Chapter 12
Just as Vera started backtracking I called out to Brad and his friends, they were huddled together preoccupied with whatever it is they're doing to immediately pay attention to me and Vera. After closing some distance and calling once or twice again, I finally got his attention.
Bradley waved at us with a smile on his face that faltered slightly when our faces didn't mirror his initial smiley face.
We greeted him with scowls, the cause of our scowls squirmed to get free of Bradley gang's grasp. It was a lanky boy probably about 13 or 14, bronze skin tone like the Quileutes.
Trying to break the sudden tension Bradley spoke: "Hi-ii, ladies what's with the faces?" with a smile meant to ease tension.
Vera replied angrily: "What's with the FACESSS?!!! Can't YOU and your friends see anything wrong? As she stomped right up to Bradley, pointing towards Bradley's gang and the bullied kid.
Bradly answered her: "Oooh - we're just horsing around, it's not as bad as it looks. Right guys?" Which he got yeahs and grunts.
While moving towards Bradley, Vera was glaring up at the eyes of those hulking jocks as she was yanking their grasp off the kid.
Looking at Bradley I said to him: "How can you say that? You could injure him with the way holding him!! No Brad, this is just plain bullying!" as Vera and an irritated kid moved to my side.
Bradley said: "Oh come on, Chill! Do you think we'd deliberately hurt him? Nah Rose. Maybe we got a bit carried away but no harm done."
"NO, harm?!! You JERKS threw down my lunch and stomped on it, manhandled me and wanted to take my pocket money!" said the kid.
Bradley looked sheepish at the boy's contradiction that what they were doing was anything but harmless rough play and me and Vera's darkening faces.
"What did..Err-" said losing a bit of my anger as I glanced at the boy – "he do to deserve this?!!"
"Seth, that's his name." A voice said.
Looking at the direction of the voice, we all saw a really tall, long dark haired guy, flanked by 2 other similar guys. They were closing in on Bradley, their bodies tensed in aggression. With the adrenaline high wearing off Vera got nervous realizing we're about to get caught in the middle of 2 groups of boys intent on beating each other up.
Bradley's friends Randy, Ian, George and Rob came to him, tactfully sending, the message: my friends can beat up your friends. One Bradley's friends Ian said confidently: "Lets not get any funny ideas over a misunderstanding."
The guy flanked by the 2 others said: "There's no misunderstanding you punk ass jerks were ill treating Seth for nothing and we don't take too kindly to that! We have it in good mind to not make you assholes pay for that." The others flanking him backed him up with "yeahs" and one flipped a bird.
Bradley replied to all that: "Good call, cause I highly doubt you'd be able to make us pay, seeing how we're" – he pointed to each of his friends –"1- 2-3- 4 and himself. That makes 5, even if that dweeb joined you we still out number all of you."
"Ooohh! Wow, so you overgrown MORONS are actually able to count! If public schooling can miraculously teach you shitwitts to count then I'm sure…maybe…you can read and write." The guy in front condescendingly said.
That got a rise from Bradley's crew and 1 of them said: "Let's whip these punks asses and teach 'em about running their dirty mouths."
Whether it was bluff, bravado, over-confidence or just plain macho stupidity, the trio moved closer to Bradley's crew and 1 of the 2 flanking that Quileute guy said: "Oh yeah. Bring it on."
Answering that challenge Bradley's friends moved closer to the trio as did the trio, with Bradley at the head of his pack and that sassy mouthed Quileute guy at the head of his pack. On impulse I move quickly in between them before they got too close arms stretched out.
Taking advantage of the pause, caused by my sudden appearance, looking into Bradley's and his friends' eyes I said: "That's enough! Bradley stop it, all of you."
"But – those guys dissed us, we can't just le.." Bradley's protest got interrupted when I said: "After what you all did can you blame them?"
That stumped his argument. One of the 2 from the trio said: "What about Seth's lunch? I reckon an apology and replacing his lunch would be fair."
That kid Seth said: "Embry , look my lunch was trashed but I'll be fine."
"Hey, if the problem is still lunch, you can have mine if you like. I don't mind." Vera said.
In reply Seth said: "Aaahh, that it isn't necessary you've done enough already…err?
"Vera." she introduced herself, "Rosalie." I told Seth.
"Well, Vera, Rosalie thanks for sticking up for me but like I said it's necessary. It's not your faults anyway." Seth said that last part with an angry edge looking at Bradley's direction.
The head of the trio said: "Look Vera, Rose…"
"THAT'S Rosalie to YOU! Bradley interrupted and moved close to me, trying to wrap his arms over my shoulders possessively. Which earned him a swift light elbow poke on the ribs and a glare from me. The trio were losing the fight to hide their poorly concealed amusement.
