Hey! (: So I'm really excited for this story. It's all human but everyone is pretty much in character. There may be a few minor differences. Please give this story a chance.
Disclaimer: We all know that I don't own Twilight (:
The familiar sound of the bell ringing greeted me as I opened the glass door. The strong stench of coffee washed over me and I instinctively gave a small smile. This place gave me a sense of comfort.
I took a moment to look around the place. Mismatched leather couches were randomly set up in one section to create a lounging area. The other section was packed with tables and chairs just like a restaurant. I walked over to the colossal bulletin board and began searching through the flyers, seeing if anything caught my eye. But I barely had a chance to even comprehend what they said before I heard my name being called.
I saw my friend and co-worker Angela Brown waving at me from behind the counter. I laughed and gave a small wave back as I made my way towards her. Angela was several inches taller than me and very slender. Her straight dark brown hair fell a little past her shoulders and glasses framed her soft, gray eyes.
Once behind the counter, I slipped on the required black apron that read THE COFFEE SHOP across the chest. I looked at Angela and burst out laughing. She gave me a questioning look, so I gestured to my clothes and then to hers as an explanation. She laughed too once she realized what I was talking about. We were both wearing dark wash skinny jeans, gray polo shirts, and black chucks.
"So who else is working with us today?" I asked, starting to count the number of paper cups that we use for the customers that like their coffee to go.
"It's just us today and the new trainee," She explained wiping down the counters.
"Who gets her?" I had only trained one other person and she ended up quitting within two weeks because she couldn't understand how to work the espresso machine. The high maintenance girls never lasted here because they couldn't commit to anything. It took me a month before I could use the espresso machine, but I stuck with the job because it paid well.
"You're training him for the next two weeks." She grinned at my expression.
"Have you seen him yet?" If he wasn't amazingly attractive I'd be in the clear.
"Nope." Crap. Angela laughed and I realized that I had said it out loud. With anyone else I would have been embarrassed at my obvious apprehension about this mystery trainee, but I was such good friends with Angela and she understood why I was reacting like this. I have a tendency to freeze up around attractive guys. The cuter they were, they more I stuttered and made myself look like an idiot. This might not sound so horrible…if I were a teenage girl. But sadly I was 22 and still hadn't gotten over being nervous around guys I had a 'crush' on.
"So when is he coming?" I was hoping it was towards the end of my shift so that I could work in calm and piece.
"Around noon." I sighed, today was not looking so promising so far.
For the next hour, Angela and I stayed busy, one of us working the counter for the carry out orders and the other waiting tables. I had just taken care of a huge order, no doubt for a law office because lawyers love their coffee, and I was crouched down under the counter for look for sweetener. I heard someone clear their throat, obviously trying to get my attention. Reflexes had me darting up so that I could stand up straight, but luck had me hitting my head on the counter and miserably collapsing on the floor.
The person ran around the counter and pressed their fingers to my tender forehead, checking for bruises. I flinched involuntarily. My vision had been blurred for a moment, but I was grateful that I hadn't lost consciousness. When my eyes readjusted and I could see clearly again, my eyes instantly meet the stranger's. Before I could stop it, a gasp escaped my lips.
I was staring into the most exquisite emerald green eyes that probably existed. They were filled with concern. Before I could even gather my bearings, the stranger had offered me his hand and was gently pulling me up. As he did, I took in the rest of his appearance. On top of his over 6-foot frame, was an usual shade of bronze, messy hair. He. Was. Gorgeous.
"Are you okay?" He asked with his melodic voice. I blushed. The first I thing I do when I meet him is show my clumsiness and embarrass myself. Great.
"Y-yeah," I mumbled, looking down at my shoes.
"Hey, look at me please," He demanded softly. I instantly lifted my head and what he did next shocked me. He placed a hand under my chin, cupping it, and lifted it even more so that I was looking directly into his eyes. He once again brushed his hand across my forehead and I hissed in pain when he hit the sore spot. "You're going to have a nasty bruise, but otherwise I don't suspect any further damage."
I simply nodded. That was all that I could do. I was lucky that I was still even standing seeing as this guy was so beautiful that I felt my knees go weak. We locked our gazes once again and I couldn't look away. But after a long, silent moment, I remembered to be embarrassed. So of course I blushed. I then remembered my manners and introduced myself.
"I'm Bella. Bella Swan," I offered my hand for him to shake. He did, and as our hands touched I felt an electrifying current shoot up my arm. What was that?
"Edward Cullen." He smiled and my heart fluttered.
"It's nice to meet you," I said slowly and precisely. I wanted to jump up and down and cheer; I had managed an entire sentence without sounding incompetent. Though, it was only four words.
"And also you." He flashed me a crooked grin.
"So, uhm, can I help you with anything? Coffee? Scone?" I smiled tentatively back.
"Actually I'm the new trainee here. So if you could point me in the direction of who I'm supposed to talk to…" He trailed off, looking unsure. I looked down at his clothes and saw that he was wearing black slacks and a white button-down shirt.
I pointed to myself. "That'd be me."
Relief flooded his face. "Oh, great! So, uh, where should we begin?"
"First you put on this apron." I handed him the standard COFFEE SHOP apron. Once he slid it on, I began to educate him on how to make the coffee.
Turning around to face the appliances, I knew that I would be able to keep my head straight as long as I didn't look at him directly. "We have the ordinary coffee makers, three for regular coffee, two for de-caf. Then we have this machine which helps make lattés and things of that nature." I named off the rest of the bits and pieces that he would have to make drinks with until I stopped in front of the Chrome Monster.
"Finally this is The Espresso Express. Better known as just the Express. Don't let it intimidate you, though I sometimes refer to it as the Chrome Monster." I laughed and made the mistake of turning to look at him as he let out a deep, booming laugh.
