A Bad Deal?
A Hell of a Thanksgiving Break Part Two
It was two days before Thanksgiving, and Bella and Rosalie were going around shopping in the local mall. Rosalie was big on buying clothes; Bella wasn't. Bella had grown up with limited money, so she felt it more prudent to spend her hard earned cash on something useful, like food, or jeans that could last multiple years of use and several washes. Bella also didn't take hours to debate what outfits to get. Rosalie did. She liked to walk the whole store with an eagle eye as she scoped out cute clothing. Bella was more of a 'I came in with a set list of things I wanted to buy, I got them, and I'm leaving'.
So, suffice to say, by hour three, Bella was exhausted. She wanted to go home. When Rosalie had said visit and explore the local city, Bella thought that meant more on visiting the desert, and not on perusing the stores.
"Are you coming in?"
"No, I'll wait outside this time," Bella offered, because she just wanted to sit on the bench and relax her aching feet.
"Okay, I won't be long." Rosalie said that about every store. Bella didn't mind seeing the cute outfit on her girlfriend, but she minded the effort it took for the cute outfit to be procured. Bella sat down and pulled out her phone as she waited, playing some phone games. She lost track of how much time passed, too engrossed in her game. She didn't even notice the three people heading her way until too late.
"Well, well, gentlemen, what do we have here?" a silky but acidic voice poised.
Bella recognized that voice. It was the one that had once inspired butterflies in her stomach, and then later killed those butterflies and replaced them with fingers of dread. She jerked her head up to none other than Victoria and her cronies James and Laurent by her side. They had aged over the years. James had sprouted a goatee, aiding his drugged out look. And Laurent had his long hair combed back greasily, clothes hanging off of his thin body. Whereas they looked like they had come from a dumpster, and smelled like it too, Victoria looked even better than before. Not better than Rosalie of course. Her red long hair was healthy and shiny with virulence. And her skater girl look clothes hugged her body. Yet, there was that same malice in her eyes.
"Bella, back from Forks," Victoria said, eyes hungry for violence. "Missed me?"
"Barely," Bella surprised herself by saying this. It seemed dealing and overcoming all her issues with Rosalie had given her the backbone she so desperately needed.
Victoria looked taken back by this too, but not for long. "Oh, got a mouth on you now?"
"I think she needs to learn how to speak properly to us," James suggested.
"Especially given how we went through the juvenile system thanks to her. It wasn't a piece of cake," Laurent growled out.
Bella's palms began to sweat. Shit. She knew this would happen, thus it staved a bit off of her fear. Yet, that didn't mean old memories weren't flooding her mind, causing her to feel small and weak like she had in the past. An image of Victoria kicking her in the ribs when she was on the floor. One of Victoria pushing her down the stairs. And one when were she had broken into Bella's room and trashed it, before trashing her. Shivers ran down her back. What could she do now? Should she call Rosalie?
As if summoned by her thoughts, the blonde strode out, bag in her hand. "There wasn't much in my tastes in that store..." she trailed off when she saw what was going on. Rosalie's eyes narrowed. She knew who Victoria was, recognized her by the red hair. "I didn't know we had an audience."
"Who the fuck are you?" James spat out.
"Butt out," Laurent added.
"Yea, I'm having a heart to heart chat with Bella here," Victoria sneered.
"I think not," Rosalie edged in between Bella and the trio. Bella was rooted to her seat, only able to grab onto the back of Rosalie's shirt for strength. "She's my girlfriend, and I don't think I want you talking to her."
"Girlfriend?" James sputtered out in shock.
"You're too hot for Bella here," Laurent concluded.
"How'd you snag yourself a girlfriend, dykie," Victoria growled out, not looking happy at this at all. Some nasty emotion twisted up her face. Was it jealousy?
"I choose to be with her," Rosalie hissed out, defensive. Her temper was rising. This wouldn't be good. "And I suggest you back off of her."
"Or what?" Victoria crossed her arms over her chest. "You'll beat me up? Please," she scoffed. "You'll break a nail and go home crying."
Rosalie let her lips twist up cruelly. "Why don't you test me out then? Name the time and place, and I'll meet you there."
Victoria was surprised by this. "Really?"
"Yes." Rosalie was dead serious.
"Rosalie, don't do it," Bella begged. This wouldn't end well. Victoria never played fair.
"Shush now," Rosalie murmured.
"Listen to your girlfriend, Blondie," James warned. Rosalie ignored him, jerking her chin at the red head. "Well?" She really wanted to pound the other woman's face in for all she did to Bella. James and Laurent not so much, since they were the brainless lackeys. But Victoria, for sure.
"Alright then." Victoria nodded her head. "The back exit of Conroy Street, tomorrow night at ten." Then with that, the trio strode off.
Bella only then stood up, her legs not shaking as much. "You can't be serious?"
"I am. She deserves to be beat up for what she did."
"You promised not to get violent anymore! And besides, it's in the past. It's over," Bella stressed.
There was a hard look in Rosalie's eyes. She wouldn't be swayed now. That familiar violence lingered in her eyes as she watched Victoria walk away. She was scheming how to hurt the red head already.
Bella couldn't stop worrying over Rosalie. She'd tried to stop Rosalie from going to the fight, but the blonde had evaded and put a stop to all efforts by simply not being in the house. Bella didn't want Rosalie to get hurt trying to protect her. It wasn't right. She paced the floor of her room, edgy as the clock turned towards ten pm. Damn it! Worrying wouldn't do any good. She had to go out there and find her girlfriend. She couldn't let her handle all her issues like that.
