Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Sorry this has been so long in coming but I've been a bit bereft of time! I've decided to challenge myself to updating both stories at the same time and it's worked rather well so I think I might be updating in tandem more often!

Thanks so much for all the love and reading. You make my life with your positive comments and attachment.

Lemme know what you think!

-S

P.S. It's as long as I could possibly make it so I hope you'll appreciate the length. :P

Miss Imprint

Chapter 25: Roman Numerals and German Cars

"Alice, would you hold still?" I complained as I tried to mirror the incredible lavender tulle skirt she'd brought wit her.

She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow and snorted. "I am not moving."

"Oh. My bad." I shrugged, good-naturedly. "It must be the wind then."

"Yes." She muttered under her breath. "It would be your bad."

"Done." I sat back and admired my work. It wasn't the best I'd ever done but it was pretty incredible. The moonlight lit waves of silver in her jet black hair and the lavender off set her brilliant eyes beautifully. "What do you think?"

There was a soft breeze and then she was behind me, her nose scrunched up. "It doesn't look like me."

"Maybe because your eyes are like freaking magnifying glasses." I defended hotly, turning back to the painting. "It looks exactly like you."

"My nose is too far to the left."

I shook my head laughing. "Fine. But that's not my problem. I just paint 'em like I see 'em."

She let out an eager laugh and gave me a light playful tap that sent me sprawling to the ground. Her mouth was a perfect 'O' of surprise as I glared at her from the ground.

"I'm sorry, Cassie." She said. And then winked at me. "My bad."

I shook my head laughing and then took her proffered hand.

"Cassie?" Alice's voice had become somber. "I have a request."

"Shoot." I tensed slightly as I waited. I'd avoided Seth all week, nervous about the repercussions of shoving his girlfriend into a wall. Apparently wolves got protective when they imprinted. Who knew?

Please don't let her say anything about Seth, please don't let her—

"It's my birthday tomorrow. I'm having a party."

"Your birthday." I looked at her in surprise. "And you're having a party."

She sniffed, offended. "I may be dead, but that doesn't mean I can't celebrate the year of my brith."

"Honestly, I think it's supposed to." I muttered mutinously, sticking my tongue out at her.

"Anyway." She slipped her hand into her skirt and pulled out a polished eggshell-white envelope with elegant cursive script. "I'd like to invite you."

I took the paper and ran my finger over the embossed letters. Cassandra Arabella Kennedy. "Who told you my middle name?"

"I have my ways." Alice laughed. "So will you?"

"Sure." I pulled out a pen and checked the attending column. "Here."

She was resplendent as she took it back, her grin impossibly wide. "I'm so pleased. I'll send the limo to pick you up at seven."

"Limo?" I asked, my eyes wide. "Where are we—"

"Now, now." She whispered. "Don't want to spoil the surprise."

"Okay." I said, nervously. Trying to think about what on earth I could get her for a present. I wasn't sure how much money was left in my bank account but I doubted it was enough for someone like Alice Cullen.

"The painting." Alice interjected. "I would love if you gave me that painting."

"I thought you said it didn't look like you."

She smiled mysteriously, and shook her head. "Not this one. The one of the swamp, with the broken gate and the moonlight."

"Oh." I smiled, then. "Sounds fair."

She nodded and then picked up her satchel and slung it gracefully around her shoulder. "I should go." She tilted her head to the forest where a tall man with curling, honey blond hair stepped out of the woods. "Jasper's waiting."

"Okay—I'll see you tomorrow."

"Perfect." She said, and then added almost as an afterthought. "Oh and don't forget your passport."

"Alice! Where are you taking me?" But she was already gone. And all that was left was the shadow of the memory of her and her beautiful husband.

"Dad?" I picked up the phone, slipping it between my cheek and my shoulder as I balanced a bowl, cutlery and a cup of steaming tea in my hands. "Are you there?"

"Here, sweetheart." He replied, his voice slightly harried. "I've only got a minute but I won't be home this weekend, honey."

