EPILOGUE 1

The deep, red lipstick felt waxy on my mouth, so much so that I couldn't help but smudge it around as I rolled my lips between my teeth. Alice sighed as she watched me, her eyes blazing over the swipe of crimson. Something about the way she trailed her eyes over my lips made me stop, suddenly sitting still, my eyes wide. She reached over a hand, nail swiping at the smudge below my lip. I shivered at her touch, my lip trembling in response.

Everything seemed to zoom out again as Alice leaned back, rubbing the lipstick from her finger onto a towel. My thoughts were back in the room again, to Bella who was sitting on the bathroom sink, to the music that played lightly in the other room and to the two dresses that hung on the door.

"Why are you two getting dressed up tonight?"

Alice and I shared a glance. "Elide doesn't know the area as well as we do, I thought I'd take her out to see it."

"In a formal dress?"

Alice nodded. "We don't do things half heartedly in this family, if you hadn't realised," she said. "Now sit still, or this mascara will poke your eye."

Bella huffed as she closed her eyes, letting Alice paint the black liquid onto her lashes. Either she was more oblivious than I thought, or Bella was trying to block the possibility that Edward was taking her to prom out from her mind. It was no secret that she loathed the idea of attending the dance, but with the french-tagged blue dress and elaborately curled hair, there were few other places that Edward could possibly be taking her.

My makeup was already done to perfection, according to Alice's words. I'd refused to look in the mirror again, instead staring holes into the red satin that Alice had chosen out for me sometime within the few weeks we'd been back. Her own dress was hidden, her face already stunning in the minimal makeup she'd applied before Bella and I arrived that afternoon.

"Almost done, just a pop of shimmer on your cheekbones," Alice murmured as she reached for another palette within her deep bag. Bella let out another groan. "Bella! Please, come on. I have no memories of doing this as a human, so let me please do this now as a vampire!"

"Elide, I have a question," Bella said, making Alice huff as she leaned forward to apply something else to her face.

"Go ahead."

"Why didn't the Cullens know that you were a vampire straight away?" She asked. It was a question that even we couldn't properly answer.

"It's my gift to not show what I truly am to others, strange I know. But it seems once Alice and Edward knew, my thoughts or future actions weren't hidden one hundred percent anymore. I don't know how it works exactly," I explained.

"So Edward can hear what you think now?"

Alice answered that question for me. "He can hear most things, though some are hidden." She must have noticed my glance, as she shrugged. "He told me. It's mainly things to do with your identity that he can't hear, thanks to your gift."

Letting the conversation gladly trail off, I looked over to where Bella was now leaning against the mirror, and caught a look at myself. My eyes were dark, rimmed with charcoal-black liner and eyes exaggerated by the same mascara that Bella now wore. And my hair was in large waves down the side of my face, pinned back to one side like in the Hollywood movies.

"And don't worry," I heard Alice say. "The mascara is waterproof."

I let out a laugh at that.

"He's here."

I sighed, watching as Alice hurried to pull Bella from the bathroom bench and back toward the door where her dress hung. She pulled it from the protecting bag, smoothing her hand over the soft blue material before she held it over Bella's head.

"I'll leave now," I said.

I didn't have the energy to see Edward. It didn't matter that I'd been right by his family's side when helping to protect Bella. It didn't matter that I'd tried to make things up. Edward was still wary of me. It wasn't hate, or intolerance, he just didn't trust me. In honesty, I couldn't blame him. Bella was his blood singer, I couldn't begin to imagine how strongly he felt toward her, even if she was my friend. But either way, we tried, for the sake of Bella... and Alice. Though I'd barely spoken to her in the past weeks, until then as she sat and did my makeup in surprisingly comfortable silence.

"Wait, I want to see you in the dress!" Alice said, catching my wrist as I left through the door.

"You'll see it later, Alice," I said, eyes flicking to Bella in her chiffon dress. "Bella you look beautiful."

"Thanks," Bella cringed.

"Don't be late," Alice warned. I smiled, shaking my head as I took the dress from the door and carefully folded it over my arm.

Back in my room at Mrs Rochester's, I had to pull the mirror out from the wardrobe again. It'd been there since my first day, hiding my reflection from sight in the few hours I spent in the bare bedroom.

The dress spilled over my shoulder in sheets of glistening red, held up by thin straps that gave way to a square neckline. It stopped just above the knees, hugging my waistline and dropping prettily from my hips. I could never imagine Alice in such a colour, but it was clear that she'd bought it just for me. Even with no jewellery to adorn my pale neck, I still looked extravagant. I took a quick look in the mirror, smoothing down the thin folds that creased below my arms.

Without another look, I collected a purse from my bedside table, and left the room. Mrs Rochester, as any day, was waiting behind the reception desk, shuffling pointlessly with some papers. There was faint burning smell coming from the kitchen, that floated through with the light draft that was let in by the broken window. The old woman smiled as she saw me- not the kind, elderly smile, but the smile of a businesswoman signing a contract. I already what was coming.

"You look lovely, dear," Mrs Rochester said, rubbing her hands over my bare arms, flinching slightly as she noticed how cold I was after a moment. "But your payment is due."

"Now?" I asked. She always asked at the worst of times.

"Yes, sugar, now," the old woman crooned, her face dropping slightly.

By the time I'd given Mrs Rochester the money for my room and made my way to the school, I was late, just as Alice had told me not to be. I could see her face before I'd even arrived in the room: annoyed but accepting, and despite the fact we'd barely talked, she was glad that I was here. The school gym was decorated with balloon arches and flashing disco lights, with stringed banners lining the few tables with food and drink at the very edges. I'm the very middle of the large room, a makeshift dance space had been made, where Edward had somehow already convinced Bella to her feet, her cast slowing them down.

As I stepped into the gym, Alice was at my sides in seconds. "Elide! I was beginning to think you wouldn't come!"

Her hands were on my elbows, pulling me toward the group she'd came from. Jasper and Emmett were talking, looking dashing in their black tuxedos and Rosalie was as striking as she always was, but I couldn't concentrate on their voices. Alice was stunning in her black satin dress, the cowl neck dipping low and length reaching further than my own, past her knees but with a slit that stroked her thighs. Snowy, white skin was exposed beneath the cutouts at her side, just below her breath.

"You look breathtaking," I stuttered out, cutting Emmett off mid-speech.

Alice looked as if she would blush. "And you, I cleaned you up well," she joked, before becoming serious, biting her rosy lips. "You look beautiful."

Jasper and Emmett shared a look. "Elide, I almost didn't recognise you!" Emmett said, before latching onto my arm. "Come on, Rosalie is too busy watching Bella to dance with me. You can take her place for a song."

I laughed as Emmett swooped me toward the middle of the dance floor, passing by Bella and Edward as he swung me about. The song was somewhat slow, and yet he moved faster than any normal person would have. And it didn't feel awkward. Like the rest of Alice's family, I'd never spoken more than a few words with Emmett, but he welcomed me in, dancing with me for the full length of a song before we went back to Rosalie and the rest.

Alice smiled as I moved to stand beside her, watching as Emmett dragged Rosalie toward the dance floor by her arm. "Want to come sit with me?" I asked, nudging my head to the door.

She nodded, and I lead her toward the large doors that lead to the courts outside. We sat on the small bench to the side of the building, leaning against the backs and looking out into the darkening sky. Twilight- the vampire hour, if anything.

"So what now?" I said, breaking through the silence. "How do we go back to whatever version of normal we'd made up in our heads? I understand that Edward didn't trust anyone with Bella. But now, after all I've done and gone through with your family..."

"Can you stop," Alice suddenly said, her eyebrows raised.

"What?"

She laughed, breaking out in a grin. "Stop worrying all the time! You, Elide, live too much in the past and the future. Be here, now, in the present," she said as she stood up, holding out her hand. I looked at it for a moment, before wrapping my fingers in hers.

"Come on," Alice said.

"Where are we going?"

"To dance and have fun without being anxious," she said, dragging me to the middle of the basketball court, stepping among the yellow and red lines that were drawn.

"Do you understand how much that's asking from me?" I joked, head leaning to the side.

Alice laughed, the twinkling sound like music to my ears. "See, there, it's not that hard."

Shrugging playfully, I said, "I suppose it's not."

Alice's soft hands tenderly reached for my waist, pulling me slightly closer. My hands rested on her shoulders, cold skin touching cold skin, and yet warmth bubbles within me. Dancing with Alice was a steady thing, keeping me grounded even when I felt as if I'd topple any moment, she held me tighter, and soon my chin was on her shoulder, eyelashes fluttering against her cheek.

But I suppose it took longer than I thought to realise whether that dance meant something or not. To both me and Alice. Sometimes that's the hardest part, figuring out the true meaning of feelings.

I'd always thought about what it would be like to die. I thought it would be beneath looming skies, enshrouded beneath a cast of darkness under the shadow of a remembered threat. I'd failed the first time. But I supposed that if it were to happen then, hands resting on Alice's shoulders as she spun me around, I wouldn't have minded.

And that had to mean something, at least.

☾