Before I start, let me just say I don't own Twilight or it's characters. I'm just putting them through my version of a love story!
It Comes With a Price
Chapter Two - Not-So-Perfect Perfection
After finally showering and taking a long nap, I awoke feeling only mildly shitty. I sighed and remembered my encounter with that girl and her bitchy friends.
That girl.
I knew her, from long ago. Maybe five years ago? Time meant little to me now. But that girl with the brown hair, brown eyes, and pale face brought back every memory from high school that I tried to forget. But when the overwhelming urge to think became too much, I just let go.
For the first time in years, I remembered my past.
Bella Swan was the only person in high school who tried to get to know me for me, and not just for the money I had. And I'd just pushed her away. I don't know why but her very presence annoyed me. She was the only person who didn't feel intimidated by me.
Though I had the money, the looks, the talent, the guys, she had something I didn't. True dignity. She was all of those things (minus the boys, she never dated) but still made herself look dignified and not like some bitchy, arrogant brat.
She was the valedictorian, she was student council president, and she was the smartest person I knew. I guess I was just jealous by her, and confused as to why she tried so hard to be my friend, when I was mean to her.
This, of course, all happened my senior year. My parents spilt up, my dad upped and left without so much as another look in our direction, and my mom was engaged to him. I never referred to him as my stepfather. I guess Bella, unlike anyone else, saw who I really was.
I didn't want her or anybody to know my situation, so I boxed her out. It never worked. Everyday she'd come up to me, smiling and considerate, while I'm cutting my eyes at her in a glare. She tried to make conversation many times, but I quickly ended each and every conversation. When I got accepted to Juilliard, she was the first to congratulate me, other than my brother. She would often come to my lunch table to talk, but I wasn't having it. I blew her off more than once.
I realize now that she was only trying to be a friend, a true friend, to me. She saw past my so-called "perfection" to find that I wasn't so perfect after all.
All I really needed was a friend. And she tried to give me that.
I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut. My life was even fucked up then. Well, more like I was fucked up then. My apartment phone rang, making me jump. Nobody I knew called my apartment phone. Frowning, I slowly picked it up.
"Who is it?" I asked more harshly than I intended to.
"Um…is this Rosalie Hale?" the person asked. It was a girl, that was for sure, but she sounded off…a little scared.
"Who is it?" I asked, not wanting to give away my identity.
"This…this is Bella Swan. Is Rosalie Hale home?"
"This is Rosalie Hale," I said slowly.
"Oh! Hey, Rosalie. It's me. Remember? High school?" she chuckled nervously, obviously remembering what I did.
"Yeah. I remember. Is there a reason why you're calling?"
"Um…" she cleared her throat. "My friend Emmett…you know, the one you bumped into earlier?"
So his name is Emmett.
I grimaced. "Yeah, he's not very nice…"
"I'm sorry," she apologized. Why was she sorry? And how did she get my number? "He's going through a rough time. He and his girlfriend just broke up, and the breakup was pretty harsh and…"
"I don't care," I interrupted. "It's not like I purposely ran into him or anything."
"I know, but…"
"And why are you apologizing?"
"I'm sorry…"
"And how did you get this number?" I was starting to get upset.
"Phone book…?" She said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Hmm," I muttered.
"Listen, I know we weren't the best of friends in high school, but there's a first for everything, right?" I narrowed my eyes, wondering where the hell she was getting at.
"Well," she continued after a moment of silence. "I know things were rough for you, and it didn't go as planned. I don't what happened to you or how bad it was, but I knew inside you were hurting. I tried to be a friend to you, when nobody else cared about that. I still want to be your friend. I mean, five years later, we meet again. Doesn't that mean something?"
I rolled my eyes, scoffing. I didn't do this "fate" and "destiny" shit. "I stayed in Seattle after school, and you came back. It was obviously a matter of time until we crossed paths again. What are you getting at?"
"Well, I was thinking you'd come by my house…if that's okay with you. Ya know, catch up?"
I stared at the wall dumbly. "Catch up? There's not much to tell about me…" I looked down.
"I'm sure there is," she stately happily. Oh God, the same bubbly Bella. "What's happening with dance? And…"
"I don't think meeting is a good idea," I said quickly, closing my eyes.
"Why not?" she asked. "It'll be fun! I'll have drinks and snacks and…"
"What kind of drinks?" I asked, entranced.
"Alcohol," she said. "I hope you don't mind…"
"Well…I guess I could come, but just for the alcohol." She laughed.
"Okay. I'll make sure I have plenty. Is tomorrow good?"
I sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, tomorrow's good."
"Great!" She gave me her address. "I'll see you tomorrow; I can't wait!"
"Yeah," I muttered before we hung up. I stared at the phone for a long time.
What the hell did I just do?
A/N: Okay, it may seem that Rose is an asshole, and that's true, but she has her reasons. Next chapter, Rose and Em meet again! I wonder how this re-reunion goes…
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