CHAPTER 24 – No Light, No Light (Part 2) –Bella's POV
11:25AM – Earlier that Same Day – Lunch
'She's being absolutely ridiculous!' Bella fumed. 'It's been days since we've talked, and I can't remember the last time she even looked at me.'
She twisted the tab of her soda, glaring at the Cullen's table. A small voice inside her head whispered how much her response mirrored the very person who was avoiding her. That particular occupant of the Cullen table had studiously sat with her back towards Bella ever since Cliff's Edge.
'Stupid, silly vampires and their stupid, silly complexes.'
Bella pushed the remainder of her untouched lunch around her plate. She hadn't been able to eat anything substantial since she woke up Sunday morning. At the time, she wrote it off as a fluke. She'd gone through something very traumatic and emotional, so her body was likely taking a second to recalibrate. When she walked out of her house Monday morning and didn't see her blonde or a fire red BMW, then, she knew there was something more.
Beside her, Angela looked on with concern as Bella continued to twist the tab. 'I wonder if Angela knew about Leah's other life or if she's just as in the dark as I am.' She saw Angela glance down at her phone when a message from Leah popped up.
Bella sighed, trying to shake herself out of the funk. "I'm sorry, Ang. What were you saying? I zoned out there for a minute."
"Oh Bella, it's fine. You don't have to push down whatever this is."
"How're things been with Leah?" Bella dodged, focusing her eyes on the mouth of the can as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.
"We're actually planning another date for this weekend. She said there's something really important she wants to talk to me about. I hope it's not bad, because I really like her and I'm planning on asking her to the dance. There, I've caught you up." Angela said, eyes narrowing with mischief. "Now, stop deflecting, I can tell you really need me right now, so spill."
'Well at least I have an answer to one of my infinite questions: what it's like to have an enormous crush on a supernatural creature that isn't trying to run in the opposite direction of you on a daily basis.'
The tab on Bella's soda snapped off, as the doors of the cafeteria slammed shut. She sighed, sliding down in her chair, and gesturing vaguely towards the doors. "I can't for the life of me figure out why she's acting like this?!"
"What happened? When we left you both, things seemed like they were going great!" Angela asked, taking some of Jessica's offered fries.
"That's just it! Things were going amazing! We almost kissed that night! The next day, she came over so we could talk. We both admitted that there was something between us. She shared something really deep and complicated with me. We almost fucking kissed, again!" Bella exclaimed.
Bella groaned, "Then, she had to run off to take care of a family issue, and that was the last I heard from her. She didn't show up to my house for our shared car ride to school, nor has she deigned to respond to any of my messages. Why won't she even talk to me?" Letting her head bang onto the table to punctuate each sentence, croaked. "It feels like every time we take one step forward together; she catapults backwards, by herself, and I'm left standing there with not a single fucking clue as to what's going on."
Ashley and Lauren shared a glance before Ashley slid her sweater between Bella's head and the hard tabletop. Lauren cleared her throat, "Uhm, do you think she might have like a vulnerability hangover or something?"
Four pairs of eyes stared at the blonde in confusion.
"Lauren, sweetie, did you just say, 'vulnerability hangover'?" Jessica questioned.
"Yeah," Lauren admitted, blushing slightly. "Why are you guys looking at me like that?"
Angela could see the scrutiny was making the blonde squirm, so she smiled at Lauren. "Lauren, that was a very insightful and emotionally intelligent thing to say. We're just processing it."
Lauren's blush intensifying, quietly muttered, "I've been reading some books my therapist suggested for me. She's helping me work through some things I've been struggling with. It's not that big of a deal."
Ashley reached out to grab onto Lauren's hand, her eyes sparkling. "We're all very proud of you and we're all here if you ever want to talk about anything."
From the looks being exchanged between the two girls, Bella had an idea of at least one thing that Lauren was struggling with. 'Now, if only the other blonde in my life could just admit she needed help.'
"Weren't we talking about Bella?" Lauren deflected, giving Ashley's hand a quick squeeze before pulling back. "I'm serious about the vulnerability hangover thing."
"I have a feeling this has nothing to do with alcohol, right?"
