FOREVER

Questions & Answers

Questions & Answers

"Is Alice okay?" I decided to counter with another question, hoping she would sense that I wasn't in the mood for these games. Rosalie looked me over and I watched as one of her hands ran itself slowly up her covered arm.

"As far as it goes,"

"What does that mean, Rosalie?" My voice squeaked out her name as I started to shiver. I didn't want to think of Alice in any way other than 'fine' or a synonym of the word. Normally, crying in front of Rosalie was one big no-no, but I couldn't seem to stop them. I didn't even know what was causing them as they started to trail down my cheeks. Fear and concern and what? Patheticness? Was that a word? Well, screw it. It fit, so I was going to use it.

Rosalie threw her eyes to the ceiling in annoyance, letting out a slow exhale. I glared at her but she either didn't notice or didn't point it out. When she looked back at me, her eyes were holding a strange look. It was one that I couldn't place but she looked away before I could really focus on it. "May I ask you a question?" she said finally. I shrugged, not really understanding her words and focusing more on Alice. She glared at me, which woke me from my thoughts. "Was that a 'yes?'"

"Yes. Yes you may ask me a question," I clarified tiredly.

Rosalie nodded, pleased with herself that she got a better answer out of me and I sighed. She brushed her hair off of her shoulders and leaned in just a bit, though she was still a ways away. "What exactly did you and Edward talk about after he dropped you off that day?"

I was quiet for a moment as I tried to remember. I remembered the parts with Alice quite clearly but everything after? Slowly I relived the second worst day of my life and finally came across the part where Edward had dropped me off. "He said that he needed to be with his family," I repeated, putting emphasis on the same word that Edward had. Rosalie gave a contemplative nod.

"And then Jacob visited, yes? What did you talk about?"

"He told me I shouldn't have gone with Alice, we tried to make peace, he saw these," I pulled my hair back and watched her eyes briefly gloss over my bite mark, "he got angry and then he left."

"What did you say about Alice, about my family?" she asked and I couldn't help but smile a bit. There was no emphasis on the 'my' when Rosalie said it and as lame as it may have been, I accepted that as a little bit of hope.

"Jake started talking trash about you, I told him I didn't want to hear it, that the Cullens were my friends and not his and that he had to right to say anything about Alice. Why?"

Rosalie's eyes darkened as she sat up and straightened her posture. She folded her hands across her lap and watched them for a moment before she lifted her head and found my eyes again. "Because that's not what I-what we heard."

"From who?"

"Edward,"

I couldn't really help the gasp that I let out. Rosalie seemed to be expecting it, for she didn't move at all. My mind suddenly grew into a flurry as I tried to imagine just what Edward had said to all of them. And how could Alice have believed him? It just didn't seem like her. Sensing my silence, Rosalie continued on.

"When Edward returned from dropping you off, Alice was a nervous wreck. She was inconsolable and weak and positively guilt ridden. Then my dearest brother shows up and informs her that he could hear yours and Jacob's conversation in Jacob's mind and decided to stick around. He told Alice that you had mentioned being afraid of her, and unsure about you wanting to continue your relationship with her. Needless to say, Alice didn't take it well.

"She ran from Esme's arms, almost knocking me over as she passed." Rosalie stopped then and just barely smiled. "Of course, being Alice, she did turn around to make sure I was okay." I couldn't help but smile at that either as Rosalie continued.