I was laying on the couch in the Cullen's living room; some dumb reality show was on TV but I wasn't watching. I was in pain : it was that time of the month again and as usual, the cramps were getting the best of me. It was a very cloudy day in Forks so Esme and the boys were out hunting for the day. Only Alice and Rosalie were there. The brunette was painting her nails in the sofa next to me while the blonde was sitting on the carpet reading some magazine about getting "beach body ready". As if she needed that. She was physically flawless, like all the members of her family, and her body was frozen in time. There was no way she could either gain or lose weight; she was perfect for eternity.

My bitter thoughts were cut short by a feeling of pain rippling through my lower stomach. I grunted and switched position on the couch so that it would ease my cramps. This move did not escape Alice's gaze. She stared at me suspiciously for a few seconds and went back painting her nails a bold red. I sighed in despair, resting my hand just above the source of the dull ache that was spreading in my abdomen. Rosalie turned to me with a look of sheer annoyance, probably because her super-sensitive hearing was getting tired of my tossing and turning.

'What's wrong Bella ?' she said coldly, though I knew she was holding back from snapping at me.

'Nothing, it's fine.' I say, not wanting to fuel her annoyance.

'Bella, are you having cramps ?' Alice asks.

She was looking at me with an odd look, something between sympathy and curiosity.

'Why, is it that obvious ?' I said, feeling myself blushing.

'Well, you've been sighing and moving around non-stop for like half an hour.'

Rosalie was looking at me with more empathy now, she seemed less edgy and she even put down her magazine to face me directly.

'You know you don't have to be embarrassed about it with us. We know what you're going through, we've experienced it before." She said.

Her sweet tone was startling me, I was not used to such kindness coming from her and according to Alice's surprised face, she was not either. Of course they had experienced monthly cycles when they were human, but that was decades ago and I was so accustomed to them being vampires that I had never really thought about that. Rosalie had briefly explained to me how, since their bodies didn't change, they were not able to reproduce, but I hadn't quite caught the grasp of it and what it implied.

'Yeah you're right. It's just… I can't picture you two having your period. It seems just wrong when I think about it.' I said, straightening up against the cushions.

'Well we've been there. But I don't remember much from those days. How does it feel like ?' Rosalie asked eagerly.

Wow, she really did become a whole other person whenever we discussed about the specificities of human life.

'Well currently it actually feels like somebody is ripping me from the inside. Not the kind of thing you'd like to experience on a monthly basis…"

'I kind of miss my periods.' Rosalie said, her eyes drifting in what seemed like nostalgic thoughts. 'Of course there was the pain. And I used to faint a lot during those times, especially because in the 20s, the dresses were worn very tight and there were no painkillers. You just had to suck it up. But you know, having your period is a reminder that you are healthy and able to bear children. And I used to feel so feminine during that time of the month. Now I feel dead inside.'

I couldn't help but feel a surge of sympathy towards the blonde. Although I was currently wishing I was a vampire so that I did not have to go through this mess, I understood her. Apart from their physical appearance, there was nothing to distinguish female vampires from male vampires. Their bodies were operating the same way; the only thing they needed to function was blood. No monthly cycles to punctuate their daily lives. The natural functions of the body, like digestion or breathing, were now completely obsolete and unneeded, thus taking away all the ways in which the physicality underwent the passage of time. They were stuck in a specific era, a specific image of themselves, but their minds and feelings were not.

'I know what you mean, but I don't share your opinion. Periods make me feel gross and bloated. It's always an awkward week for me, especially since I've been with Edward. I know he can smell it, he always has that funny look on his face when I'm around him during that particular week. But of course he's too much of a gentleman to bring up the subject.'

Rosalie and Alice both laughed but a new wave of pain crossed my abdomen and I let out a whimper.

'Yeah we can smell it Bella, but really there's nothing to be ashamed of, we are used to it now, especially with all these menstruating girls all day at school…' The pixie said with a hint of compassion in her musical voice.

'I know,' I said. 'But what with the smell ? I mean, Jasper…'

'Menstrual blood is not as attracting as fresh blood. It's dead cells, so it's like backwater. A vampire wouldn't drink that, unless they're really thirsty. So it's ok, Jazz is fine don't worry !'

