TIMES LIKE THESE

IT WAS VERY hard, in the morning, to argue with the part of me that was sure last night was a dream. Logic wasn't on my side, or common sense.

It was foggy and dark outside my window, and my face fell at it. The Cullens would be at school today. I made a conscious decision to ignore Rosalie Hale today. I would nip this bullshit in the bud. I liked Adam. Edward Cullen couldn't tell me how to feel about my own boyfriend.

I left early with Adam. Bella was still in her room when I did, and I'd just missed Charlie. If he noticed anything was off with me, he didn't say anything. I told him I'd found a good dress, and that it was green, so he'd have to buy a green tie. We argued over that, because apparently he hadn't planned on wearing a tie — or even a shirt. He figured he could wear one of his infinite band t-shirts under a rented tux. I told him I'd break up with him on the spot. I was planning on going all-out for him, the least he could do was match for the pictures. It wasn't until we got to the parking lot that I cut off mid-rant, eyes nearly bugging out of my head.

There, right in the spot next to where Edward Cullen usually parked his silver Volvo, which was ostentatious enough as it was — was a gloriously restored 1963 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, top down, its cherry red body gleaming and it's tan leather interior and detailing absolutely perfect. I was well aware I was probably drooling, and I wasn't the only one, a congregation of boys lingering from afar to stare openly and discuss it. From afar — because Alice Cullen was climbing out of it. And Rosalie Hale was in the driver's seat.

Next to the girls was a brand new Jeep Wrangler 4x4, fully decked out and pure white, clean as a whistle. Even the menacing off-roading wheels looked brand new, like it had never touched real dirt. The boys were climbing out of this — the gigantic beast of an SUV matched Emmett Cullen, I wasn't really surprised that this was his car. Jasper Hale met his girlfriend in the middle, twirling her with a smile and greeting her with a kiss. I turned back to Rosalie's car.

Jesus Christ.

"Babe?" Adam hadn't noticed yet, but he followed my gaze and whistled low. "Damn. What is that - a Mercedes?"

"300SL roadster, early sixties." I answer, almost on autopilot. I couldn't tear my eyes away.

"It looks cool." He didn't like to sound dumb when I talked cars. "Figures the Cullens could afford something like that. Maybe the Doctor passed it down or something."

I wasn't really listening, still staring.

"Too bad all that money couldn't buy them personalities."

Rosalie Hale was climbing out now, almost lethargically, as if she were reluctant to leave the roadster. I didn't blame her. She tossed a hand through her hair, angling that luxurious golden mane away from her remarkable face — and then her eyes locked with mine. It was impossible. We were too far away for her to see me from within Adam's ratty Camaro. But I swore she saw me, and she was smirking. And god I hated Edward Cullen more than anything then. It was his fault I had butterflies in my stomach. Little Fucker.

Bella showed up a little late to class, just before the bell. In the time it took for her to get there, I'd already been informed by a forlorn Mike that Edward had driven my sister to school. I really wasn't all that surprised.

"Morning, Bella." He greeted her. "How was Port Angeles?"

"It was..."

"Great." I come to my sister's aid, and she looks relieved. "Jess got a really cute dress, she's gonna sweep you off your feet Newton."

"Did she say anything about Monday night?" He asked, his eyes brightening. Bella smiled, clearly pleased by how I'd switched the conversation.

"She said she had a really good time." I grinned.

"She did?" He said eagerly.

"Don't tell her I said this." I whisper conspiratorially, leaning around Bella. "But she can't wait to get to first base with you."

He flushed at that, grinning back goofily as I pulled back and winked. "Make it special, okay?"

Mister Mason called the class to order then, asking us to turn in our papers. English and then Government passed in a blur. The fog had almost dissolved by the end of the second hour, but the day was still dark with low, oppressing clouds. When I walked into Trig Jess was sitting in the back row, nearly bouncing off her seat in agitation. I moved quickly, taking the seat further away, leaving an empty one between us for Bella. My twin scowled at the betrayal, but reluctantly went to sit between us.

"Tell me everything!" she commanded before Bella was even in her seat.

"What do you want to know?" Bella hedged.

"What happened last night?"

"He bought me dinner, and then he drove us home." Jess glared at her, expression stiff with skepticism. "How did you get home so fast?"

