Blue and red lights flashed around them as they made their way through the wild crowd, the lead singer's voice murmuring over the guitars and drums. They stopped when they could see the stage well and joined the passionate fans in singing along to the songs they knew, which Bella found were very few. Neither of them had the greatest voices, but they had fun from the moment they arrived. It hurt their ears, but after a while not even that mattered. They swayed to the music, becoming one with the large crowd, letting it take them as the songs sped up. Soon the band was abusing their instruments, wailing on guitars and hammering the keys of a keyboard as the singer's shrieks amplified.
Soon a mosh pit broke out and Rosalie instantly worried about Bella. She could so easily trip and get trampled by the senseless mob of fans, many of who were drinking. The area around them tightened as people surged closer, Rosalie making sure to keep close to Bella. The human turned and smiled at her, looking so alive. Rosalie craved to hold her from behind, to sway with her in the crowd they were now completely lost in. They knew no one there, had no one to judge them. Simply them, simply music.
There was the sound of breaking glass beside them and a person yelling louder than anyone else besides the musicians. Rosalie looked and saw that his eyes were red and puffy, could practically smell the drugs running through his blood. He was running towards them fast, but Rose was faster. She knew he didn't know what he was doing and that on normal circumstances he probably wouldn't bother them, but as it was he charged at them, aiming to swerve around them no doubt. Rosalie scooped up Bella a good four seconds or so before the man would have plowed her over. He ran past them into another section of the crowd as it absorbed him like a sponge. Bella didn't understand what had happened, but caught a whiff of the drugs as the man rushed past, putting two and two together.
"Thanks," she murmured to Rosalie, their faces very close in the confined space. Bella's arms were wrapped around Rosalie's neck and Rosalie supported her little bit of weight. Neither girl wanted to let go, but eventually Rosalie lowered Bella down, letting her feet meet the floor, though her arms were still around Bella. Bella did not unwrap her arms from Rosalie's neck either. The singer screamed about a lost love. The crowd jumped and someone began crowd surfing. A vampire and a human stood in a close embrace, staring at each other with an intensity that could only mean one thing, though both were still uncertain of the other's thoughts on the subject. Bella felt as if she had strayed into a dream, some weird version of herself. She sighed, all thoughts of the concert around her forgotten. Leaning her head against Rosalie's shoulder, she felt a cool hand brush a fallen lock from her face, lingering on her cheek a moment. She lifted her hand up to that hand, pressing the soft flesh into her face, breathing in the sweet scent. Rosalie wondered if it could possibly mean what she hoped, but she figured they were already this close, and she had to be sure.
"Bella," she spoke into her ear, glad that she could be heard over the roar of the concert. Bella looked up at her, her hazel eyes alight. "I-"
"And don't forget, people! We're selling band merchandise after the show in just a few minutes! We're gonna leave you with this last song, you've been awesome." The crowd drowned out any hope of Rose's words being heard. When Bella leaned into hear her better, Rosalie simply shrugged and smiled, letting her know it wasn't important, which of course wasn't so. She was only about to tell her how she'd been feeling for the past few weeks, how it had been driving her mad. Bella smiled back, letting herself enjoy the last remnants of the concert, enjoying the feeling of Rosalie's gentle but strong arms wrapped around her waist, her chin resting on her shoulder. They got a few strange looks from one or two people as the lights came up and the crowd began to move, but mostly everyone ignored them, an occasional few smiling. Bella didn't want to budge. Please let this be real, she thought silently.
But Rosalie was suddenly nervous again, not taking Bella's hand like she wanted to for fear of Bella feeling it shake within her own warm one. The two walked at the back of the crowd, getting tangled in the long lines for t-shirts and signed CDs.
"Would you like something?" Rosalie began to ask when a lady covered in piercings and tattoos began yelling out to the people around them, throwing merchandise like free candy. The people around them screamed, and a few girls even clawed their way to a signed CD. Rosalie saw Bella's amusement and didn't hesitate to leap in the throng of fans, joining her a moment later brandishing a black t-shirt with the band's logo. She smiled, offering it to Bella as they began pushing through the crowds once more. Bella took it, smiling from ear to ear, feeling light from the ambiance.
"Wait," Bella said as they were about to exit the building. "Can we find a bathroom? I want to put it on now if it's okay." Rosalie smiled, hearing her perfectly over the noise, searching out the bathroom, taking a few minutes of wandering around to find it. It was small with only two stalls, packed with short-skirted girls putting on vast amounts of makeup, a few of them smoking. The first stall was locked and it was so full that the two girls almost gave up before they reached the second stall. They were lucky that it was a door that swung inward. Bella went in with her new shirt, Rosalie waiting outside. But then the main door opened, a new group of girls leaching onto the already jam packed room, causing a wave in the crowd, pushing everyone into walls and, in Rosalie's case, into a stall. Bella was pushed back as Rosalie was forced into the space barely big enough for one person. They blinked and laughed nervously.
"Whatever, at least we won't be trampled out there," Bella said, closing the door and locking it the rest of the way. For a second they just stood there, both unsure of what to do or say. Finally Bella remembered the shirt in her hands, unfolded it. She reached behind her for the tie of her shirt, tugging at the knot, unaware that she only managed to tighten it more. Seeing that she was having some difficulty, Rosalie smiled, offering her help. Bella turned as Rosalie's hands worked on the knot, untying it quickly despite her trembling fingers. She had an urge to help Bella from the shirt, to lift it over her head, but knew that would not be appropriate. Instead she turned, giving the human her privacy.
