Chapter Three

Bella's truck predictably breaks down again. Edward talks Rosalie into fixing it, 'especially because the roads will be treacherous during winter and Bella needs to be safe.'

With a lot of grumbling, Rosalie agrees to it and goes down to the garage to work her magic. Bella goes down with her, bringing a book to read in the meantime, just in case Rosalie will let her sit here and chill with her (not likely but a girl can dream).

"This is my safe space, why are you here?" Rosalie grouses as soon as Bella steps in through the door. Rosalie hasn't even gotten started yet on the truck; she's in the middle of pinning her hair up and Bella can't help but think how swanlike her neck looks like this. How her biceps flex with the upward motion. She clears her dry throat.

"I told you, I would like to learn more about how trucks work. If you'd told me last time, maybe my truck wouldn't need to be fixed again."

Rosalie snorts. "I doubt it. You need a new vehicle, simple as that."

"I can't afford one."

"Get Edward to buy you one," said with a degree of bitterness.

Bella narrows her eyes at this. "Does me being happy with Edward bother you?"

"Yes," snapped out without any hesitation.

"Should I be miserable instead?" Bella poises but not seriously.

"Yes," another snapped reply.

"Oh, let me get right on that," is the sarcastic answer. Bella swears she can catch a hint of a smile on Rosalie's lips before the blonde turns away to the truck. "If you want to learn about cars, come here."

Bella doesn't need to be told twice. She hurriedly comes over, tying up her hair with a scrunchy to keep it out of her face. She doesn't notice Rosalie's flashing eyes and then the vampire's subsequent stopping of affecting breathing. The blonde vampire pops open the hood and begins to point at things in rapid succession, Bella being mindful to not stand too close to her. Her head swims with the facts Rosalie spits out and Bella rubs the back of her neck in confusion.

She doesn't realize that doing so spreads her pheromones into the air. Rosalie stops talking beside her, stiffening up and placing a hand over her mouth.

"What's wrong?" Bella asks, wondering if she should get closer to the blonde and help her out, or run in the other direction.

"Your scent," Rosalie says in a tight voice and right, Bella sometimes forgets her new friends are all vampires who are tempted by her blood. Such a silly thing to slip her mind. Bella just never would have thought that Rosalie would be so affected. She never gave any indication of it.

"Sorry," Bella backs up, not sure what to do. "Should I go-?" she doesn't want to. Something about seeing Rosalie a bit out of control like this and because of Bella is making her stomach feel all weird and twisty. It's not something Bella has felt before and she kinda likes the sensation.

Rosalie makes a noise of uncertainty and Bella takes it as probably it's best to leave. She does so silently and quickly, only stumbling over her feet once.

"Your truck's all fixed. Not that I don't love you coming with us in the mornings to school, but just fyi," Emmett says from the back seat. Edward's driving Emmett's car because it's the only one that can fit them all. Rosalie's tuning up all their cars so they're in the garage with the exception of Emmett's which she's going to do last.

"Yea, I know," Bella sighs. But how can she explain she likes taking the carpool because-

"Edward's her boyfriend. Let them have their time together," Alice pipes up from next to Bella. Rosalie is stuck on the other side of Bella, sitting stiffly, arms crossed.

"It's not like they don't get enough time together already," Rosalie says in disdain. "She's at our house each day. She practically lives there."

"Maybe Bella should pay rent?" Emmett jokingly asks. "And Rosalie can move out, since everything's bothering her."

Rosalie growls at this comment.

Bella can tell- in some crazy sixth sense manner- that Rosalie is warming up to her. Slightly, yes. But warming up regardless. She can't help but feel a small ball of warmth inside her at this. And she's going on these car rides to spend that extra bit of time with Rosalie whenever she can. Eventually she'll wear the blonde down. She knows it. No one can be eternally grumpy.

They arrive at the school and Bella waves to some of her mortal friends. She likes to spend the day with them but the evenings with her vampires pals. It would be too weird if Bella sat with the Cullens anyways. It would break about every single social school rule. Though, everyone did know she and Edward were an item. She hadn't hidden that fact and everyone was in shock and awe about how she got lucky enough to date him. He had never expressed any interest in anyone else.

