Chapter Five

Food was usually a good way to win someone over. But Rosalie was a vampire. She didn't eat food. And it wasn't like Bella could just casually bring her a bag of her favorite blood. Nor could Bella buy clothing for Rosalie: the woman's tastes were expensive.

Bella didn't know jack shit about cars so that was off the list too, and Rosalie didn't even drink alcohol. Apparently, Rosalie was just a no fun person.

Alice was all for helping Bella befriend Rosalie. "I had a vision, you know," she cheerily informed Bella. "That the two of you were getting along like friends."

"Really?" Bella's eyes opened wide. "How far into the future is this? Because at the pace I'm going it feels like I'll be into my eighties."

Alice laughed though to Bella this wasn't funny. "It didn't look too far ahead. It's not easy to tell when these visions occur."

"Maybe if you tell me how many wrinkles I had I can do the math."

Alice laughed again at this, that sound like twinkling bells. "Don't worry, we'll come up with something."

Bella sure hoped they would. Because the only thing she could think of was being extra clumsy. It wasn't like she wanted to do this. It was just...ever since they had touched during the tree incident, Bella's stomach did a flip and she craved to feel Rosalie's touch once more. It was a maddening feeling, especially because it got in the way when she was with Edward. She should feel this way about Edward and not his adoptive sister.

But maybe that just had to do with how Bella admired Rosalie's flawless looks and looked up to how well put together she was. And it wasn't like Bella was in love with Edward. She liked him and liked spending time with him and his family. She'd eventually fall in love with him.

Right?

"Bella, are you on drugs?" Rosalie asks unkindly and Bella flushes, giving her a sharp glare to shut up because they're in school and she doesn't need teachers hearing this. It could lead to unnecessary questioning.

"No. Why would you say that?" she hisses out, glad to notice their English teacher hasn't picked up on Rosalie's overtly loud comment as the class works in groups. Bella is stuck with Rosalie. Classic.

"Because you trip every time you go up to get something," is the sharp answer. "Most notably over me." Rosalie narrows her eyes in suspicion and Bella flushes harder. Okay, so maybe she hadn't been the most subtle. But she liked knowing Rosalie's hand would jut out and stop the fall. It meant Rosalie cared somewhat.

And it made Bella's stomach explode in fireworks each time it did.

"It's not my fault your big ass feet are in the way."

Rosalie sucks in air at this comment, her feet shifting under the chair to hide out of reflex. "What did you say about my feet?" she drawls, low and dangerous.

The two other girls in their group gulp and exchange nervous looks at this.

"You heard me," Bella continues boldly on.

"You better watch yourself," Rosalie threatens to which Bella just rolls her eyes. Rosalie can't do anything, not without pissing off the rest of the Cullens. So Bella knows she'll be fine for the most part, though to be fair it's rather risky of her to provoke a vampire like this. Rosalie isn't known for her temper on the best of days. And especially not when she's being goaded.

Bella gets up to go get something from her back pack which is by the desk and this time she actually trips. Not on purpose. Her hands flail out and she almost face plants into the floor if Rosalie's hand hadn't instinctively caught her by the belt loop of her jeans and pulled her upright.

"Seriously," Rosalie growls, looking a bit put out at herself for catching Bella without meaning to. "Stop falling. Or else I won't be able to fight you for making fun of me."

Bella gives her a wry smile. "Sorry, had to fight the floor first. It challenged me."

This makes Rosalie snort with laughter and she covers her own mouth in shock. "Shut up," she growls out at Bella, mad that she laughed at a lame joke of hers. But Bella can't stop smiling- she made Rosalie sorta laugh! The two girls in their group just look on oddly at the interactions, not sure what to make of them. All they know is that Bella is tough for daring to insult Rosalie.

Rosalie locked her bedroom door so Bella wouldn't come in anymore. But lucky for Bella, she had watched YouTube videos on how to use a credit card accordingly and opened the door by sliding it in between the jamb and the door.

Rosalie is not pleased by this. "You seriously are cruising for a bruising today," she frowns. "First you insult my feet and then you break into my room which is illegal-"

Bella snorts. "Cruisin' for a bruisin'? Who even says that." Rosalie looks even more put out by this. "And I didn't know you were so sensitive about your feet."

"I'm not," Rosalie staunchly responds, crossing her arms over her chest. "I am the very epitome of beauty. Thus I can't possibly have insecurities."

"Hm, maybe I need to insult you more if only so that your ego can deflate. It can't be healthy walking around with a big head like that."

"So now my head and my feet are huge?" Rosalie grumbles in dismay and sighs. Clearly Bella is frustrating her and she has no words for the brunette.

"I came here to ask you something," Bella continues on before Rosalie can think of a cutting remark. Usually the blonde is faster on her feet than this but it seems Bella might have caught her off the game tonight. Rosalie does look a bit distracted.

"Oh, so it wasn't only to insult me? Because that's all you've been doing since you broke into my room-"

"I wanted to ask if you'd like to come downstairs and watch a movie with us."

"I don't spend time downstairs when you're in the house," Rosalie says flatly but Bella's not going to let that get her down.

"I know. Which is getting kinda boring. You should switch it up and come join us for once." Bella rocks back and forth on the balls of her feet, awaiting the answer.

"Bella-"

"The actress in the movie kinda looks like me and she gets her ass kicked a lot. You can pretend it's me getting my ass kicked."

Bella knows she's got Rosalie there when her brows pinch like she's trying to hold back a smile. "I'll be downstairs in a moment," she settles on.

