This story is from the imaginations of annilaia and brunettezki we're having fun with this story and we hope you enjoy it! We only own the website and newspaper in this story and possibly whoever we decide to add into the mix. This is my disclaimer for the whole story!

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Hot Off The Presses

Chapter One:

"Edward, don't forget the Christmas party tonight, alright? We're waiting for you to finish so we can go," Alice called into my office as she passed. I nodded, busily trying to reread my article before heading out for the day.

"Edward, you know that's my job, right?" I looked up to the door to see my friend, and editor, Jasper Whitlock standing at the door to my office, staring in at me while he pulled on his jacket.

"I know," I mumbled. "But with Emmett working here I like to make this as easy on you as possible." Jasper laughed and nodded and I heard an exclamation of hurt from near the reception desk, Emmett no doubt.

"I'll just email this to you and I'll be right out," I told him. He wasn't paying attention. The 'psychic' Alice Brandon was dragging him out towards the front where everyone was gathered, waiting for me so that we could leave.

I attached the file and pressed send, just as that beautiful voice drifted into my office. I stood up to stretch my legs while I waited for the file to attach and peered out the doorway. All of my colleagues were gathered around reception, waiting for me. And beautiful Bella Swan had just walked in, donning her black pea coat and adorable multicoloured mittens. I let out a heavy sigh before walking back into my dark office. The sooner this was taken care of, the sooner we could all leave.

Working at Seattle's Advocate had introduced me to the people who were probably going to be a big part of my life, all of them had turned out to be great friends in the past two years. Jasper, the editor, had started the newspaper a few years after finishing college, and it was proving to be a fruitful business.

I'd taken the entertainment job directly out of school, transferring from my part time job at the Chicago tribune. I covered musical events in our rainy city, giving lesser known bands a bit more coverage, along with anything that came flying at us.

Rosalie Hale was Jasper's cousin, and proved to be a useful asset when it came to gossip columns and getting the right Hollywood news.

Emmett had been with Jasper from the beginning. When you looked at him you'd think; Quarterback. In fact, he was our sports journalist, knew more about every sport possible than the men who created them. It was phenomenal how he could list off player stats in a second.

Little Alice Brandon was our Advice column, known mainly for her fortune telling. Along with her expert advice, she predicted the futures of the people that wrote in, proving to be the busiest section of our paper.

Lauren Mallory, Jessica Stanley and Mike Newton were all journalists who'd started with us right out of college. While we could run well with just the six of us, it seemed we needed more field reporters, so Jasper filled that up right away.

And Bella…. Isabella Swan was our column writer. She had charm and an interesting voice when it came to her columns, talking about anything at all and inviting us into her life. She didn't come into the office often, but I was glad when she did. She instantly lifted my day, brightening it when her smile, laugh, voice.

My shyness towards her was obvious, even to me. I could hardly spit out a word when she was around, and I was absolutely fascinated by her.

It was probably because of the fact that we worked in the same building, but due to being at different ends, I hardly ever got to see her. I'd never even been introduced to her. The closest I'd come into contact with her was having her picture next to mine on the paper's website.

I'd been arguing with myself the entire day. Telling myself, tonight, at the office party, I would introduce myself. I would also say more than two words with her. I would somehow plant it in her head that she and I would be a good idea. Of course, seeing her standing outside with all of our friends just made the butterflies in my stomach pick up pace.

I pulled on my coat and shut the top to my laptop. My eyebrows knit as I thought about how incredibly stupid it was that she had no idea I existed, that we worked this close, had the same friends, and yet were never introduced. Didn't anyone besides me think it would be a good idea?

I pulled on my gloves as I shut the door behind me and the group waiting by the door looked up and let out all of their exclamations at 'finally being able to get out of here'. I rolled my eyes at Emmett who jokingly shook his fist at me.

Jasper and Alice walked up to me. I was their designated driver for the night.

I couldn't help but let my eyes wander over to Bella. She hadn't looked up like everyone else had. Her focus was given entirely to Angela. God she looked so cute, the way her eyebrows furrowed as she listened to something seriously. Jasper clapped his hand to my shoulder and ushered everyone outside.

I saw Bella glance back at him with a smile, and for a split second I thought, just maybe, she'd see me too. But her eyes passed over me and back to the front as she went outside with everyone else. My face fell a little.

"So, Edward," Alice started as soon as we got into my Volvo. "Tell me again why you aren't dating anyone?"

