Someday My Prince Will Come
EPOV
I opened the door to my dark apartment, turned on the lights and slumped onto my overstuffed leather couch after relieving myself of my book bag. My laptop sat idly on the side, plugged into the wall ready for my use. I was never much of a desk person. I had acquired a giant oak colored monstrosity three years ago when I had been hired at my editorial assistant job. Alice insisted I had a desk to help me function as a high-class businessman. Instead it sat in the corner of my sitting room, slowly gathering stacks of papers and past read books. It acted more as my "crap shelf" more than anything else.
I lifted the screen of my computer and immediately typed in the URL to Cullen Publishing. After reaching the homepage, I scrolled to the bottom where Contact Us glowed as I hovered over the words. Clicking on it, I typed Isabella Swan into the search bar, hoping it would pull up her information in our employee database. My heart sank when it pulled up no results. It wasn't surprising. She had mentioned she was a new employee, and our website only housed information of people that would essentially need to be contacted such as the editors, HR department, and corporate assistants. Perhaps she didn't have a high end job, not that it mattered. Oh well, I was relentless. I would just have to take it to the next level.
I logged into our server with my username and clicked onto the HR tab where past weeks newsletters were kept. I clicked on the PDF from three weeks ago and scrolled to the part where it announced new employees.
New Hires
Jeff Humphries
Scarlett Donahugh
Lucas Castanza
Bella Swan
Margaret Toulle
Damn. The useless information was no good. It didn't mention which department they worked in. I wondered quickly if my new superiority had unlocked the firewalls to personal records, so I tried again. …I went into the HR homepage once more and clicked on Employee Records. Score, Access Granted!
Repositiong myself in a crossed-legged fashion like some second grader would for story time, I anxiously waited for the browser to update while cursing the internet company for their laggy servers this evening. When the page finally came to life, I clicked on "S" for surnames under employees and scrolled to the bottom where I found an Swan, Isabella. I clicked on her name.
The page loaded and her security photo focused onto the top of the screen. My memory indeed hadn't served her justice. I remembered looking up at her pristine face just a few hours earlier while I sat on the park bench in my brooding mood. Gorgeous long brown locks, deep brown eyes, and a beautiful fair complexion. She didn't smile with her teeth in her employee photo, but she didn't frown like most people do in their driver's license pictures. A smile was peeking out from the corner of her lips and I couldn't help but think of how beautiful and perfect they looked. I reminisced over our subtle and perfect kiss from the park earlier this evening. I was never one for kissing on a first date, but since it wasn't officially a date, I let myself slide through that technicality. After lingering on her picture for maybe a little too long convincing myself I was not a creepy stalker, I moved down the page for more information.
Isabella Swan
D.O.B. September 13, 1987
Date of Hire August 26, 2011
Department: Mailroom
Supervisor: Jacob Black
Hourly Wage: $15.00
Status: Full-time
E-mail: .com
I laughed, remembering her reluctance over telling me her job position. The thought of this dark haired beauty sorting the mail on the bottom floor of our building seemed utterly backwards. Surely her supervisor had noticed her work ethic and was in consideration for some sort of promotion? I smiled again, not for her low end job status, but for the intelligence she had displayed for me tonight. Her knowledge of books, authors, and thirst for writing was enough to raise any publisher's eyebrow, but her passion for our company in particular was somewhat impressive. I looked back at her hourly wage and thought how on earth she was affording a place to live in the city. I may have to make a phone call or two in the morning to the HR department about seeing her get some type of promotion or at the least a raise. She seemed like the type of person who took her job quite seriously, even in its insignificant stature.
The next thing I did was tipping slightly higher on my creep-o-meter scale. I logged onto my Facebook account, which only existed for Alice's own amusement, and typed her name into the search once again. Seven results were brought up with the name in Seattle, but I immediately recognized her photo on the third one. She was posing with a tall blonde; one I distinctly recognized as her abductor from earlier this evening. I clicked on the name and was disappointed to find out her privacy settings set high. My curser hovered over the Add Friend Request for a second before I closed my browser deciding against it...Perhaps after our date this weekend. Ugh, the weekend. I didn't want to have to wait four more days to see her again. This one girl had managed to capture my full attention with a mere walk around the park and some witty lines. Nothing any girl had managed to do, ever. Wheels set in motion as my brain set off concocting plans of their own, determined to see her n just this weekend, but tomorrow. I decided it was way past my bed time.