Bella bites the inside of her cheek so Rosalie won't see her smile. She hurries downstairs and plops down onto the couch with Edward by her. Alice and Emmett and Jasper take up the other couch. "Is she coming?" Jasper asks.

Alice nods her head. "Yes." They're all excited for this, because they've always wanted Rosalie to be able to get along while Bella is in the house. So far it hadn't worked until now. Rosalie grumpily stomps down the stairs and pauses, hands on hips when she sees her seating options include sitting next to Bella.

"We're not moving our spots," Emmett says cheerily before Rosalie can even complain. She looks betrayed that they're all in this together, on getting Rosalie to tolerate Bella more. "You'll have to fight us for them." Vampire fights are no joke; this is a serious threat.

"Ugh, I can't believe I have to sit next to the gross couple," Rosalie mutters and Edward rolls his eyes at her, which Bella didn't even know he could do. He was always so serious and somber, like to laugh or smile would be disrespectful. He only ever really smiles in rare moments and claims Bella has evoked most of them from him.

It should warm Bella's heart to hear this, but she merely thinks 'okay, dude, whatever.' She's not one for sappy lines she supposes.

"We won't make out during the movie," Bella promised though it looked like Edward maybe would have liked that. Still, he is mature enough to compromise.

"We'll behave," Edward grumbled. He didn't have to be happy about it.

Rosalie makes a show of it but she sits down on the couch, as far away from Bella as she can get. Emmett presses a button and the movie plays.

It's halfway through the movie that Bella notices Rosalie's hand is resting on the couch cushion next to Bella even as the rest of Rosalie's body is pressing up against the arm rest. Bella feels temptation stir inside her. Ever so slowly she slides her hand a bit closer. And closer. Wondering if Rosalie will notice. Eventually she lets their pinkies touch. Bella feels as if she's doing something truly naughty and she clamps down on her bottom lip to hide the buzzing feeling going through her.

Bella may be holding Edward's hand but the little contact she has with Rosalie is more than that. Bella looks at Rosalie covertly from the corner of her eye and tries to see if the blonde has noticed. But the blonde is watching the movie, barely even moving.

Bella swallows and tries hard to focus on the rest of the movie but she fails because her whole body is buzzing with joy and she can't seem to stem it.

Bella is lying flat on Angela's bed, spinning a bright pink pen on the tip of her nose as her brain basically has a brain fart. It's been a long day and an even longer evening, considering Bella, Angela and Lauren have to finish a group project they're working on. They have no ideas how to even start. They're still in the process of looking up information.

Angela's on the floor, surrounded by books and Lauren is at the computer, looking up things. It's Lauren who breaks the silence.

"Tell us about Edward. What's he like?" Lauren asks, huffing in annoyance at the computer screen and leaving it in favor of looking at Bella expectantly.

"Lauren..." Angela warns.

"What? I'm not allowed to know? Or to ask? Bella's my friend and I've refrained myself from asking earlier because I was giving her space and time."

"He's chill," is all Bella says to that.

"That's it?" Lauren asks, disappointed.

Bella props herself up on her elbows. "Well, he's withdrawn. Takes a lot to get to know him. And he's very serious."

"What about the more romantic stuff?" Lauren starts to gush as Bella opens up more. "I bet he's very chivalrous."

"He is," Bella concedes. "And he treats me well. He always pays for dates and he introduced me to his family right away and they're all pretty chill too."

"You spend time with all of the Cullens?" Lauren is shocked. "They never let outsiders do that."

"She is dating Edward," Angela points out, flipping a page.

"The parents are nice, but always busy," Bella starts, careful not to say too much least she give away some crucial evidence that makes it sound like they're vampires. "Emmett is a video game nut. Alice loves shopping, Jasper is real quiet and Rosalie's...Rosalie," Bella sighs out not sure how to describe the blonde.

"I heard you got into it with her during class," Lauren comments, eager for gossip, her lap top forgotten.

"Yea," Bella drawls sullenly, going to lie back down on the bed.

"And that you survived," is the continuation of this. "Is she really as big of a bitch as they say she is?"

"Lauren, don't speak rudely of others," Angela chastises.

Bella thinks of Rosalie's sullen behavior and of her grumpy lamentations and of the vague sometimes there smiles that Bella is rewarded a glimpse of when she says something Rosalie finds dumb, or when Rosalie is working on cars.

"She's just a big ol' grump," Bella says at last. Conversation about this turns back to Edward and Bella is relieved. Talking about him is easier. By the time 12 rolls around, they haven't done any work and decide to pack up and go home. Bella drives back and goes up to her room to find Edward there waiting for her as usual.

"Need some help?" he asks with mild amusement when he notices Bella's haggard expression. The project is due two days from now and she's got nothing done. Edward has done this project at least six times before.

"Yes, please," she groans out happily.

He gets up from her bed where he was lying on and presses a kiss to her forehead. "Take a shower, relax, and get some sleep. I'll work on it for you."

"You don't have to- just give me some pointers-"

"Bella," he smirks that crooked grin of his that inspires a ball of heat inside her. Somehow all the Cullens have this same look down pat, like it's a trademark of all vampires to have it. "I've done this before, plus I don't need sleep for school. It's already late. You can finish the rest later."

"Thank you," she mumbles and wraps her arms around him. How did she ever get so lucky to meet the Cullens? Rosalie said Bella was stupid for hanging out with them, but Bella didn't see it as stupid. They cared for Bella and were there for her. And she'd never felt more socially adjusted when she was with them.

Bella goes to take a long hot shower and comes out to Edward at the computer, diligently looking up stuff for her. She falls asleep to the click clack of keys as he types, a small smile on her face.