Chapter Text
Three weeks. Twenty one days since the Cullens left. Five hundred hours since he left her alone in the woods with nothing but a broken heart and a promise that it would be as if they never existed.
Bella grieved for days, wallowing in her self pity. She went through the rhythm of each day like a zombie on autopilot. At night she cried herself to sleep, desperately clutching herself tight as if that would fill the void growing inside her chest. It didn’t. Even when she managed to fall asleep, it was short lived. Each night was plagued by nightmares and she woke herself (and Charlie) up screaming bloody murder.
Her dad was a saint for putting up with her. She felt guilty. She was depressed, not blind. She saw the dark circles under his eyes and his exceptionally disheveled appearance - as opposed to his normal level of disheveledness. She knew her behavior was wearing on him but she couldn't stop it.
He had stopped rushing into her room when her cries filled the dark house after a week of three am wake up calls. The first nights he sat up with her, trying to comfort her until she drifted off again. Once it was clear his presence made no difference, he opted instead to let herself cry herself back to sleep in private.
She had always appreciated that he didn’t hover.
To spare them both, she avoided him whenever possible, sequestering herself away in her room whenever she was home. It was better this way. She hated seeing the hopelessness in his eyes; the lost looks of him not knowing how to reach her. The pitying gazes were nearly impossible to stomach but the looks of understanding were worse. She wondered if this was what it was like for him when her mom took her away; fleeing to the sunny climes of Arizona all those years ago. Probably. She always thought she was more like Charlie than Renée.
Fortunately, her period of depression didn’t last. After two weeks, something shifted within and the hole in her chest didn’t hurt as badly. Instead of being hollow, she was filled with anger and bitterness for having been played a fool.
She had been so naive; so gullible. She let herself believe all of those gilded words spoken by a silver-tongued devil. What beautiful lies. She hadn’t realized just how under his spell she was until the rug was pulled out from under her feet.
He told her they were mates and as such he would never do anything to hurt her. But that’s exactly what he had done. She couldn’t think of anything he could have done that would have been more hurtful.
They barely talked after her disastrous birthday party, so there had been no resolution or closure. Maybe if they actually had a healthy discussion she would have understood his reasoning. Maybe she would have even agreed that the Cullens leaving was for the best. If nothing else, at least she would have had the chance to speak her piece.
But he hadn’t afforded her that luxury. All he did was tell her that he didn’t want her, that she wasn’t good enough for him, and that she was a mistake. He put the blame on her and made himself the victim.
Then he was gone.
To make matters worse, he took his family with him. A family that she had grown to love and care for. A family that claimed to love her back - with one blonde exception. Even Jasper, ever the southern gentleman, was respectful around her, despite the discomfort she caused him. Rosalie, however, had always treated her with unmasked contempt and disdain; always glaring at her as if she carried some disgusting human disease. She never knew what she had done to make the blonde hate her so much.
The others were warmer to her, and had welcomed her into the family with open arms. Alice and Emmett were the siblings she never had. Carlisle was a sort of mentor and patient sounding board for her countless questions. And Esme. Esme was exactly the mother-figure she had dreamt of when she was younger. Renée had tried - sort of - but she really wasn’t cut out to be a parent.
But in a flash they were gone, and she hadn’t even had the chance to say goodbye to them. And it was his fault. She knew that he had sway over them, even though Carlisle was the Coven leader, and had probably convinced them all to leave. Why else would Alice willingly abandon her? At least, that’s what she told herself.
How could he do such a thing if he truly cared for her? She had spent many hours reflecting on this question. It didn’t make sense. Then the truth hit her like a simultaneous punch to the head, heart, and gut.
He didn’t; not really. Their relationship was just a beautifully crafted illusion.
While she hadn’t believed it at the time, James’ taunting words that she was nothing more than a plaything, a pet on a short leash, rang true. Once she was no longer convenient, he discarded her like yesterday’s paper. When the going got tough, he chose to run rather than stay and try to work through the rough patch.
