(Twilight theme by Stephanie Meyer)

Tristan [-] / Bella [~]

TPOV

I need to get out of here, you mind helping me?

~ No worries, get out of here I'll see you at dawn. Alice says it should be sunny so we should stay inside.

Monopoly again?

~ Would you prefer Clue? I mean it is kind of lame with a mind reader and psychic.

Let's just plan a jam session instead. I think I'll have some good inspiration.

~ Are you nervous?

Bella, if I know anything it's how to date.

~ Yeah but you never wanted to drink your girlfriends back then.

We are fine around people. It may be uncomfortable but I think I will be able to handle it.

~ Call me if you need some extra support okay?

Just have fun with your husband and I promise to be on my best behavior.

I grabbed a few boxes of contact lenses and hopped into my car. Earlier in the day I was able to get Bella alone for long enough to tell her about my date. I figured I could just deal with Bella instead of the whole family. They would no doubt have a severely negative reaction to the news and I wanted to be able to enjoy myself for a change. They've all seen my control, yet they have no faith that I could be around humans without slipping up. I may be reckless, but not enough to risk someone's life. I prepared myself by running every possible scenario of how my date could go, but I still felt that I was not entirely prepared for all the possible outcomes. I picked her up at a coffee shop around the corner from her apartment. Her outfit was a lot dressier than it had been the night we met. I wondered how she would react to me now that she was completely sober. I opened the car door for her and when I opened my door after a few seconds, my car was filled with her scent. I had been hunting earlier in the day in anticipation for this evening, but it was still tempting to my sensitive sense of smell. She was nervous and her heart was beating fast, causing her cheeks to flush a deep red when I complimented her outfit. She was wearing a crimson colored silk top and a pair of tight black pants that were practically painted on. The color of her top was not helping my control. It looked so vibrant against her fair skin and dark hair.

We decided to watch a romantic comedy, the perfect first date plan. I always liked to start a date out with a movie, because I believe that body language is as important as conversation. Being around someone who is basically a stranger is easier once you have gotten used to the proximity. A dark movie theatre is a perfect way to do that. You sit next to each other and there is no expectation of conversation. By the end of the movie you can tell how the rest of the date will go. Did she take your hand during the movie? Was she leaning towards you or away from you? Did she laugh at the right parts? How many times did you catch her peeking at you? All these questions whip through your head and the excitement of a potential new connection take up your thoughts.

This time the questions were a little different for me. Will she wonder why your hands are still cold even though she has been holding them for a while? Are you remembering to move your chest so it looks like you are breathing? Is she peeking at me because I am making her nervous or because she is excited to be out with me? What would she taste like? Does she know what I am?

She dropped my hand after about 10 minutes of holding it and a few attempts to warm my cool skin. I tried to enjoy myself, but the paranoia I experienced ruined my first date as an immortal.

"Did you like the movie?" Charlotte asked with a lopsided flirty smile.

"Yeah, it was pretty good." I said in my most convincing tone. She raised an eyebrow at me, like her bullshit meter just busted me.

"Really? I thought it was too cheesy. She was so horrible to him, but he fell in love with her anyways? The actors did not even look like they liked each other off screen." She smiled at me and I knew I could let loose.

"Oh thank God! Yes, totally cheesy. The plot was so cliché, and I felt like I had heard that terrible dialog before."

"I hate that! Especially the scene at the altar where they threw away their written vows and talk about the mundane everyday things that prove how deep their love for each other really is."

"Your dirty socks on the bathroom floor remind me of how much I love you." I said in a high falsetto imitation of the leading lady.

"When I am watching TV and you're not there to yell at me about the spilled potato chips on the floor it makes me sad." She said in a deep voice.

We laughed and I placed my heavy winter coat over Charlotte's shoulders. She smiled and I knew that I had just gained major points. The conversation was rolling along and for the first time in three months I felt like myself again. I felt like at that moment I was the Tristan I had been before that crazed red-head ruined everything. We entered the bar and ordered a couple drinks.

"So what do you do?" she asked me.

"I'm a student." I said reflexively.

"What's your major?"

"History, with a minor in music." I was no longer enrolled in school, being dead does that to your transcript, but it is what I had been doing with myself so I decided to use it as my cover in situations such as this.

"Get out, I was a history major. Not very applicable in this economy though." She said taking a long sip of her beer.

"Well, I needed something to fall back on and I figured if my career as a rock star did not work out I would be a teacher. The pay sucks, but at least you are doing something you know is enriching those around you."

"Very sensible. I did not expect that after the rock star comment." She wrinkled her nose when she said rock star.

"You don't think I could be a rock star?"

She placed her drink on the table in front of her and straightened her napkin before saying, "Can I be blunt?"

"You have been since I met you, why stop now?"

"Dreams only come true if you chase them. You are sitting in a bar in the middle of nowhere Alaska. Unless you think one of those big time record executives is scouting out here for the next big thing, you aren't doing jack shit. Even so, if one walked through the door right now, you don't have an instrument on you, unless you think the harmonica is making a comeback."

I laughed, and briefly hated how my laughter now made me sound like I was in a musical. I missed the rough chuckle I had in life. "Wow that was blunt." I said as a reply, opening my eyes wide in mock hurt.

"Told you." She said taking another sip. "Are you going to babysit your drink all night?"

"Um, actually the roads out there are a little icy so maybe you should finish my drink for me." I said purposefully fumbling and sounding unsure.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?"