"Honestly, and you're supposed to be the valedictorian," Lauren mumbled. When Jessica glared at her, Lauren returned the favor. "Don't think I forgot about the 'emergency meeting' stunt, Stanley. I almost got my Yearbook position demoted because of you."
"Almost!" Jessica interjected. Angela put a hand on the girl's arm and shook her head. Ashley pushed her cookie towards Lauren as encouragement to continue.
"Right, 'vulnerability hangover,'" Lauren started, taking a bite of the cookie. "Ok, so I'm not like a trained psychologist or anything so take what I say with a grain of salt. It's basically this gross feeling you get after you spill your guts to someone. It's like you feel drenched in shame and you're super anxious on how the other person is going to take what you have to say." Bella emerged from her fleece cocoon to look at Lauren continued.
"My therapist said that most people see that kind of disclosure as weakness and will usually retaliate afterwards. It's like this learned defensive response to disclosing. I'm supposed to remind myself in those moments that the hangover means I'm opening myself up to self-growth and that I should practice self-compassion. My therapist said that the more important the person that I'm disclosing to, the harder the hangover could be. Especially, if the thing I share isn't received well." Bella could tell the blonde was making a concentrated effort to look at everyone at the table besides Ashley.
Bella rested her head on the soft fleece for a moment before thoughts started churning in her head. 'Everything that happened that weekend…she must've felt triggered in some way that night with those creeps, then the whole vampire coming out, and me opening my big mouth and dumping my feelings on her.' Her body went taut. 'How could I be so stupid? No wonder she's avoiding me! I didn't even stop to think that she might need some recharge time before establishing a new normal.'
She excused herself and rushed over to the Cullen-Hale table. Alice's eyes were slightly glazed over, and Bella realized that this was the girl in the midst of a vision. Bella remembered that Rosalie told her that Alice didn't have much control over the type and duration of the experience.
Once Bella was within earshot, Alice emerged from the vision and chimed, "I promise she's not going to kill you and yes, I will avenge you if she does." Alice chimed when Bella tilted her head in silent question. The taller brunette nodded her head as she took the seat Edward proffered her.
"Thanks, short stack." Bella smiled. "That wasn't my main question, but it's always good to know you have my back."
"Anytime, Bells! Are you still interested in coming over this afternoon to watch podcasts with Edward and myself?" Alice asked, bouncing in her seat.
Bella felt the gentle breeze of calm and looked as Jasper as everyone relaxed. She hummed as she regarded the man in front of her. "I think that's the first time you've used that on me that I've realized it. It feels like a gentle cold wash." Bella said rubbing the back of her neck. "Is that like your thing? Making people calm."
He tipped his head towards her with a wink. "Something like that. I can feed off and adjust people's emotions."
"Adjust, huh? I've got questions. Many questions." Turning back towards her best friend, she said, "First of all, you can't 'watch' a podcast, short stack. It's more like listening to it. Second, I'm there. Third, Eddie boy," She shifted to lock eys with the copper-haired boy. "I need you to cover for me in bio. It's a little time sensitive, so I need to take care of it now."
Emmett's grin emerged as he leaned his massive body across the table. "You gonna slay a dragon for her before the witch turns into a pumpkin at midnight or something?"
"Dude that sounds like the best virtual reality game. Write that one down, big guy." Her eyes shining with mirth as she returned his smile.
"What is the fabrication criteria you would like me to utilize?" Edward asked, as Bella rose from the table.
"Something tame, but believable. Something that puts me out of commission for the afternoon, but not the entire rest of the day." She replied as the bell rang and the students grudgingly began to gather their things. "I'll catch y'all later. Ali, I'll look for you after Debate!"
She didn't see the siblings all turn toward each other. She didn't see Alice get swallowed up by another series of visions. She didn't see them conspire to do their best to prevent the events of the vision from occurring. Carlisle and Esme would be disappointed, but they were off in Alaska consulting with the Denali's.
Edward looked like his head would explode from running the different permutations of options to use on Bella's behalf. His golden eyes bulged out of his head when Alice devilishly smirked before scampering off. If Edward had the human capacity to blush, he would be bright scarlet.
