POV Bella
"Alice I'm not sure, I'm sorta busy tomorrow. Wasn't going out tonight enough," I said into the phone as laid in bed.
"Of course not. I finally got you out and you had a nice time. I'm not taking you dancing again just a dinner," she begged into the phone and I could imagine her making big puppy dog eyes and pouting her lip out.
"Well who did you say was going?" I asked slowly knowing I had already gave in. I had to stop imagining her like that.
"Well Rose, Emmett, Jasper, you and me," she answered.
"Aw Alice your going to make me the fifth wheel," I complained. I wasn't even at the diner and I still felt awkward.
"No I am not. How can you accuse me of something like that?"
"I am not going on another blind date!" I growled and heard her laugh.
"Why because you'll afraid you might actually fall in love with this person?"
She was referring to the last date she set me up on. The relationship didn't work out romantically but he turned out to be one of my best friends.
"So you are setting me up?" I accused already forming a plan to get out of the dinner early in my head.
"No you're welcome to arrive with a date or arrive single. We're going to meet Emmett's brother so you don't have to worry about being the fifth wheel," she said simply and I sighed in relief.
"Alright well I'll see you tomorrow night," I said into the phone before a yawn overtook me.
"Okay good night Cinderbella, maybe you'll meet you Prince Charming sooner that you think," and with that Alice hung up the phone.
What was she up to?
Where was I? I walked along the most beautiful hallway I had ever seen not knowing where I was going. The hall was white with beautiful hardwood floors and very little light. I heard the soft click of my heels walking on the floor and looked down to see me wearing the dress I had worn the night before at the ball.
My hands traveled to my face and I felt the mask underneath my finger tips.
I looked ahead to see a bright glow in the distance. I was drawn to it. I walked into the light only to once again walk into a magnificent ball room. Only this time it was empty. I slowly walked into the middle of the dance floor and looked around.
I felt a soft tap on my shoulder and turned around to look into the beautiful green eyes. He held out his hand and I took it as soft music began to play. He smiled and my heart stopped.we swayed slowly to the music and I felt his arm grip tighter on my waist as he brought me closer.
BEEP
BEEP
BEEP
"Ugh" I groaned as I looked for the off button on the annoying clock. Why was it the alarm clock always had to interrupt on the best dreams and yet lets you play out all the crappy ones in your head.
I shut off the clock and sighed as I went to take a shower.
"Hello, welcome to Monday's can I get you anything," I said as happily as I could to the couple who just came in.
I hated my job. I had to deal with rich snobs who acted as though they owned the place and could fire you if anything went wrong. The only reason they came here was because it was close to wherever they worked. But at least the tips were good. That I couldn't complain about.
The job was just until I graduated then I would be out of here.
"No Thank you we're fine," the woman said sweetly with a smile and turned to look at the menu.
She looked to be about my age and she came in with a man who was around his fifties. He wore a dark navy blue suit and his hair was black and combed back.
The woman had long curly hair picked up in a loose bun letting some of the strawberry blonde locks fall out and fall into her face.
"Um can we get another menu?" the man asked without looking up from the menu. He was a snob. The woman not so much.
"We have one more person coming," she explained looking up at me with a sheepish smile.
I smiled in return and left to get another menu.
"You should at least be polite Daddy," I heard the woman scold.
I laughed and returned a few minutes later to place the menu down.
"Are you ready to order of would you like a few more minutes?" I asked and took out my notepad.
"Can we have a few more minutes please," the woman asked and I nodded as I left to take care of some of my other costumers.
The afternoon shift was the worst. This was the place to take the lunch break. But at least I didn't have to work it tomorrow. I didn't have to work at all tomorrow.
When I returned to the table with the woman and her father I noticed there was a tan leather jacket draped over a chair next to the woman.
"Are your ready to order?" I asked and took out my notepad.
"Tanya," the elder man said and gestured to his daughter.
She nodded and I took there orders.
I sighed as I took a tray filled with drinks to a family of four. I was able to dodge around costumers well. I was proud of my clumsy self. I was proud until a small boy around the age of two ran in front of me. I tried to walk around him and failed.
The drinks slipped backwards and I felt myself falling. I prepared myself to hit the floor but instead I heard a voice.
"Watch out!" it shouted and then I was in someone's arms.
I gasped and looked up to be met with a pair of emerald green eyes. Suddenly I felt a flashback. I remembered those eyes against a dark black mask.
"Are you okay," he asked and I nodded and he continued to look at me. He was so close and I could see his lips part. I remembered those lips. The lips that promised a smooth kiss. Could this be Prince Charming?
"Have we met?" he asked and I smiled.
