The sun was perched precariously across the clouds, but Emmett decided to take his chances and ask Shai to meet him at a coffeeshop near the center of town instead of at home. He wanted privacy with her, a longing ache to be alone with her and know more about her grew over the past days since their date.

"Aren't you going to get anything?" She asked as he paid for her coffee. He shook his head.

"I don't really like to drink coffee." He said.

"So why did we come to a coffeeshop?" She lightly hit him playfully. Shai had been touching him more and more, and Emmett no longer tried to cower away from them.

"Because aren't coffeeshops the most ideal hang out spots?" The comment made her smile, look down at the floor and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

He was starting to like making her flushed.

They sat at the corner, the window only shining light on Shai keeping Emmett in the shadows. Her hair glowed a deep golden in the light, her skin free of makeup. He liked that about her, she was natural. She never really did up her hair, her clothes weren't designer.

Unlike Rosalie.

The thought of her didn't unsettle him as much as before, which he found surprising. His mind more and more occupied with Shai, it gave him less time to think about Rosalie.

But, at the end of the day, she still smelled different. And he needed to know why.

They worked pretty efficiently together, Emmett always noticing out the corner of his eyes when she stole a quick glance at him.

"What do you like to do for fun?" He asked her.

"I spend a lot of time outdoors, it can get cramped in my little car home. I like to hike, forage for berries and mushrooms. Read, and write. But I barely have time between school and work." She sighed. "What about you?"

"I also enjoy a good hike in the woods." He smiled, thinking of his hunts. "I'm a dude, I like to workout as well." He said, his boisterous laugh catching the attention of those sitting next to him.

"We should go for a hike then. I'm free this weekend, miraculously." Her cheeks flushed with red, making Emmett happy.

"Alright, I look forward to it." He smiled, focusing back on his work.

"Where have you been?" Esme asked curiously, looking up from one of her magazines. He sighed, knowing the reaction he would get.

"Studying. With Shai." He said briefly. Her eyes lit up.

"We can talk, you know. Carlisle is gone with Edward and Jasper for a hunt, Bella with Alice." Esme stood up taller, her motherly care exuding at this very moment. Emmett sighed. Truly, he did want to talk.

"I don't know what I'm doing." His voice was low as he walked toward the kitchen counter. "She…" He sighed.

"Have you talked to Edward? He might be able to help you with the whole human thing. I think she's incredibly interesting and beautiful. I can see she has a caring soul." She placed her hand on his arm.

"It's not even the whole human thing. It's strange, everyday my feelings shift more towards her. I just want to dig deeper and know more about her. But I can't help going back to wondering why she smells so different. Sometimes I just want to know, and then just let her go. It would be better for her, and I feel like I don't deserve to be happy…" At this moment, big strong Emmett was glad he couldn't cry.

"We all deserve happiness, Emmett. Look at Bella, she smells different to Edward. Perhaps Shai doesn't make you want to break your traditions, but it's enough to entice you. Have you thought about that?"

Emmett nodded. He had thought that, at the end of the day, there was nothing different to her but just her smell.

But she was different. In a very good way, different from any other girl he had ever met. Including…

"I think she likes me." He smiled. Esme's smile grew wider.

"You should bring her over again. I know Alice is dying to get to know her." Emmett nodded.

"Okay, I will."

"Emmett, give her a chance. I think you two will be good together."

When Alice and Bella returned to the house, Alice immediately went upstairs.

"Tell. Me. Everything." She sat at the foot of his bed.

"You already know."

"Please indulge me." She whined.

"I'm curious too. Alice wouldn't shut up about it, I'm starting to get a little jealous." Bella said coming up the stairs.

"Oh Bella, please. Like I said, I know that the three of us will become good friends, I just would like an update on the journey." Emmett rolled his eyes at his sister and Bella.

"It went fine. I think she likes me, but she's a little closed off." He shrugged.

"I think she's had a tough family life." Bella said.

"Yeah, she didn't want to talk about them. Which is fine, I'm not exactly jumping the gun to talk about mine." He said. Alice smacked him hard across the arm.

"Why the hell not?! We're great."

"And we also hunt animals and drink their blood because, news flash, we're vampires."

"Right." Alice said, defeated. "But still, I'm excited for the three of us to hang out! Can that be soon? I don't want to cross your boundaries but…"

"Sure, I'm inviting her over after we go for a hike this weekend. Have your time with her then." Bella smiled as Alice squealed with excitement.

Friday morning came to him with excitement. That afternoon he had plans to go hiking with Shai, and he was determined to get to know more about her. Sure, he knew what she liked to do, and her favorite foods. But he didn't know anything substantial, and that's what he wanted.

"Oh, can I call her over?" Alice asked. Emmett nodded, Shai rolling in with her van. The moment she stepped out of her car, Alice called her over. Shai waved, Alice beckoning her.

"Hi!" She embraced Alice in a hug, continuing on to Bella. She smiled. "Sorry, sometimes I have boundaries issues. I understand not everyone liked hugs."

"No, it's completely fine." Alice said, bewildered at the fact Shai didn't mention her hard body, cold temperature, and how different it was from Bella.

"How are you?" Bella asked. Shai shrugged.

"I've been better. I'm feeling a little under the weather so I've got some Nettle leaf…" Shai suddenly froze, closing her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Alice asked. Shai opened her mouth, her face getting paler by the moment. She managed to shake her head before dropping her mason jar on the floor, her body falling to the side.

"Shai!" Bella yelled. If only she hadn't yelled, all attention on us, one of them could have caught her. None of them could move fast enough to catch her, a dead giveaway of who were were. Her body fell limp on the ground.