"No, I think my ego will fare better with you sober. Your tongue seems to get sharper with each sip."

She narrowed her eyes at me and then pulled back and a smile returned to her face. "You like it. I can tell."

"Honesty is sexy, I am a sucker for sexy."

She blushed and flipped her hair sending a sudden burst of her potent scent into my nose. I stopped breathing and centered myself. I started the conversation back up, and we talked as she finished her drink. I slid my glass over to her, but stopped when I realized that I had unknowingly scooted my chair closer to her. We were now very close and I realized that she was subconsciously being drawn to me. I could almost feel it in the air between us.

My new aesthetics were putting a spell on this girl, my voice, my stare, my scent; everything. I grew ill at the thought. When I was human I could tell if a girl was digging me because of my looks or if she actually liked me. Now my flawless features acted as a handicap. I had no intention of drinking this girl like a Capri-sun, but my exterior was that of a predator. This girl was no longer an equal being, she was somehow lower. She was a sub species. She was my prey. I needed to get out of here, I needed to get away from her, no, I needed to get rid of her.

"Let's get out of here." I said quickly, but in my smooth voice it sounded more like an invitation. She shot up from her seat and followed me through the crowded bar towards the parking lot. We passed the restrooms and as we were about to walk through the back door I felt her hand tug at my shirt sleeve. I turned and she pressed her warm body against my cold hard skin.

Her lips were on mine in a flash of heated passion and I could feel her every heartbeat through her touch. I could taste her saliva and my venom began to pool in my mouth as I breathed in her dangerous scent through every desperate gasp between our lips. I was torn by my cravings; the touch of a woman was something I missed. I hadn't had any contact since the night I was changed. Then there was the stronger craving for her blood. It was trying to coax me into taking Charlotte to a remote location, to kiss along her neck until I found the vein that pulsed with her sweet lifeblood.

I thought about her body going limp in my hands as I bit down into her soft pink skin and the feeling of her hot blood dripping smoothly into my overly eager mouth. What I had left of my humanity was screaming at me, telling me that I was a monster for thinking about something that. It also reminded me that she had friends, probably had a family and would be missed. What scared me was that there was a more dominant part of my body that delighted in the idea of drinking from her. The arguments about her family and horrible death were muted by this new passenger. This was the monster that Alice and Jasper were protecting me from.

Charlotte was clinging to my body as if I were a drug, and I was being careful not to hurt her as my old self and this stranger battled for my soul. What would I choose? I could take her into the parking lot and drive to a remote spot in the woods. My new strength and speed would guarantee that no one would be able find her. I could pull away from her and drive her home, or give her money for a cab home instead. Change my phone number and get as far away from her as possible. She would never see me again; this could all be explained by the alcohol that she drank. She would eventually forget about me. She would call her friends and tell them how they were right and that guy from the bar was a complete freak. How it was the worst first date she ever had. That would be an infinitely better result than what I had in store for her. These thoughts bounced in my head, but I couldn't find the strength to stop her from kissing me.

"Miss? You left your purse!" An angel, my savior, some bus boy yelled around the corner as he headed towards the back door to chase after us. I broke our public display and thanked God that we were interrupted. Charlotte seemed dazed, but as the bus boy came around the corner with her purse she shook her head and held her hand out for it.

"Oh, I am so forgetful. Thanks." She said in a dreamy voice.

"Welcome miss" he said and shot me a knowing look. I felt guilty that this guy was trying to share a human male moment with me and just a few seconds ago I was thinking about draining this girl of every precious drop of blood. I felt like a monster, but I kept my cool and dipped my head in acknowledgement. He left quickly and I bolted out the back door so she wouldn't have a chance to trap me in the small hallway again.

You can do this.

Just tell her you aren't feeling well and drop her off.

Don't take back roads,

Just go home.

I chanted these words of wisdom over and over in my head as a way to remind myself of the control I had over these cravings.

"Tristan, you okay? You look worried." Charlotte asked me as soon as she caught up with me.

"I'm just feeling a little…off, today. Would you mind if I drop you home? I should really get myself to bed." I didn't have to try and look sick, I was sure that the worry had leaked onto my expression and that looked just as convincing.

"Sure, if you want you could come over to my place and I'll take care of you." She said in a sweet voice. It was the perfect answer, but I was not going to accept just because she might be the perfect girl.

"Thanks, but I'm a really fussy sick person. I wouldn't want to put you out. Trust me."

"Oh, okay. Damn and I thought this was going so well." She didn't believe I was sick, she thought I was ditching her. Well, I was ditching her, but not for the reason she thought.

"It was…is." I said trying to keep myself from breathing in any of her scent.

"Why don't you go straight home? I saw my friend Kathy in the bar and I will have her give me a ride home." She said staring at her boots.

"Thanks, um, I'll call you." I said and slipped into my car. It was rude, but I had to get out of there. As she walked away I heard her mumble, "Yeah, sure you'll call. Jerk."

I waited until she was safely in the bar and I sped off into the night. I rolled down my windows and tried to rid my car of her scent. It was everywhere, I felt like an addict. What would an addict do in my situation? Call their sponsor! I picked up my phone and dialed the one person I knew would understand. I dialed the number and it rang twice before I said a shaky, "Edward…"

(A/N: it is a short chapter with an open ending, sorry. I've had a very busy week. I won't bore you with the details, but I am hoping to have time to write a huge chapter this week for all of you. Oh and a huge thanks to Nici91 for making the dialog flow better and just being an awesome Beta.)