"Twisted Twilight Tales" O/S Contest
Fairy Tale Chosen: The Ugly Duckling
Title: Beautiful Duck
Word Count: 2,649
Rating: T
Pairing: Edward & Bella
Summary: Bella had always been a misfit; she tries to fit in and finally finds an opportunity that changes her view of herself.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended
I had never been those kind of girls that had a big love for fashion and make-up, in normal circumstances that would have been perfectly normal but in mine it wasn't.
My mother, Renée Dwyer, recently got married with her younger boyfriend: Phil Denali. Who brought along three of his own kids like him they had sun kissed skin, blonde hair to die for figures.
Once they were married I refused to change my last name preferring mines of my deceased father.
To give them credit my new family weren't all that bad. My step-sisters consisted of: Tanya, Kate and Irina were too absorbed with themselves to hardly care about me. Tanya did give me a smile which was probably once in a Blue Moon.
Kate, who I shared a room with, was much nicer she made small talk to include me into the conversation sometimes.
When we went out as a family I felt left out, the five of them would be happily talking and laughing whereas I would stay near the back just trailing along.
School was the same, living in Arizona, nearly all the girls were blonde, tanned and athletic. I wasn't.
I was small, pale with brown hair with the same colours of eyes. I had no sense of hand eye coordination what so ever.
My days were spent with my head in a book and if it was P.E I stood near the back.
As soon as my step-sisters started school they automatically became members of "The Popular" crown. Tanya became "Queen Bee."
There were a lot of rumours on how I was their sister was too ugly and not good enough for the standards. Turning a deaf ear towards were the hardest thing I had ever done.
My college life was much better and I met a new friend called Siobhan Collins after we graduated we decided to buy and share an apartment in New York immediately she got a job while I was left looking for one.
My first job I had tried was a place downtown and the place was a little creepy. The office was filled with office stains and horrible carpets. I swore I actually saw a couple of rats scramble past at one point. Eww.
I got called almost instantly by the Manager and I almost stepped back out as soon as I saw him.
His tie was nearly hanging off and three of the top buttons undone.
"Issabella Swan?" he asked his voice slurring. Drunk?
"Sit down, girl," he demanded. I sat down quietly; right I know I just wanted to run out of here as soon as I could.
I passed him my certificates as soon as I slipped it to him I immediately pulled my hand away, there was this glint in his eye.
While he was "reading" the papers I could feel eyes on me mostly at my chest and below. I wanted to vomit.
After a long silence he finally spoke.
"I'm sorry we can't take you in, your qualifications aren't good for me."
I nodded weakly and bade him a quiet goodbye; walking out of the door I hesitantly closed behind me. My fist clenched; he was sleaze yet I wasn't pretty enough for his disgusting standards. I sighed and trudged myself out of the filthy office.
I noticed nearly all the girls were very skinny and their work outfit were to the minimum and more skin shown. It was absolutely disgusting.
I walked out of the office carefully there were a lot of looks from everyone that I didn't understand.
As soon as I stepped outside I took some deep breaths trying to compose myself.
One step at time I slowly made my way out of this rundown place and slipped into my car which was, thankfully, still intact. I hadn't lived in many rundown areas so I didn't know whether people hot-wired or stole things from cars.
The way home for me was quiet and uneventful probably the most horrible one: the radio had crappy songs, the traffic was God-damn awful and I kept feeling the Manager was looking at challenge waiting till I snapped.
I didn't, and I knew what he was trying to do: I snapped and then he said something "charming" and all of a sudden we were having the typical movie sex.
Well that was Siobhan warned me about. I stopped in a parking space outside my apartment and trudged myself upstairs.
I flung my paper on my bed and slumped down on it. I hadn't expected to be accepted so quickly but still was I not good enough for that kind of office standard?
Siobhan came home later that day and offered my sympathy and words of wisdom she said she could see me getting the job and she will make it happen.
Probably by praying or some shit.
It had been three months since that incident and I had yet to find a job, I was almost getting desperate at this point. Was I really that bad? That I wasn't accepted.
"Isabella you should try the job in my company?" Siobhan told me over and over again that after a while I finally accepted; I had nothing to lose.
