CHAPTER 8 – For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic – Rosalie's POV
The cool breeze rustled past the three living statues in the forest. Night life was creeping awake as the twilight sun was setting. Alice perched on a tree branch, motionlessly scanning the forest floor below. Esme and Rosalie were perched above, waiting for the signal.
A strong gust of wind brought the smell of a herd of elk, due north. As one, they dropped down and took off northwest, intending to surround the small herd. Running was one of the few joys of this afterlife. Running with Esme and Alice helped Rosalie forget all pretenses. She could feel her smile growing as she ran alongside them.
After quickly dispatching the elk, they found a cliff overlooking the moonlit ocean. If Rosalie's geographical calculations were correct, they were somewhere off of the Canadian coast about halfway to Alaska.
"I love these girls' trips!" Alice chirped. "We're so glad that you could join us Esme. The hot springs were worth the wait and it's been such a long time since we got to soak under the sun."
"Thank you for letting me tag along girls. I know how much harder it is for us all to make time for each other once school starts back up again for you children." She said with a wink. "The new architecture firm is putting me through my paces. They have the audacity to believe my portfolio isn't actually my own, so I'm glad to get away." Rosalie scoffed looking out at the remnants of the scattered sunset across the endless ocean.
Esme turned to angle her body towards Rosalie. "So dear, Alice tells me that this new school year has started off with quite a bang for you." Esme said as she settled into the grass. Rosalie threw a glare at Alice, who just stuck out her tongue as she hung upside-down from a tree nearby.
"This year is completely normal. Dreadfully average. Can't think of anyone out of the ordinary." Rosalie said, narrowing her eyes at Alice's hanging body.
"Don't you mean 'anything,' Rosie?" Alice's said as she shot off text.
"It's alright, dear." Esme replied, ever the placating presences between her immortal children. "You know that you can always talk to me when you're ready."
"There is nothing to be 'ready' for." Rosalie said in a tone that left no room for rapprochement.
"Well, if she won't tell you anything about my new best friend, then I will." Alice said. Rosalie sighed wondering what would happen if she threw a rock at her sister. A big rock. 'Maybe she'll spin around the branch like at the county the fair.'
"Rosalie Lillian Hale, don't you dare think about it." Alice said. Nevertheless, she dropped down to join them while sliding her phone into her pocket.
Rosalie just threw her a saccharine sweet smile as she dramatically put a hand to her chest, "I would never! What kind of girl do you take me for?"
Ignoring Rosalie's comment, Alice settled down and said in a low voice, "I promise that I won't say anything if you really don't want me too, but it might be nice to get everything out in the open. I've been worried about you. We've been worried about you. I don't think we've ever seen you struggle like you have been." Alice's voice getting small as her fingers began to slowly shred blades grass at her tiny feet.
"She's right, dear. I speak for the whole family when I say that we trust you and we just want you to be happy." Esme joined in. The motherly look she gave Rosalie made her non-beating heart ache.
"There is nothing to discuss. I'm fine and if all of you could just kindly butt out of my life, then that would be absolutely spectacular." Rosalie said, a dark look coming over her face. "I just don't understand everyone's fascination with this human. And me. Me with this human. Their lives are so fleeting. Besides, with what I've seen of her coordination, hers might be more fleeting. We'll all be gone soon, and she will be nothing but a distant memory."
Rosalie wasn't sure anymore who she was trying to convince. Esme gave her an unreadable look and leaving Rosalie feeling over-exposed. "Nevertheless, if you find yourself wanting to share, then please know that my door is always open." Rosalie just nodded her head. Jasper's words flashed in her mind. 'Rosalie is very particular…we just have to trust in her and her process.'
"So, does this mean that I can still make her my best fri –?" The rest of Alice's sentence was smothered as Rosalie launched herself at her sister.
Esme sighed as Alice shrieked. That soak in the hot spring earlier really was needed.
"Oooo Liiiiiiillian," the wrenched clattered out of Rosalie's hand. "Why didn't you tell me your type was 'roguish yet bookish brunettes'? Truly, I'm hurt. You wound me. We could've eloped together." Jake's voice boomed through the doors of the garage. He came in carrying a plate stacked impossibly high with an assortment of sandwiches. He stopped a couple of feet away from her with a big grin on his face and sandwich poised at the ready.
"This is your fault, Jacob Black." Rosalie's glare was murderous as she pointed an accusatory finger at him as she bent to pick up the wrench. "I'm not in the mood."
"What?! How is this MY fault, Lillian?" Jake squawked indignantly with a hand on his chest.
"You wouldn't shut up about your mudpie pal and now the family seems attached."
"Oh, yeah. The family is attached. Sure." He muttered to himself, knowing full well that she could hear him. "That makes no sense, Lillian. And honestly, I'm disappointed in you for that horrible argument. Didn't you say that you've been to law school or something?"
"Besides, how was I supposed to know that you would develop your first ever crush in almost a century on said 'prodigal daughter'?" Jake said through a mouthful of sandwich.
He quickly dodging the twisted wrench that flew at him. Rosalie's chest heaved with an unnecessary show of exertion. "Call me Lillian again and I swear that I will end the Black lineage with you."
Jacob plowed on as if he hadn't heard her threat. "So, you keyed her car. How very 'kindergarten crush' of you Lillian. Never thought you were the 'pull on the pigtails to show your interest' type of girl."
Alice's tinkling voice sounded from the entrance of the garage, saving Jacob from her wrath. "Fluffy! Esme said to bring this to you." Alice flounced in holding a cold glass of iced tea. "Oh! I'm sorry! How rude of me! Would you rather a bowl?" Her eyes were sparkling with mirth.
Rosalie really needed to have that conversation with Esme about the necessity for moving again. At the very least, not adopting anymore strays.
