I Like Me Better

by pantheradraconis

Bella, after graduating high school in Florida under the roof of her mother and stepdad, moves to Forks, WA for her first year of college. She arrives the summer before and spends most of her time at the res with her friends Jacob and Leah, learning about the wolves and taught to fear the cold ones.

6. Get To Know You

Title: I Like Me Better

Author: Pantheradraconis

Rating: M

Pairing: Bella/Rosalie, Edward/Leah, Emmett/Angela

POV: Changes, 3rd Person

Summary: Bella, after graduating high school in Florida under the roof of her mother and stepdad, moves to Forks, WA for her first year of college. She arrives the summer before and spends most of her time at the res with her friends Jacob and Leah, learning about the wolves and taught to fear the cold ones. On her first day of classes at Peninsula College, Bella runs into the most gorgeous girls she's ever seen and immediately becomes infatuated with her.

Chapter 6

Emmett

The crowd ebbs and flows like the tide of the ocean and there are times when Emmett can still feel the thirst at the back of his throat. He hunted last night, two large bears out near Missoula, but crowds are still the worst. He glances over at Jasper but the blonde is being perfectly distracted by Alice; a deep conversation about the difference between an artillery sword and an infantry cavalier. A distraction sounds like a good idea.

Emmett looks to his right and realizes Angela is there. She is standing at his side, eyeing a young child with an icee cone on the verge of falling to the ground. Emmett looks at her features, her light brown hair with the honey streaks still glowing from the summer sun. She's tall, standing just over six feet, but he still has a few inches above her. When he held her in his arms, her face fit perfectly in the crook of his neck.

"There's going to be tears in three, two, one…" Angela says and Emmett looks up just in time to see the small child burst into tears; the icee had landed on his shoe, what a bum deal.

Rushing over to the kid, Emmett scoops up the icee in his large hands and pretends to gobble it all up. The boy looks at him in wonder and confusion; he then looks back and forth from his shoe, to Emmett's hands, to Emmett's face, completely baffled. Alice appears with a new icee and drops it into Emmett's hands faster than anyone else would notice; the teen catches it by the cone and reaches it out to the little boy. Cheering and clapping, the boy giggles and laughs before reaching out and taking the icee. Emmett rubs his hand through the boy's hair and laughs.

When the parent tries to pay for the icee, Emmett shakes his head and says, "There's no price for a magic icee."

"That was really nice of you," Angela says softly while Emmett waves goodbye to the little boy. The teen smiles over his shoulder and shrugs.

What more is there to say, really? There's a part of Emmett (a very tiny, miniscule part) that wishes he was a jerk. Maybe if he played the part of being an absolute ass, there would be a reason why he didn't deserve Angela. Emmett drags his hand across the back of his neck before following Alice and Jasper toward a row of Cadillacs.

"Have you ever driven a Cadillac this old?" Angela asks, almost as if she wasn't thinking about what she was saying. It had been a long time since Emmett and Angela spoke without careful phrasing and awkward pauses.

"I'm older than this Cadillac," Emmett laughs. He stops in front of the Eldorado Biarritz and slides his hand along the side of the convertible.

"I know that," Angela sighs into her words. "But I don't know when you learned to drive." She smiles, that big, teasing smile she has when she says something she finds funny. Emmett can't help but smile back.

There was a time (was it really only a year ago?) when Angela and Emmett could spend hours talking about absolutely nothing. The topics they would cover could be anything from engineering in the Mayan empire to the cheeses of France. They once spent an entire night debating which Spice Girl would win in an all out brawl. Emmett still believed in Scary Spice, no matter what Angela says about Posh Spice.

"Edward taught me to drive, actually."

"What a nice older brother he is."

"Ha, ha-ha, ha, ha!" Emmett fakes his laugh with boisterous exclamation. Angela merely rolls her eyes, smiling broadly which causes the burly teen to look away, quickly. "He threw me into a Buddy Stewart, it was a truck, ok? And he told me to get us out of there! Now, I'd learned the basic mechanics of how to drive a truck but I'd never actually sat at the wheel before, but when a moose is chasing you across Quebec, you learn to slam your foot on the gas real fast! But, like a douche, Edward starts laughing while the truck stalls. Back then, everything was standard." Emmett shakes his head, barely keeping the smile from his lips.

"Did the truck make it?" Angela asks, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I know both of you two would be safe from a moose."

"Oh, no, it wasn't just a moose! It was a mother moose and I don't mess with wildlife mothers." Emmett shivers. "You never mess with the mothers."

Angela starts hiccuping from laughing so hard and Emmett barely holds back his own guffaws.

"You two kids having fun?" An older man walks up to Emmett, his own hand leaning on the Eldorado convertible.

"We were just admiring your Biarritz," the teen replies smoothly, stepping back so he's in line with Angela. "This is a '58, right?" Emmett points down at the front bumper and around toward the back fender.