She threw on a hoodie because it got chilly here at night and then went to her drawer. A long time ago her mother had bought her a taser, but Bella had never had the guts to use it. She pocketed it, and then left the house, saying bye to her mom on the way out.
"Bella, you're going out? Alone?" Shock was on Renesme's face. This was because Bella had never gone out alone due to being scared of the trio, of the danger they posed to her.
She shrugged. "I'll be fine. I have the taser with me. And I'm going to go and met Rosalie."
"Oh, okay," her mother didn't know how to respond to this huge change all of a sudden. A smile eventually wormed onto her lips. "But I'm happy you feel safer. Fork's has really changed you. And so has Rosalie."
Bella was on edge at that comment. Did her mother know about her and Rosalie? But they slept in separate rooms and kept far apart in public. She gave a watery smile, trying to come off as casual. "Yea, she's a good friend." Then she ran out the door before her mother could ask her more.
The streets were dark and where this would have scared Bella before, it only made her feel uneasy. The taser sat heavy in her pocket, and worry for Rosalie sat even heavier in her mind. She hurried over to Conroy street. She only hoped she wasn't too late, the clock saying it was twenty after ten. When she got there, the streets were empty. No one was there.
Did Victoria not show up? Did Rosalie leave back home?
But Victoria would never back out of fight. And neither would Rosalie. So what did that mean? Were they gone somewhere? She thumbed the taser in her pocket fretfully when two boys came around the corner, voices low and annoyed. It was James and Laurent. What were they doing here? Her heart jumped up to her throat.
"Bella," James called out up noticing her. The two of them spotted a few feet away from Bella, eyeing her with distaste. "Where's Victoria and your girl toy?"
"H-how am I supposed to know. I came here looking for them."
"Shit," Laurent cursed loudly. "I knew we should have come earlier to check in." And by check in, Bella knew it meant that they had been on their way to help lend a hand to Victoria in cornering Rosalie. It was a good thing they had missed the red head. They never fought fair.
"Are you looking for them?"
"Of fucking course we are." James was antsy and something like fear filled his voice. This wasn't good. What could have happened? Had Victoria gone off the deep end? Was she going to kill Rosalie?
Oh god. The acidic taste of fear and panic filled Bella's mouth. What was she going to do now? She didn't want to drag Rosalie into her problems, but the blonde had been stubborn. Victoria was certified crazy. There was no telling what she could do! "We have to find them. Now!"
"And where do you get off on ordering us around," Laurent sneered at her.
"This is a serious situation. There's no telling what they could be up to!"
"Yea, well Victoria's beating your girl toy's ass for sure."
Bella shook her head at that. No, she knew Rosalie could hold her own. So it wouldn't be that easy to bring her down. That fact reassured Bella a little bit.
"But since they're not here, why don't the three of us have a little fun," James added.
No. Bella did not like where this was going. They approached her, cracking their knuckles. "It'll be just like old times," James crooned. "You and us, with you on the floor, crying. Scared."
They hovering right over her, and she was glued to the floor. She could run, she knew she could, because the street was to her back. But they were faster. Good thing she had a little helper in her pocket. "Not today," she hissed out and jabbed the end of the taser right into Laurent's stomach. He didn't even scream as his eyes rolled back and his legs buckled underneath him, arms shaking violently.
"Fuck! You fucking crazy bitch!" James jumped back from Bella. He glanced down at Laurent who was moaning softly on the ground.
She let the electricity of the taser snap once in warning and then he was tearing down the street, leaving his friend behind. Breathing hard, but feeling whole and powerful for once, Bella ran all the way back home.
When she got back she was sweaty, eyes wide,with a grin on her face. It felt so good to finally stand up to her biggest tormentors. No doubt, she'd only just pissed them off more, but right now she didn't care. Because she'd won. She'd finally won against them.
"Sweetie, are you okay?" her mother asked, coming into the foyer and noticing Bella's current state.
"Just great. Had a nice run," Bella commented back and then went upstairs to shower. Under the cool spray she felt like she was washing away the cowardly shell of her past self and reinventing and reinvigorating a new beginning for herself, for her future. One in which she was stronger and braver and bolder. When she got out of the shower, feeling refreshed, her phone screen lit up with a call.
It was from Rosalie.
Bella nearly tripped over her own feet in her rush trying to get it. "Rosalie?" she asked breathlessly.
"Hi babe." Rosalie's voice was smooth and even. It sounded like she was fine.
"Where are you? What happened? Are you okay?"
"Calm down," Rosalie said with a chuckle. "Victoria and I are having a heart to heart about our lives."
That was the most absurd thing Bella had ever heard. "You're not fighting?"
"Well, Victoria saw there was no point to it, so she smartly decided to not do it, isn't that right?" Rosalie said that to the red head who must have been in the same room as her. There was a muffled grunt which Bella took to mean a yes.
"Are you sure everything is okay?"
"Yes, Bella, it is."
"Are you coming back soon?" She wanted to tell Rosalie about what she'd done to Laurent. She wanted Rosalie to be proud of her.
"I don't know when I'll be back. But I should be in bed by morning."
"That late?"
"Yes. This is a very long chat. I want Victoria to completely understand me."
"Oh...okay." Bella knew there was more to this. Knew Rosalie was hiding something from her. But she also trusted the blonde to tell her later in the morning. They both had a unanimous unspoken declaration that they would never keep secrets from one another, because keeping stuff hidden was what lead them to fighting each other in the first place. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Bye." Rosalie hung up and Bella threw herself onto the bed, wondering how she was supposed to sleep when now curiosity raged in her veins over what Rosalie was doing.