"Really?" I was slightly disappointed but then again, I wouldn't have to explain Alice Cullen's birthday party extravaganza. "But you've missed the last three weekends!"

"I know, I know." He called out to someone in the room with him, frustrated. "Okay, I'm sorry honey but I've gotta go. Next weekend though. I promise."

"You said that last time." I protested but he'd already hung up, and I was just talking to myself. "Love you too, Dad."

Glumly, I set down my food and flipped on the television as Jersey Shore came on. I'd been watching it a lot recently and I didn't want to think about why.

I just wanted to forget about everything that had happened.

The doorbell rang loud and obnoxious. "Coming!" I called, muting the television. "Sorry I was just—" And then I froze as Marcus appeared behind the door. "What do you want?"

He didn't reply just raised an eye brow at my pajamas. They were baggy and unattractive with a print of Bugs Bunny brandishing his carrot. I rolled my eyes. "Oh grow up. It's Saturday morning, what did you think I'd be wearing."

"Exactly. Isn't that like blasphemous?" He quipped and I laughed, surprised. "Can I come in?"

I shrugged and stepped out of the way, back up warily before closing the door behind him. He walked ahead of me and sat down on my couch. "Nice house."

"Yeah." I replied faintly. "We think so to. Listen, not that I don't just love having random people pop over while I'm trying to have breakfast but what're you doing here?"

"I'm hurt." He clutched a hand to his chest. "I thought I was special."

I licked my lips and let out a breath. That was pointed. Time to deal with this, I supposed. There was no use putting it off. "No, you weren't."

He didn't even blink, just grinned. "So you won't mind a repeat?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"The way I figure it, you got to use me to break up with your boyfriend so you owe me." He leaned forward and slipped his hand over my knee suggestively. "It's my turn."

"You're turn for what?" I pushed him off and scooted away.

"I need a favor." He came over and sat down next to me. "What do you say?"

"I say no." I scoffed.

"Then I'm sure you won't care when I tell Seth to leave me alone, 'cuz nothing happened between us."

"He didn't do anything to you!" I protested.

"Yet." Marcus replied, suddenly seeming almost tired. "I don't know what kind of sick game you're playing with him but I got hooked into it without my permission." He looked at me pointedly.

I let out a breath at that. That unfortunately was true. And I supposed, unfair. But he hadn't been exactly innocent in all of this either. "That doesn't excuse what a creep you've been."

He froze, looking at me his eyes wide and it was like he was seeing me clearly for the first time. I tilted my head waiting for him to say something but he just sat there, stunned and then as the red began to sneak into his cheeks he spoke again. "I guess you don't know why I transferred here mid-semester my senior year, huh?"

"No. I guess that's a weird time to switch schools." I couldn't imagine where he was going with this.

"Yeah." He agreed, before running his fingers through his hair. He looked like he was summing up his courage. "My old high school was different from yours. It was a prep school, you know the kind where everyone had roman numerals after their names and drove German cars."

"And what…you were too rich?" I tilted my head towards the Burberry scarf around his neck and the faded Gucci print on his shirt.

He laughed, shaking his head. "No, no. It wasn't that. I just—"He hesitated. "I didn't fit in."

"Marcus, I don't understand."

"My old school was very conservative." He emphasized. "I was…different."

"Oh." I swallowed. Oh. He was gay. And I wasn't sure how I could have seen it before. It wasn't as if he would have had a quality about him that should have screamed it. But as an artist I felt keenly disappointed in myself. I prized myself on my observational skills and that had just flown directly under the radar. I'd just lumped him in with all the thoughtless jocks at our school. Though, I thought to myself, that was probably what he'd wanted me to do.

Still, I felt incredibly small for taking advantage of him the way I had.

"Yeah," He breathed and then met my gaze and for the first time I didn't feel nervous, or sick or angry, just sympathetic. "I didn't get beat up or anything. I mean—the administration wouldn't have stood for that. But it was in the way everyone talked to me," he laughed, bitterly, "or you know, didn't."

