/AN: Please enjoy this newly updated chapter/

/DISCLAIMER: I'm sure you understand by now that I own almost nothing. I don't own Twilight/

NEW!

Alice's car was humming smoothly as they made their way through the sparse traffic, heading to the other side of the city.

"So, where are we going?" Vivianne broke the awkward silence that had been reigning between them since they left the Swan's house.

Alice did not look away from the road, looking very tense, "Well… I'm not sure if you'll end up liking it… we can go somewhere else if you're not into it,"

"Well, I can't decide if you won't tell me what it is,"

She laughed nervously at this, "Well, there's this museum…"

"I like museums. What kind is it?"

"Kind?" Alice asked, as though she hadn't expected that question.

"Yeah, kind. Like, is it a traditional museum, a history museum, pop culture…?"

"Oh. Traditional, mostly. I mean, there's a history section all about the town, but so little has happened here that it's not very big. The rest is just art pieces,"

"Cool… You know, you don't have to be so worried about what I think,"

"I know…" Alice cleared her throat, "It's just… I don't know,"

The conversation ended with that, and they returned to a silence that was as equally uncomfortable as the last. Vivianne took the opportunity to observe her companion for the afternoon. She had pixie cut dark hair and those metallic, copper eyes that seemed to be what united the Cullens. She was as pale as the others, without mottling or spot, only clean, ivory, almost luminescent skin. Over her slender fingers she wore the black gloves that Vivianne had never seen her without. She stopped her observation as they pulled into the parking lot of the museum.

"I think I know," Vivianne spoke suddenly as they walked away from the front desk and began to peruse the first paintings.

"Sorry?" Alice asked, looking away from a canvas that had only a single cube painted onto it in a shade of paint so close to white that it was as though it were blank.

"I know why you worry so much," Vivianne elaborated, gazing at someone's take on a creature from Greek mythology, "Are all of these local?" She called to the woman at the desk.

The woman only nodded, and Vivianne seemed satisfied. Alice was still slightly confused.

"You mean, about inviting you out? Bringing you here?"

Vivianne nodded, moving on to the next piece.

"Well… I sort of do too, I guess…" Alice seemed uncomfortable, like she wasn't sure she wanted to talk about this, but continued anyway, "For most people, I'm usually pretty good at figuring out how they'll react to things,"

"But you hardly know me. Of course, you wouldn't have figured me out yet," Vivianne seemed captivated by a detailed painting of a foggy forest at sunset, "Remind me to ask about this one…"

"Sure…" Alice followed her gaze, not feeling particularly interested in the art, "Usually, though, I figure people out pretty fast… for instance, when I first met Bella, I knew we'd get along. Right away,"

"Bella's only skin deep," Vivianne answered, and then clapped a hand over her mouth, "Sorry… I didn't mean that…" she finally turned her eyes away from the displays, a guilty expression on her face.

Alice, feeling out of place, did not know how to respond, "Um… it's fine… I suppose she can be a little difficult sometimes. Are you two not getting along?"

"No, that's not it… I mean, there's some distance between us, sure, but… What I was trying to say is that she's consistent… predictable… most people are," she turned back to the wall.

Alice nodded, "I suppose…"

They continued to explore the museum at a painfully slow rate, Vivianne thoroughly enjoying herself. When Alice spoke again, it was only due to her curiosity and boredom.

"I was surprised you were free,"

"Mhm?" Vivianne hummed, peering at what looked like a dried and molding coffee stain.

"I thought for sure you already had plans with the Quileute boy…"

"The what?" Vivianne asked, glancing at her in confusion.

"Jacob, I think his name is,"

"Oh," Vivianne gave a dry laugh, "Haven't heard from him in a while, actually,"

"Strange. You're obviously very important to him… I was sure the two of you would be together, by now," Alice was watching her reactions very carefully, trying to learn what she could.

Vivianne stiffened and took on an indifferent expression, "Our relationship is just casual. He and I are friends, that's all,"

Alice arched a smooth eyebrow, "Does he know that?"

"Nothing to the contrary has been suggested… why?"

"Oh, no reason…" Alice sang, pretending to now be completely absorbed in a splattering of oranges and blues.

"Alice, what?" Vivianne asked in frustration.

"Well…" Alice paused, relishing in Vivianne's stewing curiosity, "He did rush to the hospital as soon as he found out you were there… despite having only just woken up from an unexplainable and sudden loss of consciousness…"

Vivianne's eyes went wide, "He passed out? Why?"

"Tut tut, weren't you listening? Unexplainable," Alice wagged her finger under Vivianne's nose, a falsely reprimanding tone to her voice.

Vivianne growled in frustration and folded her arms, "He should've told me…"

"Well, I'm sure he would have, eventually…"

"What else?" Vivianne demanded, intending to learn as much as she could about what Jake wasn't telling her.

"Hmm…" Alice tapped her chin exaggeratively, "I'm sure there's much more, but I hardly know him. Why haven't you heard from him, do you think?"

She sighed, "I think I made him mad, to be honest…"

"Did you ask him?"

"Well, no… but he hasn't even called me since then,"

Alice's eyes lit up teasingly, "And you're too old school to call him? This isn't the 1950s you know,"

Vivianne shuffled her feet, "What if he doesn't want to talk to me?"

"I suppose that's a possibility… but what was it you said? 'You shouldn't worry about…'"

"'What other people think'…" Vivianne sighed, smiling ironically, "I'll think about it, okay? Let's go check out the history section,"

Giggling mischievously, Alice hooked her arm with Vivianne's left and steered her to the back of the building.

/AN: Please favorite, follow, review/