"Just now," I said quickly deciding that no it couldn't and he laughed and set me on my feet.
I looked at the ground to see the cups splattered on the ground and the soda spilling everywhere.
"Shawn!" I heard a female voice shout and turned to see an older woman around her thirties gripping the arm of the little boy who had ran out in front of me.
"Mommy told you not to run off like that!" she scolded and then turned to me with a sheepish smile.
"I am so sorry," she said and laughed.
"Don't worry, I'm a klutz by nature it was bound to happen sometime today," I said and the mother picked up the boy and left to her table making sure to mutter another apology.
I turned back to the man who had saved me but he was gone. I sighed. Of course he just had to disappear. Was he really the man I had met last night? I shook my head knowing the answer had to be no and left to get the busboy and another set of sodas.
"Jose, I-" but I never got to finish the sentence.
"I know, I know. You spilled, when don't you?" he said with his heavy Spanish accent.
Jose was another college student working here until he graduated and went off to Harvard. He planned on being a lawyer and I knew he would make a great one at that.
I went back to the table with the woman and her father but they were gone.
Money was left on the table along with a scribbled note.
We had to rush off. I hope this covers the bill.
-Sorry
I looked through it to see that they had left me a twenty dollar tip. Wow, that was nice of them.
I sighed yet again and went to tell the cook to cancel the order. I looked down at my watch and smiled.
Only two more hours to go.
I opened the door to my apartment and placed my keys on the kitchen table as I headed to my room. I took off my shoes and sat on the bed as I rubbed them slowly. I really hated my job.
I got up slowly and went to the bathroom but when I opened the door someone came bustling out.
"You really need some better make up," the little sprite said as she walked into my living room.
"Jeez Alice, you almost gave me a heart attack! What the hell are you doing here?" I shouted and watch her plant herself on the sofa and reach for the remote of the T.V.
"I have to get you ready. Go take a shower," was all she said and I sighed for the hundredth time that day and went to take a shower.
"Okay let's see what I have to work with," she said as she reached into my closet. I was in one of my favorite robes waiting for her to pick my outfit. She had done my make up and let my hair stay down only adding a clip to keep it out of my eyes.
"Yay, I found something, but we do have to take you shopping one of these days," she said and took out a simple black cocktail dress.
I smiled happy that I would be able to wear something simple and I looked simple. Alice had place a pink lipstick on my lips and glossed them. She darkened my eyes with eyeliner.
I placed the dress on and Alice twirled me around to make sure I was perfect.
"Okay I think we have you set, now it's my turn" she said and I smiled.
Alice didn't take long on getting dress. She wore a light pink blouse and a long black skirt with a slit on the side.
"So what's Emmett's brother's name by the way?" I asked as we headed out of the apartment to wait for Jasper.
"Edward, I hear he's quite the catch," she said and gave me a wink.
"Even if he was I doubt he would be interested in me, besides I can't afford distractions," I said trying to ignore this subject.
"Sure, just another way to say you can't get a date," Alice muttered but I chose to ignore her.
"Any luck with Prince charming?"
"Alice I don't even know this man's name. I don't plan on meeting him again, although I wish I would," I sighed in disappointment.
"I have a feeling you'll meet him soon," she said her face in concentration and I laughed. Alice always had a way of sensing what was to come.
"I hope your right," I said and Jasper stopped in front of the apartment.
Well might as well get this night over with.
I sat at the table while Alice and Jasper chatted quietly. Emmett and Rose weren't here yet. The restaurant was beautiful but not over fancy. Yet it was most definitely a coat and tie sort of place and the ones that required a reservation.
Alice giggled quietly and I looked up to see Jasper smirking and her cheeks pink.
I got up not able to take it anymore and Alice looked at me.
"What's wrong Bella?" she asked and I forced a smile on my face. "I have to visit the restroom," I said as an excuse to get away. Hopefully by the time I returned Emmett would be here with his brother and Rose.
But of course this was me getting up so I had to be followed by an accident. As I got up to turn my foot caught the leg of the chair and I stumbled forward. I tried to catch myself but instead I ended up bumping into a man.
The man staggered back and wrapped his arms around me to keep me from falling myself.
"Whoa are you alright?" he asked. I knew that voice.
I looked up to be met with green eyes filled with a worried expression. I couldn't say anything. I was stunned by his green eyes. I had never seen eyes like his before.
"It looks like we have a theme to our meetings," he said with a laugh and I smiled sheepishly remembering him from the diner.
"I guess we do," I said my voice barely above a whisper.
"Bella are you alright?" I heard Alice asked and turned to see her looking at me. She was standing in her seat and Emmett and Rose were taking theirs. Rosalie rolled her eyes a smile on her lips and Emmett was trying to hide his chuckle.
