Chapter Text
Bella glared at Rosalie’s tan work boots as they poked out from beneath Edythe’s Volvo. They had been in the garage all Saturday morning as Rosalie did maintenance on her family’s vehicles and Bella had been taking that time to further question Rosalie on every little detail of their relationship and just how Rosalie knew they were mates. It had been like this for the whole week and though Rosalie usually found amusement in Bella’s constant questioning of things, today she was fed up, and Bella knew it.
By noon, Rosalie’s answers dripped in sarcasm and were short, an hour later and after eating the lunch Esme so proudly produced, Rosalie was now only grunting and huffing from beneath the car. It seemed the blonde no longer wanted to play.
So, Bella glared at the woman’s feet and finally set her notebook and pen down by her side with a huff of her own. It wasn’t that Bella needed proof because she didn’t believe Rosalie about them being mates, it was just that she needed proof because she did believe it. Bella wanted Rosalie to prove that Bella had been wrong every time she had questioned being by Rosalie's side.
Monday morning had been a whirlwind and the week that followed was even more interesting. Bella’s glare turned into a small embarrassed smile as she thought about it.
//Flashback to Monday//
“Bella, you are my mate.”
Bella shot up and stood on the bed so that she hovered over Rosalie’s relaxed form and before she could say a word, she got so tangled in sheets that she fell back on her ass off the bed and onto the floor with a big ‘thump’. Then she sat there, facing the bed and sheets still tangled around her feet trying like hell to digest what just happened.
Rosalie leaned over the bed in an instant and Bella could see she was fighting the urge to laugh as she spoke.
“Is this you finally falling for me?”
Bella surged to her feet, one hand balled up at her side and the other pointing an angry finger at the cheeky woman. “Take me home.”
Rosalie raised her eyebrow as she recognized Bella’s demanding tone.
“No.”
Bella's mouth dropped one like a fish at her complete lack of concern. “Take. Me. Home. Now.”
They stood in a silent standoff like a game of chicken that neither felt like losing. Bella glared and stood tall, Rosalie rested easily on her elbow as she laid comfortably across her bed looking every bit unbothered as she sounded.
“No.”
Bella was so furious that she actually stomped her foot hard against the rug and balled up both her fists so tight her knuckles started to turn white. “What. Do. You. Mean. No?”
Rosalie brushed her long hair over her shoulder, exposing the skin of her neck and shoulders all the way down to her gorgeous cleavage that was now on display thanks to the silky cami and shorts pajamas she wore.
Bella tried to stay focused but it had greatly distracted her and tempered her anger as she realized that she had been cuddled up to that body all night long.
Bella could see a small strip of her stomach and a peek of her belly button as the cami slipped a bit higher up from Rosalie’s movement. Then as her eyes traveled further down she caught sight of toned thighs and long legs extending out from those short ass short sleep shorts.
Bella stepped back, turned around and brought her hand up to cover her eyes as she tried to resist the urge to climb in bed and touch Rosalie as much as she was allowed. She could hear Rosalie’s soft giggle from behind her and it made Bella grit her teeth together.
“Come back to bed, my mate.”
Bella's whole body shivered at Rosalie's come hither tone, but Bella was not going to be seduced out of her anger. She instantly turned back around to tell Rosalie off, only to find that the woman was now standing less than an inch in front of her. Rosalie smirked and Bella fought her body as her knees threatened to buckle.
“Don't-”
“Don't, what?” Rosalie immediately challenged as she took a step forward, just like that, the air around them changed.
Bella immediately stepped back but her words failed her and Rosalie continued to advance upon her til she had Bella pinned against her bedroom door.
Rosalie's thigh worked itself between Bella's knees and she grabbed both of Bella's wrist, pinning them at Bella's side. The next thing Bella felt was Rosalie pressing every inch of her body against Bella's. Legs on legs, arms on arms, stomach to stomach, hands on hands and thighs to thighs.
That's when Bella finally realized her own state of undress. Last night she had gone to sleep in one of Rosalie's half shirts and a pair of soft fuzzy shorts, evidently she had kicked the shorts off in the middle of the night and had been parading around in just the white tee crop top and her underwear, pink cotton bikini underwear.
Everything below Bella's rib cage was exposed and now pressed against whatever exposed skin Rosalie had on display. The sweetest temptation of all was the cold thigh currently pressed tightly in between her thighs that she was doing everything in her power to resist.
