Rosalie was practically vibrating. She felt like her skin was blazing, burning itself away and leaving behind the core of her being, until she was just a regular teenager in a high school and the center of attention in a way she had always wanted to be. Being the focus of everyone wasn't new to Rosalie; she had been beautiful in her life, and she was even more beautiful in her eternal undeath. She was more than used to being watched, looked at, and talked about. It had been decades since she had chosen to be the center of attention, and she had to admit to herself that she still liked it. The entire school was talking about her new 'relationship' with Bella, and she loved it. In the last twenty minutes it seemed that everyone had heard that she and Bella were caught in the 'sex closet' by a very crabby old janitor. The whispers grew into a roar. Everyone was sneaking glances at her and Bella. These useless teenagers were feeding her vanity; she had been starving.

Edward's sour words cut into Rosalie's happy preening. "You're using her. it's disgusting."

Rosalie fixed him with a glare cold enough to freeze lava. The tables of kids around them quieted down. She was sure they hadn't heard Edward's words, but they could sense the danger in Rosalie's expression. "I'm sorry, you petulant child," Rosalie ground out through her clenched teeth, "Did you forget how we got here in the first place? It was because of you, the prodigal son. Sue me." She imagined the janitor's closet, supporting Bella by holding her body close. For an extra jab, she imagined picking Bella up and kissing her, legs around Rosalie's waist with Rosalie's hands sliding up her shirt. That hadn't happened, but she could imagine it convincingly.

"I'm not staying here for this."

"Good. Go." He stormed out of the cafeteria, throwing the door open so hard it bounced off the wall. The entire room went silent. Bella's eyes met Rosalie's across the room. She looked concerned. Rosalie smiled at her, then got a bright idea. She blew the girl a kiss. Bella's cheeks blazed fire engine red, but she still pretended to 'catch' the kiss flying across the room. She immediately hid her face as people started talking again, louder than before. Rose smiled down at her untouched lunch.

Alice quietly asked, "Are you having fun with this?"

"I am." Rosalie was surprised by how quickly she answered. This was fun. She and Bella needed time to discuss things, preferably not at the cost of the human's sleep. Rosalie wished Bella had her phone. She could just give the girl her own cell phone, and use Alice's to communicate. That way they could at least text.

"Aha!" Alice reached into her bag and pulled out a small white box. "I had a feeling you might need this. You can't use my phone. Jasper and I are talking." Jasper smirked as Alice handed Rosalie the box. It contained a brand new iPhone. "You two need some privacy, and it can't all happen in the custodial closet. You also can't take mine to get it."

Rosalie did take the phone from Alice, though she considered for a moment. "Don't you think this could get her into more trouble with her father?"

Alice's smile faltered. "I suppose it could, but only if she gets caught with it." Alice did look troubled. "Keep it just in case?"

Rosalie tucked the box into her bag. For all of Alice's clairvoyance, she really wasn't good at considering all outcomes. "Any idea how long she'll be grounded for?"

"Hard to say. Charlie was going to say one month when he first saw her come home. Then she cried and he changed his mind. He didn't say any number?" Rosalie shook her head. "I think that's good news! That probably means less than a month." Normally, Rosalie would consider a month to be hardly a blink in her never ending monotonous existence. But now, she was on a timer again. One month was too long. "He likes you." Alice cut into Rosalie's brooding. "Charlie might ease up just because she would be spending that time with you." And not Edward was heavily implied.

"Are you sure?"

"Nope!"

"Alice!" Rosalie wanted to be sure about something, anything in her immediate future. Now, the psychic couldn't even help.

"What? It's not like I'm psychic!" Alice cackled at her own joke as the bell rang. Rosalie rolled her eyes as Jasper and Emmett cleaned their trays.

Rosalie smiled gratefully at Emmett. He didn't have to carry her tray. In fact, it might be better if he didn't. "I bet you could charm the chief into letting Bella Bear out early." He snapped his fingers. "I know! Ask Esme. She'll help!"

"Are you okay with all this?" She hoped the random wave of her hand was enough to cover everything going on in their lives. Including their abrupt 'break up,'

Emmett offered her a noncommittal shrug. "What's there to not be okay about?" He raised his voice a little. "My two best friends ARE IN LOVE!" He waggled his eyebrows, then winked at Bella as the whole school filtered towards the cafeteria exit. "I am thrilled."

Bella broke off from her friends to join them. Rosalie reached for the girls hand as she had this morning, and this time Bella threaded their fingers together confidently. "Were you listening to my table during lunch?"

"No. There was some drama at our own. What did I miss?"

Emmett bid them goodbye, and Bella lowered her voice. "First, Jess thinks you're too old for me."

Rosalie scoffed. "Even a broken clock is right twice a day."

