Chapter 2
With very little persuading, I convinced Alice to join me on my trip to Europe. I'd wanted Jasper to come along as well, but he declined, citing a busy work schedule and wanting us to have some girl time as an excuse. We decided to wait until the middle of July for our trip, giving us about two months to plan. After I'd told her about the trip, she excitedly started naming off all the cities she wanted to see. London, Paris, Milan, Rome, Berlin, Amsterdam. I just smiled to myself at how much this trip was going to cost Mike.
Because Alice had to work almost every day at the clothing store she managed, I was the one designated to plan most of the trip. I searched online for plane tickets, train tickets, hotels and possible rental cars. After spending about four thousand dollars on two first class tickets to Frankfort, I felt bad for spending so much of Mike's money and decided to tone it down a bit. I was angry at Mike, but spending his money wasn't going to make the past do away.
Alice and I decided to just say in Germany and France for a majority of the three week trip, both of us wanting to thoroughly explore everything, and promising to make a trip later to go to Italy. So far I'd booked us a few nights stay in Stuttgart, a week stay in Berlin and then a week and a half in Paris. Alice was going crazy thinking of all the shopping abilities and I rolled my eyes as she described all the shopping ships she was going to take me on. It sounded like I shouldn't pack anything in my suitcase when going there, because it'd be full with a new wardrobe on the way back.
When I wasn't planning the trip, I was trying to find a new job. I resumed working for the online newspaper, but I'd never liked the job, so I was ready for a new one. I preferred to edit fiction, rather than boring humdrum news. I researched positions at the various publishing houses in the Seattle area and a position as an entry level editor at Volturi Inc. looked promising. I had yet to contact them, with the Europe trip coming up, but I was perfecting my resume for the position. I just hoped that it wouldn't be filled by the time we came back.
Any time that I had left I used for songwriting. I hadn't written since my freshman year at UW, and after some hard work trying to remember how to tune the guitar I'd bought right after the divorce, I felt more relaxed than I had in years. It took a few painful weeks for the calluses on my fingers to reappear, but it was worth it. The sounds of the strummed strings filled my apartment as I just sat on the floor, strumming away, trying to find something to write about other than how much I hated Mike.
About a month before the trip, I managed to come up with a chorus I was happy with.
"Lemme remind you exactly who I am. I'm your wildest dream and worst possible nightmare, all rolled up into one. It'll take a game of well played Russian roulette to figure out which." I sang softly as I tried to figure out which chords to pair it with.
I was on a roll when my cell phone rang, scaring me. I smiled when I saw the caller ID said it was Jacob Black, a good friend from back home who I hadn't spoken to in months.
"Hello?"
"Isabella Swan! How dare you get divorced from that pig and not tell me!"
"I'm sorry Jake! I thought that news would go around Forks and the reservation like a wildfire."
"How've you been Bella? It feels like I haven't seen you in years."
"I'm great, considering the circumstances. I started songwriting again, and I'm going to Europe with Alice in a few months. How about yourself? How's UCLA?"
"You didn't hear? Graduated, top of my class!"
I smiled brightly. Jacob was two years younger than me, but we were good friends because our dads were good friends. He'd been so excited when he was accepted to UCLA that I let him break the promise we made when I was eleven that he'd join me at UW.
"Congratulations! You back at the reservation now?"
"Yeah. I got a job in Port Angeles managing a small shop. Dad says you moved to Seattle."
"Yeah. I just needed to get away from it all back home. I'm hoping to get a job in a publishing house once I get back from Europe."
Jacob and I talked for hours that night, making up for lost times and before we hung up I made him promise to come visit me before I left for Europe. I was in too good of a mood to work on the song so I decided to lie down in bed and watch some Law and Order: SVU. I wasn't quite sure when I fell asleep, but I woke up around two am, my neck strained and exhausted. I managed my way back to bed and fell asleep right away.