"A car man, I see," The man smiles. His white hair escapes from the sides of his panama hat and Emmett briefly thinks of Jon Hammond and smiles at the idea of seeing a pack of velociraptors suddenly swarming the car show. "Do you have one of your own?"

"No, but my ex-girlfriend was really into classic cars." Emmett replies smoothly. "She rebuilt the electrical in a '71 Fleetwood coupe. I think she also did the breaks and updated the AC unit."

"Oh, umm, she definitely sounds like she likes to get her, uh, hands dirty." The man replies in stuttered words.

"She appreciates bringing a car back to life." Emmett says slowly. "So, how about a drive around the block?" He laughs at the man's scared expression. "I'm joking, I'm joking." Emmett reaches out and pats the man's shoulders gently. "Can we sit in the Eldorado? Ang here has never been in a Cadillac."

"Oh, yes, of course," The man stutters. "Please, take your time." He then quickly scampers off as Emmett circles around and opens the door for Angela.

"You didn't have to scare him like that," Angela says in a slightly disappointed tone.

"He was being sexist," Emmett replies as he walks around the front of the car. He reaches his hand out, allowing his nails to run over the paint. Just a little bit of pressure and he could leave a nasty scratch. He looks up to see Angela frowning at him and he quickly raises his hand in surrender. Feeling slightly guilty, Emmett drops into the passenger seat. "He deserves it."

"That may be true but that doesn't mean you have to be the one to give it."

Emmett smiles his best innocent smile and says, "But I am the perfect depiction of vengeance."

"You are a child," Angela replies back but a hint of a smile reaches her eyes. He knew his best smile still had its charm. "Other people's bad actions shouldn't propagate your own fall into the dark side."

The burly teens sighs and leans back in his seat. "So, where are we going?"

"I am definitely not stealing this car," Angela laughs nervously.

"Close your eyes and imagine we're driving along a coastal road, the cliff edges meters away from the tires. The wind is blowing in our hair and the smell of sea is all around us. What song would be playing?"

Angela sighs happily, her eyes closed and her hands on the steering wheel. "Something magical."

"Enya," Emmett states.

"Definitely Enya," Angela agrees.

Emmett keeps his eyes closed, wishing this moment could last forever, or at least for the rest of the day. Instead, the whisperings of his siblings snatches his attention away from his contentment. He looks around to find Alice and Jasper near a food truck.

"There's no way this is a date. Rosalie would not go on a date with a human." Jasper says while staring down at a corndog in his hands. "I think she is just giving into Bella's enthusiasm long enough for the girl to get bored."

"I don't know if Bella will get bored though," Alice replies. She is carrying a water bottle and slowly letting a small amount spill out as if she is drinking it. "Rosalie hasn't made a finite decision about Bella yet, but Bella has certainly decided to be a part of Rose's life."

"Are they talking about Rosalie and Bella?" Angela asks.

Emmett looks over to find the brunette leaning closer to him and looking toward his siblings. He nods his head in agreement.

"I'm worried about Bella getting hurt," Angela admits. "That girl really seems head over heels for Rosalie."

"She'll get bored, it's fine. A lot of people try to get Rose's attention like this."

"Maybe," Angela sighs and leans back in the driver's seat. "I don't know her that well, but there is something about Bella. Something that makes her feel like she's always been there, you know?"

The burly teen thinks about his first meeting with Bella, how she bounced off Rosalie and nearly gave herself a concussion. Right from that very first moment, Bella became memorable. Is that a special trick she has? Is there something about her worth being remembered? The next interaction he had with the girl was also very memorable, when she simultaneously managed to get Rosalie's number and make plans for a date.

"Huh, I guess it really is a date, isn't it?" Emmett says after a few beats. "I wonder how it's going…"

Emmett and Angela search around but don't see the blonde and brunette anywhere.

"I have no idea," Angela says at the same time Alice and Jasper make their way up to the car. Emmett and Angela jump out and Jasper hands the corndog over to Angela, who smiles graciously.

Edward

They stand next to one another, always a few centimeters apart, never touching; in front of them is a vast collection of chainsaws. Edward finds himself amused by the color selection of the engines. They are either orange or yellow, only a few of different colors.

"Do you think it's to keep the lumberjacks from losing them in the woods?" Leah asks quietly.

Perhaps the thoughts on the colors aren't his own. Perhaps they merely think the same way.

"As a lumberjack, how often does one put down the saw and walk away?" He asks, honestly curious.

"If I were a lumberjack," Leah answers, just as seriously. "I wouldn't want to have to lug around the chainsaw and the trees at the same time. So I'm guessing they're put down quite often."

"Then your hypothesis makes quite a bit of sense."

This is how their entire afternoon goes. They stand, always centimeters apart, never touching, and stare at an exhibit. Their thoughts seem to overlap, or perhaps Edward is just too lost in thought to wonder if what he heard is merely his own, and then they discuss the technicalities of what they are staring at.

