Dusk

#14

Bella

After eating a couple ravioli, I started talking. "Why were you doing in Port Angeles?"

"Alice wanted to come here for the evening though I didn't know why," Rosalie told me.

"Is that it?"

A hint of a smirk came on her face. "Next question."

I sighed but continued slowly. "Let's say, hypothetically obviously, that a person can be...stronger and faster than a human ever could....Can do things that only hundreds could do. With a few exceptions."

I noticed that she played with her sleeves. A nervous tick, perhaps? "I wouldn't say hundreds. Dozens, sure. With a couple exceptions."

"Okay." I was glad that she was playing along, but I played it cool. "What would those limitations be?"

Rosalie didn't answer. I watched as her hands formed into fists and her face looked as if she was debating something. I carefully reached out to brush the back of her hand with my fingers. When she didn't flinch away, I held one of her cold hands.

"You can trust me," I whispered.

She released a small breath and intertwined our fingers, making my heart skip a beat. "I know. Alice forced me to go to Port Angeles but couldn't tell me why. She said she'll call me when she sees anything. And when she did...I expected the worst."

"When she sees anything?"

Rosalie squeezed my hand tighter. "Alice has the ability to...see things before it happens. But the future isn't set in stone so....Anyways, I started to drive around, looking for any sign for you, hoping that I wasn't too late." Rosalie stopped talking to take a calming breath. "I would never forgive myself if anything would happen to you."

I rubbed my thumb over her fingers, trying my best to comfort her. "And then?"

"I heard what they were saying," she growled. Her upper lips, revealing two very sharp teeth for a quick second. "I heard the things they were going to do to you if they found you." Rosalie released my hands to dig them both in her hair. "You have no idea how hard it was for me to leave them alive," she admitted quietly.

I sat there dazed, hands now folded in my lap, my thoughts bouncing everywhere. She still had her head in her hands, breathing in slowly.

Finally she looked up, eyes seeking mine, full of their own questions. They flickered away for a split second before settling back on me. "Are you ready to go?"

Before I could even answer, Asher returned as if he was called. Or watching.

"How are we doing?"

"We're ready for the check, please. Thank you."  Rosalie's voice was quieter than the last few times she spoke to him, which caught him off guard.

"S-sure," he stuttered. Rosalie didn't let him pull out the little leather folder from his back pocket. She already hand the bill in her hand and just gave it to him.

"Keep the change." She reached for my hand and pulled me out. Rosalie walked close beside me to the door, barely putting any space between us. Once we made it inside the car, she turned the heater on high and pulled out through the traffic.

"Now," she said, "it's your turn."

"Can I ask you one more?" I pleaded as Rosalie accelerated much too quickly down the quiet street. She didn't seem to be paying attention to the road that much.