shining – for once in the history of Forks, Washington – and although she knew that she was protected by acres of trees, didn't want to go outside. Her gaze rested on a patch of tulips that Esme had lovingly nurtured outside of the front door.
Just great, she thought, sunshine AND tulips. Can this get any worse?
"Rose?" Jasper's warm and calming aura surrounded her before she could see him, "Are you alright?"
She shook her head and stared blankly at the wall, "Go away Jasper."
He ignored her – as always, and moved closer, "Do you want to talk about it?"
Rosalie snapped her head to face him, "No offense, Jasper, but not to anyone, and especially not to you."
His hurt expression was like a whipped puppy and for a brief moment, she considered apologizing. If it was humanly – hah – possible to be PMSing, that's what she wanted to blame it on, but she didn't. Jasper left the living room without saying another word to her and Rosalie returned to staring out of the window. Darn tulips.
Bella revved the engine in her beloved truck and smiled at Edward, sitting in the passenger's seat with a full-blown expression of disgust on his face.
"It won't be that bad, you speed demon."
"You forget that I can hop on one foot faster than this truck is capable of going," he replied.
She shook her dark hair at him, "Relax. Enjoy life for once."
They pulled on the freeway going 65 mph, but Edward's expression remained as stoic as ever. This wasn't the only time that she had wished to hear his thoughts, just like he could hear everyone else's.
"What are you thinking?" he asked her, yawning.
"That I wish I could read your mind."
"That certainly wouldn't be fair."
A sudden sunbeam pierced the cloudy sky, and Bella tried not to lose control of the truck when it rested on Edward's shoulder. He reached for his jacket and tried to cover himself but Bella reached out her arm and stopped him.
"Don't," she said, "I love the way you dazzle me."
He glanced in the car mirrors.
"There's not a car for miles, Edward. Just be you."
She grinned as he put the jacket back on the floor.
"Rose?"
She looked up and realized that it was already dark outside. How did she miss the sunset?
"Rosalie? You've been sitting there forever."
It was Alice. Rosalie saw her pixie-like sister standing at the threshold, a comical expression on her face.
"What did you tell Jasper?" Alice probed, "He went out for a drive, but that was hours ago."
"I don't want to talk about it Alice."
Alice was silent, and Rosalie could tell that she was talking to someone with her thoughts.
"Edward wants to know what happened."
Rosalie smirked, "Oh, does he?" Her voice came out harsher and more cynical than she expected.
"So that is the problem then. Rose, he doesn't want to hurt you."
I know! She screamed to herself, but that doesn't fix anything. Frustrated, she got up from the chair and headed outside.
"Where are you going?" Alice asked, concerned.
"For a drive. Don't wait up for me, Alice."
Rosalie slammed the door behind her and headed out to the garage. The Porsche sat waiting for her. She climbed in the driver's seat and put the key in the ignition. Flooring the gas pedal, she peeled out of the driveway and headed for the highway. Times like this called for a 140 mph excursion.
Bella jogged to catch up with Edward on her way to biology.
"Hey, what's up?" she asked, "I haven't seen you all day."
He muttered something unintelligible as a response.
"Edward? Talk to me."
"It's Rosalie," he finally said, "I'm worried about her."
She didn't know how to respond to that, "What's wrong?" she finally asked.
"I don't know. She hasn't been home very much lately. Alice said that she bit Jasper's head off." At her startled expression, Edward smiled, "Not literally."
"It's my fault, isn't it?" Bella asked, "She hates me."
"Well – yes, and no. Rosalie has always been a little different. It's hard for me to read what she thinks."
"You don't have trouble with anyone else."
"Except you," he corrected, "but otherwise, yes. Rosalie's ability to defer my attempts is very strong. If she doesn't want me to hear, I can't."
"I'm sorry I cause so much trouble for you."
He stroked her face gently, "It's no trouble at all."
She smiled and studied his eyes. They were a warm honey blonde today. It was a good day, then.
Bite me now, Edward, she thought, glad he couldn't hear, Finish my life now so it can begin.
"No." he said, shaking his dark hair.
"Huh?" At that moment she realized that she was still staring at him, "No what?"
"I won't do it, Bella. Nice try."
"I thought you couldn't read my mind," she blushed, astonished.
"I can't. I didn't have to for that one. It was all over your face."
She sighed, discouraged, "Curses."
Rosalie left Carlisle's office satisfied.
"Okay, Rosie," he had said, "Be careful."
She had told him that she was leaving – an extended vacation to South America, and that's all the trouble he had given her, "be careful."
She had already packed the few things that she would need. Everything else she could buy. Emmett would understand why she hadn't said anything to him – he would have talked her out of it, she was certain.