Author's note: Taking a whack at writing fanfic here, so I'm not sure if it's good. Just to clue you in, everybody has a beating heart in this story…for now that is.
Disclaimer: You know the drill…no need to repeat what a million and one fanfics have.
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Chapter 1: Distractions
"Would you like fries with that?" I asked with a fake smile in a just as fake tone. I would have never pictured myself working at a fast food restaurant with intentions to turn America fat with their super sized combo meals. Personally I was against anything that was made in less than a minute that was to be consumed into your body. It's just another reason to say that the food is low quality.
"Hmmm….why not", he said. Why not? I could give him thirty reasons why not to order the fries.
"Your total comes to 4.95", I concluded with a slight irritated groan.
Why am I working in a fast food restaurant you ask? One answer – money. College isn't that cheap, especially if you're attending law school in one of the most prominent colleges in America.
You see, my parents died when I was fifteen and my older brothers, Emmett and Jasper looked after me and they knew what was best for me despite they're age. My parents left us with substantial money in their will. However, after Emmett and Jasper had no control of my parent's investments before they're death, we lost most of the money. With only a small increment of the money left and a nice townhouse in Chicago, we survived without our parents.
I graduated high school as a valedictorian, I was focused, and I was driven. Nothing can ever take my mind off of my education and career and I'm going to be the best lawyer New York was ever seen.
After the long day of work, smelling like grease and ketchup, I returned home to my dorm where a pile of homework awaits me. Whoever said college is the best time of your life is wrong - it is the worst. The best time of your life is when you get to spend all the money that you earn after working your ass off in college.
While writing a paper for my debate class, my cell phone vibrated off the table landing in the trashcan. I managed to fish it out before missing the call, but I wish I missed it because it was Jessica Stanley. Her name makes me shiver in fear. Ever since senior year of high school, she's been leeching onto me. I thought I was being nice and gave her my number and said, "Call me anytime if you need help with Physics."
"Hello?" I called, waiting for her non-stop blabbing. At this rate I won't get my work done and eventually kill myself if I have to listen to her relentless high pitched voice on the other end of the line.
"Hi Edward", she started, "I was hoping you would like to –"
"Jessica, I thought I made this perfectly clear. I. Don't. Want. To. Go. Out. With. You." I interrupted, emphasizing the words to try to make her understand. Girls are a distraction. They want something that I can't give them; money, my time, and my attention.
"I wasn't going to ask you out. I was going to ask you if you want to catch a bite at the pizzeria together as friends", she said, the last two words had some hidden meaning to it, I swear.
"Goodbye Jessica", I said before slamming my phone on my desk and continuing my work, quickly forgetting the phone call all together. Girls like Jessica are like TV programmes. They're there as a distraction and soon to be forgotten.
Next morning, I jumped out of my bed, awoken from my two hour nap. The clock that was precariously perched on the wall read seven-thirty. Great another day of the never-ending cycle. I walked, half-dead, into the bathroom to start my day. Before I knew it, it was already eight o' clock and I was going to be late for my class if I didn't run.
Running to the lecture room, a series of unexpected events occurred. I tripped on a soccer ball that rolled onto the pathway. Papers flew everywhere, my bag landed with a nice loud thud and I banged my head pretty hard on the cement. The last thing I could remember was the nice cool feeling of the cement and a voice that was shouting at me. The voice was too far to be heard, but I could tell that it was melodic and beautiful.
"Hello? Edward Masen? Can you hear me?" the voice that I heard before I passed out called my name again, shivers running down my arms as I heard it. My head spun and hurt and my body ached, but all I could think about was getting my paper in before the deadline. I jerked up, confused and dazed where I was. Everything went dizzy and I become nauseous.
The place was white and clean and instead of the cold concrete, I was laying on a soft cot. Sitting in a chair next to the cot was just an average girl with brown hair and pale skin. The soccer ball in her hand triggered all the memories that just happened not so long ago.