"He drives like a maniac. It was terrifying." Bella complained.

"I thought it was fun." I add, smiling. Bella glared.

"Was it like a date — did you tell him to meet you there? Gracie, what did you do?"

"Thirdwheel." I snort.

"No — I was very surprised to see him there." Bella insisted, denying my comment.

Jess' lips puckered in disappointment at the transparent honesty in my sister's voice.

"But he picked you up for school today?" She probed.

"Yes — that was a surprise, too. He noticed I didn't have a jacket last night." Bella explained.

"So are you going out again?"

"He offered to drive me to Seattle Saturday because he thinks toy truck isn't up to it — does that count?"

"Yes." I snort.

"Well, then, yes."

"W-o-w." Jess exaggerated the word into three syllables. "Edward Cullen."

"I know." Bella agreed.

"Wait!" Jess' hands flew up, palms toward us like she was stopping traffic. "Has he kissed you?"

"No." Bella mumbled. "It's not like that." Jess looked disappointed. So did Bella.

"Do you think Saturday...?" She raised her eyebrows.

"I really doubt it." The discontent in Bella's voice was poorly disguised.

"You never know." I smile softly at my sister, encouraging her. "Maybe it was just because I was there. You guys were kinda flirting the whole time, you know. Trust me, there were multiple times I wanted to throw myself out of that moving car."

"What did you talk about?" Jess pushed for more information in a whisper. Class had started but Mr. Varner wasn't paying close attention and we weren't the only ones still talking.

"I don't know, Jess, lots of stuff." Bella whispered back. "We talked about the English essay a little." I frowned at that. I didn't remember that.

"Please, Bella." She begged. "Give me some details."

"Well... okay, I've got one. You should have seen the waitress flirting with him — it was over the top. But he didn't pay attention to her at all."

"That's a good sign." Jess nodded. "Was she pretty?"

"Very." I supply with rising brows and two nods. "Probably nineteen or twenty, too. She bent over to give him a little view and he didn't even look, he was too busy staring at Bella."

"Even better. He must like you."

"I think so, but it's hard to tell. He's always so cryptic." Bella sighed.

"I don't know how you're brave enough to be alone with him." She breathed.

"Why?" I frown.

"He's so... intimidating. I wouldn't know what to say to him." She made a face, and I still didn't understand.

"I do have some trouble with incoherency when I'm around him." Bella admitted.

"Oh well. He is unbelievably gorgeous." Jessica shrugged as if this excused any flaws. Which, to her credit and my own, often did.

"There's a lot more to him than that."

"Really? Like what?"

"I can't explain it right... but he's even more unbelievable behind the face." The vampire who wanted to be good — who ran around saving people's lives so he wouldn't be a monster. I didn't blame Bella.

"Is that possible?" Jess giggled.

Bella ignored her, trying to look like she was paying attention to Mr. Varner.

"So you like him, then?" She underestimated the power of Jess Stanley.

"Yes." Bella said curtly.

"I mean, do you really like him?" she urged.

"Yes." Bella said again, blushing.

She'd had enough with the single syllable answers. "How much do you like him?"

"Too much." Bella whispered, loud enough only for us to hear. "More than he likes me. But I don't see how I can help that."

I was torn between melting at how cute my sister was when she was in love and wanting to vomit.

Then, thankfully, Mr. Varner called on Jess for an answer. She didn't get a chance to start on the subject during class, and as soon as the bell rang, I took pity on my sister and swooped in to save the day again.

"In English, Mike asked me if you said anything about Monday night." I told her.

"You're kidding! What did you say?!" she gasped, completely sidetracked.

"I told him you said you had a lot of fun — he looked like a puppy wagging a tail."

"Tell me exactly what he said, and your exact answer!" We spent the rest of the walk dissecting sentence structures before I had to pull away from the girls for my gym period.

I don't know how I'd never noticed before that I shared gym with three Cullens. Maybe it was because I seemed to never notice any of them aside from Rosalie, or maybe they'd been steering clear from me. Gym had a big group of students anyway. Today, though, Edward Cullen came over with a soft smile and a 'hi' that had my partner, Lauren, doing a triple-take. Alice Cullen joined him, cheerfully introducing herself and telling me how excited she was to meet me. She was cute, in a chirpy fairy kind of way. I think the Cullens were a little thrown by how much I gave it my all, even if they were most likely holding themselves back. At least we could play enough to keep a game going, until the birdie got to Lauren.

