A/N: Hey everyone! I'm back and I'm...bad! This is my second series of Fan fiction and I have actually uploaded it two days before my GCSE which is actually really bad but I had a bout of inspiration. I also have a few more ideas coming your way but they will be coming after a few weeks :P Please read and review this story and I hope I still have fans from my previous stories, because you know how much I love you guys! Also, the plot is not planned at all – so I may turn it around completely in the next chapter, you never know. This one is an introduction, introducing you to the first key characters and we'll go on from there. Note: this is a completely different style from my other story, so yeah. Thanks, Maaya Lutz.

The rain thrashed down mercilessly on the eroded buildings, the fancy cars and the busy people of New York. Office workers walked briskly, shielding themselves from the unusual precipitation with large folders or fancy handbags. The buses splashed anyone and everyone in their path as they paraded down the commercial area which was full of shops, cafes and the occasional bars which were closed during the daytime.

I reluctantly covered my long brown hair with my laptop case, cursing the weather for putting my beloved laptop at risk. My heels clattered with the grey pave stones in harmony with the shoes of other women walking around me. The rain increased in tempo as did my anger and speed. I squinted through my eyes and was marginally pleased that a bus was approaching the stop just a few metres down on the opposite street. I stumbled across the slippery road, alive due to the mercy of some rare considerate driver who braked just in time for me to get to the other side and fly into the crowded bus. My sloppy mood was further uplifted as my best friend also happened to be clinging to the silver pole next to mine.

Alice Hale looked up with bright blue eyes despite the dull weather and flashed me a pearly smile. Although, only standing at less than five feet, she had the energy to make up for her height. Her short, spiky, black hair framed like a halo around her sharp but angelic face, looking perfect as it always did.

"Hey Bella!" Alice greeted me as the bus swerved around a corner, sending us all to the right.

"Hi Alice, why so late home from work?" I asked curiously – Alice was the type of person who had fixed working hours; she was never believed in anything called overtime, in contrast to me, who never went home when i was supposed to.

Her face scrunched into a ball of distaste as she grimaced; this only meant one thing – her evil boss Jessica Stanley, who was determined to bring New York Fashion House along with everyone else who worked there.

"Jessica decided that she wants all the prototype dresses in tomorrow, instead of next week" Alice replied over the noise of the bus.

"Why?"

Another scowl, "Because she felt like it." Alice made air quotes.

I grimaced with her, to show that I understood – my own boss was just as malevolent as hers. Lauren Mallory seemed to have deluded herself into thinking that the world revolved around looks, even though working in a publishing house had nothing to do with that. She would strut through the corridor everyday swaying her hips and tossing her corn silk hair all around. Despite her looks, we all knew she wasn't here for her talent or abilities; she was here on favours from Tyler Crowley, the owner of New York Publishers. Tyler Crowley was even more sex crazed than we thought he was.

"Lauren giving you more grief?" Alice asked with a concerned look; we both knew how volatile the work environment was.

I laughed, shaking my head and then looking out of the disgustingly foggy windows to see how far we had got, "No she seemed to have forgotten my existence today."

The bus remained overpopulated throughout our journey, with more and more people climbing on, and pressing themselves into the dough of passengers. The rain had not halted even as Alice and I descended the bus, along with what seemed like everyone else. The entire bus just had to get off at the same stop as us. Our area was uncommonly peaceful in comparison to the rest of cosmopolitan New York. We shared a quaint little apartment in a nice neighbourhood, with mostly families and the elderly residing – Alice and I were not the type to parade across the hallway at two thirty in the morning to join a frat party or anything. I suppose you finally grow up when you hit twenty three years of age.

