Alcohol has a strange effect on vampires. It is both a gift and a curse. The strange mixture of chemicals, in strong quantities such as in whiskey and tequila, causes a hazy effect on our minds, softening corners and darkening rooms. Although it was nothing near the pleasantness of being actually drunk, it did impair our judgement slightly. However, alcohol is the only substance that vampires can't cough up. The only way to get it out of our systems is to cry it out. As you can probably imagine, it hurts. A lot. I didn't mind it too much anymore, though. It helped cover up the internal pain I was crying about in the first place.

I was musing about this strange phenomenon while swirling the remnants of my second glass of brandy. I was known around town as a girl who was able to hold her liquor very well, so no questions were asked when I came in and took my drink to the furthest corner of the pub.

Maybe Emmet wouldn't come back, I thought, still swirling the glass. He's probably back at the motel, laughing with everyone about what a mess I am, and how badly I lied. I could imagine them all gathered in a circle around Emmet, golden eyes gleaming with delight as he mimicked my attempt to pass myself off as Isabella Tan. In reality I had kept my real last name, Swan.

"So," An all-too familiar voice rumbled, "what's the scoop?"

Emmet slid into the booth. I noted that he at least had the decency to sit on the opposite side.

I continued swirling the glass, trying to keep my voice casual. "Aren't you supposed to be at some gathering?"

He chuckled. "I was on my way, actually. Just trying to stall by going into the bar. You know parties were never really my thing. Plus Tanya's really getting on my nerves." He grimaced. "But I wasn't actually planning on having a drink. It hurts, man!"

I shot him the stinkeye as I downed the last of my glass. "Watch your comments about Tanya. If it wasn't for her, I would probably be wandering around the Amazon or something." I paused, "Then again, maybe that wouldn't be such a shame after all."

"Aww man, Bella! What's wrong with you? You must know how much you've been missed!" He replied with a smile. Then he leant forward, all traces of amusement gone. "So…this may not be the right time, or place, for explanations… but um… what exactly are you?"

I glanced at him, shocked. How could he not figure it out? Was he really that thick headed?

Misunderstanding my expression for discomfort, he kept babbling. "I mean, I haven't really been keeping up to date with plastic surgery updates, you know, it's not like I need it or anything, but you look great! Shouldn't you be like, 60? You don't look a day older than when we le- well, you know."

I felt a deep laugh building inside me. The next thing I knew, I was shaking with laughter. In between fits of mirth, I tried to explain. "Emmet- the truth is- I'm not really that much older! Actually- I'm about- five and a half months—older, if we want to be exact." I wasn't even trying to control the laughter, even though that little voice in my head was asking a very good question: Why was I laughing?

I felt tears burning into my eyes, and I realized with a shock that it was possibly the first time since I had changed that I had actually cried from laughing so hard. I looked over at Emmet, who was now wearing my previous expression of shock.

"I'm just- vegan!!" I burst out. Somehow, this was even funnier to me than Emmet's question. I grabbed my glass and giggled "I'm going to go get another drink."

But as I stood up, still giggling, Emmet's fingers closed around my wrist yet again. His face was grave. "Bells, I think you've had enough."

"Isabella!" I corrected yet again, still giggling.

Just then a crash came from right behind us. I turned around, giggles dying in my throat. One of the waitresses had dropped a tray of empty glasses right behind us, spraying glass shards everywhere. I felt Emmet let go of my wrist as he fled from the smell of the blood which was now dripping from her fingers. He probably assumed I would be right behind him. I smirked. Well, I wasn't. Refusing to glance out the front window, I quickly bent down and helped her scoop the pieces back onto the tray.

"Are you alright?" I asked, looking up at her.

She seemed frozen with a shocked expression. Then she just burst into tears. "I- I- I just feel so… so stupid!" She bawled.

"You had to realize sometime, princess." A man jeered from the back. I glared at him before putting my arm around her and leading her behind the bar. Then I took her arm and started wiping off the blood with a damp cloth. I hoped Emmet was watching this. Maybe he would be so freaked out he would just leave. All the while, the waitress was blubbering on and on about losing her job. I wasn't really listening, but made comforting noises when the moment seemed right.

Almost 45 minutes later, I left the bar, feeling very smug. Emmet was leaning against a telephone pole across the street. I would have mistaken him for a brooding statue if it weren't for his hair, ruffling from the slight breeze.

I turned and headed towards my house, pretending I hadn't seen him. I felt his presence beside me, matching my quickened pace step for step.

I shot him a withering glance. "I'm sure they'll be missing you at Tanya's by now."

He shrugged. "I highly doubt it. What was with that back there? You could have killed everyone back there! Whatever…Alice is going to be along in a little while, anyways."

I stopped dead in my tracks, swearing under my breath. All traces of smugness were gone. I had momentarily forgotten about Alice and her little gift.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Come on, Bella. Did you really think you could keep us away forever?" His expression became slightly pained. "Hey, before they show up, do you think you could wipe the blood off your hands? It's kind of distracting."

"Bella is dead." I hissed in a hard voice. Then I slapped him in the face with the bloody hand, and ran off as quickly as my legs would carry me.

As I got closer to my house, I was swiftly calculating how long it would take before Emmet recovered. He would only briefly be dazed, and my trail was clear. I just hoped he would take a little time waiting for Alice to catch up with him. No- what was I thinking!? I didn't want Alice coming to my house. I didn't want any of them coming to my house.

Once I got inside my door, I stopped dead. And it hit me. I sank against the back of my door, tears burning down my face.

The Cullens- Edward- were here. Worse, they knew I was here. Even worse, they had some twisted desire to see me, to increase my pain.

AN: Ummm. I don't really know what to say. I wrote this at midnight last night, fueled by some spiked Rock Stars and my anti- writer's block. Well, reviews would still be dandy! The best reviews are the ones with suggestions, by the way.