They move to the woodwork display. Edward crouches down to look at the bird sculptures. They look like starlings. Or maybe one of them is a sparrow. He turns his attention to the second bird sculpture; woodworkers certainly do love working on birds. These two could have been any style song bird.

Leah crouches down next to him, centimeters apart, not touching, and points at the second sculpture. "Jake could make better sculptures when he was five."

Are you and Jake close? He wants to ask the words, wants to know… more. But he can't find a way to ask; the words won't come. "Woodwork is a very difficult skill."

Leah shakes her head. "No, I don't think so. I think it merely takes patience. Anyone could have the skill to carve something as simple as a bird, but not many people are willing to put in the man hours."

Do you enjoy woodworking? "I've never tried the skill, myself." Edward says softly. Why won't his thoughts turn into words?

"I can't sit still long enough for anything with details," Leah sighs. Her body begins to bounce slightly as if the statement makes her realize how long they've been crouched. "I did carve an egg once."

Edward laughs. The sound makes Leah turn toward him and he's suddenly self conscious.

What a beautiful laugh, Leah thinks. She then quickly turns away and points at the wooden knife block. "Now there's something I could take the time to carve."

"Oh really?"

"Probably not," Leah smiles and stands up.

Edward stands as well, centimeters apart, never touching, and watches as Leah stretches her arms over her head. She sways back and forth, leaning on either side of her hip. Edward looks around and quickly kicks his feet up behind him as if stretching his own legs.

They walk outside, moving past the people and through the cramped displays. The day is warm for October, but overcast. Edward looks up into the sky to make sure the cloud coverage will stay. He then smiles to himself as he realizes he is doubting Alice. He rubs his hand through his hair.

I wonder what it feels like.

The teen looks over at Leah and notices she is staring at his hand, which is still in his hair. Is she wondering about the feel of his hair? He drops his hand slowly. Leah notices his staring and quickly looks away. They follow the paths, the beaten foot trail from those before them, and look at the outside exhibits. The large canoe, the tractors, the logging equipment, all sorts of gadgets and instruments for a job long gone.

"Are lumberjacks still a thing? Like, obviously we still use wood and stuff, but, nevermind. That was a really dumb question."

Edward smiles and shakes his head. "I assume they still exist but in what capacity, I have no idea. There are lands that are marked for tree consumption. I think they plant trees that grow quickly and just keep circling around as the trees grow." He scratches his chin.

They walk up to a piece of machinery with a small sign that reads, Skidder.

"A skidder was used for pulling cut trees out of the forest in a process called 'skidding'." Leah smiles as she reads the sign. "They weren't one for messing around with names, now were they?"

Edward laughs lightly, a little self consciously. He puts his left hand in his pocket before pulling it back out.

"We can never fault them for messing around with their names, at least."

"Very true." Leah smiles. Edward realizes how much he likes that smile. Leah's lips are thin, long, and darke. Much darker than his. Her skin is such a beautiful, coppery color; it almost glows in an iridescent sort of way. He moves just a little bit closer, she steps away, not noticing his movements. He follows, centimeters apart, never touching.

They climb the steps of the fire tower, both needing to duck in the small space. The tower is barely two stories tall and not much of a tower.

"I feel like a giant in here," Leah laughs.

Edward gets down on his knees and wanders around. "I don't know, it feels pretty cozy to me."

"Cozy is just a fancy word for small," Leah replies but kneels near the edge, looking out over Forks. Across the street is the small airport used mostly by airplane enthusiasts who saved up just enough money for a tiny plane that barely flies 500 miles.

Have you ever been in a plane?

Edward hears the words and immediately answers them, not realizing it was merely a thought. "Several times. I've been to several different countries."

Do you know how to fly a plane?

"Only a small plane, like those. I've never looked into flying anything larger."

What's your favorite kind of plane?

"Seaplanes. I love seaplanes." Edward smiles and looks over at Leah. She's concentrating on the trucks down below them. The teen looks down and notices the old style trucks are parked for decoration and probably don't run. He wonders if Rosalie could get them running or if they had sat idle for too long.

Is it strange?

The redhead looks back up at Leah, realizing she hasn't been speaking this entire time.

She turns to look at him and asks, "How do you deal with constantly hearing others thoughts?"

"It's like listening to the radio, or always being in a crowded room. The voices, thoughts, images, they can all be overwhelming, but I don't have to listen to them. I can turn the noise down if I focus on something."

"What do you focus on?"

Edward looks down at Leah's lips and gulps loudly. The teens jump slightly as two loud kids come screaming up the stairs of the firetower and begin running around the small space. Shifting from his knees to his feet, Edward follows Leah out of the tower and back down the stairs. They walk toward the trucks and into the parking lot; Leah starts looking around as if searching for something.

"What are you looking for?"

"Food," Leah says matter-of-factly. "What time is it?"

Edward pulls out his phone and says, "Almost five." He notes two texts from Alice but ignores them; if it was something important, she would call. "Do you want to grab a bite at Blakeslees?"

