Because, I'm so happy I've decided to reward you.
I hope you enjoy... CHAPTER FOUR! :)
"I don't want to talk to you." I said, my voice sounding weaker and less convincing than I'd hoped.
"I know…" He whispered and touched my arm to turn me around to face him. "I'm sorry Rosalie." He murmured. For some stupid reason I forgave him.
"I guess I'm obligated to forgive you then." I breathed pathetically.
"I was sincere in my invitation Rosalie, and I want you to know that. Even if you don't accept, I want you to know that it was me who wanted to ask you. I wanted to ask you for you. Not for anything or anyone else." He said sincerely, his eyes scorching into mine.
"Ok." I answered simply.
"So would you please just go ahead and accept my invitation to dinner this Friday night?" He smiled down to me. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and shook my head.
"What?! No?" He seemed appalled that I would turn him down. Sorry I stepped on your ego.
"Try another gullible idiot." I suggested, walking away.
"Are you seriously kidding me?" He whispered under his breath, I wasn't sure if I was meant to hear that.
The rest of the day dragged on in the same routine. I sat alone at my lunch table, but content because I was painting. I was happy no one tried to trip me when I had to walk past the popular table. There weren't laughs. There weren't whispers. There wasn't any criticizing at all. It was silent, thankfully. I couldn't keep my mind busy enough to keep myself from thinking about Emmett during Calculus. I had turned down Emmett Cullen's dinner invitation. I'm sure there were plenty of other girls that would give anything to be in my position. I had made the right decision though correct? I was the only girl that hadn't thrown herself down at his feet, that should be a rude awakening for him. I wasn't worshiping him. That should be a refreshing and comforting gesture for him. Or, it might wound his ego. That would be even better. I was painting in art class when an office aid opened the door.
"I have something for Miss Rosalie Hale." The boy, Joseph announced to the teacher. Miss Van de Burg nodded and then he opened the door wider and gestured for the rest of the office aids to come through the door. My mouth opened in shock at what they were carrying. Bouquets of beautiful fresh red roses. Everyone's eyes widened. I wanted the floor to swallow me up as Joseph pulled out a card and started reading.
"Rosalie,
I will try yet again to win your heart, though it seems to be impossible. But, you should know I never give up on a challenge. I will pursue the treasure you are until I have made it mine. I would be honored if you would accept my dinner invitation this Friday night. Please consider. And yes, I know, roses are quite desperately persuasive, but hey who could blame me? If you would honor me with accepting my humble invitation, I promise, I would make the date perfect, so it would be worth your while. Desperate times call for desperate measures right?
P.S. If you still say no, I have a back up plan. They say the way to a girl's heart is through diamonds is it not?
-Emmett Cullen."
He read even his eyes widened at the name at the end. Everyone in the room was gasping at the name, no doubt signed perfectly in his beautiful manuscript. I blushed a deep scarlet red. I couldn't believe I'd turned him down now! I heard frantic whispering around the room and I felt like I was about to pass out. My breathing became heavy as endless glorious roses were placed into my arms. The whispers all consisted of, Emmett asked her?! What is so good about her?! So you mean to tell me that she turned down the Emmett Cullen?! What kind of a girl would ever turn Emmett Cullen down?! I'd trade my right arm to be in her place. The roses were beautiful. And he'd said plan B he would give me diamonds! Diamonds! Glistening cold hard diamonds! I looked down upon the bundles of bouquets and bit my lip to keep from smiling.
I realized just how much I wanted to say yes. How much I wanted him. I had to say yes now. I was going to dinner with Emmett Cullen tomorrow night…
The bell rang and I was thankful school was over. I set the roses down and began cleaning up. I started to worry about the superficial yet practical things. What was I going to wear?! What was I going to say?! I washed off my paintbrushes and turned around to hang up my apron when I saw Emmett standing at my easel looking at my painting, examining it. I almost screamed in shock to see him standing there, let alone investigating my artistry. How did he get here so fast and so stealthily? I thought I would have heard him enter the constantly creaking door.
"You like it?" I gestured towards my painting nervously. His eyes met mine and he nodded smiling.
"Did you like the roses?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, if you like that sort of thing." I shrugged. I did like that sort of thing. But I didn't need to let him know the effect he had on me.
"Well?" He urged. "I didn't get a yes to dinner yet." He said like he expected me to bow down to him. I rolled my eyes.
"You'll have to work for that yes." I told him and picked up my book bag and heavy books. He laughed, amused. "What?" I raised an eyebrow.
"No one has ever told me that before." He grinned.
"Really? Because with those Abercrombie model worthy looks, charismatic charm, and pure perfection, I thought for sure someone would have said no to you before." I said sarcastically and gestured to him. He laughed yet again.
"I've never met someone like you Rosalie. You're so different." He smiled like that was a compliment. That's the way I took it.
"No one has ever told me that before." I quoted him in mocking. He rolled his eyes.
"So?" He urged.
