***New story :) I know I have others but like it happens I got an idea and went with it :) If you like I will update another chapter :) Let me know!

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Bethie

Dreams are what drive a person's imagination. The idea of love and happiness are forced into our minds by fairytale stories and mystical legends. We believe in these fantasies so much that by the time we reach our mid-twenties we feel as if we have somehow failed because we aren't married or have a bundle of kids behind us. Haley James is one of those failures. She believed in the fairytale, she believed in the idea of love. But like it does that idea never became a reality.

The crisp fall air hung over the still sleeping Seattle streets. The fog slowly disappearing as the morning light slowly began to peek through. Haley James pulled her coat tight around her while she walked from her usual parking spot across from her favorite café. It was the only one open before 5:00am and to her testimony served the best pumpkin spiced latte.

The wooden door made a small chime when she walked into the empty shop, "Morning Mouth."

Behind the counter stood an awkward blonde, cute but not typically handsome. His smile though…his smile could make anyone's day better, "Morning Haley, the usual?"

Haley searched the stack of newspapers for the one that hadn't gotten wet on its delivery, "Yea…don't feel like stepping out of the box just yet."

"Coming right up."

"So Mouth how's business these days?"

Mouth busied himself with making the drink, never taking his eyes off what he was doing, "Oh you know…we have our good days and bad days…" He sighed, "Here's hoping today's a good day."

"If you have anymore flyers I'll put a bunch in the lunchroom at work for you…"

"Thanks Haley…" He put a lid on the hot liquid and set it on the counter, greeting her with a smile, "Millie was actually getting some made up before she comes in today."

Haley reached out to grab the cup, "I'm sure the specials will help out a lot…everyone's struggling right now…so don't feel too down." She took a sip of her coffee and sighed in comfort, "and you know I'll be here every morning."

Mouth lightly laughed, "Thanks, what's the next big story anyway?"

"When I know I'll let you know…in the mean time…" Haley playfully squinted her eyes, "Got any ideas I can take to my editor?"

Mouth played along and looked up to the ceiling to get inspiration, "Ooo, how about legalized prostitution!" He said with a grin.

Haley shook her head in disbelief, "Have a good day Mouth."

"What? It's a good idea! I can come up with a pro's and con's list if it'll help the article?"

Haley was nearly out the door, "See you tomorrow Mouth."

By the time Haley arrived at her office building, it was already buzzing. That was what she loved about being a writer for the "Seattle Times"…it was always busy. She didn't take much comfort in silence, she found her thoughts asked too many questions.

She placed her bag on her desk and finished what remained in her coffee cup before throwing it away.

"Not big on keeping the planet green eh?"

Haley rolled her eyes before turning to the voice behind her, "Lucas…it is too early in the morning to handle your criticisms.

The blonde that she sat across from five days a week and whom she considered her best friend just curved his lips into a crooked smile, "Oh, should I make an appointment for after lunch then?"

Haley sat down and began pulling out various notes from her bag, "Is there no stopping you?...Ever?"

"Nah, not that anyone has come up with at least." He rose from his desk to lean on her cubical wall, "So I guess Whitey's on the war path this morning…"

Haley groaned, "What now?"

"Beats me…"

Haley continued to pull out loose pieces of papers, along with napkins and receipts…all containing vital notes that she had taken.

"James…they do make these things…" He held up a legal pad, "They're quite the invention. They have lines and perforated edges…the works."

"LUCA-" Before Haley could start her verbal outburst she was interrupted by the voice that made everyone stop in their tracks.

"Roe! James! My office!"

Lucas and Haley shared a look of sympathy before following the voice.

They took their seats once in the office and stared at the man in front of them. Whitey Durham was in his seventies, white hair, expanding waste line and a temper that would make any two year old look like an angel.

He threw a newspaper on his desk and said nothing more. Lucas picked up the paper and chuckled.

Haley threw him a glare.

"Something funny Roe?"