She was make-up assistant for Cullen & Volturi, an insanely large cosmetics and beauty company; they were looking for a new face.
I took a few deep breaths as stood outside if the office once I had composed myself I walked in slowly taking each step cautiously. I approached the receptionist who was looking rather bored and had more interest in flimsy nails.
I cleared my throat to get her attention and she finally looked up raising her eyebrow ever so slightly.
"Yes," her voice was sharp.
"Um, I'm Isabella Swan. I have come here for the job as the umm... new model."
She appraised me for second before a smirk blew out on her face.
Ever so slowly she reached down to get a form; thrusting it towards me she gave me pen and told me to fill it out and then wait in the lounge area.
I filled out all the required details before making my way down.
The Lounge Area was filled with dark pink plush carpets with the same coloured painted walls.
There were so many girls sitting in there and they were so beautiful! I felt so simple next to them.
I sat down tenderly on one of the black couches and picked up a magazine.
"Isabella," a voice mocked me, I tilted my head to see my step-sister , Tanya, who was wearing her hair in luscious curls, a tightfitting cocktail dress and dangerous looking heels.
"Tanya," I responded.
She down gingerly next to me before she began to speak again: "You're here for a job?"
"Yes."
"Isabella really?" She did her fake laughed, "honey, you need to have certain experiences before they can take you in. Like me."
"Everybody has a first shot."
"Not here, Isabella look I know your naïve and all, but I don't think you'll be accepted. You're wasting your time better if you leave."
I knew she was trying to persuade me off the topic but there was a glint in her eye that I didn't like, like she had some sort of plan.
So I responded with "Will see."
She smirked and leaned in the couch, her face had an expression that showed mischief.
I waited for half an hour before a little lady came in the room I saw not very subtly every person's attention shifted towards her.
"
Isabella Swan," the lady pointed towards me, "Is that you?"
I stood up meekly. "Yes," I replied.
I could almost hear the gasp go around the room, the loudest one from Tanya whose expression was priceless.
"Brilliant! Please follow me."
Walking shakily, I followed her in to petal painted office feeling stares on my back.
Stunning, would be what I would have described her office as, it was well organised with a large screen hanging behind her. Portraits of earlier models hung behind her desk.
She motioned me to sit in a small sofa in the room while she paced the room.
"I'll start with the basics. Name: Isabella Swan, Age : 24, No experience what so ever. Right?"
"Yes," I replied meekly.
"Perfect," she exclaimed, "I'm Alice Cullen daughter of the owner Carlisle Cullen who owns this place. I am currently looking for a new face for our company and we have agreed on an inexperienced, fresh face. Now I am going to take a couple of shot of your face after that we will decide on who will this job."
She smiled warmly her small black hair was in a bouncing bob around her face. Her face was like a pixie's. I smiled back unsure of what I was supposed to do.
"Okay I want you to tilt your head back just a tiny fraction and I went to you to look at this mirror."
She pointed to gold framed mirror near the French Doors. I complied and she took some shot so a digital camera.
"Good," she coaxed, "now straight up at the chandelier." I slanted my head slightly.
Another couple of flashes.
"One more please, and this time I want you to face the silver screen staring straight ahead."
I looked at the luminous screen behind her back and stared for some reason I was really relaxed around her atmosphere it was so calming.
After she had taken a couple of more shots she smiled a sparkling smile that reached her eyes.
"I think you're perfect," she exclaimed, "I'm going to talk to my dad and uncle. So come back tomorrow at 11 am and will do a full photo shoot. Also according to your form your comfortable doing intimate position but not erotic. So you're going to have to do a scene with another male model and a photo shoot. Don't worry he's a perfect gentlemen. Okay?"
I nodded again and gave her genuine smile.
"Great, I want you to sign this contract saying that you won't work for another company while you are with us. You will have a lot 10 hours to work each day till the current edition has finished.
We will provide you with a dietician to help maintain your figure also an apartment and company car too with $400,000 dollars as your salary each year if you can work to our standards.
$400,000? I was stunned; never had even thought about that amount of money let alone had it.
"Umm sure," I gasped out.
"Perfect," she replied, the beaming smile back again this time she handed me a pen and asked to sign some of these papers.
My heart was erratic was signed each paper; I just couldn't believe it! Even though Tanya said I wouldn't get the job, I actually got it.