While she admittedly had limited experience when it came to dating, and even less in the way of good role models (if anything, Renée had provided her more examples of what not to do) Bella knew that relationships took work and effort from both parties. They were supposed to be about balance, understanding, communication, and respect. Through highs and lows, through thick and thin. It was only after he left that Bella realized just how lacking their relationship was in those categories.
He wanted to control her but never took her seriously or truly listened to what she had to say. He would ask her for her opinions but never took her words into consideration; his mind was already set and wouldn’t change regardless of what she said. But he manipulated her with smooth words and deflection to make it sound like it had been her idea all along and she hadn’t realized what was happening.
In the end it was always him calling the shots, so she subconsciously stopped trying. After all, in his own words she was just a frail, silly human. How could she possibly know what was best for her?
Her desire to be turned was a perfect example of this. It was her body, her life - and afterlife. It should have been her choice, but somehow it was his decision and he said no. In what universe did that make any sense?
Additionally, if they were mates, wouldn’t he want an eternity with her? Clearly something was amiss there, she just hadn’t seen it at the time. It was just another nail in the proverbial coffin.
Well, fool me once, shame on you.
Bella would not be fooled twice.
Needless to say, it came as quite a shock when Bella walked into the cafeteria on Monday and saw that the table in the corner was occupied.
But it wasn’t the vampire she was expecting.
Never in a million years would Bella expect to see Rosalie Hale sitting alone in a high school cafeteria. She was certain that the statuesque blonde hated repeating high school (who wouldn’t?) and only did it to keep up appearances for her family’s sake. Yet there she was in all her glory, casually reading a magazine and ignoring everyone’s existence.
Blonde waves cascaded perfectly down slim shoulders and across her brown leather jacket. Bella couldn’t see the rest of her outfit but she was willing to bet her life savings that it was designer all the way. Rosalie would never settle for less. The vampire’s smooth, flawless skin looked like it had been carved from marble by Michelangelo or Bernini. Full red lips were drawn into a neutral pout as she idly flipped through the pages.
Maybe it was her excitement to see a vampire - any vampire - but Bella was convinced that she had never seen a more beautiful sight. She stood there dumbly, clutching her brown sack lunch with her breath caught in her throat. She had to remind herself to breathe again.
Golden eyes flicked up to meet her stare and Bella felt the wind rush out of her lungs once more.
Rosalie held her gaze for a moment before her eyes narrowed into the predictable glare. The sentiment was not lost.
‘Oh right.’
If there was only one thing Rosalie hated more than repeating high school, it was Bella Swan. Her heart fell somewhere into her stomach.
Mike’s shout was her saving grace, pulling her out of her stupor. ‘Thank god for that golden retriever posing as a teenage boy.’ She willed her legs to move again and headed over to the table to join him, Jessica, Angela and Eric. Thankfully Lauren and Tyler were off somewhere else. She didn’t know if she had the capacity to deal with two HBICs at the same time.
Bella half heartedly listened to Jessica dish her latest round of gossip, most of which revolved around Rosalie’s unexpected return. She hadn’t realized the bubbly brunette had finished her speculating until she felt several sets of eyes boring into her.
“Huh, what?” Bella blinked as she looked up from the sandwich clutched in her fingers. Everyone was staring expectantly.
“I said, you were close to the Cullens, right? Surely you know something?” Jessica prompted with an impatient huff.
“Are the rest coming back, too?” Mike chimed in, his watery blue eyes full of concern that his competition might be returning. Silly boy.
“Oh, uh, no. It’s been radio silence since… you know. I’m just as surprised as you are.” Bella responded truthfully.
She felt her anger rising in her chest at the reminder of the deafening silence the Cullens left in their wake. She had emailed Alice countless times over the past three weeks. Each was returned with a bounce back error.
There were several murmurs of understanding, and Angela gave her shoulder a gentle pat. No one else pushed the matter. Not even Jessica, who let the subject drop. The brunette had matured quite a bit over the summer. She was still the gossip queen, but she had actually learned to respect certain boundaries.