"Show me the way!" Leah smiles, waving her arms.

"We can walk, it's just up this way."

When they walk up to the bar, a man is standing outside and asks for their IDs.

"Uh, I left mine in my car," Leah says nervously. "I guess we can go back and grab it?"

"Here's mine," Edward says, lifting his ID from his wallet and passing it over. Underneath, he places a $20 bill.

Is that a bribe? The bouncer wonders as Edward leans in and smiles.

"Is it alright if we both go in? We can, of course, run back to her car and grab her ID, but is it really necessary?"

She does look like an NBA star and they can't be that young. The bouncer shakes his head and hands the ID back, pocketing the bill. "Go on in, just don't make a scene." I can't believe I just got bribed at this place.

Edward holds the door while ushering Leah in. She smiles and looks back at him once the door closes behind them. "Did you seriously just bribe that guy to eat here?"

The teen looks around and notes the atmosphere isn't exactly gold star. The tables are a mixture of sizes, some square, some circle, and there's a mixture of bar height chairs and regular chairs. There's a couple of TVs hanging on the walls, each playing the same baseball game. About ten people are sitting up at the bar, yelling at the scream; most are wearing Cardinal's sportswear.

"Money is kind of unimportant to my family," He answers quietly. "We have a lot of it."

"Okay," Leah nods slowly. "I guess that means you're paying!"

Edward laughs his agreement and moves through the bar with his date. They walk just centimeters apart, never touching.

"Is this an important game or something?" Leah asks, while taking a seat at one of the smaller, two person tables.

Edward sits across from her and nods. "World series is going on, Tigers vs Cardinals."

"Are you a baseball fan?"

"Who doesn't love baseball?" Edward grins, "It's the American pastime."

Leah rolls her eyes and picks up the menu. The waitress comes over after cheering at the game, and asks what they want to drink. They each order water and Leah asks for a coke. After looking through the entire menu twice, Edward asks Leah what she wants to eat.

"I'm trying to decide between the Mill Creek burger and the super nachos. What about you?"

"Oh, uh, well," Edward rubs his hand through his hair unsure how to answer the question. Does she really not know?

Leah finally looks away from the menu with confusion, but then it appears to click. Blood.

"Not entirely the problem, I'm not… uh, thirsty."

"Wait, so like, you don't eat food at all?"

"Well, no. You see, it sort of tastes like ash. It's pretty disgusting."

"Huh."

The waitress returns with their drinks and asks what they want to eat.

"I'll have the super nachos and he's going to have the Mill Creek burger." Leah answers without skipping a beat. Edward gives her a look he hopes portrays confusion but she grins back at him and says, "He'd like the burger a little rare."

Once the waitress walks off with their order, Edward leans in and whispers, "I'm not going to eat a rare burger. It's not the same thing."

Leah laughs and inches closer to him, centimeters apart, never touching, and says, "I don't think you realize how much werewolves eat. I'm eating the burger and the nachos. You're just a really great scapegoat."

Edward laughs in return and the two sit awkwardly, waiting for the food. Leah drums her hand on the table and Edward wonders if there is something he should be saying. He listens to the crowd around him for a short moment before a thought inserts itself into his brain.

So you can hear everyone in this room? It's Leah and she's eyeing him carefully.

The red head nods slowly and says quietly, "I can hear everyone here, but your voice always takes precedence."

Leah blushes slightly but then points at someone with her chin. Edward turns slightly to see a young woman leaning against a guy who barely seems to notice she's there.

What is she thinking about?

Edward listens carefully and repeats her thoughts under his breath. "The cuff goes an inch above the elbow. Make sure you don't pinch the skin. The stethoscope goes face down just underneath the cuff…"

Leah makes a face, what cuff?

"She's studying to be a nurse, I think she's just going over notes for a test tomorrow."

Okay, okay, what about the guy she's leaning on?

Edward turns his attention to him and laughs. "He's singing the lyrics to Ain't No Other Man by Christina Aguilera."

Hey, that's a good song!

"Yeah, but he's singing it in full falsetto."

Edward turns back to Leah and they share a small smile. The food arrives and Leah tucks into the nachos without a second thought. In fact, Edward can't make out any thoughts beyond, finally and ugh, there's guac. Whatever.

The teen laughs when Leah quickly switches their plates and bites into the burger, the toppings falling off and dripping down her chin.

"How is everything?" The waitress asks while staring at the TV.

"It's great, thanks!" Leah says while Edward moves around a few chips pretending to get as many toppings on the chip as possible.

"Let me know if you need anything," The waitress replies as she moves back to the crowd watching the game.

"So who is going to win?" Leah asks, her mouth quite full of french fries.

Edward tries not to laugh but Leah rolls her eyes at him. "The Tigers. But only this game. The Cardinal's are going to win the series."

Leah swallows before saying, "You seem pretty certain of that."