"I am not going to tell Dr. Molina that Bella is 'riding the crimson wave,' you absolute heathen." He hissed out, before shouldering his way past his cackling brothers.
1:17PM – Same Day – Before Speech & Debate Class
'She's going to make so much fun of me for this. Hell, I would make fun of me for this.'
Bella was glad the mechanics teacher always took an extended lunch hour. Bella was in a bit of a time crunch, and she didn't want to have to do any unnecessary explaining.
In one hand, Bella delicately held a miniature model Crosley Hotshot and in the other she held a tiny paintbrush. Her brow furrowed as she applied another coat of red paint.
She'd planned to give this to Rosalie for the winter holiday, but she couldn't think of a better time than now. It had taken her a few weeks to acquire all the necessary parts for the build, but she was very pleased with how it was turning out. She was so grateful to her grandfather for taking the time to teach her the patience it takes while putting something like this together.
'Maybe I should scratch a message on the door.' Bella smirked to herself, picturing Rosalie's face. Then, she remembered why she was putting it together. 'Maybe not…I want her to accept my apology and not throw this at me.'
Early in the school year, Bella had encountered the ad for the toy Hotshot when she was googling a part for her truck at Jacob's suggestion. The real car the toy was based on was marketed as the first sports car in the United States. When Bella had seen what the car looked like in real life, it was small and sleek, and it reminded Bella of Rosalie's cherry, red BMW.
Bella knew she had to get it for her blonde, so she'd bookmarked the page. Over time, she found herself coming back to the toy over and over, so she started to acquire the necessary pieces. She'd ordered the final piece after the Port Angeles incident, and it had arrived at the beginning of the week.
When Rosalie failed to show up to pick her up, she'd buckled the package in her passenger seat and let it accompany her to school.
The first few days of Rosalie's icing had made it difficult for the brunette to have lunch in the cafeteria, so she'd retreated to the woodshop to work on putting the car together. She ignored the fact that she was sleeping and eating less. The nightmares were enough to wake her from a dead sleep and food tasted like ash. She ignored the worried looks her friends would send her. There was no way that she could explain the constant pull her heart was feeling.
Her body would ache when she was away from Rosalie, but it would pierce her when they were in the same room and not talking. Bella was able to bring herself to the point where her heart ached less when she was in the same room as the blonde as opposed to the rending feeling when they were apart.
'Is this a latent PTSD/savior side-effect? Maybe Lauren's therapist could recommend a book for me too?'
"No matter what, I have to talk to her today." She murmured to herself as she set the car back on the drying dock. The car would be dry by the time the last bell rang, so Bella gathered her things and set off for Speech & Debate.
3:28PM – Same Day – After Speech & Debate Class
'Maybe, Isabella. Maybe, I was one of them. Maybe, I've chosen to be no more so. Maybe,' Rosalie's words looped through her mind like a bad playlist. 'I've lived decades and I will live many more.'
When she exited the building, Bella let the bite of the cold air seep into her lungs. She felt the flush of embarrassment at being humiliated and the rush of anger at Rosalie's casual words. 'You already know far too much, and that knowledge has inflated your ego to a point where you think you can demand something of me.' How could Rosalie say those things to her? Shivering, as she pulled her jacket closer against the wind. Bella knew it wasn't just the weather that chilled her bones.
How had things gotten so out of control so quickly? She'd walked into the room intent on winding back the clock with Rosalie and reassuring Rosalie that she hadn't been wrong to place her trust in Bella. Somehow their wires had gotten crossed and Rosalie's already sky-high defenses, had torn Bella's heart to shreds. 'You are nothing more than a speck in the present. No part of you is in my future.'
As she adjusted her bag on her back, careful not to jostle the precious cargo it was carrying. Teary-eyed, she looked up, glad to see Alice sitting in the driver's seat of her warmed truck. 'I'm so grateful for that little menace.' She hurriedly wiped at her eyes as she walked over.
Obnoxiously, Alice honked the horn as Bella opened the passenger door of the truck. "Literally, why are you like this you tiny sugar plum fairy?" Bella forced as smile as she got settled beside the over eager vampire.