"I'm fine," I said and the man let me go.
He took the empty seat next to mine and I stood there stunned for a minute. Why was he...?
"Well, Bella, I'd like you to meet my brother, Edward but I think you already met him," Emmett said smiling. I stared at him for a second then I felt a blush take over my cheeks.
I took my seat next to the gorgeous man I could finally give a name too.
"Well I met her earlier today at Monday's. She tripped and I caught her," Edward said taking a sip of his wine while looking at me at the corner of his eyes.
I looked down on my lap waiting for Emmett to make a stupid remark but he didn't.
I looked up stunned to where he was reading the menu.
"What no remark?"
"Nah, I thought it was too easy," he said not looking up from his menu and I glared at him. Of course he would. When didn't I trip at work? I would have been fired if the manager wasn't so nice. She had to be the sweetest lady out there.
Alice smiled. "Well I'm Alice, and this is Jasper," Alice said introducing herself.
"Edward and I'm sorry my brother was too rude to introduce us," Edward said reaching across the table to shake both their hands.
Alice just smiled and shrugged as to say he was excused.
"So were you at the Twilight Balls. I believe Rosalie told us you were but I don't think we met you there?" Alice asked and my head snapped up toward him.
"Um yes, Emmett dragged me along but I didn't stay long so I apologize," Edward said and my heart beat quickened. It was him! I mean how many other guys had those amazing green eyes and the perfectly messy bronze hair and the heart stopping smile and the soft smooth voice.
I don't believe many people had all those quality and just happened to be at the Twilight Balls.
"Yes, Edward had places to go people to meet sorta stuff. But he got in a dance of two didn't you?" Emmett asked with a smile and my heart continued to beat faster and faster that it was starting to hurt my chest.
"Yes, I did, I might as well have enjoyed myself while I was there," he answered.
Alice eyes sparked as she looked at me and I glared at her. She opened her mouth to say something but before she did I kicked her and she groaned. Four head turned her way to see what was wrong but she straightened in her chair and forced a smile.
She shot a glare my way and then stood up.
"Um, I have to go to the bathroom. Be right back" she said and as she went around the table she grabbed my arm and forced me out of my own seat.
"I guess I have to go to," I mumbled to the table and quickly followed her. She dragged me into the bathroom and glared at me.
"Why the hell would you do that?! What if you missed my leg and hit my shoe. You would have broken the heel do you have any idea how much these cost?" she growled and I rolled my eyes.
"And now I am going to have a bruise on my leg. That means no skirts!" she said looking at her leg.
"Besides isn't that the man at the Ball! You're Prince Charming?" she asked and I blushed.
"Yes it is, but that doesn't mean you have to go and ask him questions or let him know who I am because I'm pretty sure he doesn't know who I am!" I shouted in a whisper.
"Well then tell him! You told me you guys almost kissed right? So he has to like you, just tell him?"
"I can't Alice. He liked me when I was...when I was Cinderbella, but now I have transformed yet again to just plain Jane. I can't just go and-"
"Bella, you are beautiful whether you're Cinderbella or just plain Bella. Stop putting yourself down," she said walked out the bathroom.
I sighed and looked at the mirror. I looked completely different than I did last night. My hair was down and straight not a hint of a curl in it. I didn't have a mask and my eyes were just plain brown no longer looking deep and bright.
I had transformed back to the servant girl. But I did remember in the fairy tale Prince Charming was still in love with Cinderella even when he found out she was a servant. But of course that only happened in fairy tales. Perhaps it was better if I came back to reality.
Dinner was nice as we chatted about small things. Edward was an intern in Chicago and his plans were to become a doctor. He wanted to travel to small countries and help fight diseases and sicknesses where there was little medical care. I was astonished.
This man was in angel in disguise. He was nothing like his burly brother and yet they were very much the same.
The more I learned about him the more and more interested I became.
"Well it was really nice seeing you again, Edward," I said with a smile as we got ready to leave.
"Like wise, hopefully we'll be able to meet again?" he said and smiled. I felt a tingle of pleasure run down my back and nodded.
"Wow he is amazing!" Alice said as Jasper drove me home.
"Yea, he really is," I said remembering the evening. "And he wants to see you again, how great is that! See I told you he liked you," She said turning around in her seat to look at me.
I couldn't help the grin that came over me.
"Yea maybe," I said and stared out the window toward the city.
I felt the sun hit my face and I groaned. I rolled over hoping to get some more sleep but I ended up hitting something.
I sat up so fast I made my head dizzy. "Oh good you're up," Alice chimed cheerfully as she placed the magazine she was looking at to the side,
"Alice! I gave you that key for emergencies, not so you can come and wake me up at-"I glanced at the clock, "7:30 in the morning on my day off!" I yelled and she simply smiled.
