A Bad Deal?

A Demon's Pact

After the exchange of the flashdrive, Rosalie left Bella alone. There were no more text messages, no more demands of going to fetch lunch for the blonde, and most of all, thankfully, there were no silly instances on doing illegal things. Bella relished in her new calm, in having freedom over her life once more. Angela noticed that Bella smiled more and sat at their lunch table instead of with the popular kids. Everyone noticed that Bella was present more at lunch time and they were happy to have her back. Everyone but Jessica.

"What, too cool to sit with the popular kids? Or did they finally beat your ugly ass away from the table?" Jessica curled up her lip and Bella merely laughed. Jessica was trying to be intimidating like Rosalie but the only thing they shared were their blonde locks. Jessica had nothing on being scary, on showing off power.

"Is that jealousy I detect? It doesn't look good on you, so stop that."

Jessica made a noise as if she got stabbed, her eyes going wide. Everyone at the table laughed at this and Bella joined in. She wasn't going to let anyone make fun of her. Bella was done taking people's shit. She was a bit drunk off of her win over Rosalie. Of course, it was entirely possible that Rosalie was planning on doing something, just pretending to lay low for now.

So Bella took to bothering Rosalie instead before the blonde could think to bother her first. She showed up to the popular kids table two weeks after her and Rosalie's conversation. The popular kids were chatting, eating their lunch. Bella noticed that Rosalie only had a yogurt and fruit for lunch. It looked like now that Bella had stopped getting her food, she didn't feel like getting it herself.

"Bella bear," Emmett was the first to notice her. He waved a massive hand at her. "What happened to you? You haven't sat with us for a while? Did you get bored?"

"More like got some sense in her head that she doesn't belong with us," Rosalie grit out through her teeth, keeping her back turned to the brunette.

"Aww, did something happen with you and Bella, Rosie? Do you not like her anymore?" Alice pouted. Bella's eyes narrowed on the pixie. Alice knew that Rosalie was gay (or 'gay', since Rosalie wasn't admitting to it) and was manipulating her like Rosalie had manipulated Bella. This explained the tension that existed between the two of them. The question was, what was she making the blonde do? Bella was curious. She knew there had to be more to it than just the pictures.

"No, I simply decided I didn't want my friends think that I was dumping them for you guys. Even though I was," Bella said this in a lower tone of voice, hand cupping one side of her mouth in a conspirator manner.

"Ooo, do they know?" Edward arched his brows. "That you think their trash?"

Bella shrugged. "I think they know, but because I'm close to you guys, they keep me around so they can bask in the after glow of rich kid shine."

That got a few chuckles out of the kids, but Bella wasn't here to make them laugh. She was here for Rosalie. So she purposefully parked herself in front of the blonde, who frowned at Bella, spoon halfway to her mouth.

"What do you want?"

"I wanna get you lunch," Bella said as smoothly as she could while her heart hammered in her chest.

Rosalie let out a little scoff at this. "No thanks. But I'm not into little dykes."

"Ooo, Rosie I think you should take this chance. Not everyday you get an offer like this, especially for someone like you." Alice waggled her brows and now that Bella understood the context of Alice's barbs aimed at Rosalie she knew what Alice was implying in that statement. Totally not helping here, Alice. Making fun of her sexuality will just make her refuse me more.

Rosalie grit her teeth. "Alice-"

"Rosalie," Alice sang playfully back.

Something flashed in Rosalie's eyes. She clenched her jaw. "Fine. I'll go." She got up roughly.

"Hey, I want a free lunch too!" Emmett cried out.

"You've already eaten so much," Jasper pointed out.

"I'm a big boy," Emmett said, flexing his chest muscles. "I need a lot of meat to keep me sustained."

"Sorry, boys. But this is just for Rosalie. I have to thank her for helping me with something," Bella fibbed the last part.

"Wow, Rosalie helped you with something!" Emmett widened his eyes dramatically and placed a hand over his heart in shock. "What did she do?"

"Come on, let's go," Rosalie ordered Bella and Bella gave a wave, happy she wouldn't have to answer the question because she couldn't come up with another lie on such short notice.

The two of them got a ways away from the table before Rosalie whirled on her heel so that Bella was facing her. "What are you up to?" she growled out low in her throat. She still radiated power and intimidation but Bella found she wasn't nearly as scared as she once used to be. That didn't mean she wasn't nervous whenever she was around Rosalie.

"I'm honestly buying you lunch. That's it."

"That's...it?" Rosalie's anger departed her face, replaced by confusion.

