Dusk

#8

Bella

Rosalie and I walked quietly to the lot, my eyes flickering across the cars. I spotted the Volvo not to far away from us, so I made my way to it. I stopped when I felt a soft, yet a cold hand on my wrist.

"Where are you going?" She asked, looking at me queerly.

"T-to your car?" It came out as am question because this was the same car I always see her in at school. "Unless we're taking my truck?"

Rosalie scoffed. "Please. I rather walk than take that rust bucket. And that's not my car." Her hand still on my wrist, Rosalie pulled me a few cars down to a cherry red BMW. "This is my car."

"What about my truck?" I mumbled, not taking my eyes away from the car almost as beautiful as her.

Rosalie opened the car door for me. "I'll have Alice drop it off, if it's fine with you." Taking one last look at the car, I stepped inside, Rosalie closing it behind me. Instead of the smell of gasoline and tobacco I was used to, there was just a faint perfume. It smelled amazing.

As the engine purred quietly to life, she played with a few dials, turning the heat on and the music down. But when the music started, she glared at it but didn't turn it off.

"Not a fan of Debussy?" I asked, smiling softly.

Rosalie glanced at me, surprised. "You know who this is?"

I shrugged. "My...mom plays a lot of classical music around the house. I only know my favorites."

She hummed softly. "I like Debussy, but not a fan of this song. Edward overplays it too much."

I relaxed against the cream seat, responding automatically to the familiar melody. Because I was watching her from the corner of my eye, the rain blurred everything outside the window into grey and green smudges. It took me a minute to realize we were driving very fast; the car moved so smoothly I didn't feel the speed. Only the town flashing by gave it away.

"I notice you don't talk about your mother," she said suddenly. "If you don't mind me asking...what's she like?"

I frowned, looking to my lap. "Renee and I look nothing alike--I have too much Charlie in me. She's extroverted, brave and slightly eccentric. She's also the main reason on why I moved here. Renee didn't like that I came out to her, and that was the last time I heard from her. But before that, we were best friends."

"I'm sorry I asked about her," Rosalie whispered. I only shook my head at her, but settled back into silence. Until she broke it again. "How old are you?"

The car stopped, and I realized we were at Charlie's house already. The rain had really picked up, so heavy now that I could barley see the house. It was like the car was submerged in a vertical river.

"I'm seventeen," I answered.

"You don't seem seventeen."

I laughed softly. "Renee used to say I was born thirty-five years old and that I get more middle-aged every year." I paused for a second. "You don't seem much like a junior in high school, either."

Rosalie made a face and changed the subject.

"What are the other reasons on why you moved here?"

"I'm a lot closer to Charlie than I was Renee," I started. "He didn't care that I came out to him, as long as I was happy. Old family friends is a big factor too."

Rosalie seemed to hesitate on the next question. "Does his approval matter to you? One who you date?"

I looked at her. "I mean, he's a cop. So he's obviously going to be protective. But if I really like the girl, then that's what matters to him."

Her face relaxed. "No one too scary, then," she teased.

I smiled back. "What do you mean by scary? Tattoos and facial piercings?"

"That's one definition." Rosalie paused. "Do you think I  could be scary?"

I chose my words carefully. "Yes. But, I believe that's all a front. At first you come off as terrifying, but you're a big softy at heart."

At first she didn't respond. But a large smile appeared on her face. I noted to make her smile more often...it was gorgeous.

"So are you going to tell me about your family?" I asked. "It's got to be a much more interesting story than mine."

"What do you want to know?"

"What happened to your parents?" I hesitantly asked.

"They died many years ago." Her tone was matter-of-fact.

"I'm sorry."

"Carlisle and Esme have been the closest thing I  had for parents for a while now. I can't imagine two better people."

"Then you're very lucky."

She smiled. "I know."

"And your siblings?"

Rosalie glanced on the clock on the dashboard. "Are going to be very upset if I don't go back soon."

"Right, I guess you have to go."  It was stupid, but I didn't want to get out of the car.

"And you probably want your truck back before Chief Swan get home and you have to explain you're fainting spell."

"I'm sure he's already heard about it. There are no secrets in Forks," I grumbled.

Rosalie laughed quietly. "Have fun at the beach. Good day for sunbathing."

"Won't I see you tomorrow."

"No. Alice and I are starting the weekend early."

"What are you going to do?" A friend could ask that right? I don't think she heard the disappointment in my voice.

"We'll be hiking the Goat Rocks Wilderness, just south of Rainier."

"Well Rosalie, I hope you have fun."

I started to reach for the door, but a cold hand stopped me. When I faced the blonde, Rosalie leaned in to kiss my cheek. When she pulled away she smiled at my blushing face. "You can call me Rose. Stay safe."

I quietly mumbled out something and quickly got out of the car and ran for the porch. But the time I turned around, the BMW was gone.

"Oh!" I clutched at my jacket pocket, remembering that I forgotten to give her my key since I got flustered.

The pocket was empty.

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Wish me luck on my ACTs guys. I am not prepared, nor have I even studied.

Madame CJ Walker, the first self-made female millionaire, developed the "Walker System".  The hair care business not only helped her own hair grow back, but she started to sell it to other black women.

Bye!