"Second, she gave me this. Do you know what this is?" Bella unfolded a few sheets of paper she had in her pocket and shoved it into Rosalie's hands. The paper was folded over several times. When she finally got it unfolded, she realized she was looking at several papers that had been stapled together to make a small makeshift booklet. The title at the top of the front 'cover' said "Jess's patented guide to sexual safety and satisfaction for women." Bella buried her hands in her face, whispering as people filed by them. "She has been trying to build a body of work that all women can benefit from."

Rosalie opened the first page, which had a 'to the reader' section. She read it carefully. The empowerment of women will not be complete until ladies of every age, orientation, and level of bravery can find their sexual partner(s) and safely and successfully achieve orgasm (if they want to.) She flipped another page to find the table of contents. The first thing listed was 'sexual safety and agency.'

"Wow. This honestly makes me view her a little differently." Rosalie was impressed. She hadn't thought the girl had two brain cells to rub together. It seemed she had misjudged her.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Me too." Bella's tone was impossible to judge.

"How so?" Rosalie worried. What if Bella was just as judgmental as her infantile brother? That didn't seem like the Bella she had agreed to save, but Rosalie had been wrong before. (In the fifties.)

"This is the most selfless, caring, and considerate thing she's ever done. She said she never shared it with me because obviously Edward Cullen wasn't having sex with anyone." Bella buried her face into her sweatshirt, which Rosalie was still wearing. Her voice came out muffled. "She also hadn't been sure if she should share it with me or not, or if I would get offended if she thought I was having sex. But after our little closet display, she wants to make sure I'm a safe and respectful partner." Bella looked up at Rosalie, who couldn't stop laughing. Bella poked her in the chest. "She also made me promise to share it with you, to make sure you're a safe and respectful partner. She gave me this, too."

The next paper that Bella handed Rosalie was a little different, and it made her giggles catch in her chest. It was a business card covered in resources. The numbers to a help line, a free clinic, and several other helpful places. Rosalie's eyes teared up. "Wow." Was all she could get out. She handed both papers back to Bella.

"Are you okay?"

Rosalie swallowed, then cleared her throat. "I'm fine. Just disappointed. Now I have to be kind to Jess."

Bella pushed Rosalie away gently. "You're always supposed to be kind." Bella walked the rest of the way to her locker and entered the combination.

"I am always kind. And because of that, I have a gift for you. A gift Alice bought." She handed the phone box to Bella.

"I'm grounded from the phone."

"You are."

"So I can't have a phone right now."

Rosalie tried not to laugh as people passed them on their way to class. "You cannot."

"So Alice thought that I should disobey my dad one more time while I'm trying to deal with the punishment from last week's debacle, which has also," she lowered her voice, "shortened my mortal life?"

"That does seem to be Alice's plan." The warning bell rang. "I would recommend using it during school and leaving it here."

"What do you think?" Bella looked at the box in her hand.

"I think I could have gotten you into the closet sooner if you had your phone."

"Well, in that case," Bella opened the box. The phone inside it was already on. She snorted. "I assume Alice is also the one who set this up?" She turned the phone so Rosalie could see it. The wallpaper of the phone was a photo that Rosalie hadn't even seen Alice take. They were on the plane flying back from Italy. Bella was asleep in their first-class seat, leaning back onto Rosalie. Rose had her arm around Bella. She hated to admit it, but they looked cute.

"That is a good assumption. You could change it."

"I could." Bella tucked the phone into her back pocket. "I have a study hall seventh period. How about you?"

"Same." Lie. Rosalie had math seventh period. "Wanna meet In the library then?"

"What, no janitors' closet?" The late bell rang. Bella quickly kissed her on the cheek and disappeared.

"I lied." Rosalie slid into the library seat next to Bella without even saying hello. The girl had been doodling a tree in her notebook, but then looked up confused. "I do not have study hall this period. I'm supposed to be in math."

Bella snorted. Rosalie did not know the girl snorted sometimes. "Why lie?"

"To spend time with you, of course."

Bella rolled her eyes and shook her head. Rosalie was laying it on kind of thick, but the sophomores at the table across from theirs were looking at them. Rosalie could have been Broadway actress if fame wouldn't have put a huge spotlight on her family. Bella set the new cell phone on the table, and Rosalie noticed the unchanged wallpaper. "Do you know how much this phone cost?"

Rosalie could probably guess. "No, how much?"

Bella unlocked the screen. She could see the inside wallpaper was different. Oh god, it was a picture of them kissing in front of Rosalie's car today. Why had Alice taken that photo!? Bella cleared her throat and opened the internet browser. She had been researching phones. She slid the phone in front of Rosalie.