"That's it," Bella affirmed.

"Why? Are you stupid or something?" Rosalie poked Bella hard in the forehead, causing Bella to take a step back and wince in pain as she rubbed her hurt flesh.

"I'm not dumb. What's wrong with wanting to be kind? To do something nice for some else?"

"Because there is always a reason someone does something for someone else. There is no such thing as selfless interest."

"Man," Bella shook her head sadly. "It's sad that is how you think of others. It's definitely not what I was going for." Actually, Bella did have a motive behind her actions, but it wasn't a malicious one.

Rosalie didn't look convinced. "Whatever. Just know that whatever it is you expect from me-maybe you think you can go on a date with me because you have in your dumb little head that I'm gay- you won't be getting from me."

Bella picked her hands in an I surrender pose. "I know. I'm not expecting any of that."

"Good," Rosalie huffed and then ran a hand through her hair before stalking off despite the fact she didn't know what restaurant Bella wanted to get her lunch from. She eventually slowed down and let Bella take the lead. The two of them walked in a tense silence, one that had Bella internally wringing her hands. Should she say anything? She hated this silence. What was Rosalie even thinking right now?

Bella was sure she knew that Rosalie would be disbelieving after what the brunette would tell her. She just hoped the blonde wouldn't storm off. They entered a fast food joint and Rosalie rolled her eyes. "You're treating me to trash?"

"They do have healthy options, you know. No one said you had to eat the burger and fries," Bella retorted, sliding into a booth and pulling up the menu. Snorting, Rosalie took a seat from across Bella, eyeing the menu distastefully. "I suppose since you're buying I can get the most expensive thing."

So inconvenient, I swear. Bella cursed, as her wallet let out a pitiful wail at its soon to be emptiness.

But you still like her, her ovaries reminded her and Bella let out a sigh. It looked like she would have to order a water and fries in order to have enough money to pay for Rosalie's expensive ass meal. The brunette flagged down a waitress who took their order and went to go make it. This left the two girls staring at each other in silence. Rosalie folded her arms over her chest, arching one perfect brow. Bella fiddled with her hands under the table.

"Look, I'll get right to it. I want to help you."

"What?" Rosalie arched her other brow up. "Help me? Why would I need help from you?" She let out an ugly scoff at the end.

"I want to help you with the Alice situation," Bella stated and she could see Rosalie's eyes flare with anger. "I don't need help with that," she hissed as she leaned forward. It took all Bella had not to lean back, but she didn't.

"I know you don't want to admit to weakness, but whether it's true or not what was in the pictures, I don't think what she's doing is nice. Its what you did to me, and it most certainly wasn't nice."

"Are you pitying me? Are you? I don't need your pity," Rosalie growled out and holy hell that low timbre voice was soooo hot. And so distracting Bella. Bella cleared her throat to get her thoughts back on track. "I'm not pitying you. I already told you I'm done with all that happened between us. Consider it forgiven. We're even now. I know a secret of yours and you know a secret of mine. But I don't want you to have to go through the same ordeal as me. No matter how rude you were to me, and still are," Bella said pointedly at this, "we're in the same boat. I'm sure you don't trust me. Think I'm up to no good. Think that I am trying to revenge myself on you, but I don't want to. Because now that I know that you were only projecting what Alice was doing to you on to me as a coping mechanism I understand more. I still don't like it and don't have to, but I understand. And no one should have to be in such a position." Bella said this softly and imploringly, hoping the blonde would understand.

Right now Rosalie's face was impassive, hard to read except for the furrow between her brows. She looked indecisive. She turned her head and looked out the window, sucking in her bottom lip and just looking out. Bella let her take her time, and even when the food arrived the blonde continued to look out. Finally, after Bella was halfway done with her fries, Rosalie turned back to the table, her eyes hard. "Okay," she announced, crossing her arms over her chest. "I suppose...I'll have to swallow down your bull and crock story. So you want to help me. That's fine. But I don't. Need. Help." Rosalie punctuated. "But I would appreciate having another pair of hands helping me bring down Alice. She's sabotaged me enough times as it is."

Rosalie's want to be free from Alice's machinations must have been strong enough to overcome her suspicions of Bella. Which was fine with the brunette. She would get the blonde to eventually trust her. It was all part of the plan. Yes, all part of the plan to befriend her enemy. After all, they said the best way to get rid of a bully was to make them your friend.

And that was exactly what Bella was going to do.

She hid her smile behind a bite of her fry, and as Rosalie took to her lunch, the two of them began to discuss at length what they could do about Alice.