"Right, well, yeah." Edward answers, suddenly very unsure of himself. Does he share this information with her? He's never been in a situation where he had to decide whether to provide information about his family or not.

Drinking down half her coke and burping loudly, Leah says, "Oh right, excuse me. Sorry, I'm used to eating with my brothers." She looks shyly down at her food, suddenly uncomfortable. I can't believe I just did that.

Edward leans forward, reaching his hand across the table. He stops, millimeters apart, just barely about to touch her hand. Leah closes the gap, causing their fingertips to only just brush against Edward's.

The two stare at one another, both feeling the strange sensation. Edward feels the heat from Leah's fingers as Leah experiences the cold from his.

"You two want dessert?" The waitress asks, causing the two to jump in their seats. She doesn't seem to notice as she adds, "We've got a fresh baked apple pie."

"That would be wonderful," Edward answers, "And could you make that à la mode?"

The waitress looks at him for the first time that evening and seems taken aback. My god he's gorgeous!

Leah leans forward, just barely keeping herself from waving her hand in front of the waitresses face. Is anyone home?

Edward smiles and turns back to her. "Can you blame her?" He asks, a boyish grin on his lips.

Leah rolls her eyes but smirks. Okay, pretty boy. Soak it up if you need to but make sure you tip her well.

"As you command."

The waitress, finally realizing neither of the two are paying any attention to her and she's literally just standing there staring at the boy, rushes away. Right, à la mode means ice cream. Get them some ice cream. And pie. I can't believe I was just staring…

Edward leans back in his chair and wonders when he last had this much fun. Is this what a date feels like? No wonder the others were constantly in good modes. He feels his phone buzz in his pocket, but only twice. Another text message; he could ignore it until later. The pie arrives with a huge scoop of ice cream, some caramel drizzle and two spoons. He leans forward and scoops up a large bite of pie and half a spoon of ice cream. He lifts the spoon up and reaches toward Leah.

"Not going to happen," Leah says and grabs the spoon from him. She shoves the spoon in her mouth and grins, before grimacing and holding her head, brain freeze, brain freeze, ugh.

Rosalie

"I drive an Aston Martin myself, just like Bond, James Bond." The man keeps rattling on as if he is showing off. Does he seriously think he is making himself more appealing? He takes a few steps closer to Rosalie and smiles, a row of bright white capped teeth emerge from his mouth. Rosalie wonders how much he paid for the artificial smile. "Have you ever seen the Bond Aston Martin?"

His hair is sleek black but the roots are slightly lighter. His face is appealing enough, well shaved and his hair is brushed in a charming enough way. He smells too strongly of wood and spices and oranges? Rosalie closes her mouth trying not to let the Dior cologne coat her tongue. When she opens her eyes, he's stepped another two steps closer, now seeming to hover over her.

"I could take you for a ride, if you like?" He asks while leaning toward her, his arm resting on the Dodge Charger behind her, as if he's claiming her with the car and she was pretty sure he didn't own either. Still, he found her beautiful, obviously, and wants to show his appreciation to her. She'll allow it until Bella returns.

"Oh yeah?" She asks, batting her eyelashes. "How long have you owned a Lagonda?"

His face falls just slightly and she wonders if he is a real gearhead but the confident smile returns as he says, "Just bought one a few months ago, in silver just like Bond. I could take you for a ride, if you like."

"I do love classic cars," She smiles, ignoring the repetition of his words, but then she sees Bella coming towards them. The brunette looks up at the guy and stops, her eyes seem to be looking the man up and down. She then looks back at Rosalie with a question on her face. She gestures at the man as if asking who he is. Rosalie shrugs, showing she doesn't know him. Bella nods and continues walking up to them.

"Hi, sorry I took so long." She replies.

The man turns and looks at Bella before quickly dismissing her. He turns back to Rosalie and says, "How about we get out of here? Just the two of us?"

"As appealing as that sounds," Rosalie replies, her voice a little deeper, a little more standoffish. "I would never climb into an Aston Martin Lagonda, especially with someone who doesn't know cars."

"A Lagonda?" Bella asks, "Is that the car that looks like it's sneering at you?"

Rosalie turns to her, extricating herself from the man's hovering and asks, "You know cars?"

Bella shakes her head, "Not really but my friend Jake is really into cars. He made me watch this whole documentary on Aston Martins. I like the DB one, the one from the Bond movies."

The blonde smiles and scoops Bella's hand into the crook of her arm, walking away from the confused guy. "The DB5. They were actually specifically made with working spy gadgets to be used in the film."

"Seriously? That's so cool. Can you imagine driving around in a real life spy vehicle?"

"Well, although I've never been in a spy car, I have driven an Aston Martin DB5."

Bella stops and turns toward the blonde, "Are you serious? That is so cool! Have you always been

into cars?"

Rosalie stares down at the excited brunette and wonders how to answer the question. Usually someone is trying to sound like they know everything in some way to impress the blonde. Bella's excitement reminds her a little of Emmett. She blushes and turns away, walking toward a row of Mustangs.