"Ready to go?" Alice smiled back until she caught sight of Bella's puffy eyes and running nose.
"It's nothing. I'm fine. It's just getting very cold outside, and I didn't bring the proper jacket." Bella defended, turning her head to hide her face as she fumbled for her seatbelt. "Let's get going. Please?"
It didn't cross Bella's mind until they were halfway to her place that Rosalie's BMW was missing as well. 'How was she going to get home…right, mythical vampire.'
"Thanks for offering to drive, short stack. I really appreciate it," Bella said, tentative smile teasing at the corners of her lips. "I just want to take out all the dinner fixings now so that they're thawed by the time Charlie gets home and he gets the incentive to make his famous meatballs."
Alice giggled, parking outside of Bella's house. "I know I am not the best connoisseur of human food, but I have a feeling it's best not to ask what makes his meatballs 'famous'."
"The old man won't tell me!" Bella chuckled, pushing to rid the horrid conversation with Rosalie out of her mind…for now. "It's a school night, so Charlie expects me home for dinner. I told him where I was going, but he said that he'd still like me back before 7:30pm."
Hand on the door handle and eyes downcast, Bella misses the momentary stiffness that overtakes Alice's body. Her hands grip the wheel just a little tighter, like she was steeling herself against Bella's next words.
"There's been a body discovered this side of Mt. Rainier. Apparently, it looked like it was mauled by something, so it's got Charlie on high alert." Bella explained ruefully. She looked at the clock on the dash. "Crap! Is that the time? I promise I'll be quick, so just give me a few and I'll be right out."
Alice didn't let out the breath she was holding until Bella's front door closed behind her.
4:16PM – Ride to Cullen's
"I do really want to meet her, ya'know?" Bella said, connecting her phone to the Bluetooth speaker Rosalie had snuck in to her car one day. "She sounds really rad, and I feel weird being in her house without having met her. Especially, since I've met everyone else in her family."
A devious smirk graced Alice's face. "She's simply dying to make Italiano for you."
Bella stuck her tongue out as a thought struck her.
'Maybe, I was one of them. Maybe, I've chosen to be no more so.'
"Ali, I have to ask." Bella hesitated to allow Alice a chance to respond. The short haired girl schooled her features when she detected the brunette's serious tone. "I know you guys are 'vegetarian' vampires or whatever Rose said, but you don't stray from your diets, do you?"
Her friend was silent for a moment. Her golden eyes so like Rosalie's but holding their own unique shine. They searched through Bella's eyes looking into her soul for the right words to say.
"Rosalie told us to be honest with you if you ever asked us this question and you deserve the truth." Alice began. "We've all struggled with it from time to time, but there are those of us in the family that have a better balance within ourselves." Gravely, she continued. "Those of the coven who have, carry that knowledge within themselves every single day, for all eternity."
'Maybe, I was one of them.'
The sentence becoming some twisted mantra her brain couldn't let go of. Her body let out an involuntary shiver at the thought of Rosalie like that.
Maybe, I've chosen to be no more so.
The truck came to a gentle stop and Bella realized they had arrived at the Cullen home. She got out of the car and looked at a beautifully blended country manor. The exterior was a rustic modern with giant windows showcasing the grand piano and grand staircase. At the top of the staircase, hung a 10-ft chandelier. On the surrounding expanse of green, there were a few outbuildings and what looked like a well-kept greenhouse. To her left, where Alice was walking towards, the beautiful garage doors were ornate and situated next to a thick wooden door encased in wrought iron.
"Come on! If you love the outside, then you're going to simply drool on the inside. Edward's already setup his music room for us to listen to those 'pod-cases' you mentioned."
"It's one word, Al. 'Podcast' not 'pod-cases'." Bella giggled. She felt the tension slowly begin to ebb. Her body still held some anxiety, but it was now at a much more manageable level. 'I'm convinced that little heathen enjoys playing dumb with modern technology.'
"As complicated as things are right now, I'm just excited and relieved that Rosalie finally told you everything! It'll make everything so much easier." Alice led the way inside and Bella hated to admit that she did feel like she was drooling when she crossed the threshold.