"Thank you," she said when I signed the last paper, "Siobhan was right, you are a good candidate."
I smiled at her. "Thank You for giving me a chance," I finally said.
"Ah so you are not all silent," she mused.
"Nope." I smirked.
"Okay so give this to the receptionist," she said handing me a piece of paper, "and I'll see you later."
I waved her goodbye and walked out of the room with a big smile on my face, my feelings were all jumbled but the most dominant probably was excitement.
The receptionist mouth formed into a "O" when I handed her the slip of paper, when I caught her staring she hastily started typing into the computer.
This time she gave me a warm smile and goodbye.
I walked out confidently this time.
It was 11:15 am and I was shaking my foot as I sat on the chair getting my make-up done.
So many people, it was too busy.
'I will not fail. I WILL NOT FAIL,' I thought to myself.
First I had the advertisement I had to film for T.V. and my co-worker was just so …handsome.
After being dressed in my chosen outfit I walked out to the set where Emmett Cullen, the director, had started giving instructions.
6 hours later I was thoroughly exhausted; my advertisement was a basic I would be shown with my face without make-up walk around the set for a few minutes then there would graphics my face with make-up and how I recommended the product. After this my "husband" came home to me and loved my style gave me a kiss in the back of my neck.
Normally I wouldn't have minded intimacy but my co-star Edward Masen was beyond gorgeous and being intimate with him was just too scary.
My introduction to him was just a bumbling mess but he was nice enough not to care. Too nice.
I had promotional photo shoot with him tomorrow and I had no idea how to survive that one.
'Don't sweat, don't sweat,' I thought, right now Edward has his head buried in the crook of my neck his bronze hair tickling my throat. I tried holding my smile as the cameras flashed. 'Keep professional.
For God's sake PROFESSIONAL.'
It was hard keeping my inner musings in control after all I wanted to do right now was just turn around and kiss him hard.
"Okay guys that's great, time to pack up," the shout came from a general direction in front of me.
My body sagged as Edward lifted his head from body, I almost whimpered at the loss of contact.
"Isabella, up for coffee?" he asked perfectly normally.
"Umm…sure. I'll just got get changed." I tried giving him a smile but his green eyes simply smouldered.
"Isabella, call back, it's your mom," the voicemail cut off.
"Isabella we miss you. Come see your old family."
I chucked the phone; I had had enough of my "family" all of sudden as soon I rose to fame they wanted me, back before the fame messages would have only been for my birthday a day late. They made sure it was message they didn't even try and phone me.
The door opened and I heard someone walk in; probably Edward.
We had began dating after a while being friends and it was so easy to fall in pattern with him he was just so easy to love.
"Bella, honey why are you staring at the wall?" Edward said his melodic voice through the silence.
"Just thinking," I replied as I turned to face him.
He sat down beside where I was standing pulling me down with him once I was on his lap he pulled me into an embrace.
"Your phone broken," he said suddenly.
"Yeah, I chucked it." He chuckled.
"Any reason."
"Mom."
I had only had said one word and he immediately understood.
"You need to stop worrying about her, they are not worth it."
He pulled me in closer; making all my fears go away.
"Tell you what, will got meet up with the gang and will have fun."
"Now?" I questioned.
"Yes, now," he kissed my forehead.
The "gang" basically consisted of Edward's cousin, Alice Cullen also the Vice-Manager of Cullen & Volturi, her boyfriend Jasper Hale.
Emmett Cullen, Alice's big brother and his girlfriend Rosalie Hale who was my awesome dietician and ex-model.
"Hey guys," we said as we approached them.
Jasper had his hands in his pockets with Alice's arm through his. Rosalie was simply holding hands with Emmett.
"Bellise," Emmett shouted putting thick arms wrapped around me as soon as he say me.
"Emmie," I squealed.
Both of us had a silly nickname thing going on, he was the brother I never had.
"Huh, Emmett how come I don't I get a warm welcome," Edward remarked sarcastically.
"'Course you do Eddie," Emmett boomed pulling his arms out for Edward.
Edward ducked. "In that case stay right there."
Everybody laughed; I smiled as all of us started a big childish banter. With them it was so easy to be included.