Disclaimer: Pop Quiz - 1. Am I Stephenie Meyer? (No) 2. Do I own these characters? (No...sniffle) 3. Do I own this plot? (Of course! Where have you been?)

If you just failed that test, you've spent way too much time staring at a computer screen. 'Nuf said.

Yo, yo, yo! What's crackin', my homies? Te3n_0n_a_5ugr_h1gh's in da hiz-ouse! Put your hands in the air and dance around like idiots while I bust out my new story! Ready or not, here comes my brand-new, fresh-off-the-keyboard fic…

Homeless

Chapter One – You Can't Fire Me, I Quit!

The office was fairly quiet except for the tapping of keyboards and the low hum of voices and copy machines. That is, until Bella Swan entered the building.

"Excuse me! Sorry! Coming through!" The young woman threw the apologies over her shoulder like spilled salt as she plowed through the cubicle-infested room. Her co-workers paid her little heed, used to her rushing about in a flurry of papers. In one arm, Bella held a large manila folder that looked like it was about to burst from all of the papers stuffed in it. In the other hand, she carried an unstable, cardboard drink-holder, made tipsy by three Styrofoam cups. In her crisp, white shirt, pencil skirt, and mandatory pumps (unofficial office dress code according to her fashion-forward friend, Alice) Isabella was a walking—well, running—disaster.

Fortunately, she reached her destination, Edward Masen's office door, without so much as a stumble. Amazing, she thought. Of course, her luck didn't last long. As soon as she set foot in the room, her heel broke and down she went. She threw her arms out in front of her body in an attempt to catch herself. In turn, everything in her arms went flying. The manila folder popped open, midair, and each document took its sweet time drifting to the floor, scattering about the room. Thankfully, no one got a paper cut. The coffee, on the other hand, was a different story. One cup, the one meant for Mr. Whitlock, one of the partners of the law firm Bella happened to be working for, ended up on the floor. It rolled until it hit the wall where the top oh-so-conveniently removed itself. Great, Bella thought. Just perfect. She knew she'd be the one to have to clean it up later.

She looked around searching for the other two cups. The second, the one she'd been sent out for in the first place, her boss, Mr. Masen's cup of coffee, had landed right-side up on her desk. Intact. Not leaking, the top still on. At least that one's okay. Wouldn't want Mr. Boss to go the day without caffeine, Bella thought sarcastically, picking it up, still on her knees. Suddenly she heard a growl and caught a flash of copper locks in her peripheral vision. Uh-oh. Slowly, she turned her head, too dumbstruck to move any other part of her body. There, standing in his own doorway, was Edward Anthony Masen. His office was connected to hers (though Bella's couldn't really be called an office – more of a cubicle with walls that actually went to the ceiling) by that single doorway. And he stood with steaming hair. Literally. The coffee she'd been planning to drink herself had landed right on top of his head, the cup and lid on the floor at his feet. She tried to make amends by offering him the only cup still full but he swatted it out of her hand.

"MS. SWAN!" he roared, his green eyes choking her like poison ivy. Through her open door, she could feel her co-workers' worried glances. No one had seen him this angry since…well, no one had ever seen him this angry.

"I'm sorry!" Bella squeaked out, taking in the sight of him. From the day she'd begun her job as his secretary, she'd thought of him as the most handsome man she'd ever seen. That all changed when he opened his mouth.

Flashback

"Are you my new secretary?" Edward demanded.

Bella looked up from the papers on her desk. "Are you Edward Masen?" she retorted.

"Yes." He replied.

"Then, yes," she told him. "I'm your new secretary. Mr. Whitlock hired me. He said-"

"I don't care what he said." Edward rudely cut her off. She opened her mouth to reprimand him but he just continued with his orders. It was then that Bella noticed he was tying his tie at the same time. Wow, multi-talented, the sarcasm present even in her thoughts. "Here's your first task." His velvety-smooth voice brought her back to reality and she mentally prepared herself to type up some tediously long report or make a whole bunch of copies of something. Unfortunately, it was both…and more. She ran about the entire office building, finding people and telling them Mr. Masen needed to speak with them because, apparently, the intercom system was down, and was constantly in the copy room or sifting through a poorly organized filing cabinet, the whole while, demonstrating her trademark clumsiness. It was the first day and she'd already managed to trip on the elevator. Who knew that was even possible?