Rosalie rubbed her cheek against Bella's then dragged her nose across it til it touched the tip of Bella's nose. She was so close that Bella could see the black and gold flecks blending together around the iris of Rosalie's beautiful eyes. She could feel Rosalie’s cool breath stretching out across her lips with each of Rosalie's exhales.
“Stop trying to seduce me!” Bella whispered as though she were scandalized.
Rosalie started running her open hands up and down Bella's arms, sometimes going far enough so that her nails could skate down Bella's shoulders as she did. It was getting hard for Bella to breathe in an even pattern.
“But it's so easy to get my way when I do.”
Before Bella could respond, Rosalie placed a loud, wet, open kiss right over Bella's pulse point. She even went as far as sucking the skin lightly, allowing it to make a small ‘pop’ sound as she pulled back and let go.
Bella gasped so loud she was sure the entirety of the house heard it, but she couldn't help it, this time she truly was scandalized at Rosalie's complete audacity to do such a thing. To make things worse, her body was not shocked as her mind was, no, it betrayed her as she felt that specific wetness in between her legs. Now she was scandalized with Rosalie as well as herself.
“How dare you-”
“Oh, but I do dare.” Rosalie giggled against her neck as she cut Bella off. “Here's the point Bella: I thought it was best not to discuss our mate bond because I wanted to ease you into this, plus I had no idea if you could even feel it. Now, you need to know.”
Rosalie pulled back from Bella's neck and when they made eye contact Bella felt as if she were breathing for the first time in her entire life. She hadn't known that she had been drowning, holding her breath for some reprieve but standing here next to Rosalie, Bella felt as though she finally reached the surface.
Bella felt the tears in the back of her throat before they reached her eyes and when they fell it was out of relief. Of course she had felt the bond but without the words to confirm it, Bella had just thought that she was falling in love with someone who could never love her back.
//Monday 11:28am//
Bella listened as her key went into the lock and as she turned it the sound of it unlatching seemed deafening. She had been dreading walking through the front door because she had no clue as to what was waiting for her but she knew by the sight of Charlie's police cruiser that he hadn't gone into work this morning.
With a deep breath Bella pushed the door open and quickly stepped inside. The rain of this morning had gone but a cold fog had settled itself around town, and Bella was eager to get out of it once she felt the warm air from inside.
The door clicked shut behind her and as Bella started to undo the buttons of the black peacoat Rosalie had let her borrow, Charlie was calling her into the kitchen.
“Bella, can you come to the kitchen please?”
She finished opening her coat slowly and then stepped out of the foyer with absolute dread. Nothing inside of her wanted to have this conversation right now, or ever for that matter. When he saw her, he looked shocked as though he didn't recognize her.
Bella wanted to scoff as she looked down at herself and then back to him. Of course he didn't recognize her, she was fully dressed in Rosalie's clothes, white jeans, white turtleneck, black peacoat; Bella even wore a pair of Rosalie's shoes, a pair of white Louis Vuitton sneakers. Bella looked expensive.
He gathered himself quickly and his face relaxed as he gave a nervous sort of smile and gestured to the empty kitchen chair.
“Have a seat, Bella. We need to talk.”
Everything in Bella wanted to scoff as she took in the scene, but instead she obliged him and sat down with nothing more than a sigh.
“Before we start, is there anything you want to say first?” He asked as he folded his hands together on top of the table and squared his shoulders as though Bella couldn't see the slight quiver in them.
With slightly slanted eyes Bella shook her head ‘no’ and waited with her arms folded across her chest for whatever Charlie wanted to throw at her.
All that ran through her head was, ‘This ought to be good.’.
“Now this isn't about the past, this is about right now. As your father I will not tolerate you being out all night breaking the law with friends that I don't know. I will not tolerate not knowing where you are, or you skipping school and staying at a stranger's place.”
The man took a deep breath to calm his red face but Bella could only stare in pity. This was a joke right? It had to be.
“Now I know I haven't-”
“That is something we actually agree on Charlie, you haven't.” She paused after her sudden outburst so that her sardonic words could seep in deeply.
Then she laughed, but the sound wasn't full of humor it was condescending. “You haven't done a damned thing for me, Charlie. But you're sober now, so now you want to have a say? Well, tough shit.”
“Now, wait a minute, Bella.” He tried, he really did but Bella was finally unleashing her anger at the right person, and she wanted to get it out now.