As Bella follows behind her, touching the edges of each of the cars as if she's checking to see if they're real, Rosalie answers, "I guess I have been interested since I was younger. There's something magical about the mechanics involved to make a car roar, or to make it sing like a breeze."

"I always thought it was funny that some people like to make their cars as loud as possible."

"There is definitely a certain level of masculinity in the roar of an engine."

Bella leans over the opening of a convertible. Rosalie quickly notes it's a very rare 1970 Mustang Convertible with the 4V 351 Cleveland engine.

"She's a beaut, isn't she?" A man with dark grey, short hair, a well trimmed matching beard, and the standard bright colored polo and shorts with tall crew socks and loafers, asks Bella.

The brunette leans back, looking slightly sheepish before saying, "I like the buttons. They're very shiny."

The man laughs, but it sounds genuine instead of condescending. Rosalie watches as the two continue to converse.

"Why thank you, I spent a long time making sure each shined to perfection."

"I also like the color, it's a great orange. Is it original?"

"Good eye," He grins and taps the side of the car. "I had to have it touched up a few times, but the color is called Calypso Coral."

"What a fun name!"

"The 70s were definitely full of fun names."

"Haha, true. I take it this car was built in the 70s?"

"Most likely built in the 60s, if we're being technical. It's a 1970 Ford Mustang, one of only a few hundred.

"372," Rosalie says, adding herself into the conversation.

"Ah, a serious car lover here." The man says, addressing her directly. "Have you seen one before?"

"Not in person," She says softly, showing her awe. "Is it an automatic?"

The man grins and points inside the car. "That it is, the true rarity of the automatic and 4V…"

"4V 351 Cleveland. It truly is a beauty." Rosalie says, finishing the man's sentence.

"Why thank you, young lady. Why don't you two have a sit? I'm sure two young ladies as pretty as yourselves will help with my chances of best in show." He winks at her as he opens the drivers door.

"After you!" Bella says with a big grin on her face.

"What are you so excited about?" Rosalie asks, a smile on her own face. "You don't even really like cars."

"I can see class as well as the next person," Bella replies, hopping into the passenger seat. "And I can also tell when you're impressed."

"I'll take that as quite the compliment," The man says, closing the driver's side door for Rosalie after she settles in. "You two enjoy yourselves. If you have any questions, just call for Eddy."

"Thanks, Eddy!" Bella calls out as Rosalie settles her hands on the steering wheel. It feels so thin and fragile in her hands. She puts them back down in her lap to ensure her excitement doesn't cause any damage.

"What do all the buttons do?"

"Have you not been in a car before?" Rosalie asks, her eyebrow lifting in slight amusement.

Bella laughs, "Yeah, yeah but this feels like a lot. Are we sure there aren't any spy gadgets hidden amongst them all?"

Rosalie laughs, loudly. She quickly covers her mouth and tries to hide her outburst. Bella just grins like she won a jackpot.

"A spy wouldn't drive a convertible." The blonde answers, shaking her head.

"What's wrong with driving a convertible?" Bella queries, suddenly serious. "A lot of people love the feeling of wind through their hair."

"Yes, but not the feeling of bullets whizzing past them."

"Oh right, yeah, I guess that would be a problem." Bella looks up and smiles. Rosalie follows her line of sight and sees Emmett, Angela, Jasper, and Alice standing near a row of Volkswagen Beetles.

"Oh, no." Rosalie says as Bella grins at her before jumping out of the car and running off toward the others. Rosalie quickly climbs out of the car and follows behind the brunette, keeping careful to stay at a normal, relaxed speed.

Bella reaches the group and sneaks up behind Emmett. She reaches out and slams her fist against his arm yelling out, "punch buggy!" She then grabs her hand and asks, "What are you, made of steel?"

"Oh man, Bella! Are you ok?" Emmett asks, turning toward the small girl and grabbing her hand in his.

"Yeah, yeah," Bella grins, shaking her hand out. "I somehow managed not to break it on your super muscles. My god, what do you bench?"

"315," Emmett says with a huge grin.

"That sounds impressive, but I honestly have no idea what's impressive." Bella responds, bringing her hand back down to her side. "Have you guys eaten?"

"I was thinking of grabbing a burger, want to come?" Angela asks, quickly stepping up.

"That sounds great. Do you want one?" Bella asks Rosalie.

"Oh, I was thinking Greek," Rosalie replies quickly.

Alice adds on, "We'll grab ours and meet back up with you at the tables over there." She points to a collection of picnic tables under a large tarp.

"Uh, yeah," Bella replies softly.

"Come on, Bella," Angela says, pulling the shorter girl along with her.

"I just wanted to buy her dinner," Rosalie hears Bella say quietly to Angela as the two walk away.

"Yeah, I know," Angela replies. "But I'm sure you can find something else for her; maybe not food? Rosalie likes getting gifts."

"Really?"