They liked to grill her on him, but she never gave full answers. There were some things about him she could not say.

"Will you go with him to the dance?"

Right, Bella forgot about that. She didn't really care for them. Not when she couldn't dance to save her life. "Maybe," she answers Lauren hesitantly.

"You should," Mike adds. "We're all going and it'd be fun if you were there."

Bella doubts she's much of a party person but the decision to go to the party is cemented by the fact that Edward wants her to go.

"You're human," he states fondly as they attempt to dance in the grand room of his mansion. He's trying to teach her to dance. She doesn't have the heart to tell him no one waltz's at parties today but she can't well imagine twerking on him or he grinding up on her. So she clamps her lips shut and tries not to trip. "And this will be the first time I have someone to go to the dance with. I'd like us both to go very much."

"Don't expect me to dance more than once," she warns him.

"You'll learn. I have full confidence," he assures her. And then twirls her around. She nearly face plants when he does.

The Valentine's dance is only a month away but it's enough time for Bella to slip on icy steps and break her leg. How the hell is she going to go to the dance now? Edward looks sad but he says he's truly sad only about her being hurt and not her being unable to dance. "We'll find a way to do our romantic dance, even if I have to carry you the whole time to do it," he promises her which only makes her feel worse.

Thankfully it's not a horrible break so it won't take long to heal and doesn't give Bella a reason to avoid dress shopping with Alice and Rosalie. The theme is red. Bella doesn't think she looks good in red. Her complexion doesn't match.

But red sure as hell looks good on Rosalie. When the vampire comes out, dressed in a skin tight evening dress, Bella's jaw almost drops to the floor. It should be illegal to look that good for a simple school party and this is without all the hair and make up done. Rosalie knows the effect she has and smirks when she makes a nearby teenage boy walk into a coat rack because he's too busy ogling her.

Bella probably would have done the same. It's not fair how hot Rosalie looks without even trying. Alice is oblivious to the way Bella can't keep her eyes off of Rosalie. The self declared fashionista is already planning on what accessories should be used, instructing Rosalie on them as Rosalie turns her back on Bella. This gives Bella a chance to obsess over Rosalie's back which is just as amazing as her front.

She shakes her head, trying to get back her senses. She's acting off. Feeling off. She bites her bottom lip nervously and busies herself with her phone until it's time for Alice to pick a dress for her.

The day of the dance arrives and Edward looks handsome in his black tux with the red rose tucked into the front of his jacket. He dressed up too much for this but Bella appreciates it, because he made an effort for her. He escorts her to the car, helping her as she wobbles on her cast and then they're at the dance, it taking place in the school gym. She greets a couple of her human friends, Edward smiling at them but otherwise refraining from really talking to them. His eyes seem distant and he excuses himself a second later, muttering into her ear something about getting Jasper.

Bella knows Jasper has trouble controlling his blood lust which means someone must have cut themselves or something at this dance, and already so quickly. Bella literally just got here, but she figures it's best if Jasper is controlled. Bella finishes talking to her friends and then excuses herself, so she can go wait for Edward to come back.

Bella doesn't know what she expected from a school dance but this is exactly it. Tacky heart decorations, terrible pop music, and finger foods that have been in a fridge too long. And naturally, a spiked punch. She and Rosalie sort of stand against the wall, having gravitated to each other. They both look out at the crowd. Edward had wanted Bella to come here so she could have the experience but he had to run out when one of the boys cut himself and Jasper needed to be restrained. Emmett was also with them, helping out. Alice was having fun dancing with Eric and Angela in a circle. Rosalie had turned down every one who asked her to dance except for Emmett whose out right now, and Bella...well she had a cast so it would be difficult for her. But she still wanted to dance, if only just the one.

Edward had wanted her to at least experience the party and she was going to try, for him. A slow dance song comes on and her skin itches with wanting to go through with a cliché moment.

"Will you dance with me?" Bella unexpectedly blurts out. The question scares Rosalie. She goes all tense and wide eyed before relaxing a bit. It also catches Bella off guard and she silently curses herself for not thinking before she speaks but it's too late. It's out there already.