We rushed into the comfort of our humble abode, which in my opinion was not so humble; Alice's thirst for designing and renovating lead to the extravagant flat, and her high amount of disposable income in addition. As you enter, there was a large kitchen and living room joined together with every room having cream coloured walls. There were two three seating black leather sofas and a dark brown wooden coffee table with side tables to match. The wall was covered with old painting Alice's mother had given to her and a large plasma screen television with speakers in all four corners of the room. The kitchen had a few wooden cupboards and shiny and unfortunately seldom used worktops. There were two large bedrooms, each one en-suite since Alice spent the majority of her time in the bathroom beautifying herself although she doesn't need to. We both head out to work at the same time, at eight am, so we both need the bathroom at the same time. My room is simple; a wardrobe, a bookshelf full of my own books as well as the ones from the publishing house and a of course, a bed. Alice had tried on numerous occasions to enhance my room, but really, all I do is sleep there. Alice's room, however, is another story. Don't get me started on her clothes.

Hurriedly, I charged to my room, to change out of my damp and irritating work clothes and to check if my computer was still alive. Thankfully, the sixty dollar bag had proved itself worthy and protected my electronic. Alice was already lounging on the sofa with two cups of deliciously inviting cups of steamy hot chocolate and America's Next Top Model running on the television.

"Thanks!" I said with gratification; Alice knew me better than I did myself.

The rain had ceased to calm and only pounded down harder as Alice looked out of the large window wistfully and I snuggled deeper into the couch blanket.

"I want Jasper" She pouted.

"If you want to drown and float away, then be my guest" I retorted while gesturing to the storm brewing outside.

Jasper Swan was Alice's boyfriend and my brother. The two had instantly connected as they collided with each other in my bedroom while I was taking a shower – yes, the meeting couldn't have been more awkward. I came out looking like a drowned cat in my nightdress and screamed and whooped and hugged Jasper with delight after not seeing him for nearly a year as he lived in Forks, Washington our hometown. He scooped me up, his shaggy blonde hair unkempt as always and his blue eyes alight with elation. It was comical how different we looked; I had neither the blond hair nor blue eyes which belonged to my mother, Renee. Instead, I was blessed with the most boring large brown eyes and the generic brown hair and slender figure. After introducing my brother Jasper, Alice's face which was shrivelled with jealousy, smoothened out into clear admiration. And ever since, they've been inseparable. Well, apart from now.

"Can't he come over?" Alice whined.

Jasper now lived half an hour car's drive away from us, working as a psychologist. Apparently, Forks had lost the little charm it had as well as its demand for psychologists and New York seemed like the next best thing.

"No, he'll just have to seek solace in his solitude" I explained.

"Seriously, Bella, speak English, don't recite me James Bond movie names!" Alice snapped.

I bit my lip from laughing; it really wasn't my fault that Alice had such a modern vocabulary, but being an editor at America's largest publishing house does that to you. And Alice has been my friend since the start of college, so I didn't mind her bullying me like that.

We settled on watching a chick flick with two large bottles of soft drinks and a huge bowl of popcorn. Just as Katherine Heigl was trying on one of her twenty seven dresses, the doorbell rang.

"Who is disturbing us at such an ungodly hour?" I asked nobody in particular.

"Maybe it's Jasper" Alice said hopefully.

I made a face, "He loves you; he's not insane" I countered.

The door swung open, revealing a drenched, tearful and heartbroken Rosalie.

"Rose?" Alice and I choked out after simply staring at her for a whole minute.

"Who else do you think I am?" She sobbed as she stumbled in and onto the sofa. Even in such a state, she hadn't lost her wit, but then again that was her only ally, apart from her breathtaking appearance. Rosalie Hale was Alice's sister, yet she looked nothing like her. Long blonde hair cascaded down her curvaceous body, shining at every opportunity, her eyes twinkled with mischievousness alternating between green and blue. Her teeth were bleaching white and basically, she made every girl's self esteem fall right through the floor, including mine.

"He...dumped...me!" Rosalie hiccupped. I brought her a change of dry, clean clothes and a cup of hot chocolate and took this as my cue to leave; I didn't want to intrude on their sibling moment.

"Stay Bella, please" Rose begged sheepishly.