The trio's leader picked off where he left: "As I was saying you ladies shouldn't strave yourselves because of your boyfriends, they just owe Seth lunch but an apology too."
Vera burst out: "They aren't our boyfriends!"
"Oh so you wouldn't mind if we served them knuckle sandwiches?" one the other 2 of the trio asked.
Bradley's crew moved closer challenging them to fight. Keeping the frustration off my face, I said: "Okay…"
Jacob. Quil. Embry. They introduced themselves.
Gazing into the trio's eyes I said: "Alright Quil, Embry, Jacob–" when I addressed Jacob the corners of his mouth twitched briefly "–Vera and I get you're angry with what happened and rightly so but getting in a fight is cause more complications, which we'd like avoid if it can be helped. We got a bit more than enough food so we won't be starving. So would this resolve the conflict?"
Seth walked over to Jacob sayimg: "Jake, Quil, Embry let's go they ain't worth it."
Taking out the lunch Esme packed letting it's aroma hit Seth and trio before offering it. The tantalizing smell was getting to them and Seth graciously accepted the lunch. So wrapped up in the drama we didn't notice a small crowd watching were some students and some members of faculty from both schools.
We continued our tour after explaining the incident with teachers keeping close to Bradley and his friends. During which I saw Edward talking to Isabella, he seemed in control of his thirst, which made glad me he won't skip town again.
As the trip drew to a close, telling our friends what happened. All conversation stopped suddenly.
"Hi guys. Hi, Rose can speak to you— preferably in private?" asked Bradley.
All eyes were on me except Vera's who stared coldly at Bradley. I opted to talk with him in front of my friends, which he begrudgingly agreed to.
"I'm sorry you got caught up in all that Rose." Bradley said.
Replying to him I said: "It isn't me you should be apologizing to, it should be Seth and those guys."
"Aww! C'mon don't make a mountain out of a mole hill. It happens all the time. He's just a bit oversensitive."
With his statement I made my decision: "The fact that you think so little of what you did, doesn't seem like you're sorry. You could've hurt and traumatised him just for your amusement! I can't be with someone like that."
"What?!! Rosalie. Don't ruin 1 of the biggest nights of the year over a mistake. We could be prom King and Queen! You're really gonna throw that away?" a shocked Bradley asked.
"I don't like bullies and that's what you were doing. So yes I am. No ifs or buts." I sternly stated.
With a stoic face that concealed angry resignation he left. After he left we were awkwardly silent which abruptly ended.
"Hi Vera, Rosalie!" Seth called. Which Vera waved back. Seth walked over to us accompanied by Jacob and his friends. Vera, our friends and the Quileute guys to exchanged introductions, Seth said: "Thanks for the lunch it was really good, here's your Tupperware, we would've returned it sooner but we heard you talking to thatguy and waited for you to finish. I'm sorry that your prom got ruined."
"Thanks for returning my Tupperware, and don't be sorry, I'm better off without him. When I said that last part sensed a flicker of happiness with that from Jacob. Seth and his friends departed from us with hopes of meeting again.
Lucy commented that she hoped to see them again and how she envied their long black hair was better than hers. We talked about trip, hazing experiences we all agreed that hazing is cruel and unnecessary and what Bradley did was just plain bullying and talk turned again to prom, and me, Vera and Jack's dateless situation.
A short while later Jack went off and Vera asked where's Jack pm
Heath said: "There, he's going ask her–" pointing to the Swan girl "–I heard she doesn't have a date."
We saw Jack heading towards Isabella, with Vera holding my hand to calm her panic.
"Hi! Whatcha doing? Alice's greeting nearly causing us to jump out of our skins.
Scolding my sister for sneaking up on us I answered: "Geesh Alice! You're trying to give us heart attacks?!! Jack's about to ask Isabella to be his prom date."
Alice along Vera with bated breath watched along as Jack approached Isabella. Vera was dying from anxiety as Jack and Isabella were talking not knowing what was said. After the conversation ended Alice's tension disappeared unlike Vera.
Vera despaired thinking Isabella going to be Jack's date.
Alice cheerfully said: "Don't worry Vera they aren't going to be prom dates."
"Really?–" Vera's hope slipped through quickly replaced by embarrassment by her blatantly displayed jealousy. "– How do you know that?" Vera skeptically asked.
"I just know. Okay." Alice confidently stated.
Unbeknownst to Vera it because of Alice's super vampiric hearing. I wondered why was Alice so relieved glad Isabella turned Jack down, I couldn't shake the feeling there's else going on.