Lucas coughed to redeem himself, "N-No sir, the headline was just catchy…"

"Catchy?" Whitey mocked.

"I just mean-"

"He doesn't know what he means sir." Haley added before nudging him.

Whitey shook his head in aggravation, "Look…this is the third week in a row that the Tribune…" his voice rose, "the TRIBUNE has beaten us in sales…"

"With all do respect sir…I just write a column in the sports section…James over here has her…" Lucas squinted his eyes, "Actually I'm not sure what her column is…"

Haley glared once more.

Whitey leaned forward in his desk with a smile, "Roe…I know the girls must find you some what charming…I know you find yourself very charming" His smile dropped, "But if you don't shut your trap, and I mean now...I'll move your column so far back that the only one to see it will be a dog…right before he pisses all over it!"

Lucas hung his head, "Gotcha."

"Now…before Romeo over here interrupted, you two…for some reason your columns work. Haley in the past few weeks especially, the popularity of your column has skyrocketed…Lucas…" Whitey rolled his eyes, "For some ungodly reason…readers prefer you over Marcus…"

There was a beat of silence.

"I'm giving you both a quarter…"

"A QUARTER!" Lucas and Haley both screamed in unison.

"Yes, yes…" Whitey sighed, "A quarter page each…on a probationary period. This doesn't work your both going back to your three paragraphs." Whitey pointed his finger towards the both of them like they were school children in the principal's office, "DO NOT make me regret this…Now get out of here."

Both Haley and Lucas rose, "Yes sir…thanks you." Haley smiled before they both left the office.

As soon as the door was closed, Lucas and Haley were practically running back to their cubicles.

"A quarter of a page Hales…"

"I know right? Don't screw this up." She said honestly.

"Me? I at least write about something people want to read about…whatever that is you write-"

"For the LAST time, it's a life column."

Lucas stared at her with a blank expression.

"As in a column about the trials and tribulations of daily life."

Lucas' expression remained the same.

"I hate you with the power of Thore you know that right?"

"I've gotten that vibe a few times."

The rest of the day was typical, Haley typed out the numerous notes she had, unscrambled them and somehow found her column finished in time like she normally did. Lucas continued to pest her throughout the rest of the day, like he normally did. In Haley's eyes it was a successful day.

The light of the day was beginning to fade and night was threatening to take over by the time Haley got out of the office and found her car in the parking garage. The drive to her house is only about fifteen minutes from the office, and traffic hadn't been tremendous but when she turned the corner to where her apartment building was she was irritated to find her parking space taken by a moving truck. After another ten minutes and the added time to walk from the space she found down the road, when she reached her apartment building she wasn't in the most pleasant of moods.

She walked up the stairs to the third floor where her apartment, and most importantly her food waited for her. Besides a few bites of a sandwich at work, she hadn't really eaten all day. She fumbled through her keys trying to find the right one, when the door to the apartment behind her opened. She paid it no mind until she heard something fall to the floor and a few choice words echo off the walls. She turned around and saw a man standing with boxes towered from his chest past his face and she saw the small box that had fallen from the top.

She tiredly walked over picked up the box, "Can you kneel down a little?"

"I'll try."

His voice was smooth and attractive, and she quickly assumed the rest of him probably looked the same. But as quickly as the thought entered her mind it quickly found its way out, "Ya right, he's probably the cousin of uni-brow the last renter of the apartment." She thought to herself.

He was tall, she'd give him that. He slowly knelt down and she reached on her tippy-toes to put the box back on top.

"Thank-" He turned to the side so he could see who the generous stranger was that had helped him, but she was already walking into her apartment, "You."

Her door closed leaving him in the hall by himself, he sighed and began walking down the stairs, talking only to himself, "Welcome to Seattle...why thank you kind neighbor, my name's Nathan…you? Oh "unsociable", well unsociable it's a pleasure to meet you…"

He continued on his rant as he walked to the dumpster in the basement.

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