"Oh but Bella why waste the day in sleep, you'll have plenty of time for that when you're life is over," she chirped and I groaned as I lay back down and covered my face in a pillow. That was Alice for you, making death sound like a good thing.
"Come on sunshine the earth says hello," she said opening my blinds even more so the sunshine hit the bed.
"Close them Alice it burns," I gripped making the blanket come over my head.
"Please Bella; the sun is good for you. Stop acting like the undead," she said and walked out of my room. "If I was I would make sure you were the first person I sucked the blood from," I grumbled and got out of bed.
I really had to take that key away from her.
I dragged myself toward the kitchen and took a seat while Alice placed a warm cup of coffee in front of me. It smelled so good it almost wiped the bad mood away.
Almost.
"So why did you wake me up so early?" I asked taking a sip of my coffee.
"You know I really have no idea," she said taking the seat next to me and looking completely serious. I almost jumped her then.
I glared at her and she burst out laughing.
"I'm just pulling your leg. I thought we could just hang out here and then go get some lunch. Technically I never woke you up. I was sitting waiting for you to wake up. You got up on your own," she said and took a sip of her coffee.
I opened my mouth to argue but I realized she was completely right.
"So how long have you been here?" I questioned.
"Um since around six," she answered looking at her watch. Huh? Now I really had to take the key away I just had to come up with a plan on getting it away from her. The more I tried to think of a plan the more I decided it was better if I just changed the locks.
I glanced over at the women I called my best friend and she smiled at me as though she knew what I was thinking. She probably did. Yep I would really have to change the locks.
"I can't believe you let me come here?" I said with a grin as I walked along the row of books. Alice followed behind sourly.
"Yea well I owed it to you," she sighed and pushed ahead of me.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to look at the magazines," she said and I smiled.
I continued to look at the books waiting for something to pop out at me. I was so wrapped up in what I was doing I didn't see where I was walking and didn't notice who was in front of me.
I bumped into a person and looked up.
"I'm sorry," I said and looked to who I had bumped into and I felt a slow smile appear.
"I guess I should get use to it, but at least you didn't fall," Edward commented and I blushed. "I must have an angel looking out for me," I teased and he laughed.
He stared at me for a moment, a look of concentration forming on his face. "I'm sorry but you seem so familiar to me, like I met you some place before," he said quietly and I felt the blood rush to my face.
"Well I think-" I was getting ready to tell him before a pair of hands covered his eyes and a smile grew on his face.
"Guess who?" a voice said behind him and I begged it was just a friend.
"Ha ha very funny," Edward said and turned around exposing who had been behind him.
A woman stepped out from him and came to hug his arm. Her curly hair was placed in a low pony tail and a few curls that were too short to be but back were hanging in front of her face.
"Hey I remember you," she said brightly with a smile. She tried to put a curl behind her ear only to have it bounce back to her face. She held out her hand and I shook it.
"I'm Tanya," she said and I forced a smile. "Bella," I said lamely.
The woman had rectangular glasses with a black frame on her and I internally groaned at how it made her look even more beautiful.
"Bella this is my Fiancée Tanya, Tanya this is one of my brother's friends, Bella," he said and I tried to keep the smile on my face.
"Wow nice to meet you. I'm sorry about having to run out yesterday but an emergency came up," she said and I nodded.
"No problem," I said and swallowed. I wanted to cry. It figures a man like him wasn't single.
Better yet he had what looked like the perfect woman. She was beautiful and amazingly nice. I bet she was smart too.
"Well I have to go but it was nice meeting you again, Edward," I said a bit coldly as I walked away.
I didn't even bother to find Alice I was too angry. I walked out the small bookstore and the cold wind hit my face hard. I stood outside the bookstore waiting for Alice to realize I was gone when the doors opened.
Edward came out and looked around until he spotted me leaning against the brick wall.
"Bella did I do something wrong? You left rather abruptly and angrily" he asked and I looked up with fierce eyes.
"Do you absouletely love Tanya, Edward?" I asked.
"Of course I do!" he said a bit angry.
"Then why did you almost kiss me?"
"What are you talking about, I never-"
"Oh yes you did! The night of the ball you almost kissed me," I snapped and he looked stunned.
"That was you?" he asked eyes wide.
He opened his mouth to say something and just then the doors opened and Alice stepped out.
"It doesn't matter, Edward. I wasn't a big deal," I said quickly and pushed past him and grabbed a surprise Alice by the arm as I began to walk away from him.
I guess my Prince Charming had already found his Cinderella.
That was reality for you.