The interior was an airy cream and the warm wood tones made the entire living room feel like a ski chalet. She followed Alice up the grand spiral staircase. Each of the three floors above the living room were separated into wings with high ceilings. Bella tried not to let her eyes linger at the ajar door with a cursive R on it. She became very aware of the weight of the toy car in her backpack. Rosalie had already ruined one part of her day, she wasn't going to let her ruin this one as well.
When she got to Edward's music room, she realized it doubled as his 'bedroom'. They laughed when she called it that, explaining that vampires don't exactly sleep the way humans do. The best they can do is slow down their thoughts enough to hear a low hum that soothed them, but no actually deep sleep. Therefore, a bed can be somewhat of a waste of space. 'I'm pretty sure I saw the edge of a four-poster bed in Rose's room, just now.'
"Where is the…" Edward muttered to himself from underneath a hanging speaker. When he caught sight of them, he gestured to the comfy looking futon in the corner. Alice appeared with a small tray of snacks for her and shushed her protests.
"Ah ha!" He yelled in triumph, emerging tangled in cords. "No matter how many times I set them up, I can never seem to get it right the first time. There's always a small part missing. It happens every time we move." His eyes narrowed at Alice but held out the cord for Bella to plug her phone into the speaker.
"Alice, dear." He started in on her. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about this would you?" The shorter girl began humming really loudly. "You can't humLiang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai forever, Alice."
He huffed as he walked over to where Bella was queueing up an episode, looking over her shoulder. "History's Unsolved Mysteries? Seems like kind of a knob name, no?"
"It can't be that bad." Alice surmised, holding her hand out. "Here, let me pick which one. I bet I can find the perfect one for us." She plucked the phone out of Bella's hands and began to scroll. Bella watched as Alice would occasionally pause to read one and snort to herself. When she noticed Edward's mouth twitch in an almost imperceptible smile, she wondered if he was reading her mind.
"Your power doesn't work on me." She blurted out, face instantly flushed in embarrassment at her brashness. "I'm sorry. When she 'came out' to me the other day, Rosalie mentioned that your powers don't work on me. Ever since then, I can't stop thinking about why?"
"She's right. You are 'exquisitely odd'." He said, unabashedly.
"Vampires have really got to stop calling me odd." She said with a huff. "Wait, did she really call me 'exquisite'?" The vampires burst into laughter, the room was filled with a symphony of sound like a wind chime orchestra. Bella's phone pinged in Alice's hand, signaling a new episode of the podcast was released. When Alice didn't cease her laughing, Bella wrestled the phone away from her to give herself something to do while the two 'siblings' took a moment to collect themselves.
She went to ignore it, until she caught sight of the title. Bloody Bride in Flower City.
The podcasters smooth voice crackled on over the surround sound speakers, filling the room with a smokey thrill. Bella felt like the person's voice was suited for a speakeasy musician.
"Let me take you back in time to when the moon shown inside and outside of the club. Back when (much like now) the country was ravaged by hunger, famine, and depression. When good girls didn't go to college, they got married. Well, I've unearthed a story about a girl who dared to want it all.
The story of a beautiful girl from Rochester who was forced to forgo an early admittance to Radcliffe's inaugural engineering program to marry the son of the man preventing her father from financial ruin, during the worst depression young America had ever seen. R.L. Hale, the wunderkind daughter of bank manager Russell Hale and philanthropist, suffragette Cynthia Hale. Before I begin, I must warn you all that there will be violent and sexually graphic content in this episode. It's not pretty and it doesn't have a happy ending."
Bella yanked out the audio cord out. The feedback reverberated inside of the room. She felt a momentary stab of guilt at the pain she was likely causing her enhanced hearing friends. "Is that about…?"
Edward's pale face looked even paler as he nodded. "Mhhm."
"I had no idea." She admitted. "I don't think I should listen to this without Rosalie's permission. No matter whether I trust her or not, I can't breach her trust like that."
'Maybe, I was one of them. Maybe, I've chosen to be no more so.' She didn't even know who's voice she was hearing those words in anymore, Rosalie's or her own.
"Sorry, guys." Bella said getting up and gathering her things. "I've got to go."