Bella laughed when she turned back to see her friend facing the stall door. "We're both girls here," she said, but was a little relieved that Rosalie would not have to see her body, which was piteous compared to the vampire's carved one, with her white marble curves flowing with poise. She lifted up her shirt, making sure to avoid her hair, though most of it had come loose by then anyway. She stood in her bra a moment, feeling Rosalie's body but inches from her own, if that. She longed to twirl Rosalie around, to embrace her like at the show. She wanted to know how it felt to hold that soft body fully, to feel those strong, thin arms wrap around her once more. But that was impossible. Surely all Rosalie saw her as was a friend, their embrace at the show no more than protection from the mob. But still…she couldn't help remember how their eyes had locked in the car, how Rosalie had leaned in ever so slightly when their hands locked. Was she imagining it? What if Rosalie did really feel the same? Surely it couldn't hurt just to see? But Bella was still worried that it might bring an all too abrupt end to such an already too short friendship. She couldn't bear lose what she had now.
But Rosalie on the other hand had nothing to lose. She had known from the beginning that she could not simply be Bella's friend. It was all or nothing. The rich aroma of Bella's scent filling the small cubicle, the sound of the emerald green shirt coming up over her head; it was too much. They were inches apart, yet it felt as if she had run twice around the globe in that single short turn of her body. Rosalie stood there, marveling at Bella's smooth, pure skin, tanned up until the edges of her bra, where it was suddenly as pale as her own. Bella looked up at her, a question in her remarkable eyes, holding the shirt in her rapidly sweaty palms. Rosalie's eyes searched Bella's and only found trust, to her release. She moved her lips to speak but nothing came out. She lifted a hand to touch Bella's arm, suddenly feeling as tense as ever. This time Bella did feel her finger's shake as they glided up her arm and took them in her own to steady them. Their fingers entwined, hands fitting well together, the extreme temperature difference feeling right to both of them. Bella knew that this was no mere gesture of friendship any longer, but something else entirely, even if still premature. Rosalie had taken the first step, so Bella, feeling her heart racing faster with each shallow breath, closed the small space between them, letting her body press slightly against Rosalie's. Her blue shirt was cool against Bella's bare stomach. Then, like a match sparking, Rosalie could no longer contain herself.
"Bella…" She stroked her face, moving her head closer. "I have…feelings for you."
Bella could hardly believe she was awake anymore, but if it was a dream after all, then so be it. Bella was determined to not mess it up, asleep or otherwise. Not allowing herself time to think, all thoughts of mere friendship and pretenses faded, Bella pushed her lips against Rosalie's full ones, letting her eyes close. Rosalie had not been expecting such a positive response and could do nothing to keep herself from melting into the kiss as well, pulling their already touching bodies closer, one arm wrapped around Bella's waist. Bella instantly dropped the t-shirt, moving her hands to Rosalie's face, holding it as they kissed fervently. Rosalie felt herself become wet as Bella began to caress her skin with her light fingers, moving down her neck. She let out a soft moan, pushing Bella further into the tiny stall, slapping down the toilet seat quickly before placing Bella atop it, moving between her thighs, their kiss not yet broken. Bella leaned back, pulling Rosalie on top of her, wrapping her legs around the goddess's middle. Bella pulled her mouth away for a minute, catching her breath.
"Rose," she whispered, wanting every inch of her. Rosalie traced a hand down from Bella's shoulder to her breast, caressing it through the cloth of her bra.
"You are sure about this, Bella? About me? After what I told you I mean?"
Bella looked at her for a moment, staring into her vivid eyes. She kissed her cheek gently, lingering to whisper in her ear, brushing the curly hair away.
"Nothing has changed. And unless you have second thoughts, I don't imagine anything will."
Rosalie grinned down at the delicate human who was slowly becoming hers. "That won't be happening anytime soon." The two shared another kiss before the first knock on the door sounded.
"Come on, bitch, I gotta pee!" a girl said from the other side, using her foot to kick the dirty stall door. Rosalie looked down at her silver watch.
"I better take you home now, Miss Swan." Rosalie let her up so she could finally put the new shirt on, which lay discarded on the floor. Bella slid it on, though neither of them wanted her to. The bathroom was less crowded to their relief when they stepped out, the girl waiting impatiently as they made their way out. Bella remembered her other shirt before the door slammed in her face, snatching it from the dirty floor just in time.
Well, Bella thought as Rosalie held her hand all the way to the car. Looks like I have a lucky shirt now. She fondled the black fabric between her fingers. She couldn't help smiling the whole way home, letting Rosalie hold her for a while as they sat in the red convertible in front of Charlie's house. She was half asleep when she realized that she was in her own bed, Rosalie tucking her in without a sound.
"Do you want to stay?" she asked as Rosalie turned to leave.
It was tempting, but Rosalie had to decline.
"My siblings are kind of expecting me." They want to make sure I haven't sucked your blood yet, she thought, but said nothing.
"Big vampire conference to get to?" Bella teased, voice groggy. Rosalie chuckled, climbing in bed to kiss Bella once more before disappearing out the door, promising to call her the next day.
Bella fell asleep to the sound of the purr of the convertible starting up and driving away, knowing that she would be riding in it again very soon.
