It's been FOREVER. I'm sorry. And Lukas McDrake is sorry. Because he forgot to send this to me forever and a day ago. Anyway, I don't own this. And I'm heavily medicated because I'm recovering from surgery so you don't need an author's note any longer than this. I don't own!

"I don't want to do this," Rosalie said, pouting at me and Bella as we shoved her into the chair at my vanity. "It's already gonna be a sucky enough day."

We had been let out of school at noon for preparation for the Valentine's dance, which - since it was being held on a school night - would last from four to eight. I'd never had a date - or even come, since youngest you could come without a date was ninth grade -before, and Rose was being stubborn, so this afternoon would be tough.

"Deal, princess," I said, grabbing the strongest hairbrush I had, hoping it would work on her thick hair. "It's your day, and my dumbass brother can't mess that up for you. Sit back, relax, and let Auntie Alice take care of you."

So our afternoon began. Bella rolled her hair in hot rollers while I clipped Rosalie's on top of her head after brushing it out carefully. I began picking out locks of it, curling it around her favorite curling iron, then letting it down. After the twenty minutes that took, I carefully picked it with a wide toothed comb, spraying maximum hold hairspray as I finished each section. When it was done, Bella and I began her makeup.

When we were finished, she put on her dark red dress - strapless, knee length, and covered in a glittery something that made her shine with every movement - she'd picked out for this day months before. With her hair, makeup, dress, and just her natural beauty, she looked amazingly gorgeous when we were done with her.

"What's the point?" Rose whined, looking out my window at the rain. "Your brother made his choice. If he doesn't want me, he doesn't want me. It's not like he's even said anything to me other than 'I wanted to tell you myself'."

I didn't know that particular part. "My brother's a dumbass, but he loves you, believe it or not. This night is being used to make it all up to you."

"What do you-"

Before Rosalie had a chance to finish her question, there was a knock on the door.

"Your caller, my dear," I said, opening the door to reveal my sheepish brother.

"Hi, Rosie," he said, giving a tiny smile. "You look gorgeous. I have a surprise for you."

Rose gave a humph! and turned her back to him. "You cheated on me and didn't even apologize. I'm not leaving this room."

Edward didn't look worried. "Yes, you will, or you won't get your presents."

"I don't want anything from you except for a decent apology, and possibly a contract written in blood that you will never look at another girl again."

"Does that mean you'll take me back?"

"No, it means that if I'm not happy, you won't be happy."

"Rosalie, please," he begged, finally beginning to look worried. "I want to make it all up to you."

She ignored him, but I could see her face, and she had a few unshed tears.

After a moment of thought, he stepped forward and grabbed her around the waist, kissing her fully on the mouth before tossing her over his shoulder.

"What the freak?" Except she didn't say freak. Rosalie was definitely pissed.

"You're going to at least see what I spent all afternoon doing."

And then they were gone. I knew what he was doing, though, because I helped him. Everyone had. I'd helped Edward come up with everything and pick out her gifts, Bella had cooked the dinner he was serving her, Emmett had helped him (and myself) decorate the dining room for the surprise, and - most importantly - Jasper had made sure to convince Rosalie to go to the Valentine's Day dance.

After Edward succeeded in going caveman, Bella and I shared a high-five, then finished getting dressed. Bella wore a ruffled black skirt with a long-sleeved purple blouse that was very conservative, but still very pretty on her.

I sported a bright and sparkly pink mini-dress, complete with a sweetheart neck and thick straps. I paired it with knee-high black leather boots and a little leather jacket that cut off under my (nearly nonexistent) bust. It was edgy, yet still cute and perky.

Jasper and Emmett knocked on my door at three-thirty, dressed in their suits and ready to go. After getting over the awkwardness of being driven to the dance by our Moms, we got to the dance. It was a winter/lovey-dovey wonderland. Snowflakes and hearts hung from every rafter, stuck to every wall, and were being passed out. There was no punch bowl, for fear it would be spiked, but instead there were cute little pink paper cups with choices of water or soda.

Emmett and I danced for a long time, to every song we could. Jasper coaxed Bella out a time or two, and when Rosalie and Edward arrived, Bella and I kidnapped her to give her the third degree. We went into an abandoned hallway and cornered her, demanding information.

"Well," she said, turning pink. "Ya'll know what he did, because he can't cook and he definitely can't decorate."

"Yeah, but what did he say? Did you two make up?" I demanded, obviously hopeful. "Are you two back together?"

She bit her lip and shook her head.

Bella's face visibly fell, as did my own. "Rosie! Why not?"

Rosalie shrugged. "Well, we talked it out, and I'm working on forgiving him, but I turned him down when he asked if I'd give him a second chance. Well, I said maybe later. He has to prove himself to me before I give him another chance."

"But we worked so hard!" I whined childishly, very let down. "Ugh, this sucks."

"It's not like we're never going to get back together," she reassured. "I just don't want to right now. He's not getting away that easily."

I pouted around her the rest of the night. When it came time for crowning of the snow kings and queens (one each for each grade), I sat in the bleachers with the wannabe-cheerleader-preppy girls, since Emmett was a nominee (and in light of my recent infraction, I was ineligible for the crown).

"To begin, we'll announce the ninth grade king and queen," Mrs. Lynn - the choir director (acting as DJ) - called. "For the ninth grade snow king, we have… Emmett Swan!"

I screamed for Emmett as he stepped forward to take his crown. The preppy girls were still amazed that Emmett and I had made up, and were casting each other looks as I cheered.

"Now, for the snow queen," Mrs. Lynn called. "That would be… The lovely, Miss Rosalie Hale."

Rosalie kept a smug and dignified look on her face as she stepped forward to be crowned.

"Snow queen," the girl next to me - Jessica - said with a snort. "More like ice bitch."

I looked over at her, my eyebrows dangerously high. "Excuse me?"

She looked back at me, surprised. "I'm just saying that I've never met someone more vapid and vain. She dated your brother, right? Who could not hate her?"

"Rosalie and I have been friends since we were in diapers," I said venomously. "She's one of the best friends I've ever had, and she's a beautiful person, inside and out."

"Well, don't look now, but your best friend is getting pretty cozy with your boyfriend."

My head snapped around to the stage. Emmett was holding Rosalie around the middle, posing for a picture, and they did look pretty cozy.

"Okay," called Mrs. Lynn. "Now that all of our kings and queens have been crowned, now it's time for the sweetheart dance. Grab that someone special and get on the floor."

Of course, usually the king and queen were a couple, so they started the song right away. I shrugged it off, though, figuring that Emmett would just slip away to find me. I got up, preparing to seek out my boyfriend. When I found him with my eyes, though, I was surprised. He was holding Rose's hand as he helped her down from the stage, then he pulled her to start dancing. They were talking and laughing, and not looking heartbroken or like they were looking for their girlfriend.

Okay, maybe he was just being nice. She was still trying to get through her broken heart, and it was her birthday.

I neared the two secretively, keeping out of vision as I got closer, though being the shortest person in school aided in that. It was still strange, though. I watched them through the crowd, looking like a creeper, just watching them.

She was laughing at something he said, her talon-like fingernails absentmindedly clicking together behind his neck. He made some kind of face, then laughed as well. When he leaned his face in close to hers, my heart pounded nervously. He whispered something in her ear, and she gave a little nod and a small smile, her lips shaping around unknown words. He returned her smile and leaned a little closer, his face turning as he blocked hers, and then…

Emmett was kissing Rosalie.

A/N: Reviews?

~Sidney