It was wrong of her to come. That was the only thing Bella could focus on as she stumbled down the stairs, looking for a way out. She was so turned around, that took a left instead of taking a right at the bottom. She had no right to hear Rosalie's story unless the blonde woman wanted her too.
'The podcaster said violent and sexual graphic content…Is this why she knew exactly what to do in Port Angeles?'
When Bella finally found the exit, she emerged facing the greenhouse. She couldn't explain it then, but later she swore that it was her heart that was pulling her in this direction. She had a strong feeling she knew why. Bella could hear raised voices but couldn't make out what was being said over the sounds of rushing water.
As she got closer, Bella realized it was Jacob and Rosalie in an argument. She peaked through the door and saw that Jacob was closest to her but with his back towards her. She had a clear view of Rosalie poking her finger harshly into his chest. Both were so engrossed that they didn't notice Bella.
Bella realized the source of the running water was the cans in front of her. That was all she got to intake of the greenhouse before her attention was again swallowed up by the pair in front of her. From the way Rosalie was shaking, it was clear the only thing she was seeing was red. The blonde vampire wasn't quite Jacob's skyscraper height, but she wasn't too far off either. Rosalie's rage definitely made her seem taller. She knew she shouldn't eavesdrop, but the blonde emotions flitting across the blonde's face looked way to volatile, so Bella decided to stick around for a few minutes to make sure her…Rosalie was ok. Bella leaned on the metal cart holding the giant watering cans.
"- talking about the fact that I was trying to tell you that my mate had just confessed her feelings for me and that I had just told my brother's Singer that I'm an undead creature of the night. I was trying to tell you that she didn't run for the fucking hills, nor did she tell me to go back to hell where I belong. All without the using my powers to strip her of her will and you. Just. Laughed!"
The cart Bella was leaning on fell over, crashing as it soaked the earth below.
'How could she? She promised there were no more secrets between us…now this. She's been holding onto this for months.' Bella loathed that the sound of her heart crashing in her chest was not a private experience. Both supernatural creatures were equally acutely aware of the fact. She could see Rosalie's fire rush out of her at the sight of the brunette. Bella felt her own swell. She could feel Jacob's eyes quietly observe her. Searching for what, she wasn't sure. Whatever he found seemed to pain him.
Rosalie was the first to break the airless silence. "Bella, I-"
Overcome with anger and disappointment, Bella cut Rosalie off. "Don't. Just, don't." Raising a hand to cut off Rosalie's response, she turned towards Jacob, "Why didn't you tell me?"
'He's supposed to be my oldest and best friend here. How could he sleep knowing he was keeping something like this from me?'
"Bells, like 95% isn't really my story to tell and the other 5% would've been addressed in time, but then-" Jacob started. 'I'm so tired of people telling me about all the stories they wish they could tell me but it's not their story to tell.'
She didn't care.
"How could you?!" Bella shouted, her voice shaking. She was sick of being a toy, tossed around and mistreated. If what she'd heard was true, then how could Rosalie do this?
Right now – Greenhouse
"You've been lying to me this whole time? You've known for months, Rosalie!" Bella didn't bother to wipe the tears falling silently down her face. 'Does the thought of her being mated to someone like me offend her so much that she's fought against it? Is the thought of me so repulsive? Edward's singer? The pain he must've been in all of these months just being around me. Her powers…'
"Were you ever going to tell me? About the mate bond? About Edward? About your powers? Any of it?"
Rosalie and Jacob both started talking at the same time. Rosalie's normally melodic voice sounding fraught. The taller boy looked between his friends, conflicted.
"Isabella, I swe-"
"Bells, I'm so-"
"Stop!" Bella roared, tightening her hands into fists. 'God, how did it get so bad so quickly.' She knew she had to get a grip on herself if she wanted to get out even half of what she wanted to say to the blonde. 'What I really don't need is my best friend seeing my break down in front of…her.'
"Jacob, I need to speak with Rosalie. In private."
Jacob looked like he would rather do anything else. His eyes kept flicking between the two girls in front of him as if he couldn't decide what the right thing to do was. Bella could see his mouth open and close in several false starts before he nodded his head. As he walked out, Bella couldn't help but see the comparison to a dismissed puppy. The only sound left in the greenhouse was that of Bella's pounding heartbeat.