"Very funny, short stack. A real comedian. You should go on tour. Really." Jacob snarked. "Oh, wait. You don't meet the height requirement to get on a plan without a parent or guardian."
Alice just smiled her biggest smile at him. "Rosalie, I am here to officially inform you that I am going to my best friend's house." Rosalie threw Jacob a nasty glare as if to say see this is exactly what I was talking about. Jacob pretended not to see the look as he started in on his third sandwich.
"Alice, we've been over this. You can't be best friends." Her head was hurting again. 'Were vampires supposed to be able to get reoccurring migraines? Should I talk to Carlisle about this? Would it be permanent?' Rosalie reached into one of the many drawers surrounding her workstation for a replacement wrench. Esme implemented the idea when Rosalie threw one too many wrenches at Emmett.
"Why not?!" Alice hmphed, crossing her arms and stomping her foot.
"Because you have to be friend with the girl before you can be her best friend." Rosalie retorted rolling her eyes. She pushed Jasper's Mustang onto the crank, careful not to dent the fender.
"We are friends! We've been texting." Alice replied, proud of herself.
Pretending not to have heard her sister, Rosalie slowly lowered herself onto the creeper and slid under the car. 'Can vampires have aneurisms?' "If you want to befriend her so desperately, why don't you take the walking food disposal with you so that he can speed up the process for you?"
"Rosalie, you know that he can't be there." Alice whined petulantly. To his credit, Jacob looked up from his meal with half of the fifth sandwich still hanging from his mouth.
"Do you chew or is that the next step in evolution for shapeshifters?" Rosalie's disembodied voice sounded from underneath the car.
Jacob ignored Rosalie and responded to the to the original topic. "Yeah, I agree with short stack. I don't think I should be there." Having finished his sandwiches, Jacob headed over to the creeper that Rosalie had left out for him and lowered himself under to be on the other side of Rosalie. "She can't know that I know you guys just yet. Have you forgotten that she doesn't know about all the hocus pocus stuff?"
"Regardless, I don't see why I have to be the one to take time out of my clearly busy schedule to babysit you on this playdate that you are so desperate to have. Why don't you just wait until we are all back in that dreadful hellhole and approach her then?"
"Because I said so!" Alice stomped her foot. Again.
"Alice, you are a centenarian. Act like it." Rosalie was starting to lose her patience with this conversation. 'Did they make vampire aspirin?' What if she threw herself off Mount Rainer again? The free fall always did really well to clear the cluttered thoughts from her head.
"Pleeeeeease! I'll let you get to pick what we all do together. Plus, don't you want to spend time with your m-" Alice was cut-off by Rosalie's glaring face suddenly inches away from her own. To her credit, Alice didn't flinch, and Jacob just sat transfixed at the sister's display.
"Think twice before you finish that thought, Ali-cat." Rosalie stared Alice down. "Besides, I'm already doing what I want to be doing."
"I could always work on this while you're gone Rose." Jacob chimed in as he also rolled out from underneath the car. "You know I don't mind working alone."
Rosalie began to rub her temples. Maybe she could antagonize Emmett into another competition to who could sit in Mariana's Trench the longest. Last time his cracks took ages to disappear.
Rosalie turned her head to look at him as a storm of emotions clashed inside of her head. Yet, her voice remained steady. "Jacob, while I appreciate the offer, I made a promise to you that I intend to keep. Besides, we both know that I could never leave this garage or it's inhabitants in your hands."
"Hey! I resent that! I'm a great mechanic! I rebuilt Bella's engine from scratch!" Jacob cried.
"My point exactly." Rosalie replied as she turned back to Alice, eyes alight. "Must we do this dance every time?"
"We wouldn't have to if you would just give in. You know better than to bet against me. Especially, on this." Alice relaxed her stance and Rosalie already knew that she would give in. Today was just not that day.
"No, Alice."
"Fine." Alice said with a look in her eye that had Rosalie questioning what the pixie was up to. Seeing there was no point in pushing her sister further today, Alice left the pair to their work.
When Alice was sufficiently out of earshot, Rosalie turned to Jacob, "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"
"Oh, definitely." Jacob replied.
After a beat he said, "I need to talk to you about something important. I trust you and your family almost one hundred percent, but…"
"But…" Rosalie interjected, meeting his dark eyes with her molten stare.
"But Bella mentioned that she was getting close with a your family outside. Alice just confirmed her intent on friendship, but that's not the one that's giving me, or the pack pause."
"Ah, so you know about Edwards little mixtapes or whatever they're called nowadays." Rosalie remarked.
Jacob nodded his head. "Listen, I don't know how your guys m-" Rosalie's ice glare cut him off. He cleared his throat before continuing. "I don't know how your guys bond works, but if it's anything like ours, then I know that I can trust you and only you to make sure that no harm comes to her. I know you said that she's his Soprano or something?"
Rosalie smiled at him. "His Singer, Jacob."
"Whatever, blondie. You don't know what a playlist is." Jacob snarked before turning serious. "I promise, I am only going to ask you this one time okay. Is Bella in any danger being close to your family?"
"Absolutely. Her every breathe is like torture and her blood calls like a siren song. And that's just the effect she has on Edward." Rosalie firmly stated. "I'm never going to lie to you and say that she is safe around any member of my family. What I can promise you is that if she is in danger, then I will do everything within my power to make sure that she's safe."
Jacob's heated gaze connected steadily with her own for what felt like hours before he nodded his head. Rosalie knew he had the answer he was hoping for from her.
Boyish grin now firmly back on his face, he said, "By the way, I noticed the scratches weren't on Bella's truck when she came by the Rez this weekend. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you? That wouldn't have had anything to do with what I texted you would it, Lillian?"
This time the wrench caught him right in the chest. He let out a grunt as the tool fell to the floor.