"So what?" I asked like I was an airhead. I knew what he wanted.
"So are you going on a date with me tomorrow night or not?" He crossed his arms impatiently.
"I told you that yes has got to be deserved." I smiled. He groaned throwing his hands up in frustration.
"Rosalie, please. Don't be difficult." He pleaded.
"So Emmett Cullen is giving up on the challenge?" I raised an eyebrow. I cursed myself. Why didn't I just say yes, sing his praises and bow down at his feet like everyone else?! Ah yes, because I had a brain. Curse my stupid intelligence…
"No." He answered defensively. "Rosalie, please, just one date and I'll drive you home if you want to leave. But you won't because… Just please." He begged. I couldn't help but wonder what brought this on. I was the one who should be begging him. Not vice versa. A lump built in my throat. I was about to tell him yes, but when I opened my mouth, nothing would come out. So I shot my head down and nodded my eyes closed.
"What?! Did you just nod?" He teased. I nodded again a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.
"Yes…" I clarified and looked back up to him.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" He joked.
"Yes." I said a bit louder.
"I can't hear you Rosalie." If Emmett continued tormenting me, I would have to shove his head into a locker.
"Yes Emmett! I accept!" I looked up to him smiling so widely, I probably looked like an idiot.
"Thanks Rosalie." He grinned wider. "Seven thirty?" He asked. I couldn't speak so I nodded yet again. "You know I'll need some way to call you right?" The corners of his mouth pulled into a beautiful smile, meant for me. I nodded and he pulled out his cell phone and typed in my name to his contacts list. I couldn't believe this was happening. My breathing quickened as he handed me his phone to program my phone number into it. I racked my brain trying to remember the first number. Aha 8. I remembered the rest of the number thankfully my fingers trembling so I messed up quite a few times, and placed his phone back into his hands. "I'll pick you up." He told me. I remembered I would be at work not at home at seven thirty Friday.
"I have my job…" I said.
"So I'll pick you up there. Where do you work?" He shrugged.
"Starbucks Coffee right off the highway." I said. For some reason he smiled.
"Are you serious?" He grinned. I should have known he would make fun of me for something. I thought working at Starbucks was very cool. I get to listen to classical jazz music and smell wonderful coffee all day. Pretty rewarding I thought.
"Yes, is there a problem?" I raised an eyebrow.
"No, that's cool. I love coffee, but I always go to the Starbucks in the bookstore on the other side of town." He explained smiling. "If I'd known you worked at the other one I would have come there so you could give me a discount or something." He winked at me (at me!) and laughed, and I thought I would melt. His laugh was so glorious, so spectacular. And when he winked straight at me, it was like out of a movie. "Here, do you want me to get those for you?" He said holding out his hands for my books. I shook my head and clutched the books tighter to my chest. I needed something to keep my hands busy. For him to be at the height of the popularity barrel, he was still so down to earth and polite.
"I've… I've got to go." I said and shot my eyes down as I exited the room as quickly as possible.
"Goodbye Rosalie. Remember, if you stand me up tomorrow, fake an illness, or a death, I'll personally track you down and make you go on a date with me against your free will." He joked.
"Sure you would." I rolled my eyes and he closed the door behind me heading off in the opposite direction to football practice. When I was at work, it was so easy to let my mind wander. I started to stress over every little detail. What would I say when he did this? What would I do when he said this? What in heaven's name would I wear?! I could always borrow something of Bella's… No. I couldn't do that. Why not?
I smiled when my shift was over and I hurried home beating Bella through the door. She was still at cheer practice thank goodness. I snuck into her room and looked into her closet. I sifted through her clothes in awe. I had never even owned things this beautiful. I looked in the back of her closet and found a dress that I could wear. I don't think she'd ever worn it anyway. I took it off the hanger and looked at it. It was something our grandmother had given her three Christmases ago. I put it on and looked in the mirror.
The dress was a heavenly shade of lavender. The flowing skirt came just past my knees. A ribbon sash tied just under the bust area, the fabric gathering prettily. I twirled around admiring myself. I smiled and had the urge to start jumping up and down squealing. My first date. A date with perfection personified. Emmett. I heard the front door open and I ran to my room at full speed. Bella wouldn't notice the dress was missing; she hadn't even taken the tags off yet. It was such a pretty dress that I wondered why she refused to wear it. I smiled in my mirror. I turned on my ipod to the most girly song I could find. I jumped up onto my bed, singing at the top of my lungs and jumping up and down laughing constantly like the girls did in the movies when the hot jock finally asked them out. I was just so happy.
I flopped down into the pillows, staring at my ceiling my heart pounding in my chest and my brain throbbing under the constant thinking of Emmett. I let out a well deserved squeal. I slapped a pillow over my head and sighed blissfully, soon drifting off to sleep, before I'd even made dinner for my family. They'd complain in the morning, but you know what, I didn't care. I was beyond being on cloud nine. I was in heaven. I was going on a date with Emmett Cullen!!!