-Chapter 1-

It's another rainy day- what else is new? You think that with these habitual rainstorms, I'd smarten up and remember to take my umbrella with me when I left my apartment this morning, but it's just been one of those days. First, I wake up twenty minutes late and therefore had to skip breakfast to be at work on time. Then I forget my laptop at home and have to take a cab back to my apartment, making me almost an hour late for work. I jam my foot on my desk on my way out for lunch, and now this storm is the cherry on top of a fantastic day.

Luckily, I finished work early today, and now Angela and I can go out for dinner together. It's been too long since I've had a night out with my best friend. She ended up marrying Ben Cheney, or as we liked to call him, cute-comic-book-guy. We both knew Ben when we were in high school, but never spoke to him then. He preferred reading his comic books than socializing, but we saw him in the library one day about two years ago. Angela has admitted to having a crush on him since high school, and since that day two years ago, they've been inseparable. They married about six months ago and are now the parents of a lovely Scottish terrier.

However, my life isn't as happily-ever-after as my best friend. While she and Ben gallop away into the sunset, I am forced to wait here, in the corner, working as a writer for Fork's number one- and only- newspaper. To be quite honest, I really like my job, but there is a short limit to what a newspaper writer can talk about in a city with a population of three hundred. My social life consists of my few close friends and my computer. I would like to start over with my life, but I don't know how. I am typically a very shy girl- not one to go up to people I've never met before and introduce myself.

As I'm thinking over my life, my clothes are getting soaked through by the rain. I was supposed to meet Angela at her house to go out for dinner. It seemed to be a pretty nice day, so I decided to walk to her house rather than take a cab. Of course, ten minutes in, it starts raining heavily. I try to keep going but the rain becomes too much- springtime in Washington can be a bit treacherous. The rain becomes so thick that I can't see too far ahead of me. I knew I had to stop somewhere. That was when I saw a light coming from inside a house. Although I didn't know whose house it was, it didn't take me long to decide what my next move would be- of course the loud crash of thunder helped quicken my decision.

I knocked at the door fiercely, hoping whoever it was inside would be able to hear me past the rain. I knocked for a good two or three minutes before the door was quickly swung open by a man.

"Um, I'm sorry for barging in like this, but would it be alright if I stayed here until the rain stops?" After asking him, I realized how strange the situation must be for him. Here I am, a strange woman soaked to the bone, asking him if I can stay for a while without even knowing my name.

"Sure, that's no problem." He backed away from the door, letting me in. I was very grateful towards him, allowing me into his home without any hesitation. I guess small-city life makes you welcoming to others.

"Thank you so much. I was just walking down the street when it started pouring. I'm Bella, by the way."

"Edward, and it's not a problem." Now that I was inside, I could see him more clearly. He has tousled brown hair and was at least a head taller than me. There was no doubt that he was devilishly handsome in a mysterious way, but I had a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I've seen this man before. Of course, I was not about to ask him. Asking him to let me into his house was unorthodox as it was for me.

"I really can't thank you enough, Edward. I know it must be really strange to let someone into your house that you haven't met before. I really appreciate it." At my words, he ducked his face and started chuckling. His actions confused me a little.

"You really don't remember me, do you?" he asked timidly. I tried to get a better look at him. There was something definitely familiar about him, but I couldn't quite remember where I've seen him before. Have I met any Edwards before?

And that's when it hit me. His smile.

"Edward? Edward Cullen from Forks High?" At my realization, he gave a knowing grin. "I haven't seen you since graduation! You look really… different."

Edward looked very different in high school than he did right now. He had thick black rimmed glasses and a slight case of acne. He was also very thin and too tall for his body. Obviously, he has grown into it over the years. I wasn't surprised that I didn't recognize him at first. Not only does he look different now, but my social circle was as small then as it is now. Edward was as shy as I was, if not more so. There was never a chance for us to get to know each other.

It also didn't help that I had the slightest crush on him. Although he didn't look as… attractive as he does now, there was always something I liked about him. I've seen how he acted among his circle of friends and he was a very sympathetic and genuinely nice guy. His smile was to die for, even back then. If there was any chance of me talking to him back then, it was to see that toothy smile of his. The same smile that he was showing me right now.

"Well, those high school years were a very awkward phase for me. I'm glad to say I am not quite the same as I was then," he said with a chuckle. "And you Bella- y-you look great!"

I had to blush at that. "Th-thanks, Edward," I said quietly with my head down. While my head was down, I noticed that my wet clothes were ruining his floor. "Oh, no, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to get your floor all wet."