My normal hour of retirement was usually ten in the evening, but it was creeping up towards midnight. It was just occurring to me how lame my life actually was. Twenty-six years old and a bedtime of ten. No social life, no girlfriend (yet), and no parties or roommates to bug me to join them for an evening of mischief. I did have one tradition however, which included me and a book in bed to fall asleep to. Of course this was all by choice. I received countless texts and invites from my little party animal sister, and my girl crazy older brother Emmett. I was reminiscent of the many dance club and bar invitations from pretentious girls that were more after my looks and money as well.
When I got to my room, I eyed the dog-eared manuscript on my nightstand that I had intended to finish tonight; another promising novel. It wasn't even due to be reviewed for a couple more weeks, so I surpassed the urge to read it. Instead, I walked over to my overstuffed bookshelf, arranged in order by author last name, until I scoured through the "B's." My copy of Wuthering Heights was a sad looking paper pack that looked as if it had never been read. The cover was a terrible movie still from one of the BBC productions a few years earlier. I humored the thought of falling asleep to Bella's favorite book; unsure why its story held any allure to her perspective on romance. So I cracked open the crisp pages, and dove in head first.
BPOV
Rosalie thrust me into the backseat of her black new black Acura. I was suddenly regretting pushing her to buy the sports model a month earlier when I could have swayed her more in the direction of an SUV. Jasper was driving with Alice in the passenger seat. Emmett was on one side of the car and I was awkwardly stuck in the middle with Rose and Emmett giving googly eyes to each other the entire car ride.
"Rose, if you want me to switch you seats, it's not a problem."
"Shush Bells, we're almost there! And no whining please."
"Seriously guys where are you taking me?"
I was less enthusiastic to be kidnapped in the first place, but being kidnapped on your birthday was a recipe for disaster. I thought back on the many attempts Rosalie had tried to surprise me with a party, day at the spa, terrible blind dates, and many servings of desserts that had more frosting than cake.
"Oh come on Bella, you only turn twenty-four once! This is a night for celebration and we've already done a terrible job at it so far. I'm sorry we didn't catch my brother at the club. I thought you two would have hit it off actually. This is my treat, so no complaining!" Alice was easy enough to like. I could tell her and Rose would be a force against nature with both of their passion for fashion and a knack for throwing parties. I would have to keep them apart as much as possible before they became a threat to society that couldn't be reckoned with.
We pulled into a parking lot not far from the park I had just been picked up from. From the park that Edward was probably wondering why on earth I had just been abducted from our perfect evening. It was all for the best, I thought. Once he found out I was some lowly mail girl with no means for a future in any real job, he'd probably pity me and become uninterested. Cinderella's clock just struck a little earlier tonight than expected.
I looked up at the sign that read Bakery Nouveau and couldn't help but smile. "Alice! What on earth—this place closed hours ago!" Bakery Nouveau was a local treasure hidden in the corner of Seattle. They were known for their gourmet pastries, and you basically had to fight your way into the little shop during daylight hours.
"Don't you worry your pretty little head. My father is good friends with the owner and I called in a favor."
We headed towards the side of the building where Emmett ushered in front of us all, mocking an early 1900's gentlemen. He held one hand behind his back while holding the door with his other, and bowed to us as we passed. "Ladies first," he smiled, but all his attention was given towards Rose.
I knew Alice was responsible for the breathtaking sight before me. The little café already had a little bit of French charm to it, but as we entered the main room, the lights were dimly lit and twinkle lights surrounded one main table in the corner. The table was fully set with piles of delectable desserts of every shape and size, ready to be devoured. I was pretty sure most of it wouldn't survive through the night with Jasper and Emmett here to contribute their appetites.
"Go ahead chica, it's your party so take a seat."
I gave Alice a menacing smirk, but all too eager to sit at a table filled with my favorite foods. Raspberry tarts, chocolate cheesecake, sheet cake, macaroons, chocolate mousse, and a gigantic 7-layered cake with Happy Birthday Bella written in fancy script on top. Footsteps approaching, I peeled my eyes off the luscious treats before me to see a man in a suit approaching.