With the Cullens, badminton was even more of a workout than basketball and volleyball were, and so I was late for lunch after taking a shower in the girls' dressing room. Coach Clapp had called the games and sent us out early, but that hadn't stopped me from taking my time with the little travel bottles of shampoo, conditioner and shower gel I'd brought with me. Ever since Edward had mentioned scents, I was paranoid about sitting next to Rosalie.

She was furious when I arrived at lunch. Perhaps the angriest I had ever seen her, Emmett Cullen's gigantic arm tight around her like a restraint. It probably was. I followed the direction of her fuming gaze and found that the whole table was in fact staring at one spot.

Bella and Edward.

Ah. So he hadn't told them that we knew. Well, they certainly knew now. That was fun.

I had the sudden urge to walk straight to their table and sit down with them, as if that was a perfectly normal thing to do. But Adam's arm slung over my shoulder, and I let myself get distracted, picking up a slice of pizza and an apple. And suddenly I could feel eyes on me.

"Rosalie Hale's staring at you." Toby didn't have to tell me, I already knew.

"Is she?" I ask lightly, hyper-aware she could hear every word.

"She looks upset." he tells me.

"Good for her."

This was so much fun.

The lunchtime conversation centered solely on Bella and Edward, of course. I pretended I didn't hear Jess calling for my attention, centering my talents on using my favorite distraction. It was recklessly easy to get Adam riled up. A few light fingers, dancing up his thigh under the table, discreetly, a twinkling look and a secret smirk, my face tilted toward him, jaw against my cupped palm, elbow against the table. We were in our own little world, my boyfriend glancing around to see if anyone was paying attention before stealing a kiss. Then another. Getting more daring the more I provoked him. Because no one was paying attention to their resident lovebirds, of course, because they were desensitized to our frequent public displays of affection and our even more frequent public displays of aggression. They were too busy paying attention to Bella and Edward.

Well, everyone bar one. Because of course Rosalie Hale was still glowering at me. And of course I was going to give her a show.

Because fuck you if your brother thinks I'm gay.

Adam and I were a little late to Physics, barely getting there before the bell rang, a little disheveled from a brief jaunt to the parking lot for a make-out session but no worse for wear. Rosalie glared heatedly as we entered, giggling, like we'd just got away with a crime. I kept smirking at Adam as he slipped into his seat, the back of his neck red, trying to keep from getting excited again. The moment I sat down she was up like a rocket, sweeping her books and grabbing her bag, storming out of the classroom past Mr. Molina, who yelled after her. It was like she never even heard him.

I took some sort of sick satisfaction in the power I had over her.

Edward Cullen catches me on Adam and I's way to Spanish, grabbing me at the elbow to tug me out of place from my boyfriend's side. Emmet Cullen hulked at his side, and I groaned, "you really need to stop grabbing me like this."

"Sorry." Edward offered a soft smile, looking up at Adam who looked like he was about to step up to him before he thought better of it. "Hi Adam. Don't worry, it'll just be a minute. I just wanted to ask Grace a favor."

Adam looked wary, but walked into the classroom without a word. I raise a brow at Edward. "Angela has a crush on Ben Cheney."

My eyebrow stays raised, my surprise still coloring my features. "He sits behind you in class. They both like each other, but they're both too shy to make the first move. So here's my idea."

I was impressed by his plan, and Emmett seemed so as well. "So? Will you both help me do it?"

"But, why?" Emmett questions.

"C'mon, Emmett. Where's your sense of trivial high school romance?" I go to nudge him in the arm but it feels like I've broken my elbow, my funny bone doing that zappy electric thing. "Ow! Jesus!"

"I like this one more." Emmett decides, smile goofy, "Alright, fine. I'll help you."

Ben was already in his seat behind mine, assembling his homework to hand in. Emmett and Edward sat in front of me, and Adam gave me a quizzical look, but I pretended I didn't see it. Instead I pulled my homework out too. The classroom was not quiet yet; the murmur of subdued conversation would continue until Mrs. Goff called for attention. She was in no hurry, appraising the quizzes from the last class.