"Don't worry, I'm sure that I can hold my own. And if the 'Chrome Monster' gives you any lip, I'll deal with it. I'm sure I could take it in a fight." The idea of him defending my honor left me blushing, but I laughed right along with him. Looking back at his face though, I once recognized how attractive he was and knew that I was in for it with my nerves.
"Uhm, anyways….I-I'll teach you tomorrow how to use it. For today I'm just going to have watch me take orders for part of the day and then you can try it," I informed him.
"Sounds like a plan." I smiled. He grinned in return. We stood there grinning at each other for a long moment when I heard someone rudely clearing their throat, obviously trying to get our attention.
I blushed when I realized we had been starring at one another and Edward chuckled. I turned around to see a tall, strawberry blonde standing behind the counter, looking very annoyed. I frowned when I noted that she looked like a runway model. Flawless skin and designer clothes.
"Hi! Welcome to the COFFEE SHOP. What can I get you?" I put on a fake cheery voice, because no matter how much I disliked the customer, they were the ones who decided whether I was employed or not.
"A small non-fat, de-caf carmel latte," She said dismissively as she flipped open her cell phone and began talking about who knows what. Keeping my face blank, I turned around quickly put the order together. I didn't even show Edward how to make the drink. I was just ready to get her to leave.
As I rang her up, I noticed she had hung up her phone and froze. She was eying Edward who was now standing right next to me. I noticed the glint in her eyes that said she was interested. Frowning, I handed her her latte and forced a smile. She gave a wink in Edward's direction, flipped her hair, and waddled (yes waddled in her five inch heels) out of the shop.
I didn't even bother to check Edward's reaction. I knew that he was also no doubt interested. Guys like him, gorgeous ones, always go for the girls like her, also gorgeous. I sighed. It bothered me that I was bothered by that realization. What's wrong with you? So what if he's interested in that girl? One, you just met he guy. Two, he's your co-worker and any type of relationship besides a strictly platonic one are frowned upon. I chastised myself for worrying myself about it.
"So what do we do now?" Edward's voice startled me and I jumped in surprise. I really had to stop getting lost in my own thoughts. I looked around the shop and understood what he meant. It was a Tuesday, which meant it wasn't exactly thriving. Angela had the few customers sitting at tables covered.
"When we're not busy at the front counter we make sure it's clean, which it is, and we take inventory." He nodded his head in understanding. "So all you need to do right now is I'm going to count the number of stuff we have and you're going to write that number down and date it." It might sound really simple, but it goes quicker if I don't have to stop and take the time to write the stuff down.
I gave him the clipboard and just like when we first met a little while ago, squatted down and began counting the sweeteners. While we took inventory, we kept a casual conversation about our likes and dislikes. I was a little shocked to find that we liked a lot of the same things.
Just as we were finishing, a customer came up to the counter to order and soon after we were swamped as it was nearing lunchtime. Everyone had to have their afternoon coffee. How people can drink coffee with their lunch of sub sandwiches and tuna fish, I will never know.
After two solid hours of the lunchtime chaos, it was time for a break. I left Angela to train Edward while I was on my lunch break. After I had finished my leftover lasagna, I made my way back to the bulletin board.
I began searching through the mess of flyers until I found one that caught my eye. On pale lilac paper with glittery boarder were words advertising someone looking for a roommate. Figuring that I might as well talk to the person, I quickly scribbled down the phone number. I was about to clock back in when something caught my eye. I gently lifted the flyer and saw a small, hot pink Post-It stuck to the board.
I squinted so I could read what it said. "Both a doctor and a bus driver were in love with the same girl. The bus driver was going to be gone for a week. Before he left he gave, he gave her something. What was it?"
I laughed abruptly because I knew what the answer was. Without giving it a second thought, I looked through my purse and internally cheered when I found my stack of bright green Post-Its. (Yes, I keep Post-Its in my purse. You never know when you're going to need them.) I wrote down my answer, tore the pink Post-It off the board and replaced it with my own. I felt silly responding to the riddle, but I wasn't the first one to do it. I figured if someone put it there, I might as well reply back. I put the Post-It in my purse and pulled out my cell phone.
I still had about ten minutes left on my break so I figured I might as well call this person. I dialed the phone number and it rang three times before someone picked up.
"Hello?" A high-pitched feminine voice answered.
"Hi. Is this…" I frantically looked for the name on the flyer. "Alice Cullen?"
"Yes it is. May I ask who's speaking?" She sounded very formal, which gave me some relief that she probably wasn't some crazy person.
"Uh, yeah. I'm Bella Swan. I saw your flyer advertising that you were looking for a new roommate and I thought possibly…" My voice trailed off, unsure.
"Oh this is great!" She squealed. "That flyer has been up for a week and a half and you're the first person to call!" She sounded relieved.
"Oh, well…" I wasn't sure what to say. It was awkward to talk to someone that I had never met on the phone.
"Okay, I'll tell you a little about it. My brother and I are renting it, but there is a spare bedroom and we figured it'd be better to have another roommate. It has a full kitchen, two bathrooms, and a beautiful balcony." She went on to describe it in more detail and I knew that this apartment was what I needed.
"Oh wow! It sounds perfect!" I could hear the excitement in my voice.
"I'm so glad that you're interested. How about you stop by later tonight. You can check it out and we can get to know each other." We made plans and I snapped my phone shut feeling accomplished. This was the best news I had gotten in a while.
So what did you think? Please review. If you didn't like it, please give me advice on how to make it better. I know this chapter wasn't too exciting but it WILL get better. I just had to introduce the set-up and everything. Hope you liked it though!