"Fourteen hundred dollars!" Her flushed cheeks caught Rosalie's attention again. "I can't accept that!"

"Fourteen hundred is nothing for us. A drop in the bucket. Maybe less."

"That doesn't make it better! Take it back!" She slid the phone to Rose. The picture of their side profile as they kissed in front of the rising sun. It was a really good photo.

"Okay." Rosalie nodded. She could accept that. However first, "But you have to tell me why."

"What do you mean?"

"Why can't any of us spend money on you, especially money that we have sitting around gaining interest for no reason? Money that, literally, we may not be able to spend all of in our lives. Money that will eventually be yours anyways."

"Because." Bella spoke quietly, trying not to be overheard in the almost silent library. "I don't want you guys to spend money on me, to spoil me, or any of that. Look at me." Rosalie did. Bella had fixed the buttons on her button down, and straightened her hair back out. Her cheeks reddened more under Rosalie's scrutiny. She looked Bella up and down. Her jeans were form fitting, her chucks were dirty, and she had written a little note in pen on her left wrist that said 'Page 394.' She was a beautiful young woman, honestly. Bella bit her lip, and Rosalie watched her.

"I see you. That doesn't answer the question."

"And look at you. This is the same problem I had with…your brother. We're not even. If you give me things, I can never match them in value, effort, or worth. That's why."

Bella's explanation made sense, but Rosalie didn't like it. "Gifts aren't about being even. Sometimes they're about need." She pushed the phone gently back to Bella. "Sometimes they're about just thinking of the other person." She leaned in a bit, and covered Bella's hand with her own. "And sometimes, gifts are about want." She leaned in further, noting the way Bella's heart started to speed up. She raised her eyebrows at Bella, trying to gauge how she would feel about a kiss in the library. Bella leaned in too, and nodded.

Rosalie gave Bella a quick peck on the lips and leaned back out of Bella's space. Bella opened her eyes. "I guess that makes sense."

"If you want, I can take back the phone. I just think it's a good thing to keep until you get yours back. I could even return it then. Or donate it to someone in need."

"Okay. Fine." She pulled the phone back towards her. "Wait, did you just say a kiss from you is a gift?"

Rosalie smirked, then let go of Bella's hand. "You can bet your ass I did. Are you gonna tell me I'm wrong?"

"No, I am not." The phone on the table between them buzzed.

A message from "The Best Cullen" flashed across the new phone's screen. 'You two are so cute. Do you like the pictures I took?'

Rosalie made to move for the phone, but Bella snatched it first. "Excuse me, privacy, please. This is my phone. For now."

Rosalie nodded. That was a fair request, and she would honor it. She had questions she wanted to ask Bella. What was okay? What was too much? When Rosalie had something, she wanted everyone to know. Now she belonged to Bella, and Bella to her. Not like an object, but like a partner. Like a mate, which is what they were now, for all intents and purposes. She put her elbow on the table and supported her chin with her fist while she silently watched Bella type a response to Alice.

"Why are you staring at me?" Bella asked as she put the phone down.

"I'm not staring."

"Did you blink?"

"I'm not sure."

"Staring."

Rosalie huffed. She was surprised. Bella was quick and funny. They had spent maybe a day together so far, but she enjoyed that time. She pulled Bella's notebook to her and held out her hand, indicating she wanted the pen. Instead, Bella put her hand into Rosalie's, and waited patiently. Rosalie lifted Bella's hand and kissed it like a prince addressing his princess. "I wanted your pen."

"Oh my god." Bella snatched her hand back and pushed the pen to Rosalie.

Rosalie chuckled as she wrote on a blank page in Bella's notebook. 'We need to talk. The only place we can really do that safely is my house. My room is soundproofed. Can I sneak you out tonight?'

Bella read Rosalie's flowing script as she wrote. She nodded and took back the pen. 'Are you breaking up with me already? I've never heard of a honeymoon stage so short. Charlie works the overnight on Monday's, so you could get me after he goes to work.' Rosalie snorted as she read the first sentence. Bella kept writing. 'Will you give me a hint what the talk is about?'

"I want to be clear about what's okay and what's not." Rosalie kept her voice low, trying to ignore the sophomores, who she was pretty sure were snapping pictures of her and Bella.

"Like?"

Rosalie tried not to laugh. Bella was either extremely naive or trying to trip Rosalie up. She moved her chair closer to Bella's, trying not to make too much noise as she leaned in, her lips almost touching the shell of Bella's ear, as her hand rested across Bella's shoulders. "Like if I wanted to actually ravish you right now in this library, instead of pretending to in a janitor's closet, would you be okay with that?"

"Jesus."

Rosalie chuckled as she sat back in her chair. "No, I'm Rosalie."

"You're not funny."