By the time she had finished her seemingly endless list of pointless jobs, she was dead tired and ready to go home. At least I proved how hard I'm willing to work, were Bella's determined thoughts before Edward decided to tear down her self-esteem.

"I don't know why Jasper hired you," he said to her calmly, though the hint of anger was obvious in his voice. "You're so slow, and I never get my papers back in the right order. Why can't you hold onto the things in your hands a little tighter? And you didn't make enough copies of this." He said, holding up some ridiculously thick packet. "I needed two more." His voice was escalating now, as his rant picked up speed. "And you forgot to bring me my coffee this morning. Didn't Jasper tell you that it's your job to bring us coffee? Do a better job tomorrow." When he was done pointing out her flaws, he picked up his briefcase, donned his coat and left in a huff, leaving Bella alone in the emptying building. In all his meticulousness, Edward didn't notice the tears running down Bella's cheeks. She sat there for a very long time, doubting herself, doubting her job. She cried silently until the janitor found her there and told her it was time to go home.

End Flashback

Ever since then, Bella had been trying to improve herself in every way. It was never good enough, though. She was crawling on her hands and knees picking up the scattered papers as fast as she could, keeping her head bowed, not wanting to see Edward's angry face.

"You klutz!" he yelled. "You've ruined my shirt and I have a very important meeting in an hour!"

"I'm sorry!" Bella was whispering now, trying to hold back her tears.

Edward sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose while he pulled a small phone from his pocket. Bella was too busy trying not to cry and pick up the mess at the same time so she only really caught half of the conversation. From what she heard, Edward had called his sister, Alice (who also happened to be Bella's best friend), asking her to bring him a clean shirt. Alice wasn't Edward's real sister. They were both adopted along with their brother, Emmett. You wouldn't be able to tell unless you knew them that they all belonged to the same family because they all kept their original last names: Edward Masen, Mary Alice Brandon, and Emmett McCarty. They treated each other like siblings, though; they even lived in the same house along with their parents (which wasn't actually that difficult considering they resided in a mansion). Bella knew where they lived but had never actually been inside the house. She hadn't even met Edward until her first day at work. By then it was too late.

"Clean up this mess! There better not be a single piece of paper on the floor when I get back!" His words stopped her in her tracks. Alice would be here in less than fifteen minutes (their house was very close, a perk Bella was not as lucky to receive—her apartment was all the way across town) and it would only take 30 seconds for Edward to change shirts. That didn't give her enough time at all to reorganize that beast of a folder. This is the last straw, she thought angrily. I will no longer be treated like an animal, running every little meaningless errand, being scolded for things that aren't even my fault. I am fed up with Edward Masen and his big head.

"No," she said firmly to his retreating back.

He stopped. Behind her, in the cubicles, there were a few gasps. No had ever defied the boss and kept their job. Was she crazy? Maybe. But she had dignity and wasn't going to let herself be walked all over anymore.

"What?" Edward hissed.

"No!" Bella said again, raising her voice. "I'm tired of this! I'm not your dog, I'm your employee! I'm sick of being yelled at for the tiniest things! I'm fed up with being given the most annoying tasks that you're just too lazy to do yourself! And I'm done bringing you caffeine! GET YOUR OWN DAMN COFFEE!" she screamed in his face. By the time she was finished, she was breathing heavily and her face was red, her eyes welling with tears that were no longer scared, but angry.

Edward stood in shock for a moment. He'd never been told off like that by anyone; even his parents were never that harsh.

"How dare you speak to me like that!" he shouted incredulously.

"I don't care anymore!" Bella replied, grabbing her coat and purse before heading for the door. She just couldn't remain in the room any longer.

"Don't even think about leaving!" Edward's voice was shaking with rage. "If you walk out that door I'll…I'll-"

"You'll what?" she turned on him. "Fire me? Too late. I QUIT!" she screamed her last words and marched away through the maze of cubicles, down the hall, taking the stairs so she could stomp out her rage. Surprisingly, she didn't fall. It wasn't until she got to the street and was in a taxi that Bella realized her fatal mistake.

I just quit my job, she realized. I'm no longer getting a paycheck. I won't be able to pay my rent. I won't be able to feed my dog, let alone myself. Oh my god.

AN: Alright, don't lie to me. Was it good or was it good? Don't just sit there and nod your head! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! And if you haven't, check out my other ongoing fic, Changes. Don't go anywhere people – chapter two's coming soon to a computer near you!