Two weeks later, I was sitting with Jacob at a café around the corner from my apartment building. We made small talk about the past few years and our families before the conversation turned more serious.
"It's good to see you so happy, Bella. I haven't seen you smile like this since high school."
"Yeah, I feel like a whole new person. Like I get to start my life all over again."
"Have you thought about dating? Maybe finding a guy who isn't such a douche?"
"It's way too soon, Jake. I mean the whole divorce wasn't finalized until a couple of months ago."
"I know, Bella, but you should give it a try. I've been waiting for a chance with you since before you started going out with Mike, since we were kids."
"Jacob, we've been over this a million times. We're friends. Just friends."
"Come on Bella, one date. That's all I'm asking for. We're perfect for each other."
I shook my head and set my coffee down, backing away from the table.
"Jacob, please stop. You're making me really uncomfortable. Just drop it."
"No, Bella, I refuse to."
He reached over the table and grabbed my hand rather harshly and I grimaced. I tried to pull away from him, but he just gripped tighter.
"Jacob, let go of me. You're hurting me."
Jacob's eyes opened wide and he let go immediately.
"Oh gosh Bella, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you."
He seemed sincere with his apology but I was done with this conversation. I shrugged on my jacket as I stood up, grabbing my purse before turning back to Jacob.
"I'm sure you didn't Jacob, but I'm leaving. You're making a complete ass of yourself. You're one of my best friends Jake, and that's it. No more, no less. So please don't push it. I'll see you after I get back from Europe."
"Bella, please!"
I walked out the door, ignoring his calls as I walked briskly towards my apartment building. I rushed up the steps to the main entrance and stopped to fumble to find the key when the door I had been leaning against opened and I started to stumble. I prepared myself to hit the floor but I was stopped by a pair of strong hands. I looked up grateful and smiled.
"Oh thank you!"
"I'm so sorry, I didn't realize anyone was leaning against the door."
"No, no. Don't worry. That was totally my fault."
I straightened out my clothes before getting a complete look at my savior. He was nearly a foot taller than me and lean. His blonde hair was brushed back but a few strands fell into his face to hang in front of his small grey eyes. He winked when he saw I was checking him out and I blushed, looking away.
"I'm James. I just moved into the third floor a couple weeks ago." he said, offering his hand to me.
"Bella. I'm up on the fourth."
I put my hand in his, intending to shake it but he brought my knuckles up to his lips and kissed them softly. I blushed again, feeling my body warm at the touch. He smiled before letting go of my hand and I brushed my hair behind my ear.
"It looks like I'm going to have to spend some more time upstairs if I have neighbors like you."
It felt like it had been months, almost years since I'd been flirted with and I couldn't think of a response to his remark. I just smiled like an idiot.
"Well Bella, I'm sorry to cut our meeting short, but I have to get to work. I hope I'll see you soon though."
"Oh sorry that I got in your way."
"Not at all, dear, not at all."
We bid farewell and I used the elevator to get to the fifth floor before sliding into my apartment and dropping my purse on the couch. I was still blushing from the encounter with James as I walked over to my guitar and played for a few hours.
Alice was practically jumping for joy when, a week before our trip, I told her she could pack my suitcase. I knew she didn't approve of a lot of my wardrobe choices, so I figured it was better for her to pick out what I'd wear and then add a few comfort pieces of my own afterwards. I'd never been a really fashion forward person, preferring jeans with a nice t-shirt over skirts and blouses, but with a best friend obsessed with fashion, I often played the role of her life-size Barbie.
We were sitting around my room sipping on some Merlot as she rummaged through my drawers and closet, commenting on how we so needed to spend days shopping to replace the 'piece of crap' wardrobe I owned. I tossed a pair of my underwear at her and laughed at her when there was a knock on the door of my apartment. I slid from the room, leaving Alice to do what she does best, and walked to the door. I checked through the peephole and smiled as I saw it was James and opened the door.
"Hey."