"Marcus, I—"

"Cassie, wait, just let me get this out." He exhaled. "I've never been the smartest guy or funniest or whatever but I thought things could be different here, and maybe if I acted normal no one would notice and I could skate by. And then you happened and suddenly I was in over my head. I know I passed out that night and I'm really glad." He paused and the hastily added. "No offense."

I waved him on, airily. "None taken."

"But I heard that he dumped you for it, and so I figured I might as well get something out of it as well. But then we got into it at school and I just—it went too far." He ran his fingers through his hair again. "I didn't mean for it to go that far—I just didn't want this to go down like last time, I just wanted to start over and not get stuck again." He stood, and now his eyes, once determined and belligerent were pleading. "So if you could explain that to Seth without telling him about me, then I'd really appreciate it."

"Marcus, he wouldn't care, you know." I reasoned, trying to find a way to wrap my mind around what had just happened.

"Sure." He agreed too quickly. "But I'd rather you didn't, all the same." And then softly. "Please?"

I bit my lip and then nodded. "I'll figure it out, don't worry."

"Thanks Cassie." He smiled then shy for the first time since I'd met him. It suited him. "And I'm sorry about being so..."

"Me too. Trust me, I need to apologize more than you do."

"Call it even?" He stuck his hand out.

"Sure." I shook it and then rubbed my neck awkwardly. "So—can I interest you in a bowl of lucky charms?"

He laughed, amused before standing up. "As awesome as that sounds, I've actually got to go. But rein check?"

"Yeah, definitely." I stood to walk him to the door. I wasn't sure how well my next words would be received. "I think it's really brave that you decided to start over."

"I didn't." He smiled sadly at me, before stepping outside.

"What?"

"I didn't decide to. It was my parents." He shrugged. "They thought I could straighten myself out here." And with that, he climbed into his decadent, silver BMW and sped away.

My phone buzzed just as I stepped out of the shower with a brief text from Alice. Four words. "Dress: Formal. Think: Gala."

I groaned. "What have I gotten myself into?" I reached into my closet and started to pull out dresses. There was this gorgeous teal on that I'd worn last year for spring formal. It was a bit on the short side but it could work.

My phone vibrated again. Three words. "Not that one."

"Okay. Guess not." I snickered throwing it on my bed and then reaching in for a bright red one that caught my attention. I'd always been a fan of red.

Phone buzzed again. Two words. "Try again."

"I hate you Alice." I muttered. "I hope you realize that. And if it wasn't your birthday, I'd tell you where you could stick it."

I reached finally for my trusty little black dress that had vines of deep blue all through out and the most amazing laced back.

My phone buzzed again. One word. "Bingo."

Guess that settled it then.

I'd just finished putting in the final touches to my hair when the doorbell rang again. I checked the clock frantically. But I still had an hour. Which was vital because I'd yet to pick out my shoes, dig out my passport or wrap her painting.

"Coming!" I yelled, hoping it wasn't Marcus. I wasn't sure if I'd been serious about the rein check and I hadn't had time to think about it yet.

"Coming!" I called again as I stumbled over the three pairs of shoes I'd lain out. "Ow, ow, ow—"I mumbled as I pulled the door open and then froze. "Seth!"

His face, drawn tight with annoyance, melted into something halfway between desire and confusion. "Cassie, you look…" He trialed off and then cleared his throat. "Where are you going?"

I opened my mouth to answer and then shrugged. "None of your business." I smiled to take the sting out of it. "I'd invite you in but I've got to finish up so rein check?" That was the second uncertain rein check I'd offered today.

"No." He said, and then slipped his fingers around mine, prying them easily from the door and stepping inside. "We need to talk."

I stared after him flabbergasted as he slipped his boots off and sat down on the couch. "Yeah, okay just waltz right in. It's not like my opinion matters. It's only my house." I grumbled, sliding the door close and following him in.

"Sit down." He suggested, his long figure tensed. "Please?"

"I'm good." I bristled slightly. What was up with him suddenly having a stick wedged way up his—

"Leave Ana alone." He wasn't looking at me, he was just staring at the table. "Okay?"