"Why?" Rosalie ventures to ask, probing.

"Edward can't...and you're about his height," Bella shrugs, knowing this is a lame excuse.

"You have a cast," Rosalie points out flatly.

"And you have blonde hair."

Rosalie gives her an odd look.

"I thought we were just stating the obvious," Bella says, holding out her hand. "I can still move my legs. At least I'm not on crutches." Please don't reject me, goes through Bella's mind because she's going out on a limb here and it would really hurt if Rosalie laughed at her cruelly and shoved her away.

Rosalie stares down at the hand before after what seems like eternity, she takes it. Her hand is cold and it makes Bella involuntarily shiver. If Rosalie notices she doesn't say anything. They get into position for the slow dance, Rosalie's grip loose on Bella, hands respectful. Bella wishes they weren't. That they were just a bit lower.

As soon as she thinks that, she flushes and jerks her head up, meeting Rosalie's gaze, almost as if the woman was thinking about the hand placement too. Caught, Rosalie turns her head, defecting to her old manners. "This is dumb."

"I suppose after you've been to dozens of school dances..." Bella stops, letting Rosalie take the lead and sway them. They draw unconsciously closer.

"I always win prom queen too," Rosalie adds on.

"Arrogant."

This slips from Bella's lips and Rosalie whips her head to glare at her and to correct her. "No, confident."

"Too much confidence can lead to arrogance," Bella counters as they move a bit closer to the center of the dance floor.

"Only those who lack it, say that," Rosalie retorts. Her golden eyes darken a bit when they jump down to Bella's lips and then back up to her eyes. Bella doesn't notice. It's too dark for her to do so.

"Are you accusing me of having no confidence?" Bella asks, wanting to keep Rosalie close to her like this. Wanting to keep her engaged. She didn't want the dance to end but she knew it would sooner or later.

"Among other things. Like grace, common sense, and self preservation," Rosalie rapidly rattles off, like she had a list and was waiting for this very moment to read it.

"And you're self centered, rude, and arrogant to a fault," Bella gave back in equal measure. Rosalie smiled at this. It seemed Rosalie was comfortable not with nice compliments and behaviors but with rudeness. With cutting words. Bella smells an opening. She goes for it. "Who taught you to dance? A person with two left feet?" she asks and Rosalie's reluctant smile grew wider. She was so beautiful when she smiled. It made her whole face light up, like a sunrise on a cold gloomy day.

Bella's heat skipped a bit.

"I grew up learning and perfecting the art of societal dancing. I was queen of the ballroom," Rosalie stated proudly. "You're the one with two left feet. You can't even walk down the hall without tripping. Sometimes I think you must be dating Edward only so he can catch you from falling."

"I'm not dating him because of that. I like him. Like who he is."

"Even though he's a vampire?" Rosalie poised quizzically.

"Why would I not like him because of that?" they spoke quietly now, in hushed tones.

"Because we're killers. We are meant to hunt down humans and hurt them."

"But you don't. You all drink animal blood. And you haven't hurt me."

"Our control can slip," Rosalie said seriously, her grip tightening on Bella a bit as if in reminder of what strength she held in her body. "Which is why you shouldn't want to be around us, much less date one of us. We're monsters."

Bella stopped dancing, eyes searching Rosalie's suddenly turbulent face. "Rosalie," she tried to assure. "I don't see you as monsters-"

Rosalie cuts in. "Because our beauty blinds you to us."

Rosalie was being stubborn. Bella didn't know if there was a way to change her mind. Before she could continue someone tapped her on the shoulder. "May I have this next dance?" it was Edward, back from controlling Jasper. He had a slight scratch on his cheek to show for it, though it was already healing.

Rosalie let go, Bella keenly aware that Rosalie's hand that had laid on her hip was lower than it had started with. It was enough to make Bella blush but soon Edward's hand was on her hip, making her burn with cold and erasing the sensation of Rosalie's previous hold. Rosalie backed away, letting Bella and Edward dance.

And as Edward carefully spun Bella around, the brunette couldn't help but think that Rosalie danced better than Edward.