"So." Emmett said, his voice louder than necessary. "Did you ask Angela Weber out yet?"

The sound of papers rustling behind me came to an abrupt stop as Ben froze, his attention suddenly riveted on our conversation. Adam looked between them like they'd grown two heads each.

"No." Edward said, shaking his head slowly to appear regretful.

"Why not?" Emmett improvised. "Are we lacking in courage?"

Edward frowned at him. "No. Grace told me I missed my chance. She's interested in someone else."

"Really?" Emmett turned around to face me in his chair, as if we'd been friends all along. I nodded, and Adam's shock grew. Emmett turned to Edward, who had half turned in his chair to include me too. "What, you're going to let that stop you? Not up for the competition?"

"I dunno, guys." I sigh, as if my matchmaking had failed and I was disappointed. "You should've heard her when we were dress shopping. She only asked Eric to the dance because Bella told her he was still available. She seemed pretty disappointed it wasn't this Ben guy."

"Who?" Emmett asked, back to the script.

"I think Jess said his last name was Cheney. I've heard of him, I think, but I'm not great with faces."

"Babe." Adam interjected, before Emmett could, rolling his eyes to the boy behind me, "he's right behind you" he mouthed, so obviously anyone could read his words. God I loved him then.

"Oh." I muttered back.

Edward turned more in his seat and glanced over me at the boy who sat behind me.

"Huh." Edward said arrogantly, his appraisal dismissive, turning back to Emmett. I could feel the tension behind me.

"But what about Yorkie?" Emmett asks me.

I shrug, "I don't think he's into her, I think he's still hung up on Bella. Angela's shy. If B— well, if a guy doesn't have the nerve to ask her out, she'd never ask him. That's just not her style."

"You like shy girls." Emmett cajoled his brother.

Edward grinned at him. "Exactly." Then he returned to the performance. "Maybe Angela will get tired of waiting. Maybe I'll ask her to the prom."

Whatever we had just done, it seemed to work, Edward giving both Emmett and I a set of thumbs up as Mrs. Goff stood and greeted the class.

"Playing cupid." I whisper into Adam's ear, nipping it playfully. "Ang has a crush on Ben Cheney but the boy's clueless. Hopefully that'll give him the cojones to ask her out to Prom."

Adam looked at me as I pulled away, eyebrows high. And then he leaned in into my ear. "Since when are you besties with Cullen?"

"Since he started dating my sister yesterday in Port Angeles." I tell him, voice low, hyper-aware Edward and Emmett could hear. Adam looked even more surprised. "Worst thirdwheel dinner of my life."

I said this openly, and pointedly, for the vampire eavesdropping on us. Edward's lips twitched upward where I could see it.

Jess drove me to her house after school. It was nice, getting a few hours away from the vampires, the fallout, Rosalie, everything. Adam had whined, of course, because I'd got him started and I had no intention of finishing. I had fun fixing the car. I was pretty sure this was my happy place, fiddling with tools and cleaning parts. Jess kept me company from inside her car, where she did her homework while she chattered away with me. Mrs. Stanley came home from work at the bank and made us hot cocoa to warm us up. It was the best hot cocoa I'd ever had.

And then I heard the unmistakable sound of a powerful engine, long before the shiny red convertible turned around the suburban corner. I had just finished, my tools packed away, cleaning out the grease in my nails as I waited for Jess to finish her shower so she could drop me off home. I was frowning long before that beautiful car ambled up to the curb. Rosalie Hale had a scarf over her hair to keep it place, silk, printed with white flowers on royal blue. It twisted around her neck, sunglasses over her eyes even if there was no sun to speak of. Her face was stoic, turning toward me with some sort of expectancy. "Get in."

Something about her tone made me decide not to argue. Jess came out just then, my shopping bag with my altered dress over her elbow. She froze at the sight of Rosalie and her car.

"Thanks Jess." I smile, picking up my toolkit and walking over to her to collect the bag, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"But what about altering your —"

"See you tomorrow." I repeat, more force behind the words, and she nods with wide eyes. Edward Cullen might make her a motormouth but an angry Rosalie Hale was enough to make anyone meek.

