Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer own Twilight and all the characters, I just enjoy playing around with them a bit.
Enjoy.
The empty paper cup trembled in my hand as I glared up at the imposing house in front of me. I felt suddenly very alone in amongst the acres of land that surrounded me. Glaring down at my coffee stained shirt I realised how out of place I felt. I should have been in my comfy one room apartment curled up in blankets and watching Friends reruns that made me laugh until I cried not standing in front of a house which was probably one hundred times more expensive than my comfy apartment.
"Don't you dare leave," a familiar voice growled in my ear. Slumping down onto the stone steps that led up to the house I sighed into the phone. A gardener gave me a slight smile as I stretched out my tired legs. I was always tired.
"What is the point in going in though? The guy is going to take one look at me and spend the majority of the interview laughing his ass off. I am not a people person." Clutching the phone in my grasp I could almost imagine Rose as she paced up and down her massive office in Port Angeles and glared at anyone who approached her. She had everything she ever wanted and more. I couldn't help but envy her.
"But Bella you are a people person," she whined down the line. Letting the coffee cup fall to the ground I smiled weakly although I knew she couldn't see me.
"That was before," I muttered. An icy wind seemed to crawl up my spine as I realised the time.
"You need to get over this 'before' bullshit," she snapped bluntly, "He would not want you moping around the flat all day staring at unpaid bills. You need money and for that you need a job. But seriously Bella I am running out of options and if you're so adamant that you wont come here and work then this is the next best thing."
"And now I am even more worried," I groaned, "You're idea of the next best thing normally involves several shots of tequila and then waking up on the beach the next day with a pounding headache." Curling my free hand into a fist I glanced longingly at my truck. It would have been so easy to ditch the interview and drive around for hours on end thinking about nothing. The idea was definitely appealing.
"You treat me like some sot of psychopath," I couldn't help but roll my eyes at Rose's description of herself, "But Bella this is just a PA job. Nothing terribly exciting or adventurous. Probably just answering hours upon hours of phone calls. Surely even you can deal with that?" Her words stung a little. I knew it was time for me to move on, to embrace more opportunities but she knew it hard it was for me.
"Bye Rose," I snapped into the phone as a gruff cough sounded from behind me. I stiffened.
"Bella?" Rose's voice was slightly softer, "Get your shit together. I'll see you tonight. We're going to get drunk whether you want to or not." Ignoring her last remark I snapped my phone shut as I turned to face the man behind me. He had a soft face and a curling moustache which he seemed to like tugging on with his ring finger.
"Is there any reason why you are sitting on my boss's front step? He does not take kindly to strangers, even pretty ones." The man's voice matched his soft features but there was a hard edge to it suggesting he was tougher than he appeared.
"Um.." I smoothed down my shirt again as I chewed on my bottom lip, "I'm actually here for an interview. My name is Bella."
"Bella Swan?" the man raised his eyebrows as his eyes flickered from my scuffed back converse up to my out of control hair, "You're late."
"Actually I was early and then Rose phone and then I saw how big the house was," I rambled, "And if I'm honest I don't think I'm really cut out for this job so-"
"Come along," he cut me off and gestured for me to follow him through the double doors at the front of the house. As I stumbled over the threshold I could not stop my jaw from slackening as I glanced around. Shit. I had absolutely no chance of fitting in. The shiny floor was so clean that I could see my own pitiful reflection staring back at me as I watched it sparkle in the sunlight streaming in from the two generous windows on either side of the door. Several paintings which just screamed expensive were dotted carefully around the room and in the centre of it all two sets of gold, winding stairs led up to the next floor. I felt like I was in a palace.
I winced as I noticed the faint black footprints I left in my path. My heart hammered in my chest as I followed the man through another set of double doors into what seemed like a waiting room.
"Stay here a moment," he murmured leaving me to stand alone in the middle of yet another extravagant room. My eyes couldn't help but land on the lavish oak desk overloaded with numerous folders and scraps of paper. Without conscious thought I padded around to the opposite side of the desk, my finger skirted along the keyboard and I couldn't help but frown at the layer of dust which I had picked up. Sitting down in the unoccupied chair I tried to imagine myself filling out paperwork and talking effortlessly on the telephone, but the image would just not appear.
"Miss Swan," a soft but insistent voice interrupted my train of thought. My cheeks flushed a deep red as I jumped up from the seat embarrassed at being caught looking around, "Mr Cullen is ready to see you now."
