Chapter Two: Damage Control
I practically ran across the large hall, weaving in and out of people. I could feel his eyes on me, and I knew he was following me. The tapping of my shoes kept me going. At least I didn't fall.
I threw open the door to the girls' bathroom and immediately felt a rush of cool air hitting me in the face. I sat down on one of the couches in the first part of the bathroom and put my head in my hands. I wouldn't to disappear. I couldn't face him again.
Him...
Edward...
My love...
I suddenly felt an ice cold hand on my shoulder. I frooze, afraid to move, to breathe. I looked up into the gorgeous face of Rosalie. I expected Edward or Alice but not Rosalie.
"Rosalie...Wh-what-" I stammered.
"Shh." Her voice was comforting. She sat down next to me and wrapped her arm around my shoulders, pulling me into her body.
"What happened?" She prodded. I looked into her eyes, and I saw worry. I wanted to say that nothing was wrong. I wasn't even sure what was wrong. It was just one of those feelings.
"I...I can't do this anymore," I stammered, letting the tears roll down my cheeks. She pulled my closer to her, and we sat like that until I calmed down.
"What can't you do?" She asked softly as she pulled away to rub circles on my back.
"I can't be with him but not. Ya know what I mean?" I asked. I felt stupid for my lack of coherent words. She shook her head bouncing her long, blonde curls. Her satin red gown made her look even more perfect if that was possible. I twinge of jealousy ran through my blood.
"I want him so bad. I can't be in the same room with him if I have to restrain myself. I just hate how we have to be so careful. It's so frustrating." I felt the tears coming again as I looked away from her topaz eyes. I couldn't help but wonder how she looked in her human life. I pictured her with big, blue eyes and the most stylish clothes.
"I can only imagine," she said softly as her hand stopped on the middle of my back. "I would hate to go without sex." She smiled. "I guess that's why they invented vibrators." I laughed at her bluntness. She did make me feel better.
"It's not really that," I said sadly at how she misunderstood my words, which I had to admit weren't of the greatest picking.
"This is about him changing you. You want to be with him, and you think that since he refuses to change you that he doesn't want to go further." I nodded. Maybe, Rosalie wasn't so bad after all. I mean, she understood me, and she made me laugh.
"Maybe, you should just give him some time. He loves you, and sooner or later he'll realize that he has to change you." She said it so matter-of-factly. "And with Alice's plan, it won't be long."
I looked at her in disbelief.
"I don't want him to change me because he was tricked. I want him to change me because he wants to, because he loves me." My voice betrayed me by letting the hurt drip from it and cracking. Tonight seemed never-ending. I just wanted to go home and sleep it off. I knew that wouldn't make my problems go away, but it would make them more bearable…tomorrow.
"We're not tricking him. We're simply pushing him in the right direction." I looked at her skeptically. "Anyway, I don't think Alice is going to change her mind about the plan, so you can fight about that with her. You are supposed to be having fun tonight young lady."
I shook my head at her, but she was right. I should be having fun. It's a prom, my first one.
She stood up and grabbed my hand. She led me over to the counter and the mirrors that lined the north wall. She sat me on the counter in between sinks and took a makeup bag out of her purse. How she fit it in there, I was afraid to ask.
She took cotton pads out and dried my tears. Then, she added moisturizer and silver eye shadow to my eyelids. She swiftly brushed on two coats of black mascara and one coat of strawberry lip gloss and smiled.
I jumped down and smiled back at her.
Rosalie wasn't so bad after all…
I went back out and found Edward immediately. He was standing right by the door; I don't think I could have missed him if I tried.
I smiled wearily at him, and, to my surprise, he gave me that crooked little grin.
I took his hand and softly kissed his lips.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
"Are you okay?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around my waist.
"Yes," I said confidently as I kissed his cold lips again. I absolutely loved this man.
A/N: So, I hope you like the Rosalie-Bella interaction. I wanted to build upon their relationship. As for Edward and Bella, their obviously okay now, but what happens after the prom is over?