"Good evening everyone," he said in his thick French accent. He was a large man, very well dressed, wearing all black with a deep red tie. Is eyes were bright and kind. "My name is Jacques Fontaine and I'm absolutely delighted you thought to visit my little bakery tonight Ms. Cullen!" he gestured towards Alice.
"Oh Jack, you make me sound like an old lady with all that Miss Cullen talk. Thank you so much for meeting us here tonight. Seriously guys, this place has the best pastries this side of the Mississippi. You won't be disappointed."
"Ah, well thanks for the compliments my dear. I hear it is a young lady's birthday this evening. Which one of you is it?"
I stood up quietly to shake his hand. "It's mine Mr. Fontaine, and I can't tell you how beautiful this all looks. Thank you so much!"
"Oh please call me Jacq! And it was certainly my pleasure. I'll just be in the other room going over some things, so I'll be close if you need me. I chose some of my favorites for you this evening. There are boxes on the table to the side if you wish to take any of it home. And please do; I would hate to think of what I'd feel like if I ate all your leftovers tonight."
Alice chuckled. "Jack, I feel like you don't know my family at all! Since when have you known Emmett to leave leftovers?"
"Fair enough." He said chuckling and wishing us a happy evening.
I was now left squashed between two happy couples and a bajillion calories of cake. Just as I was about to dig into the giant chocolate monstrosity before me, my hand was slapped.
"Ah ah ah Miss Swan, I believe there is still singing in order and candles to blow out." Alice fished in her bag and brought out a long box of sparkler candles. Twenty four were placed in the middle and lit quickly with the helping hands of Jasper and Emmett; like two kids lighting their fireworks on the fourth of July.
Alice theatrically waved her arms as she conducted our small party into singing "Happy Birthday" while I blushed an embarrassing shade of crimson. I hated attention. I had spent the majority of my life shying away from any form of spotlight, but birthdays always seemed to escape me. When it came to blowing out my candles, I decided to humor Rose and Alice by closing my eyes, and making a legitimate wish.
Please let Edward find me again so I can see him again this weekend.
How utterly cheesy of me. I was never one for theatrics, superstition, or wishing on stars. I made my own luck. But seeing as that wasn't getting me very far these days, I turned my fate over to the dripping wax candles on my birthday cake.
Everyone clapped as I successfully blew all twenty-four out in one go, and Alice began slicing the cake onto small white plates.
"There you go birthday girl."
"Thanks Alice, really. This is more than I could have asked for."
"Oh the pleasure was all mine! Really! Especially after letting Rose snag you from the guy you were with at the park. Who was he?"
"What?" Rose exclaimed.
"Oh it was nothing," I lied. If there was anything I learned to do over the years, it was not to endulge in Rose's qualms of getting me to date a boy.
"I hardly think so," Alice said. "You two looked like you were having a moment."
"No, it was just a random guy I saw in the park that seemed to be having a rough time, so I started up a conversation with him."
"Mmmhmm." Alice mocked. Luckily she didn't push the issue further. However, Rose was raising eyebrows at me and I knew I would have to work especially hard tonight to escape her assumptions and quick judgment with me and a boy alone. She didn't need to know it just so happened to be the best night of my life.
"Well Bella, if I'm not going to find out more about mystery man, tell me more about yourself. Where do you work? How long have you known Rose and Jasper?"
She lingered on Jasper's name and I let out a chuckle. I had never seen Jasper with any girl longer than a week. And any girl I did see him with were usually presumptuous ones with fake written across their forehead. He wasn't very good at finding winners, so I really hoped it worked out between him and Alice.
"Bella just started a new job at Cullen Publishing!" Rose finished for me.
"No kidding!" Alice yelled back. Emmett started laughing but Alice continued. "That's my dad's company! My brother just got promoted as senior editor there this week actually! What do you do? Are you in editing?"
I scowled at Rose and she immediately realized her mistake. It wasn't long before I started putting things together realizing Edward was the brother of the two siblings sitting at my birthday table. Not wanting to cause a scene or create more attention to myself, I disregarded it and answered her question.
"No I wish. I just started a few weeks ago. I'm just in the mailroom, but it sure as hell beats waiting tables at Olive Garden."