I rolled my eyes. "She can handle herself. You don't need to play protector."

"Just leave her alone." His voice was dulled, and I pretended it wasn't him speaking to me, that it was someone else. Because the Seth I knew would know better.

I took a deep breath. Stay calm. This dress deserves better than rage. It demands elegance and poise. "Seth, I was trying to. I was just giving her a tour but then she got all up in my grill."

He laughed, then and the sound was so surprising and familiar that my stomach tightened. He'd always had the greatest laugh. "It's amazing how you can look so gorgeous and sound like such a dork."

I froze. Gorgeous. He'd said gorgeous. Not pretty or beautiful or elegant but gorgeous. And I didn't know what that meant. And he'd been so offhand about it. Like he used it all the time. Like it was meaningless. Like it was a word you could just fling at anybody. But you couldn't. Gorgeous meant things.

But he didn't mean anything by it. Because of course he couldn't. Not any more. And just like that the hope that had swelled burst and atrophied.

"I'm sorry." I said finally. "I'm sorry."

"What did she say to you?" He asked instead. He looked up at me then, his beautiful brown eyes cutting into me.

"It doesn't matter."

"It does." He stood, walking until he was close enough that I could smell his Calvin Klein cologne and see that he was wearing his good dark jeans. The ones he'd worn on our first date. "What did she say?"

"That I was an idiot for breaking up with you." The words were soft, quiet, and completely, utterly true. I swallowed. "And that you miss me."

He smiled. "She's perceptive like that." He was nervous though, I could tell, his fingers were tugging at his shirt.

"So you do? Miss me?" We were getting closer to each other and in another life time I might have thought we would keep getting closer until there wasn't any more space between us.

But it wasn't another life time, it was this one. And Seth just shrugged, stepping back. "You're still my best friend, Cassie."

"I…" I didn't know what to say to that. Because suddenly I realized that maybe it wasn't so black as white as I thought. He wouldn't just stop caring about me. He just wouldn't be in love with me anymore.

Just. Just was a funny word. It made things seem so much more innocent than they were. But that was still a problem. Because as much as I wanted to deny it. I was very much still in love with him.

"No. You can't say things like that." I pushed him back. "You can't come here and tell me that I look gorgeous when you look like that. And then tell me that I'm still your best friend and just expect that it be okay. Because it's not, it's not." The words were coming too fast, so fast that I wasn't sure what I was saying, just that it was true and that I'd been waiting so long to tell him and now there was no going back. "You moved on Seth, I get that, but I'm still stuck here and I'm still in love with you."

He blinked. And then his face paled. "Cassie…what?"

And I realized what I'd just said. "I…"

Seth stepped forward, his head dipping down so that he could look me in the eyes. "Cassie, I thought that you were over us." His fingers slipped onto my upper arms and my skin ignited at the contact.

"I am." I said hotly, latching onto my last chance of salvation. I had to get myself out of this. "It's just that I relapse a little whenever I…see you." I finished awkwardly before pulling away, ignoring the way my skin protested the lack of warmth. "I'm trying okay? I just need a little time." I hesitated and then with a desperate sort of grin, quipped. "I'm only human."

He laughed at that. "I should go. I've got a—"

"Date?" I finished helpfully, shrugging. "You can say it. It's okay. I mean it's not. But it is."

He just smiled. "I get it."

And he did. And he always would. There was no one in the world who understood me like Seth Clearwater.

He saluted me playfully before heading out, his boots in his hands.

"Aren't you going to put those on?" I asked from the doorway.

But he just grinned, winking. "Felt like a run." His eyes traced down my form again. "Have fun, Cassie."

I smiled and then figuring it couldn't hurt to tell him, continued. "It's a birthday party."

He tilted his head. "What?"

"Where I'm going." I gestured to the dress. "I'm going to a birthday party."

I couldn't quite make out the expression on his face but his voice when he replied was strained. "Who's party?"

"It's Alice's. Alice Cullen." But as I said the words, I didn't realize that I was making a mistake, that this was the moment when everything would begin to unravel.