I sighed. "The right person just hasn't come around," I mumbled, pulling out after Bella's red truck.

"I should try and set you up with some of my friends," she said thoughtfully.

Yes, Alice. Go ahead, that would completely make my night. Just make sure it's your friend the column writer, all right? God I wanted to scream at her to set me up, just as long as it was Bella.

"We're here," is what I said instead. The three of us climbed out of the Volvo. The only other people here were Angela, Ben, and of course Bella, their ride.

"We can go in and get the reservation. The others will be here soon," Jasper said, leading us inside. I kept my eyes down and my hands in my pockets as I followed them inside. Bella still hadn't noticed me.

Jasper had gotten one of those party rooms, setting us aside from the rest of the restaurant as we all sat down at the long table. Jasper took the head, with Alice and myself to either side of him. Ben and Angela stayed next to me while Bella joined Alice on the lonely side of the table.

Our waitress passed out the menus, and filled in the other places. Emmett and Rosalie arrived soon after she left, sitting down next to Bella who smiled at him warmly.

I couldn't help it if my eyes sometimes wandered off the page. I also couldn't help but get ridiculously frustrated at Alice and Emmett for keeping her in constant conversation, instead of allowing her to see that someone like me, did in fact exist.

"Edward are you alright?" Jasper asked quietly. And there it was. Bella's eyes looked up at me, for the tiniest fraction of a second. She met my eyes, paused, and then looked back at Alice. But in that tiny instant that she looked at me my heart picked up its pace tenfold and my cheeks started to heat up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said to him, looking back at the menu.

Once everyone had been seated the waitress took our order and Jasper proposed a toast to a new year of good news. We all raised our glasses as Emmett called out a loud 'Hear, hear!' and downed his drink. The rest of us sipped like normal people. I watched Bella the whole time.

Eventually once the food was brought out I managed to distract my thoughts from Bella. Between the eating and the serious discussions we were getting into, I was paying more attention to who I was arguing with and my over abundance of hand gestures than quiet Bella.

She and Alice would talk quietly while Jasper and I would gang up on Emmett and some of the other guys while we were debating. Whenever I wasn't speaking I was trying to eat something, or I'd let my eyes wander to her amused face. Her eyes were dancing and once I caught her looking at me. But of course, that was because I'd nearly come out of my chair talking to Emmett.

We all talked for hours. There was dancing in the next room, and a few couples got up to dance at different points. Once, it left just myself, Bella, Mike and Jessica and stupid me didn't make a move and just kept up the one big group conversation.

I was too nervous to even look at her.

I had to wait with Jasper and Alice until everyone else had left. He thought it would be more courteous if he made sure everyone found their way home.

"See you tomorrow, Edward," Angela said, giving me a hug before standing back with Ben. Bella was saying her goodbyes as well, they were getting a ride home from her.

"Yeah, we'll probably be the only ones sober enough to work," I said with a chuckle. Angela nodded knowingly and waved goodbye, and I watched the girl of my dreams leave; another day had passed without a word spoken between us.

I brought Jasper and Alice back to his apartment close to two am.

"I will be setting you up on a date with one of my friends soon, Ed, you can be sure of that!" Alice called from the door with a giant goofy smile.

"Go right ahead," I called back to her. Just please make sure it's the brunette with the amazing columns.

My apartment was empty and dark. The cat was sleeping, curled into my sheets and I was too tired to even think by the time I'd kicked off my shoes and clothes. I crawled in bed in my underpants after turning up the heat. My laptop sat on my pillow, and this week's edition of Seattle's Advocate was on my bedside table.

I threw half of the paper to the floor, and when I found Bella's column I separated that and began to read.

How cruel was it that her column was in my entertainment section? Extremely and horribly cruel.

Bella's article was filled with the smart humour I'd read week after week. The sort of stuff I'd love to hear from her first hand. This time however, it mentioned a new and local website that she was a frequent user of. www seattlesbrew com was apparently Bella's number one choice in communicating with friends, and apparently it came with forums and journal features.

I finished the column and laid there for a while as Lewis my cat decided to lie on my chest and obstruct my breathing.

I pushed him down to my side as I turned and opened my laptop, loading the page for . Maybe this was something to look into, especially if Bella was so adamant about it.

Annilaia: SEATTLESBREW DOT COM DOES NOT EXIST KTHNX.

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