As a last minute attempt to make myself look semi presentable I smoothed down my hair and then reached to straighten my skirt. Taking a deep breath I closed my eyes for a second before heading cautiously towards the open door. I felt suspiciously like a piece of meat being fed to a crowd of hungry lions. I swallowed loudly.
The door closed with a resounding bang behind me as I stepped into the office. Glancing around I felt myself start in surprise at how minimalist Mr Cullen's office space seemed. A larger desk than the one in the waiting room seemed to be the central point of the room. My converse squeaked on the cherry wood floor and I could not help but feel comforted by the warm brown colour of the wall. One wall was lined with bookshelves but other than that it was completely empty. Nothing in the room gave away any hint of his personality, anything which may mean something to him. It was slightly unnerving. Almost chilling.
Finally my eyes rested on Mr Cullen. I felt my cheeks warm again and my breath catch in my throat. He was the most beautiful man I had ever laid eyes on. His copper coloured hair was tousled as if he had just woken up and I seemed to almost drown in his emerald coloured eyes which seemed so focused on the work set out in front of him that he hadn't even registered my measly presence. A shiver ran down the length of my spine as I watched him pinch the edge of his nose in what seemed like an act of frustration and my whole body seemed to hum as he let out a small groan. I gasped a little at the sound and Mr Cullen's eyes flickered up to meet mine. I felt my cheeks grow more prominently red as he blinked once, and then again as if registering my presence after a long sleep.
"You're late." I shouldn't have been surprised by the almost musical lint to his voice even when he snapped at me, but I found myself stumbling backwards a step almost with shock. I was a wreck. And I instantly felt guilty for it.
"I know," I mumbled chewing furiously on my bottom lip, "I-I got distracted and then I w-wasn't sure whether I-"
He held up a hand as if to silence me. Scowling, I pressed my lips firmly together to stop myself from speaking while his eyes examined me from head to toe. I flinched as his eyes seemed to linger on the dark circles under my eyes and the stain on my white shirt. His eyes widened further as they finally landed on my converse before darting back up to my face. I felt like the centre piece in an art exhibition, his evaluation was excruciatingly slow and awkward.
"Do you always show up to your interviews wearing mud soaked converse and have coffee stains on your top?"
Still standing in the centre of the room I shuffled consistently from foot to foot. He didn't offer me a seat.
"I'm clumsy," I blurted somewhat defensively, "A-and I haven't been to an interview in a while and these were the only appropriate things I own and-"
"Miss Swan," he interrupted me again, "I have a certain standard for my staff. Many clients will have to walk through the waiting room to see me. I expect my Personal Assistant to tame their hair and wear a suitable height of high heels. I would also expect them to have been educated a little-"
"How dare you?" I spat before I even had the chance to process his sharp words, "If you had taken the time to read my file you would know that I graduated top of the class at my high school and I completed a year of my English literature degree before I had to drop out." I curled my hands into fists and stiffened my posture as Mr Cullen seemed to gaze at me almost curiously. I felt violated. Jerk.
"With all do respect I don't think you are appropriately qualified for the job." His tone was almost patronizing and I fought the urge to punch him on his perfectly shaped nose as his mouth tilted upwards into a crooked smile.
"With respect sir," I mimicked, "I doubt it is rocket science to answer phone calls and arrange meetings. Just because I don't own some swanky company worth millions doesn't mean I am not right for the job. You are just a pertinacious asshole!" The phone suddenly began to ring as if in attempt to cut the silence which had appeared between Cullen and I. He reached up to run a hand through his hair but did not attempt to answer the phone.
"Do you always talk to perspective employers like that?" Edward's voice was hard, almost as if he couldn't believe I had stood up to him. Rose would be proud.
"Only if they're assholes," I murmured before turning to the door, "Keep your lousy job. I'd much rather be at home sleeping than be here right now anyways."
Not looking back I stormed out of his office, only when I reached the front steps of the house did my calm façade begin to crumble. I sat down before my legs had the chance to give way and held my head in my hands. I was such a failure. I knew I needed that job. However much I wanted to hide myself in the depths of fantasy I knew I was due a long overdue trip back to reality. I couldn't hide behind doors for the rest of my life. I had to move on. I had to fulfil my promise. But sometimes it was just so damn hard.
Twenty minutes later I found myself sliding onto my favourite bar stool, my head still spinning. Jasper eyed my attire from behind the bar with a raised eyebrow.