I wasn't dirty, per se, but I still felt bad about climbing into Rosalie's pristine car in my condition. I was ginger about not touching anything, settling in the scooped, low passenger seat with my toolkit on my lap and my shopping bag and backpack between my feet, clicking the seatbelt into place. I hardly got to start waving Jess goodbye before we were zipping off, impossibly fast. It was a lot more jarring in a convertible, the icy wind whipping at my face. I wasn't sure if I felt so exposed because I could very easily get smashed by a tree, or because of my very upset driver.

I stopped trying to look at the blurring trees after a minute, squeezing my eyes shut to get rid of the vertigo. Apparently I was being too quiet, because this too upset Rosalie. "Well?"

She glanced over at me, eyebrow up and expectant, tone stone cold. I frowned. "Well what?"

"Don't you have a million questions like your sister?"

Ah. I smile, voice unnecessarily loud over the whistling wind. "No."

She slowed down just a fraction, taking a turn onto a winding forest-lined road that I was half-certain led out of state. She wasn't looking at me, but she was frowning now. "No?"

"No." I smile a bit better. "You don't owe me anything."

She didn't say anything for a moment, just driving. And then. "Huh."

It was my turn to raise my brow at her now, hugging myself in Adam's jacket. "Huh?"

Her lips twitch. "Your sister knows too much, and you don't want to know anything at all."

"We're twins, we're not the same person." I roll my eyes, flushing with annoyed embarrassment at the assumption.

"No, clearly not." I didn't know what she meant by that.

Another tense silence. "So you...picked me up, to answer questions?"

No answer. "To yell at me."

"I'm not sure why I did it." She confesses, voice softer now. "Only that I wanted to."

I tried not to quell the butterflies erupting in my stomach. "Cool."

She frowns again, glancing at me. "You're not upset with me for the past few months?"

I was too secretly happy for that. Too happy that she was talking to me. Too happy that I was in this glorious car. Too happy that I was freezing to death and couldn't even feel my face. I knew I was smiling. I couldn't help that I was smiling. I couldn't be mad when this feeling was making my cold fingertips buzz electric. "You were trying to keep your family safe."

You were trying to keep me safe. I wasn't sure about that one, but I hoped it was true. It made me feel funny, too.

She huffs. "My family seems perfectly happy endangering themselves despite my every attempt."

"You didn't attempt very well." I counter. "If you focused more on Edward and less on me, you might have had a shot."

"Well clearly I didn't focus on you enough, if you figured everything out by yourself." She shot right back, scowling, and I laugh. Her lips twitch. "Can I ask you something?"

I look at her, as if saying 'duh'. "You're not running for the hills."

"Well, neither is Bella." I point out.

"She thinks she's in love with my brother." Rosalie dismisses with a sneer, snatching her sunglasses off, letting them drop carelessly into the glovebox. "She's not in her right state of mind."

"I don't think my sister has ever been." I chuckle.

"You're avoiding the question."

"No, you never asked a question." My lips twitch ruefully. "You made a statement. No, I'm not running for the hills. If you haven't noticed, the hills are kinda far away. They're more of a hike, really."

Rosalie's car screeched to a halt, throwing me against the seatbelt, and she turned fully in her seat to glare at me. I was actually kind of relieved the car had stopped. A few more minutes and I might have frostbite. As subtly as I could manage, I make a swipe at my nose, grateful my finger came away dry. Of course, she noticed, expression flicking to remorseful. "I'm sorry. I forgot how fragile you are."

She started winding a crank lever at an impossible speed, the folded tan soft top mechanically whirring up into place slowly. We were in the middle of the road, and I was worried, glancing around for traffic — but Rosalie didn't seem fazed. Once the soft-top clicked into place, she started winding the windows up to seal us in, her free hand fiddling with a knob. I was grateful when hot air started blasting my face and my feet. "Better?"

"Thank you." I smile sheepishly at her, rubbing the tip of my nose again. It was still numb, and, I was scared, red.

And then we were driving again.

After a little while, staring at the trees ahead now that she was going a little slower, she tries again. Her voice is softer, lulling, and I try not to swoon at it. "Why aren't you afraid of me?"

"Oh, I'm terrified." I say honestly, but it comes out more casually than I intend. "I'm very aware you could kill me in an instant. Probably the whole town, actually."