Her friends had been surprisingly supportive during what Bella dubbed as ‘the fall out period.’ They’d given her space when she needed to wallow, and had welcomed her back when she was ready to face the world again. Jessica and Angela were there with open arms and a year’s supply of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. Eric made her a CD of angsty break up songs while Mike took her out to hit things with his baseball bat - at great risk to his own personal well being, she noted.
Bella shrugged and went back to carelessly picking at the crust of her bread. She didn’t have much of an appetite anymore. She would occasionally feel Rosalie’s stare burning into her back but she refused to look.
The rest of the day dragged by. Thankfully she didn’t share any classes with Rosalie. Her schedule had been arranged by him to align with his own, which she had been far too happy about at the time, and the blonde probably scheduled her own class load to minimize contact.
‘God, I really was pathetic.’
The parking lot was mostly empty by the time she got to her truck. She saw the cherry red BMW convertible sitting a few spots down. It was weird to see it without the usual band of golden-eyed immortals loitering around it.
She started up the truck and headed home without a second thought.
The rest of the week passed uneventfully. And then another week. Rosalie was still there but she had made no attempt to engage and Bella didn’t feel like extending the olive branch. At least her initial resentment at the blonde’s presence had tapered off to general indifference.
She was looking forward to the weekend. Charlie was going to go fishing with Billy and Harry, now that he had deemed it safe for her to be left alone again. As awkward as he was, she knew that her dad really cared about her. He just didn’t know how to express himself sometimes.
Unfortunately, the universe had other ideas.
“Shit!” Bella exclaimed, turning the ignition again. The engine puttered once then choked. She got out, slamming the door a little harder than strictly necessary, and made her way to the front of the truck. She huffed as she tugged on the hood, which groaned in protest and refused to budge.
“This truck is an embarrassment to automobiles around the world.”
“Wow, thank you for your completely unwelcome opinion.” Bella shot back, not bothering to look. She didn’t need to. She would recognize that haughty tone anywhere. “I’m sorry that not all of us can afford top of the line sport cars.”
Rosalie didn’t respond, allowing a heavy silence to settle. After a few seconds that felt like hours, Bella couldn’t take the tension and she momentarily gave up on her attempts to pop the hood. She folded her arms across her chest and turned to face the vampire.
“I thought you all left. Why are you here, Rosalie? I’m sure you have better things to do than to stand around insulting my truck.” Her voice had more bite than she was used to. Apparently getting dumped was all it took for her to grow a backbone.
“Would it make a difference if I told you?”
“Not really, but I’d still like to know.”
Rosalie shrugged and inspected her nails for a moment before answering. “I didn’t agree with my family’s choice to leave. Unlike them, I’m not going to allow Edward to control my life or dictate my decisions. If the rest of the family wants to bow to his theatrics then that’s their prerogative. Besides, you’re a human who knows about what we are.”
“I wouldn’t tell anyone about you…” Bella did her best not to wince hearing his name.
“Well, that’s not a risk I’m willing to take. You’ve already caused a rift in my family and I’d rather be here to ensure nothing else happens.” Rosalie responded coolly, her eyes narrowed. The unspoken ‘or else’ lingered between them. Driving the knife in further, Rosalie continued. “It’s not because I like you. I couldn’t care less what you do to squander the rest of your inconsequential human life. I’m here for them because apparently no one else in my family seems to realize what a liability you are.”
‘So Rosalie returned to keep tabs on me. Noted.’
Bella didn’t say anything else. What else was there to say? Instead she turned her attention back to her original task, trying her best to ignore the vampire next to her. After a few more pulls she managed to wrench the hood loose and accessed the truck’s innards.
“Do you even know what you’re doing?”
Bella growled under her breath rather than deign to respond. She started poking various bits and bobs but didn’t have a clue what anything was.
‘Maybe it’s the carburetor? I feel like it’s always the carburetor. Wait... What the hell is a carburetor? God, I should have listened more to Jake when he tried to explain this to me.’
“This is like watching an infant trying to perform brain surgery. Between the two of you, I’d put my money on the infant.”
“This might come as a surprise, but I don’t care about what you think. Either help me or leave me alone.” Bella snapped. The vampire stared at her for a moment before quickly smoothing over her shocked expression.