"No oversized jersey today Swan?" Even after the countless heart to hearts we had shared his southern drawl still warmed my cheeks. Smiling slighting I flipped him off as I tapped my chewed nails repeatedly on the bar.
"No Barbie's fawning over you today Whitlock?" I shot back. He scrunched up is nose in disgust obviously remembering the overly excited blonde from the previous night, she had been practically drooling every time Jasper had spoken. It had been simply nauseating to watch.
"What can I say darling?" he winked at me as he leant close, "The girls like what they see." Laughing I rolled my eyes at his familiar antics. I loved how he never failed to make me laugh, he had been a comfort during the previous months. I had come to lean on him more than I ever imagined I would.
"Just get me something strong Whitlock. I've had a crappy day," I murmured entangling my hands together as I traced the familiar wooden pattern on the bar with my eyes. Around me I heard the comforting sounds of rowdy laughter and the slight thud as a ball connected with a snooker pew. It was almost my home away from home.
"I still feel weird selling you alcohol," Jasper admitted, his blue eyes soft as he reached behind him for the vodka. I tensed as someone brushed up against me in an attempt to get to the overcrowded bar, Jasper glared at them.
"Get used to it," I curled a loose strand of hair around my finger as I felt a slight pang in my heart, "I am officially twenty one as of last week and you now have no reason not to serve me."
"Well that's rubbish sweetheart," I smiled gratefully as he pushed my 'Cranberry delight' cocktail towards me, "Now what can I annoy you about?" Taking a sip of my drink, I embraced the slight burning feeling of the alcohol as it rolled down my throat.
"How about my inability to get a job?" I offered after a moment of thought. At that precise moment Rose stalked into the bar. She always looked so out of place in the dingy bar. Her red stilettos snapped consistently off the wooden floor and her wavy blonde hair seemed to glow under the manufactured lighting. Her face was sculptured into the perfect scowl and I felt sorry for the person on the receiving end of it until I realised it was me.
"Uh oh," Jasper's warm breath tickled my ear, "What did you do to wind my sister up this time? She looks like she wants to eat you for breakfast." Taking another gulp of my cocktail I sat up straighter as Rose's approach grew faster.
"What the hell did you do?" she growled as she sat down. Grabbing my drink from my hand she took a swig from it before slamming it back down onto the table with a resounding bang. I flinched.
"Huh?" I murmured. I was pretty sure I hadn't done anything to personally offend her since we had last spoken on the phone.
"Mr Cullen came in for an appointment with his lawyer today. He was in a foul mood. Even worse than usual and that's saying something," she paused to glare at Jasper who instantly started to make her usual drink, "then he started mouthing off at me for recommending you. I really wanted to swing for him by the end of it, no doubt he'll have scared away all of the prospective clients that were waiting for me in the waiting room." I gulped loudly as Rose snapped her drink from Jasper and proceeded to down it in three large gulps. I took another cautious sip of my own drink.
"He's an ass Rose," I spoke quietly, "He looked down on me. I didn't like it."
"Bella," she sighed in what seemed like exasperation as she shuffled closer to me, "It was only a temporary job until your back on your feet again. It was great pay and although Cullen is an ass he's also a God to all men. All you had to do was go with the flow, enjoy the view and wear something decent"
"This is decent!" I exclaimed throwing my arms up in annoyance. I bit down on my lip as Jasper examined my attire again.
"Hun, even I know that the only plus to that outfit is that the top button seems to have fallen off leaving a little more exposed." Blushing I instantly brought my hands up to my chest in a desperate attempt to cover myself.
"And what were you thinking?" Rose signalled for Jasper to make us more drinks as she spoke, "Drinking coffee before an interview? We both know how most of it normally end up on you rather than in your mouth."
"Sorry we cant all be so perfect Rose," I snapped back. Jasper pulled us a little apart as he returned with our drinks.
"Ladies, as much as the rest of the room would enjoy a cat fight I wouldn't. Chill, there's plenty of more interviews and Swan you can always join me behind the bar." Rose and I both scrunched up our faces at the thought.
"No way is my girl getting leered at by a bunch of old men," Rose said easily as she peered down at her red painted nails. Jasper winked at me. I loved my friends. As I sipped at my second cocktail I couldn't seem to get the devastatingly handsome face of Mr Cullen from my head. I was so screwed.
Thoughts? Should I continue?