"Looks like we've got to grab some food now," Jasper says slightly annoyed.

"Oh relax, sweetie," Alice replies, moving the group of vampires toward the gyro food truck. "We just need to grab one meal and some extra containers. We'll spread it out and make it look like we were really hungry."

"That's a much better idea than I had," Emmett answers, hopping into line.

"Oh, I know!" Alice says with a grin.

Rosalie follows her siblings through the line and over to the tables all while thinking about Bella. The small brunette has managed to squirm her way into Rosalie's thoughts today, much more so than she had at the beginning of the school year. There is just something about her positive attitude and outgoing nature. Rosalie begins to compare the teen to most people who flirt with her. They usually claim to know about cars just to sound more appealing to her; and when it's true, it tends to work even if only for a short while. However, Bella admits immediately if she doesn't know something and ends up more endearing by wanting to learn. She sounded genuinely interested when that man, what was his name? Freddie? When Freddie had been talking about his Mustang. She had looked young, and silly, and so incredibly sweet.

And then there was the interaction with the other man, the one who was hitting on Rosalie. For a moment, Rosalie thought Bella would be jealous or at least acknowledge that Rosalie was being flirted with. Instead, Bella simply appeared and acted like herself. It was strange. Bella obviously has a crush on Rosalie, right? This was supposed to be a date in the eyes of the human? Now Rosalie wasn't entirely sure. Did it really matter to her? Did she want it to be a date?

"This yogurt smells like Elmer's glue," Emmett says, dipping his hand in the small portion of gyro on his plate and letting it drip down onto the ground.

"In the Harry Potter books, ghosts enjoy spoiled food because the stench is strong enough for them to experience," Jasper says, dissecting the tomato in front of him.

"Oh darn, it looks like they're already done," Angela says, walking up to the group.

"Haha, sorry guys!" Bella says, taking a seat next to Rosalie. "Angela dropped her first package of fries and we had to wait for a new batch to finish."

"My wingman," Emmett whispers too quietly for the teen's to hear.

"How was your gyro?" Bella asks before popping a fry in her mouth.

"Authentic," Rosalie answers stiltedly.

Bella smiles and works to finish her burger quickly. The blonde looks away to give the girl some privacy and notices a group of guys standing near what appeared to be Audi's but then her eyes see it. A 1961 Jaguar E-Type.

"Wow, that's even more beautiful in person." Bella says, her eyes most likely having followed Rosalie's. "Want to go check it out?"

"Well, we should finish…"

"Come on," Bella says, rising and grabbing both her and Rosalie's empty containers. She throws them in the trash can and reaches her hand out for Rosalie. "We'll catch back up with you guys later."

"Have fun!" Alice says with a giant grin.

Rosalie rolls her eyes and allows Bella to help her up. She then allows the brunette to weave her fingers through her own, their now combined hands swinging between them. It feels strangely comforting to Rosalie, as if she's being held to the very earth beneath her feet.

"Hi!" Bella says to the group of guys standing around the Jag. "Who owns the Jag?"

"Well, hello there little lady," A woman with long, black hair and olive toned skin appears from a few steps away. She smiles predatorily at Bella and says, "That would be yours truly." She reaches out and takes Bella's hand in her own. "I'm Geri."

"Awesome!" Bella says. She removes her hand from the woman's and points at the closed hood before asking, "What's under the hood?"

"Well look at you; you just walk up to a woman and ask to see what's under her hood?" Geri purrs and Rosalie finds herself slowly letting go of Bella's other hand to prevent herself from breaking any bones.

"Sorry," Bella says, rubbing her arm with her now free hand. "I read a list of questions to ask 'gearheads' when you don't know anything about cars but want to sound like you do." She holds her hands in quotes when saying the word gearheads.

"You can ask me anything you want, dear," The woman says. She grips Bella's hand again and pulls her away from Rosalie.

Wanting to growl but not wanting to bring attention to herself, Rosalie simply follows the two. Why is she feeling so defensive right now? What could these puny humans do to her anyway? She then looks at how close the woman and Bella are standing while looking at the engine and finds her teeth grinding together.

"It's a 3.8 liter roadster with a 6-cylinder engine. It can go zero to 60 in 7 seconds. Tell me, dear, how quickly do you rev up?"

Bella blushes before turning around and looking at Rosalie. "Have you ever seen a Jag move that fast?"

Rosalie crosses her arms in front of her chest and glares at the other woman.

The woman smirks in reply and says, "Sorry dear, this is a 2-seater roadster. I can only fit this little number in with me."

Rosalie opens her mouth to reply but Bella laughs, "Roadster. What a funny word." The blonde looks over at Bella with a questioning look. "What? It's a funny word."