This revelation instantly took a consequent weight off my shoulders. I usually avoided getting too close to Edward during that time of the month so as to spare him unnecessary pain. Now I know I can still hug him, kiss him, touch him like I always do, even when Satan's wrath makes my insides throw up blood from down there.

Speaking of Satan's wrath, he was now throwing a tantrum in my lower tummy. I let out a growl and wrapped my arms around my middle section : that was one tough cramp. I breathed heavily, feeling light-headed.

'Bella, you really don't look fine. Is there anything we can do ?' Alice asked with a look of concern.

She leaned closer to me and started stroking my hair with her perfectly painted nails which had just finished drying.

'Yeah, if you could just grab my purse, I've got painkillers in it.'

Rosalie dashed up the stairs to Edward's room at vampire-speed and came back with my purse before I even had time to blink. She handed it to me before dashing away I don't know where, and I started rummaging through the mess. School papers, money, food… I finally found what I was looking for : I gulped down two pills of Midol and fell back on the sofa with a sigh, waiting for the medicine to kick in. Rosalie came back one minute later with a hot water bottle.

'Here, keep this on your stomach to soothe your cramps.'

'Thanks Rose, I appreciate that.' I said. And I really did. Her change of behavior was really amazing me in the best of ways.

There was a moment of silence as I relished in the feeling of warmth spreading in my abdomen. Rosalie sat on the carpet, picking up her magazine where she had left it and resumed reading. Alice's cold hand was still massaging my scalp and it felt good against my feverish brow.

'While we're on about awkward subjects, there's a question I've wanted to ask for a long time but I don't know if it's appropriate…' I started, already blushing.

That was indeed a question that had been in my head for a few weeks, ever since I started considering getting more intimate with Edward before our wedding. But was it too much information to ask ? After all, it was kind of personal.

'Bella, you are menstruating in a house of blood suckers. If that is appropriate, anything is.' Rosalie replied impatiently, obviously waiting for me to ask the damn question. I straightened up in the couch, nervously playing with a strand of my hair.

'I was wondering if… if any of you has ever had sex with a human. Since you've been turned into a vampire, I mean. Is it even possible ?' I stuttered through the question like a 12 year-old in Sex-Ed. Embarrassed as hell, sweaty, and red in the face.

For a few seconds, Alice and Rosalie crossed each other's gaze and I felt really stupid.

'Well' Rosalie started, obviously taken aback by my question. 'Since I met Emmett shortly after my transformation, I haven't had the time to experiment these… possibilities.'

'And we were newborns, our craving for blood was too strong for us to go anywhere near a human body, so sex was definitely out of the question.' Alice continued.

'Actually, I don't think it ever happened. Edward and you might be the first human-vampire couple as far as I know.'

Something sank deep inside of me - my heart probably. So that was it ? Edward and I would never get past first base ? I felt so empty and sorry for myself all of a sudden, that both Rosalie and Alice stared at me with very compassionate expressions. Tears welled up in my eyes but I was ashamed to let go in front of the girls.

'Bella, it's ok ! Because it never happened doesn't mean that it cannot happen', Alice said, squeezing my shoulder gently in an attempt to comfort me.

'If you think about it, it's biologically possible, the only thing is : will Edward be able to control himself in order not to hurt you ? Vampire sex is quite different from human sex. It's rougher and more animal-like. The instinct usually overpowers the reason and in the heat of the moment, we easily lose control. It will probably take a lot of practice for Edward to prevent from crushing your body with his weight but if you two take it step by step I don't see why it couldn't happen.'

Rosalie had this very medical way of explaining things and it embarrassed me as hell. I tried my best not to put images on her words but I had already seen what couldn't be unseen. Now that was awkward. I blushed and became beet-red in less than a second. I could see that Rosalie and Alice were refraining from laughing at me.

'But Bella, if you want my opinion, period sex with Edward is definitely a no-no.' Alice said, finally bursting with laughter, quickly followed by Rosalie.

That last advice killed the last ounce of dignity I had left. I collapsed on my back in the couch, digging my face in the closest pillow. Reminder to my future self : never ask about sex any of the Cullens.