Later that day after her confrontation with Jacob, Seth called her. He was his usual cheery self. A walking ray of sun really. He betrayed nothing that could have pointed to the knowledge of Jacob's… visit. Not that she minded, of course. Seth had nothing to do with Jacob's rude behavior or his illogical dislike towards her.

They talked and talked for hours. About everything and anything.

Rose felt a new sense of self. There were truly not many people who knew all of Rosalie's baggage, and despite that loved her anyway. It was liberating.

Seth did not touch the topic of her breakdown again. He only mentioned that if she wanted to talk about it, he was there to listen, whenever she was ready.

That kid was more emotionally mature than most adults in Rosalie's life.

xxx

"We're going to La Push this Saturday," Emmett said as he buttoned his pants while rising from the couch. "Jess is going to pick you up after lunch, so be ready."

She grimaced and rose from the couch to follow him. Her purple wounds were healing, turning an acid yellow. Emmett had refrained from touching her… for now. "I'm not feeling well, Emmett–"

"You're my girlfriend and you're expected to go."

That was it. No choice, no argument, no nothing. Whatever he said must be done. No dispute or disagreement was accepted.

Like the stupid girl she was, she did not argue and when Saturday came, she got into Jessica's car with no complaint. Rose had expected Jess to be with all of the girls, but she told her that they were already on their way. Whatever.

It was a silent ride to La Push's beach. Rosalie was grateful for the silence, she was in no mood to hold polite conversation.

When they got there, Emmett and some of the boys from the football team were already putting on their surf-wear. They nodded at her in acknowledgment. Rose shivered from just looking at them. The weather was not apt to go and take a swim on the beach.

Jessica and Rosalie watched the boys for a while. They were playing who was the most macho out of the bunch. All of them were shaking in the water.

But Rose and Jessica were no better. They were shaking in the cold rock they used as a seat.

"I feel like we barely see you, Rose." The breeze was cold, but it was welcome on Rose's face. "Trouble in paradise?" When Rose turned to look at her, a secret was hiding in Jess's smirk.

"No, not at all," Rose denied. She had a feeling Jessica was causing said trouble. "Everything is perfect, Jess. Are you seeing someone?"

Jessica's smirk disappeared from her face. Rose raised a brow in satisfaction and hid her smirk.

A beep in the parking lot prevented Jessica from answering. Saved by the bell, how typical.

The girls joined them with a lot of sodas and snacks.

Half an hour later the remaining members of the football team showed up and Emma, Miss Gossip of Forks with all of her friends and even Bella Swan was with them. Rose didn't know she was friends with Emma.

Rose sighed and hoped to the higher Gods or whoever was listening that Jacob would not show up too. Anywhere Bella went, Jacob could be found within a ten-mile radius.

They were quite an assemblage of people now.

Emmett and one of the boys started a fire. The daylight was coming to an end. Rose was thankful for the fire and the smores, she could not wait to get home and sleep with approximately a thousand cover-ups. Unnecessary to come to the beach on a day as cold as this one. There was nothing to do really. Some people were passing a bottle of alcohol and some were just hanging around the fire. Emma was telling her about the romance of one of the English teachers with the football coach. Rose nodded and hmm in the right parts of the story. In the corner of her eye, she could see Bella chatting with Alice Cullen –which Rose hadn't even realized was here– and Jacob Black.

Jacob followed Bella like a lost puppy.

It was getting late and some of the girls were already leaving. Even if it was a twenty-minute ride back to Forks, the wet and dark streets could be treacherous.

There were mostly guys now. Even Jessica had left. Rose rolled her eyes Jess was her ride. Good.

"I'd better be going," Emma said as she dusted the remains of the trunk she was using as a chair from her jeans. "My mom wants to have a movie night." She rolled her eyes like the idea of her mom wanting to spend time with her was mortifying. "I'll see you, Rose."

Rose was –for the first time in the night– alone. She sighed and looked around. Emmett was still there, chatting with one of the guys from the football team, Bella and Alice were saying their goodbyes. Inevitably it meant that Jacob was also leaving. And that was good, she had no desire to talk to him or to stare at his stupid perfect face. Rose made her way to reach Emmett.

Ugh. She had wanted to leave for hours.

"Emmett, Can I talk to you for a sec?" She touched his shoulder. Emmett ignored her and put his heavy arm around her. He continued to talk with the guy like she had not said a word. He stayed like that for a good five minutes. Rose, impatiently, tried to slightly jank his shirt to get his attention.

"What?" He said at last.

"I want to leave." She whispered.

He squeezed her bicep and said to his friend, "I'll be right back!"

He waited to be out of sight of most of the people "What do you want!" He did not stop squeezing her bicep.

"You're hurting me." She cried out in pain. The guts he had to do this in public! "I want to leave."

"I did not bring you here, YOU get your own ride!" Emmett finally released her bicep only to grab both of her shoulders with his unforgiving hands. "You don't listen, Rosalie. You always do what you want."

"I don't listen?" With all of the courage she mustered at the moment, she said, "I do whatever I want?" Her vocal cords hurt from the exertion it took to get these words out. "We always do what you say. Emmett wants to have sex! We have sex. Emmett wants to beat the shit out of me. He beats the shit out of me–"

"What're you talking about?" He shook her shoulders and looked around to see if anyone was listening. "You bitch. Now you're going to start making shit up–"

"Making shit up?" She wailed. He was unbelievable. Now if she wanted to report him, and she WILL. He was going to deny everything like the coward he was. Rose was done with Emmett's shit. "I have healing wounds to prove what you do, Emmett–"

"Fucking whore–" He pushed her once and for all. She gasped in surprise. Her head collided with one of the tree trunks.

She touched her forehand and looked at her hand full of crimson blood and blinked. Shit.

She looked up to look at Emmett, perhaps he was not done beating her up. But she did not find him anywhere. Huh?

Rose tried to stand up from the dirty sand but found that she couldn't. Where was Emmett anyway?

"You think you're so tough, huh? Beating girls?" She recognized that deep voice.

Emmett was grunting in a fetal position. His body full of filthy sand. She blinked at the picture. What surprised her the most from the picture was that Jacob Black was the one kicking Emmett in the stomach.

She must have hurt her head badly if she was hallucinating already. Jacob grabbed him by the hair and punched Emmett in the face. "Jackass." Emmett only grunted and covered his face.

"Come one." Jacob's voice was noticeably softer. She opened her eyes. He was talking to her. "Can you stand?"

She tried only to get a throbbing pain in her ankle.

"Here, let me help you." Jacob grabbed her by the waist, and she placed her arm around him as support. "You need to get that cleaned." If Rosalie closed her eyes, she could feel the beads of blood falling from her forehead.

"Don't close your eyes, we're almost there." She blinked her heavy eyes open. They were approaching an old black motorcycle. With Jacob's help, she slid before him on the bike. With a stronghold in her stomach and her back so glued to her front, Jacob started the bike.

Her eyes were so heavy and Christ, he smelled amazing. Like violet leaves, pine trees, and something spicy…

"Keep your eyes open for me, Princess."

She smiled at the moniker. Rose had a feeling he could be sweet.