Bella turns back to Geri and thanks her for showing the engine. "I hope you win best in show; it truly is a beautiful car. Well, thanks again and see you guys later!" She then turns away and grabs Rosalie by the arm, pulling her off toward some newer style Porsche's and Mercedes'. Following Bella as she slowly examines each car, Rosalie continues to mull over her thoughts. It must have been Geri, there must have been something about the woman that bothered her. It definitely had nothing to do with this small human who is currently making her way over to a group of craft tables and sale items. Rosalie begins to peruse one table after another. One is selling soaps that stink of lavender and roses, another is selling children's toys and inflatable hammers; why, she had no clue. The next had wooden furniture, and random decorations, mostly small bird houses.

Looking up, Rosalie realizes she has lost sight of Bella. Where could the girl have wandered off to? She searches the rows of cars, the clusters of people, the scattering of food trucks. Then a hint of a smell creeps into her nose; it's the smell of hickory, cedar, and baby powder. Rosalie turns her head to see Bella walking toward her with a small bag.

"What did you find?" The blonde asks, trying to ignore the savory smell.

"Yeah, nothing really," Bella says, folding the edges of the paper bag over and over again. "Look, they're picking best in show!"

Rosalie follows Bella over to the large crowd congregating near a man in a cowboy hat and large belt buckle that says, Made Ya Look.

"Now we have a list of cars that have all been credited with spectacular paint, engine, and interior representation. If you'll all please come up once I call your names, thank you. Please welcome our final four, Malcolm Cooper with his BMW 3.0 CSL, Eddy Parsons with his Ford Mustang Convertible, Greg Markum and his Mercedes SL 300, and Geri Hamstead with her Jaguar E-Type."

A round of applause takes over the crowd as the four owners walk up and stand on either side of the announcer.

"Now we can do better than that, let's hear it for these four!" A splattering of cheers joins the applause before finally dying down.

"Which one do you think is going to win?" Bella asks while shoving a piece of gum in her mouth. "Oh, sorry, did you want a piece?"

"No thanks," Rosalie crosses her arms and looks up at the four finalists. All four cars were beautiful and she knew the Jaguar would win, but still. She sneers in Geri's direction but the woman doesn't see her in the crowd. "My vote is for the Mustang."

"Aww, that would be great if Eddy won! He was so kind." Bella agrees while leaning forward to see better.

"And the winner is," The man pauses for dramatic effect. "Geri Hamstead! Let's hear it for the Jaguar E-Type."

"Better luck next time, Eddy!" Bella calls out and the man smiles in their direction but can't quite figure out who yelled his name. Bella turns away from the crowd and begins walking through the cars again. Rosalie follows her, watching the short girl's movements more closely than before. She stumbles while walking around a Porsche, bangs her hand into a Volvo's side mirror, and trips on absolutely nothing.

The blonde walks up and grabs Bella's arm, weaving it through her own. The last thing she needs is for the human to trip and fall and start bleeding. It's one thing to be able to smell all these humans, it's another completely when the blood is in sight.

"We should probably find the others," Bella says softly as they find themselves at the end of another row of cars. She steps in front of the blonde and smiles up at her. "This was a lot of fun though, and I'm really glad you decided to come with me. Or, well, you know, meet up with me."

Rosalie looks down at Bella realizing that when they're standing this close the brunette is really only a few inches shorter than her. In fact, if Rosalie were to lean down and hug the girl, her head would probably fit quite comfortable on her shoulder. What a strange thought.

"Yes, this has been enjoyable," Rosalie admits. "I am a bit surprised, but pleasantly so."

The smile that covers Bella's lips is even bigger than the one she managed yesterday on the university's quad. Rosalie's head tilts slightly in thought when Bella leans in and kisses her. The girl's lips are soft, sweet, and taste of winterfresh. They're a little rough, most likely starting to chap but still supple. And then, just as suddenly as they appeared, they are gone.

Bella's eyes grow wide and her pupils begin to dilate. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Oh my god, I'm sorry." She suddenly takes off at an awkward run and Rosalie is left alone, watching the flopping hair of the brunette as she gets further and further away.

Gradually, Rosalie's hand raises from her side, further and further up, until it finally reaches her lips, which suddenly feel cold.

"I told you this would be worth coming to," Alice says from the other side of the field, where Bella and Angela are talking in hushed, scattered words.

"Was about to leave and, then I caught a feeling/When you walked in the room/I was contemplating in our conversation/If we could start something new/Ooh, I wanna get deep, babe, we got chemistry and/Small talk's only wasting time/Oh, I need to get closer before it's all over/You can tell me what you like/We should jump right into the personal facts/I wanna get to, get to, get to, get to know you like that" - Get To Know You by Samantha Harvey

A/N: Y'all would not believe the amount of car articles I had to read just to get through this chapter. I must say, there won't be another car show any time soon, that's for sure! But hopefully I was able to sound like I knew what I was talking about, at least a little bit. So, there have been a few requests in regards to the amount of couples. I am going to keep working with all three couples, but I will try for a greater amount of time with each individually, and I will also be overlapping a bit more as their relationships grow. I hope you enjoyed this one! Let me know, have you ever been kissed unexpectedly?