“Fine. Good luck with the scrap metal.” Rosalie turned on her four inch stiletto and stalked across the parking lot.
Bella blinked after her, her resentment building every step of the way. How one person could be so haughty and condescending was beyond her. It must be a vampire thing. She was still glaring when Rosalie called over her shoulder.
“You just need to adjust the battery clamps.” Without another word, the vampire slid into her car and shot off.
It wasn’t until the BMW was out of the parking lot and far down the street that Bella looked back under the hood. Sure enough, the clamp on the negative node was dangling limply. Begrudgingly, she reattached it and headed home.
Bella awoke early Monday morning feeling surprisingly active and ready to go. The weekend had been perfect. The weather gods had graced them with a rare bit of sun, which allowed her to get out and read in the yard.
The boost of vitamin D had her feeling re-energized and gave her a pep to her step as she showered and got ready for the day. She was tugging on her favorite hoodie as she descended the stairs when an unexpected voice had her freezing in her tracks.
“Carlisle had an opportunity to transfer to New York General. It was an offer he couldn’t refuse.”
‘What the hell was she doing in her house? And why was she quoting the Godfather?’
“But what about the rest of your family?”
“My siblings, aside from Emmett, are still minors, so they had to stay with Carlisle and Esme. Emmett got an internship and moved to Boston. I went to help them move and get settled but returned as soon as I was able. I prefer the quaintness and simplicity here.”
There was a bit of a lull. Bella could practically hear the gears churning in Charlie’s head. “I know it’s impolite to ask a lady her age, but how are you a senior? Shouldn’t you have graduated already?”
“Due to my year studying abroad, I have to retake senior year to make up the credits. I believe the term is ‘super senior.’”
‘Clever cover story…’ Bella had secretly been wondering which strings Rosalie had pulled to retake senior year.
“So you’re here and your family is in New York? Must be lonely up there all alone in that big house. You’re sure you are okay?”
“I’m a very independent woman. I am sure I will manage.”
“All the same… We’d be happy to have you over if you need company.”
‘Oh god, Charlie, of all the times for you to learn how to be hospitable.’
“That’s very kind, I’ll consider it. I wouldn’t want to be an imposition.”
“It would be no trouble at all! I know Bella has some history with your family and all but I'm sure she can put those feelings aside for a friend in need.”
‘Please. Shut. Up.’
Bella finished pulling on her sweatshirt as she rounded the kitchen. This had gone on long enough and it was time to play damage control.
“Morning, Dad. Rosalie, what an unexpected surprise.”
“Bells! Hi! You didn’t tell me Rosalie was back in school and in your year!”
“Must have slipped my mind.” Bella shrugged, hurrying past the vampire seated at the table as she made a beeline for the coffee pot. “Why are you here, Rosalie?”
“I was concerned about your truck. I remembered it was having issues last week and wanted to follow up.”
“Issues? What kind of issues?” Charlie straightened up in his seat and fixed Bella with a concerned look.
“It was just the battery.” Bella bit back before taking a big gulp of dark roast blend. ‘Ack, Charlie burned it again.’ She grimaced but took another sip. “Besides, it was an easy fix. Nothing to worry about.”
“True, but who’s to say the next issue won’t be more serious?” Rosalie’s feigned sweetness had Bella on edge. She couldn’t determine what Rosalie was playing at, but she had a sinking feeling that she wasn’t going to like it.
“I think it’s fine. I mean, it’s running the same as it always has. Last week was just a fluke.” Bella rolled her eyes into her mug.
“With all due respect, I’m not sure you’re the best authority on the matter.” Rosalie shifted her coffee mug between her slender fingers then pretended to take a sip. “I’ve got years of experience as a mechanic. It’s very important to properly maintain your vehicle. Faulty components account for hundreds of accidents each year, all of which could be easily avoided with basic preventative maintenance.”
Bella’s mouth ran dry when she saw the corners of those perfectly full red lips pull into an infuriating smirk. It was very difficult to focus on being annoyed when the reason for said annoyance looked so damn good. ‘Wait, what? Where the hell did that come from? ’ Bella’s scowl deepened.