I froze mid step, my foot suspended awkwardly in the air and my jaw hung open with the sheer surprise. As far as I knew, Rosalie Hale loathed me, and the only reason we retained any civility was because of Alice. Rosalie was not someone I could relate to, or even sympathise with, so why did she want my comfort? The last time I got dumped, was in my first year of college, by someone frat boy and to be honest, I was glad he did. I shot Alice a frantic look, seeking permission with my eyes. My best friend nodded in a daze, unsure where this was going herself.

"Okay. I'm sorry about all this mess" I patted her back and gently prised off her soaking, but designer jacket.

"Don't be, I'm the one who should be sorry for barging in like this with my own problems" Rosalie objected in a hoarse voice.

Alice and I consoled her vehemently and made it very clear there was no problem with her being here. Eventually, we resumed our oestrogen filled movie and even cracked a smile when Katherine Heigl finally got together with her Malcolm Doyle.

It was nearing eleven pm and Jasper had already called Alice and I over fifteen times during the course of the night, checking if we were okay and Rosalie looked quite comfortable lazing around on the sofa.

"Do you mind if I hit the couch tonight?" She asked, looking embarrassed.

"No, no! Come on, you can share my bed with me" Alice insisted and dragged her beautiful sister towards her room.

However, Alice suddenly gasped and let go of Rosalie's hand and looked at her with a guilty expression.

"Don't tell me, early start tomorrow" The stunning blonde guessed.

Alice nodded with chagrin, her spiky hair floating around her, "Very early"

I took an audible gulp, weighing my options out and trying to remember how to be a hospitable hostess. "Rose, you can take the other side of my bed, I have enough room" I offered while the ever red hue tainted my cheeks. I had never spoken so many words to her and she had never looked at me in a polite way – our air usually held tangible tension which only increased every time Rosalie glared at me.

For the first time, her expression was soft, and one of appreciation. Her eyes were alight and she walked across the small room to hug me tightly. "Thank you so much" she breathed.

I smiled back tentatively, still gauging her reaction as well as feeling elated that we had finally got rid of our differences, or well, I hoped.

I lay uncomfortably in my bed, rigid due to the unusual company and self consciousness. My back ached with lying in the same position for over an hour and I sighed in resignation.

"Sorry" A whisper came from the darkness.

"It's okay" I reassured Rose, surprised she was still awake too.

"Can't sleep?" I asked, feeling silly for even asking the obvious question.

"Mm-hmm"

"Tell me about this Royce" I asked suddenly, surprised at my own bluntness and curiosity.

Rosalie cleared her throat, seeming eager to begin to tell someone of her heartbreaking story, although I wouldn't call it heartbreaking, since Rosalie has gone through it so many times, that it should be regular procedure.

"Well, this was the longest relationship I've ever had, lasting around three months. Things were going great and I thought that I might actually get something out of this relationship. However, about two months ago, I saw this man-" She turned to look at me pleadingly, for me to try and understand her situation and I nodded "-I have no idea who he is, or what he looks like, in detail, but I just couldn't get him out of my head. Just looking at him from a distance was so amazing; I can't even imagine him up close. So, I started sharing my irritation with Royce, who simply got jealous and then broke off our relationship" Rosalie concluded.

Wow. I never expected her to be one for fate, destiny, kismet or following the heart. She always exhibited actions which were solely based on the requirements of her body. I suddenly found an unearthed awe for this bizarrely gorgeous woman.

"Wow, Rosalie. That's really something. I hope you find this mystery man" I said fervently.

She flashed me a dazzling smile and spoke again, "You know Bella, I know you think I hate you, but the truth is, that I don't. I think you're a great person who is a better friend than most of my friends. I'm so glad we've been able to start on a better note" Her words were stilted with chagrin but each word was sincere.

I was taken aback; those words from her certainly meant something.

"I'm just as happy" I replied.

I drifted off into unconsciousness, wishing I knew who my mystery man was.