"Hey. I'm sorry if this is rather sudden and odd, but I just wanted to see how you were doing and if you wanted to join me for dinner. I made lasagna."
"I'd love to, but my best friends here. We're packing for our trip to Europe. Some other night for sure."
He looked bummed but then smiled again.
"Heading on a grand Europe vacation huh?"
"Sort of. We're heading to Germany and France for a few weeks to relax."
"Sounds like fun."
"I hope it will be. I haven't had a vacation in what feels like decades."
"Well I hope you have fun. But I also hope I'll see you before you leave."
"Thanks James."
We said goodbye again and after I saw him retreat into the elevator, I rejoined Alice in my bedroom who was sitting in a pile of all my old band t-shirts, near tears.
"Who needs this many t-shirts Bella? Honestly! Half these are so worn out you can't even see what band they're for!"
I laughed at her before sitting at the head of my bed, suddenly extremely excited to leave and spend nearly a month with my best friend. We met at freshman orientation at UW and became instant friends. We lived in the same dormitory that year and then for roommates for our sophomore year before I moved in with Mike and she moved in with her boyfriend Jasper just down the street. After we graduated she said she wanted to see what small town life was like, having grown up in Chicago and her and Jasper decided to get a small place in Forks and they both got jobs in Port Angeles.
Alice had always openly criticized Mike and I's marriage but she always left her door open without questions when Mike and I had a fight and I didn't want to stay at home. She was the best friend anyone could ask for and although it was a hefty commute for us now, with her still living in Forks and me in Seattle, we tried to see other at least once a week. She was thinking of transferring to a store in the city to be closer to me, but I told her not to uproot her life, again, for me. Jasper didn't mind either way; he did whatever Alice wanted, following behind her like a lost puppy.
After a few hours of Alice criticizing my clothes, my two suitcases were packed with an abundance of cute and absurd outfits that I couldn't quite figure out when I'd wear. Did she expect me to wear those wedge heels walking around, touring Paris?
She stayed over in my extra bedroom that night, not wanting to drive back to Forks so late at night and we made plans to go to breakfast the next day before she left. As I opened the door for us to leave the next morning, I found Jacob pacing in front of my door, holding his head in his hands.
"Jake, what are you doing here?"
He looked at me and smiled before glaring at Alice. They hated each other and it tore me apart. She usually called him a smelly dog and he called her an annoying pixie, straight to each other's faces. I wasn't sure why they didn't get a long but I was sure it had to be a jealousy issue. She rolled her eyes at him before crossing her arms in from of her chest in a protective stance.
"What do you want, you dumb dog?"
Jacob glared at her, looking as if he were ready to hit her if she weren't a girl, before looking at me again.
"I just wanted to apologize again, Bells. I was way out of line when we went to lunch. And you were right. I don't want to risk our awesome friendship."
"Thanks Jake. That means a lot to me."
I pulled him into a hug before stepping back and kissing his cheek like I used to in high school. Alice looked at me and then pointed at her watchless wrist, trying to hurry us along.
"I'm sorry Jake. We were heading to breakfast. But I'd definitely like to see you before we leave."
"Definitely, Bells."
Alice was silent in the car as we drove to my favorite diner. She had every right to be pissed. I'd told her about the conversation as the café between Jake and I and she was far from approving on the matter of me seeing him before our trip. But I also knew she wouldn't say anything. She may not like my oldest friend, but she knew Jacob and I's bond went way past college parties and late nights studying. And I hoped she knew that both she and Jacob held equal parts of my heart.
xxxx
AN: I hope everyone has so far enjoyed this. I apologize for the long time between the update. I'm practically writing this story backwards cause I know where I want it to go and fear losing my ideas, so I'm writing which ever portion of the story I feel like it. Thank you for those who have read/noticed this story and I hope I can make it a great one.
On another note. I will be moving in about 2 to 3 weeks, so it might be a while before I have another solid chapter up. But I promise I'm trying my hardest.