"Hi my name's Isabella Swan, I'm sorry you tripped over my friend's soccer ball", she blurted out when she saw me conscious.
"Ms. Swan? What time is it? And where am I?" I asked. I was surely late for class by now. There goes my perfect 4.0 GPA and perfect attendance.
"Bella", she said. "I liked to be called Bella. Not Ms. Swan or Isabella, just Bella." Okay and that answered my question how?
"Time and place", I asked bluntly again, looking down voluntarily at my wrist where my watch should've been, but wasn't. A wave of pain started to overcome my head and all I wanted to do was make it go away. I was actually surprised that I actually fell because in high school, I was head of the track team and could run hurdles with arms tied behind my back.
"Oh, I'm sorry. It's ten o'clock and you're in the campus infirmary", she said looking at nowhere in particular. As she said that, a small nurse came in with an ice pack.
"Here, but this on your head. I've informed your professor and you have been excused for the class. He told me that you would receive notes on today's lessons from someone else", she said briskly, handing me the chilly ice pack before leaving the room again.
"Well, thanks Bella, but I must be going now. I have classes to attend." I said before stumbling back down. "Here, I'll help you up", she offered putting her hand on my shoulder.
"No, that's fine. I can get up myself", I muttered. My head ached and I knew that I couldn't go to class today, let alone to work.
Laying on my bed staring at the old ceiling paint, my thoughts raced through my head a hundred miles per hour. Each of the thoughts ended up in one place – that girl in the infirmary. What was her name again? Isabelle? But the real question is why is she in my head? I decided to call Jasper and tell him about my amazingly clumsy morning.
I got up from my bed to rummage for my phone in my bag, but it wasn't there. Instead, a sleek cell phone with silver and black buttons instead– definitely not mine. I couldn't afford anything like this, let alone a nice shirt to go out in. I played with the buttons until I could turn it on, trying to find a clue whose phone this might belong to.
I didn't want to use it but seeing that I don't have mine, I dialled my cell phone number. One ring, Two rings, and after the third ring, someone picked up.
"Hello?" the same voice that I remembered from the time I blacked out. Why can't I remember her name? "Umm, you have my phone."
"I figured much. I think I accidentally grabbed yours when I was helping you up from the ground after you tripped." She said. How could she have grabbed the wrong phone and not notice it, her phone must've cost hundreds while mine only was a mere twenty.
"I'm at the corner coffee shop. Can you meet me here?" she asked. Yeah, let me limp over there with my bruised body to pick up my beat up phone, I thought sourly. I didn't want to get up from my nice cosy spot on the bed just to pick up my crappie phone. But I do need to get out more.
"Okay, I'll be there in a sec. Just wait for me", I replied before shuffling out the room.
The cold Manhattan air whipped my face as I walked against it to get the corner cafe. When I got nearer to the shop, I saw that she was reading a lengthy book through the over-sized glass panes. She saw me walking up to the shop and her smile brightened.
"Your phone has been ringing every five minutes ever since you left", she stated right as I came in. I gave her a doubtful look because I knew for a fact that no one calls me besides three people: Jasper, Emmett, and Jessica. I pulled her phone out my pocket and she took mine out of her bag. She reached for hers across the table but I snatched it before she could've comprehended what happened.
"I was thinking and you owe me a cup of coffee since you made me go through the freezing cold just to see you", I said playfully while waving her phone in my hand. A pout appeared on her beautifully pale face.
"Fine, but under one condition", she negotiated. "And what would that be?" I asked curiously.
"Tell me something about yourself." A compromisable deal I thought to myself. "But only if you tell me something about you too", I said. She had a defeated smile on her face and went to get my cup of coffee. She returned shortly with two cups in her hand and waited until I said something.
"First, tell what your name is again." I asked. Her brown eyes gazing at mine before she countered, "I won't tell you until you tell me your life story."
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A/N: Review! I would love to hear feedback. I know that this chapter is pretty shoddy, so the results of this chapter aren't what I was hoping for.