She frowns, her confusion clear. "You haven't done it yet, right? So that's gotta count for something."

I shrug. "And I'm not really that scared of dying. I'm scared of the pain, sure, but if I'm dead then I'm dead. The end."

"You're a very strange human." She decides, and I laugh. I guessed I was.

"Can I ask you something?" She glances my way, warily, but nods. "You're upset that we know, and you're afraid for your family. Why?"

"It's dangerous for you to know." Her expression darkens, but her voice is still sweet and light.

"Why?"

She sighs, with the patience of a mother teaching a toddler. "If there is one law our kind have to obey above all else, it is maintaining the secrecy of our existence. You and your sister endanger that secret. So, you endanger us."

"We're not going to tell anyone." I frown. "I mean, not just because no one would believe us. We don't really want you guys to get hurt, and if anyone believed us I can imagine a whole witch hunt scenario, you know? The villagers might bring out the wooden stakes and the torches. They kinda don't like you guys as it is."

Her lips twist into a cruel smirk. "I don't think the proud town of Forks stands a choice."

"So you've got nothing to worry about." I smile, but she shakes her head.

"We don't answer to humans, but there are others we answer to." She explains, and I worry at once. She glances my way. "No. We have to protect you too now, to protect ourselves. I wouldn't worry."

"But you're worried." I point out. "Of course I'm worried. What, is there a vampire govern— don't tell me it's Dracula."

She laughs at that, and I forget to breathe for a minute. "No, well, it was the Romanians in charge once upon a time. But they were usurped by the Italians."

"Stregoni benefici." I realize, a little relieved that the good vampire myth was the one that was real. She was surprised. I blush. "I googled you."

"Of course." She snorts dryly.

"Isn't Italy really sunny?" I frown at her, and she raises a brow at me. I flush. "Sorry. I said no questions. You really don't owe me anything."

"Well I do owe you an apology." She hums. "I guess I dismissed you too quickly."

That reminded me. "Why did you glare at me, that first day in gym?"

Her lips twitch, but she doesn't meet my eyes. "You remember that, do you?"

"It's kinda hard to forget getting glared to death." I shoot at her.

She laughed. "You look like your great-grandmother."

And I'm surprised again. "Vera...she was my best friend, when I was human. I didn't like the reminder. And later, well. Your scent is a little difficult to deal with."

"Your brother mentioned that." I flush, still thrown. "You knew my great-grandmother?"

She grins this time, and I try not to stare openly like a hormonal teenage boy. "Oh, I knew her all right."

"I never got to." I frown at the revelation.

"No, you were conceived a week after she passed." Rosalie offers, and glances at my expression. "I kept tabs on her family."

"Why?" I frown at her.

She shrugged, eyes distant. "She was my best friend."

I lost track of time driving around with Rosalie, and it was clear she did too. We probably spent an hour straight talking about her car. By the time she dropped me off home, it was dark out and she was running on fumes. I was worried she wouldn't make it home before she stalled, and she seemed amused by my concern as I gently shut the door. I lingered there, not wanting to leave, trying to come up with something to say. "Hey."

"Hmm?" She looked up from where she'd started winding the soft top back down.

"Don't be mad at Edward and Bella." My voice was soft, I was starting to feel how tired I actually was. I smiled at her as she looked at me. "They're kinda cute together. I mean, they seem a lot less mopey, at least. That's gotta be good for all of us."

She sighs, but nods. Then she smiles, a soft faint one that sends my heart soaring again. "This was actually kind of fun. Thank you."

"Humans aren't as boring as you think we are." I wink, and she giggles. No, that was too much for me. I needed to leave. "Good night Rosalie."

"Sweet dreams Grace."

The moment I was in the safety of my bedroom, and I was sure her car had pulled away far enough she couldn't hear me, I rushed for my pillow and smashed it against my face. And I screamed out everything I had in me.

You are not getting a stupid crush on an unavailable mean girl, Grace Swan. You are straight. You have a hot boyfriend. Rosalie Hale does not get to just drive into your life in that stupid, beautiful car and sweep you off your feet. She didn't even do anything. You're swooning over a giggle. Get your shit together.

I really needed to get my shit together.