"It's no problem Bella. Just follow me upstairs and I'll get you a change of clothes. It looks like this storm may take a while so I'll put your clothes in the dryer for you."

Edward and I quietly made our way upstairs and into his room. He offered me a pair of boxers and a t-shirt to wear. I slipped into the bathroom and quickly changed my clothes. When I came out of the bathroom, Edward took my bundle of wet clothes and we went back downstairs and into his kitchen.

"This is a lovely home you have, Edward. What did you end up doing after high school?"

"I went to Dartmouth for a year to study pre-med. My parents wanted me to be a surgeon, like my dad. But, after the first year, I knew it wasn't for me. So, I transferred to UW and studied music with a minor in history."

"Were your parents mad at your decision to switch?"

"At first, but they got over it eventually. I guess they realized how happy it made me to have music as part of my daily life. Now, I own a café in downtown with my cousin. I organize all the music in there, and I play professionally in a few bands every once in a while."

"That sounds fabulous. I remember you used to play the violin at school. It was always so much fun to hear you play."

"Well, my main instrument is the piano, but I've leant guitar and violin as well. It's always a blast to learn a new instrument. My life goal is to become a one-man band some day." I pictured Edward with a harmonica at his mouth and him stomping a tune and singing all at once, and couldn't help but laugh. He asked me if I'd like sandwich to eat, and I said okay. It's become so easy to talk to Edward. I've always wanted to talk to him in high school but was always too shy to start a conversation, and whenever I had the courage to talk to him, he was too shy to reply. I wonder what's changed to make him this way now.

"So enough about me. What about you, Bella? What has been going on in your life?"

"Well, nothing too interesting. I graduated from UW a few years ago with a major in journalism and a minor in English literature. For about two years now, I've been working at the newspaper writing the headline articles. It's what I've always wanted to do, but it's not as exciting as I hoped it would be."

"Well, why did you stay in Forks all these years? I bet if you went to New York or someplace you could find a good job." I paused for a second, debating whether or not to tell the whole truth.

"Um, my dad died during my first year of university. I dropped out for a year to settle down a bit and returned the next year. It just doesn't feel right for me to leave our- my house," I said quietly, quivering near the end. There came a short awkward pause when Edward didn't know what to do. I felt horrible bringing up my father's death and ruining the free conversation I was having with Edward.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. I didn't know about any of this. I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"No, no. Don't feel sorry. You weren't in Forks, how were you supposed to know? Let's just forget about it," I said with a convincing smile. "Have you been seeing anyone from high school lately?"

"No one other than my cousins really. Every once in a while, Mike or Jessica or Eric comes to the café, but I don't think they recognise me at all," he said with a light chuckle.

"Well, you do look really different. I didn't notice you at first either."

"Well, I would've noticed you anywhere, Bella. You look almost identical- the same hair, the same eyes…" He looked into my eyes saying this, and a weird silence came where we both looked at each other for a few seconds. I looked away first, losing the courage to look back. After a moment's silence, Edward asked if I still see anyone from school.

"I'm still best friends with Angela Weber. She married Ben Cheney about six months ago in Hawaii."

"I used to eat lunch with Ben! Though, he never spoke much. He mainly kept to his comic books back then."

"Well, thankfully, his comic book reading days are over. He has new priorities in his life now, like his new wife. They always seem so happy together," I say with a smile.

"And…and you? Do you have anyone… special in your life?"

I look down at this, blushing furiously and chuckling awkwardly. "Uh, no, not for a while now, actually." I was dying to ask him the same question. I wanted to know if he was taken, if he was happy. But I couldn't ask such a question. After a few minutes of us silently eating our sandwiches, I noticed a beam of light reaching us and quickly realised that the storm was over. We both stood up and went to the dryer to fetch my freshly dry clothes. I came out of the bathroom with my clothes back on and his neatly folded together.

"Thanks again, Edward, for everything. It was really great seeing you again," I said.

"It was my pleasure, Bella-" He hesitated for a slight second before continuing, "You should come by the café some time. It's called Ivory Keys."

"Oh, uh-that sounds great. I'll try to stop by some time," I said quickly and waved goodbye and left. When I was far enough away from his house not to be seen, I stopped and face palmed myself. Why did I have to leave like that? I left without saying goodbye nonetheless. He'll definitely think I'm a freak now.

After moping for a good two minutes, I stood up and made my way to Angela's house.

No matter, I thought. That will probably be the last time I see Edward Cullen anyway.