“No, I don't think I will wait, as a matter of fact I'm done waiting. You want to know what I was doing yesterday, fine I'll tell you.” She leaned over the table on her elbows, resting her chin on her folded hands and smiled as she spoke with such Venom that she's surprised his heart didn't stop from the pure poison dripping from her lips.
“I wasn't with a friend, I was with my girlfriend, and yeah she was fucking speeding, whoopdeedoo, we didn't even get a ticket. Then we went back to her parents house, you know, those people who have kids and actually love and care for them? Yeah, well they actually like having me around but I'm so fucked up from you and Renee that it's taken me this long to actually believe them.
“Then I slept there, in Rosalie's room. And they fed me breakfast and told me I can stay longer because they actually know how much I hate being here where my only purpose is as a reminder to you of how fucked up your life is. That's what I was doing, Charlie.”
Charlie was speechless and it angered Bella even more. “Bottom line is, I'm eighteen, I have other places to go. If you don't want me here, I'm out. But it's too late for you to play father and act like you give a damn. I've been waiting my whole life for you to give a damn, now…I just don't care. I don't need you, Charlie.”
//End Flashback//
The fight with Charlie definitely wasn’t something she was proud of but enough was enough. She doesn’t regret her words, they needed to be said, besides now that Bella knew the whole truth there wasn’t a choice to be made between Charlie or Rosalie. Bella knew her happiness would be found with Rosalie and the rest of the Cullens.
“What are you up to now?” Rosalie asked as she wheeled out from under the silver car. She raised an eyebrow as she made eye contact with Bella. “You’ve gone quiet.”
Bella shrugged, her thoughts on the past week were still rolling around in her head. She hated it, but just because she knows the truth doesn’t mean she’s over her old habits. Sometimes just thinking about Charlie or Renee would send her into a self doubting spiral.
“Tell me again.”
Bella’s request was as fragile as her voice when she demanded it of Rose, but Rosalie didn’t mind. Slowly the blonde stood up, her white canvas overalls and black shirt looked spotless even though she had just finished an oil change, but Bella could see the remnants of the black grime on her hands even as she wiped them with an old, stained rag.
Bella was still sitting atop the work table, so when Rose put herself in between Bella’s legs they were the same height. Bella draped her arms loosely around Rosalie’s shoulders while one of Rosalie’s hands gripped Bella’s hip. When Rosalie brought her free hand up to Bella’s cheek to cup the side of her face, Bella could smell the oil still. It didn’t bother her.
Rosalie looked Bella directly in the eyes, then spoke with the certainty Bella craved. “We’re mates.”
Tuesday Morning
Jessica heard it from Jason, who got it from Mike, who got the rumor from Lauren, whose dad works on the police force. They said that Bella and Rosalie got caught speeding out of town on Sunday night after running away from home, but since both girls were eighteen there was nothing the cops could do.
Then Angela heard from Erik, who overheard a conversation between Grace and Tyler that Grace’s Aunt Liv, who lived next to the Swans said that Rosalie had taken Bella home after the ticket, but then something happened and the two girls left the house abruptly. That maybe Chief Swan had kicked Bella out that night after finding out about her being gay.
Angela and Jessica waited for Bella or Rosalie to show up Monday morning, but they never did, in fact none of the other Cullens came to school either. They texted their friend and they called, but Bella ignored all forms of communication. Just as the girls were starting to get really worried about Bella, Tuesday morning came and it was like nothing had ever happened. And yet, it was very clear that something had changed between Bella and Rosalie.
They were extra close, extra touchy, and not just on Rosalie’s end, Bella was initiating it. It blew Angela and Jessica’s minds. Bella didn’t do that. They were finally able to corner her in math, the only class that wasn’t shared with a Cullen, and all Bella had to say was:
“I’m still living at Charlie’s for now, and yeah, Rose and I are together.”
No matter how they asked and no matter how much they both pleaded they couldn’t get Bella to further explain, and it continued like that for the rest of the week. It was easy to see that Bella was pulling away from them, she spent most of her time in the company of Rosalie and the other Cullen kids, but she looked happy.
Angela and Jessica had always tried to know Bella more, but they had given up around eleventh grade when it became clear that Bella was happy for the company, but that’s kind of all they were; place holders. It was nice to see someone come around and knock down those walls like Rosalie had done. If Bella was happy, then they were happy.
Still, they were dying to know.