Rosalie stuck out her lower lip, pouting. One of the sophomores fell off her chair. "Take it back."

"Oh, that pout is a weapon. Okay." She looked deep into Rosalie's eyes. "You are hilarious. I am so sorry I lied and said you aren't funny, and I can't wait for you to take me to your bedroom tonight." Right on cue, the bell rang. "I'll see you after school."

Rosalie enjoyed this new Bella Swan with a spine.

At the end of the day, Rosalie stood next to her car and pretended to be very interested in her cell phone. There was absolutely nothing that interested her on the little screen. She had most of her notifications turned off, and her family members were all close enough that they whisper her name and get her attention much faster than the phone could. She was wondering if she should be inside waiting for Bella.

That wasn't necessary, was it? If Bella wanted her to hover at every turn, she could have texted her. The girl headstrong now. She was brave and independent. The last year had been good for her. Rose wondered where the Mopey Boy Wonder was. Edward wasn't waiting with the rest of their siblings across the lot.

The phone in Rosalie's hand vibrated. Apparently, Alice had snuck her phone too at some point. Bella's new number was saved as 'Eternal Love of My Life' with a random string of emojis after it. Her short message said, "Please save me. Locker."

Rosalie's mind immediately went to the worst. Their ruse wasn't enough. They hadn't sold it. Bella was trapped in the school, a Volturi enforcer keeping her inside, and they had sent a text to trick Rosalie. Despair and rage ripped through her. Jasper suddenly looked up, as she was tucking her phone into her pocket. She hurried into the building, walking as fast as she thought a human reasonably could. The halls were almost empty at this point, and her anxiety grew.

She hurried, making the turns through the hall by instinctive memory. Left, right, left, senior hall. As she entered the hall adjacent to where she hoped Bella was, she was able to breathe again. She could hear Bella and a few other voices. Bella wasn't being held captive by an enemy vampire. She was, however, being trapped by something just as deadly: teenage girls.

Bella's eyes landed on Rosalie over the heads of Jess, Lauren, and a few younger girls that she didn't know. They must have been freshman that came up to the high school during the Cullens' absence.

"Babe, I'm so sorry to make you wait," Bella said. "I was going to come straight out."

Rosalie drew even with the small crowd. She gave them an icy glare before turning she softened her expression and looked at her pretend mate. She caught Bella's chin and tilted it up so she could kiss her quickly. "It's okay, my love, I'm not bothered. I just started to get worried. Are you ready to go? If I don't get you home on time, your father may arrest me. Then I would have to break out, become a felon, and need to go on the run. I think I would have to take you with me, because how could I live without you?" Bella nodded and pulled her backpack higher on her shoulder. "Would you like me to carry that?" Bella shook her head. Rose addressed the small crowd with a curt, "ladies" and then let Bella lead her away by the hand. They were almost through the front doors when Bella started talking.

"Thank you so much for the rescue. They decided now was a good time to corner me and ask so many questions." Bella threw open the doors to the parking lot, pulling the silent vampire behind her. Bella made a beeline for the Camaro like she was desperate for the safety it could provide.

Rosalie waved her concerned siblings off. They piled quickly into Emmett's Jeep. Edward's Volvo was already missing. The coward seemed to have sped out as soon as possible. Rosalie hurried and leaned up against the car before Bella could open the door.

"Ma'am," Rose said smugly. "I was your knight in shining armor." She looked at the doors as she confidently relaxed against her car. She could hear the girls coming. They would exit the school soon. She hoped Bella understood what she was doing.

"Yes, how could I possibly thank my savior?" She put her hands on Rosalie's shoulders, pushing her fully back into the car, and leaning in until they were flush from chest to knees. "Is there a favor my noble rescuer desires?"

Rosalie knew they were playing a part, and she would play it well. She slid her hand into Bella's hair. "I would be happy with a simple kiss, My Love." The soft smile Bella gave her as she leaned in warmed Rosalie to her core.

"I guess that's a fair price."

Rosalie hated how much she liked kissing Bella. Every single one of their kisses had been today, but each one was more fun than the last. As Bella leaned in, she slid her hand under the hem of her hoodie and gripped Rosalie's t-shirt. Rose heard the front doors of the school open as the gaggle of girls exited. Bella cupped Rosalie's cheek.

"Get a room!" Jess yelled from across the lot as she giggled.

Rosalie and Bella broke apart. Bella was bright red as she hid her face. "We could get a room, but," She raised her eyebrows, "I need to read all of 'Jess's patented guide to sexual safety and satisfaction for women' first though." She laughed as she opened the car door for Bella to get in. Knowing that Bella's friends were still looking at her, she decided to try something new. Instead of glaring at the girls, she waved before she entered the car, changing her focus to getting Bella home before the Chief could get upset.