Charlie watched the exchange between the two women; blissfully unaware of the subtle inflections and thinly masked animosity. For being the Chief of Police, he was really bad with people. “Mechanic, huh? That’s pretty cool. Did you know that, Bells?”
Bella shrugged noncommittally, still glowering into her mug.
“Yes. I do all the work on my family’s cars.”
“Well, good for you! Great hobby if I say so myself. It’s refreshing to see the younger generation taking interest in something practical for a change. Spending all that time on FaceSpace and MyBook or whatever they’ve come up with. Waste of time in my opinion.”
‘Younger generation my ass. She’s older than both of us combined. In fact, of the three of us, she was the only one alive when the stupid truck was made.’
“You flatter me, Charlie.” ‘Charlie? Since when was Rosalie was on a first name basis with my dad?’ “It’s quite simple, really. It’s just a matter of knowing the different components and what they do.”
“Yeah, okay, fine. I’ll have Jake take a look next weekend. He rebuilt it, after all.” Bella finished her drink and rinsed the mug. So that’s what Rosalie was playing at. She needed to nip this in the bud. Jake was a perfect out. She would buy him a pizza to make up for using him as an excuse. Plus it had been a while since they’d hung out.
“I’m sure he would do an… acceptable job but I must insist it be looked at by someone with more expertise. I would be happy to lend my assistance. I have a full garage and workspace back at the house.”
“No kiddin? Well, let us at least pay you for parts and labor.”
“I’ll accept reimbursement for the parts but this is a passion of mine, I’m happy to do the work free of charge.”
“Wow, that’s mighty generous!” Charlie beamed, completely missing the death glare his daughter was shooting at their guest.
‘Crap.’
“Yeah, that’s way too generous. We couldn’t possibly take advantage of your good will .” Bella wasn’t even trying to conceal the sarcasm in her voice as she continued to eye the blonde warily, still trying to figure out the blonde’s endgame. This was all very suspicious. She hated how easy it was for Rosalie to turn on her charm and get Charlie on her side. She knew she wasn’t going to win in an argument against them both.
“I insist, you’d be doing me a favor. I haven’t had the chance to work on a classic Chevy in many long years. I’ll have it towed to my place today while we’re at school so I can start tonight.”
“Well, that certainly makes me feel better. I’ll rest easy knowing that truck is in tip top order.” Charlie smiled broadly. “Need a ride to school, Bells? I don’t have to be at the station until later.”
“I’ll walk, it’s fine.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I can give you a ride. We’re going to the same place, after all. Besides, it is my fault you are short of a vehicle.”
Bella ground her teeth. She really didn’t want to walk; there were far too many opportunities for her to encounter a disaster along the way. She also hated the idea of having to spend more time with Rosalie and was genuinely baffled why the blonde vampire was offering to fix her truck. That, and she didn’t want to be in debt to the Cullens for anything. But it would probably take the bulk of her college savings to pay for the fixes Rosalie was offering to do.
“Okay, fine. But just for the week.” Bella finally conceded.
“Good, let's go then.” Rosalie stood gracefully, taking her mug to the sink. Now that she was standing, Bella could fully appreciate the vampire’s ensemble. She looked stunning in her white button up, navy sweater vest, and fitted jeans. Bella was certain she had seen that exact outfit on the cover of Jessica’s most recent fashion magazine.
“Fine. I’ll be right out. I’ve got to get my pack.” Bella dismissed the blonde, who went to stand in the entryway.
“Well, the sister, I like. So polite. And what a generous offer to work on the truck.” Charlie got to his feet with a groan.
‘Great, Charlie is the newest member of the Rosalie Hale fan club. Just what I need.’ Bella fought the urge to roll her eyes. ‘If only he knew what a grade A jerk she is.’
“Yeah, real generous. See ya later. Be safe with those animals running around.”
“Always am.”
She gave Charlie a half-hearted wave over her shoulder and followed Rosalie out.
This was going to be a very long week.