I don't know if I'll be able to update at all this weekend- I'm spending most of Friday with my mom and sisters, and then on Saturday it's my baby shower! If I do get a chance to update, it probably won't be for this story, but it is a possibility. We'll see in a few days, I guess.

Now, this chapter…it was hell to write. I know I can't please everyone- that would be utterly impossible. If you don't like the way this chapter goes, I'm sorry, but that's the way it goes. It's a catfight. Not an insanely bad one, but a catfight all the same. Like Esme said in the last chapter, Bella will stand up for herself if she really needs to. And most of you figured out who Rosalie would end up with….

Isabella Marie Swan:

I fidgeted nervously with my purse as Alice and I walked into the restaurant. I couldn't believe I was doing this to myself…practically throwing myself into the lion's den. Alice spotted her family and Rosalie immediately, and steered me in the right direction over to their table. "Don't be so nervous. You look like you're about to upchuck." Alice hissed under her breath, just as we approached the table, where everyone but Rosalie had stood up. Edward yanked on Rosalie's shoulder, and she gave him a dirty look before standing up as well.

"It's nice to see you." Esme said, and she and Carlisle both hugged me warmly before turning to their daughter. I hesitated for a moment, but then gave Edward a short, awkward hug.

"Hello, Bella." He said, dropping his arms back down to his sides and looking down at the ground.

Rosalie was staring at me, and I shook her hand quickly without saying anything. Thankfully, Alice saved me for anymore awkwardness by hugging her brother and then giving Rosalie a hug as well. Ever since the engagement party, I've noticed that Alice hasn't been as friendly towards Rosalie, and she's been much more attentive towards me. It was a nice change, honestly.

The six of us all sat down at the table, and I was seated right between Esme and Alice, but Edward was sitting directly across from me. And Rosalie was still staring at me. Esme and Carlisle and Alice attempted kept the conversation flowing, but I was too nervous to get into the conversation. Edward was talking, but Rosalie would barely say anything. I was this close to just leaving and letting them have a normal, family dinner. The only reason this dinner was awkward was because I had shown up with Alice.

"Bella, how have your college classes been going?" Esme asked, and my head shot up. I had been focusing on the pattern of the tablecloth, not listening to what the others had been saying.

"What? Oh, school has been fine." I said easily, taking a sip of my wine. "It's a little hard getting things done when I'm working from nine to five during the week, but it's not too bad…I manage just fine." I said. "I've been having a lot of late nights lately, but that's been the worst of it."

Esme and Carlisle nodded, Alice started talking again, Rosalie stared down at her napkin, and Edward was tracing his long index finger around the rim of his wine glass, and up and down the stem of the glass. I watched him, spacing out the entire time Alice talked. I wanted this is to be over…why had I even come? This was a sick, twisted form of torture that I had inflicted on myself. And why? What was even the point?

"Can you stop fucking staring at him?!"

My head shot up again at the sound of Rosalie's voice, and I stared at her with wide eyes. "What?" I sputtered, and Alice gently put her hand on my arm.

Rosalie glared at me, and I thought that her eyes were going to cut straight into the skin with the intensity of her stare. "You heard me. Stop. Looking. At. Him." She hissed, jutting her chin out towards Edward. He stared at her, his mouth opened slightly in surprise. He reached out for her arm, but Rosalie yanked away from him. "You broke up, okay? You fucking broke up a year ago. Stop looking at him, stop talking to him, and stop fucking hanging around him!" She spat, the volume of her voice escalating.

"You-" Edward started to speak, but Esme cut him off.

"Who Edward spends his time with is his business, and the same goes for Bella." Esme said coolly, her eyes narrowed. "And I don't appreciate you speaking to a family friend like that." She added, and Rosalie's face tightened slightly, and I saw her purse her lips.

I sat rigidly in my seat, waiting to see what she would do next. I didn't have to wait long. "She's not a family friend!" Rosalie shouted, bringing her fists down on the table loudly. Several people seated around us looked over their shoulders at us, their eyes wide as they whispered to each other. "She's your son's ex-fiancée, that's all!"

"She's my best friend." Alice said sharply, and before Rosalie could say anything else Edward stood up and pulled Rosalie up as well, gripping her firmly by the arm.

"Stop it." He said in a low, calm voice. "Don't take this out on the members of my family." Rosalie glared at him, but didn't say anything. "We'll be outside for a moment." Edward said stiffly, and then he looked towards me. "Bella…" He started to say something, and then he stopped and turned around to walk out of the restaurant with Rosalie on his heels.

We sat in silence for a moment, and then I gathered the courage to stand up. "I have to say something." I mumbled, and although Alice grabbed for my hand to hold me back, I walked away before she could stop me. It was crowded outside of the restaurant, so I made my way through the crowd, looking for Edward and Rosalie. Luckily, it didn't talk me long to find them.

They were standing in the alleyway, and their body language was tense. I slowly approached them, wondering if I should just shut up and go back inside. But before I could decide, Rosalie spotted me and sneered. "Well, isn't that convenient? There she is."

Edward turned around to face me as well, his features contorted with anger. "Bella, go back inside." He said, but Rosalie stepped towards me, grabbed a handful of my hair, and yanked hard before I could even blink. And that did it. I was sick of her snide looks and rude comments and I was sick of the fact that she had Edward when I was still so in love with him. So I smacked her across her pretty little face and watched with satisfaction as she released my hair and brought her hand to my check.

"You fucking whore!" She hissed, and smacked me. I moved back and as she advanced towards me with her fist clenched, I honestly thought that she was going to punch me. But she whaled on Edward instead, punching him square in the jaw. Rosalie must not have been packing much of a punch, because Edward barely reacted; just rubbed his jaw for a moment.

"Bella, go back inside." He repeated, and Rosalie looked from him to me, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "Tell Carlisle and Esme and Alice that we're leaving, please."

And with that, they were both gone, leaving me standing in the alley with the cool night air stinging my sore cheek.

I hope you enjoyed! Please, my dears, find it in your hearts to review.

Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie