Ever After |all human| COMPLETED

01

It all seemed right though. So very right. The day he told me he wanted to meet me, I had come home, and curled under my covers, I had been sad, I was tearing up, and I messaged him. I didn't even have to tell him that I was upset, he sensed it, and soothed me. I smiled when he'd said that to me. Of course, I wanted to meet him to, but I had no idea where he even lived, nor did he know where he could find me.

"Bella?" Alice caught my attention, shaking my arm. "whoa, distracted much?" Her grin was both worried and playful, and I shot her a look back.

"What are you thinking about right now? Is it him?" She pushed, leaning over the picnic table, her eyebrow arched.

"Yeah," I answered, catching my lip between my teeth, "It's him, he told me he wanted to meet me."

She stared at me for a moment, her gaze unreadable, before she finally shrugged, popping another forkful of her salad into her mouth. My eyebrow arched in response, she so clearly wanted to say something, but instead she kept it quiet. I loved my best friend, but sometimes she annoyed me.

"What?" I asked finally, trying to get some kind of response from her. "What are you thinking?"

"I just -" she paused, scanning our surroundings before continuing, "I want you to be careful, Bella."

"I know," I answered, my voice soft. "it doesn't hurt to be curious, that's all."

She offered me a smile, and glanced up as her boyfriend, Jasper, came jogging towards us. His hair flew back as he ran, and his cheeks were a shade of red, he grinned as he made his way toward us, before he plopped down at the table.

"Hey, pretty lady," he said to me before turning to Alice, "hey, my beautiful lady," He gave her a soft kiss on the lips, and I watched. Shamelessly wishing that was me - not with Jasper, of course, he's always been like a brother to me, but I wanted to be cared for, like Jasper cared for Alice.

"I have work," I said aloud, standing up from my spot and picking up my garbage. "call me later Al, okay?" she murmured a yes without even looking at me, and I made my way off the lot. I wondered around the parking lot until I came across my truck.

The drive to work was boring, but of course, driving alone usually is. It's okay when there's someone here, but being alone, trying to focus on the road, in all actuality, was very tiresome. I wound up being a few minutes early, which was always nice, so I parked, and turned on my radio, tucking my legs underneath myself to check my messages.

Of course, I was looking for one in particular. I got it, and my heart sunk.

'I won't be around for a few days, I'll message you as soon as I get the chance.'

Why it upset me, I don't know. I spent seventeen years of my life not talking to him, I'm sure I could last a few days. I typed a quick reply and headed into Brown's, the local restaurant and inn that I worked at. Part-time and some weekends, I wasn't hauling in the big bucks, but for now, it was good, and the tips are fantastic.

"Bonjour, Bella," Steven, a regular customer said to me as I pulled my apron around my hips, tying it securely and tucking the notepad inside the little pocket. I smiled at him, he was an older man, wrinkles covered his face, and he had years of wisdom dancing in his eyes, his head was balding, and what little he had left was pure white.

"Bonjour, Steve." I replied, leaning over the counter, grinning widely, "are you enjoying your coffee?"

He shrugged once, leaning forward a little bit, and speaking loud enough for my boss, and co-worker, to hear ; "It tastes better when you make it."