"Isabella, please let me ex-"
"No." Bella growled. "No, the time for you to explain is long gone, Rosalie." She took a step forward. "What? You expect me to believe anything that comes out of your mouth? You lied to me. For months."
The silence was suffocating, but Bella found a twisted sense of peace in the stillness. The airless room functioned as an incubator for her rage. 'The irony of a greenhouse being airless...' She couldn't remember being this angry yet calm at the same time. Bella took a deep breath before searching out Rosalie's gaze.
"I want to make one thing perfectly clear: You don't just get to make decisions about me and my life without my input. That's not how friendship works and that's not how…anything works."
The unshed tears in Rosalie's eyes ripped into Bella's already brutalized heart. The blonde sobbed as she took a step toward her. "Bella, please, I never meant to hurt you. You weren't supposed to find out this way. Everything is so much more complicated now, then you could ever understand." Immediately, Rosalie winced at her own words.
"Hurt me? Too late." Bella seethed, looking right into Rosalie's eyes. "I'm so sorry that my puny human brain can't process the things you geniuses can. You want to know the worst part?" She asked rhetorically. "The worst part is that when you looked me in my eyes, on Cliff's Edge, and said that there were no more secrets between us… I believed you, Rosalie."
Bella could feel the cruel barbs ready to roll off her tongue and lash the blonde. 'Looks like I've picked up more from you than we originally thought, Rose.' Bella had neglected her feelings and pushed them down so much that they refused to be silenced anymore. Rosalie's previous words had her seething with barely contained rage. 'She's always going to treat me like this. She doesn't think I'm a strong enough partner to stand by her side. I'm always going to be on the outside looking in. No matter what I do, I will never be good enough.'
"What angers me most is that a part of me still wants to believe you." Bella bit out. "That you using your compulsion powers on me, Rosalie? Huh? Am I such a sap that you needed to get rid of by just bending me out of my mind? Did it make you feel good? Did you call Jacob, so you supernaturals could have a good laugh at the puny human with her puny human feelings?"
Bella couldn't look at Rosalie anymore, caught up in a full hurricane of emotions. She could feel angry tears welling in her eyes. However, when she spoke her voice was detached and unemotional. "I was such a fool. You were never actually interested in the first place, were you? Just a game to pass the immortal time."
Rosalie had advanced close enough to touch. The vampire had her arm outstretched to take the brunette's hand. "Bella, please if you'll just let me explain. None of this is coming out ri-"
Bella took a step back, outside of Rosalie's reach. 'She's a vampire with supernatural reflexes. It doesn't matter where I go, everything is within her reach.' Bella's harsh laughter cut through the room, making Rosalie flinch.
"You don't get it do you?" Bella scoffed. "I'm not interested in anything you have to say to me. There's nothing you could say that would make me believe a single thing that comes out of your mouth. I can't trust you, Rosalie. I need to go."
The brunette turned to leave, but her eyes alighted on a small bud of a flower, encased in glass. Bella let out a small puff of air that sounded more like a strangled sob. After a moment, Bella whispered, "I found it, you know. The flower. Your flower."
She turned and walked out.
A/N:I'm a big history nerd, so I decided to flex that in the last chapter a little bit.
Hint from last chapter:
Edward called Rosalie 'Stokes'. Rose Pastor Stokes was an American socialist activist, writer, birth control advocate, and feminist. She married J. Stokes, a member of the NY elite. The Stokes are credited for being one of the big philanthropic families that formed the landscape of todays Upper East Side in NYC. Her and her husband also joined the Socialist Party and in 1919, Rose Stokes was a founding member of the Communist Party of America.
In Immovable Objects, that was the cover used by Edward & Rosalie during the first few years of her transformation. She was angry and needed something to focus her time and attention, but couldn't be around humans all the time so she turned to philanthropy to cope with the demonic life she was living. Carlisle and Esme would've been the Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes and Edith Minturn Stokes, respectively.
Hope you enjoyed! Let me know your thoughts!