"Ya know Bells, all it would take is one phone call to pops and we could get you on the editorial staff. I'm sure they're hiring for something." Emmett was sure scary looking on the outside, but once you got past his giant frame, he was more of a teddy bear.
"Really it's fine. I would rather work my way up the company on my own."
"Actually Bella, my brother Edward just got promoted to senior editor, and he text me tonight saying he fired his editing assistant. Maybe I could send your application over to him?" Alice chided in.
The last thing I wanted was working for mister perfect that I had met earlier this evening. I am quite positive I would never be able to get any work done staring at that face all day. Plus they always say it's bad to work with your friends. Is that what we were? Part of me hoped we were at least that, but the last thing I wanted was to be stuck in the friend zone with the person I shared the most amazing night with.
"It's okay Alice. I'll keep my eyes peeled over job openings on the company newsletter."
"Alright if you say so."
The rest of the night eased into lighter conversation, but I found out how much I liked Emmett and Alice. Emmett teased her like any older brother threatening to throw cake in her face, and her response was not to mess up her makeup. As fashion conscious as she was though, a part of me realized that she resembled the sister that I had always wanted, and never had. By the end of the night, she was already planning sleepover parties, movie nights, and shopping dates with Rose and me.
When we dropped Alice, Jasper and Emmett off for the evening, Rose and I headed back to our small house in silence. I knew she was absolutely itching to ask me more about the guy. Thanks a lot Alice…now I'd have to spend another two hours explaining to her the whole thing only to get her hopes up; and mine.
Edward was the type of guy who could probably get anyone he wanted. I had experienced earlier on from today just how easy too. The girls in the lunchroom were swooning over his presence. I tried to convince myself it was a good thing he didn't get my number tonight. Perhaps I escaped my digits falling into the depths of his little black book where I would eagerly await a call that would never come.
He had the whole company bowing down to him already, and he had already become senior editor within three years at the company; to his own hard work as well! Regardless of what other employees thought, he didn't use his father's connections to get himself higher on the pay scale; which made me respect him even more.
"So are you going to tell me anymore about mystery boy, or am I going to have to torture it out of you?" here we go. Apparently her patience had waiver beyond extinction. Let the interrogation begin.
"Really, it was nothing Rose. He was sitting on the park bench alone and looked like he was having a rough time, so I asked if he was okay and struck up a conversation."
"You weren't anywhere by a park bench."
"Okay, so we took a little walk to the duck pond and fed the birds."
"Did you buy the food or did he?"
This is why guys hated girls. We looked way too far into every minute detail to the point of destruction.
"He did. He spent a whole entire quarter on a handful of bird pellets so we could throw them at ducks as we talked. Satisfied?"
"Mmmhmm." She squealed. "So did you get his number?"
"No Rose! I didn't get much of anything after I was abducted Liam Neeson style into the back of your car!"
"Damn it. Do you know where he works?"
"Drop it Rose, this isn't some fairy tale. He's not going to sweep me off my feet leaving me pining over him before bedtime." They were lies. I already was.
"Okay okay. I'm sorry about intruding. We should have waited for you to come to the car instead of me stealing you like that. I ruined everything. Even after I left you to sit on the bench at the bar by yourself. Worst. Best friend. Ever."
"No seriously Rose, this was the best birthday I've ever had. Thank you for everything tonight." I grabbed her into the biggest hug I could give, knowing that would soften her up for the night.
"So tell me about this Emmett character! You were nearly swooning over him every time he grinned your way tonight." Rose squealed with delight and began to carry on with her newly found prince.
Mission accomplished. I had managed to fizzle out our 20/20 interrogation interview by fifty-seven minutes.
After my nightly routine, I crawled into bed and turned the light on next to my nightstand. My room was the only place in the house that didn't scream "designer" in every corner. Rose definitely had her influence on a few items, but for the most part it was a modest, simple room. I had a window bench with a large cushion, and a four-shelf bookcase that housed my favorite novels. My bedspread was the most superfluous in the room with the frilly deep gold ruffles lined with an eggplant color underneath. After rustling under the covers to get perfectly comfortable, I reached out to my nightstand for my copy of Wuthering Heights; the same book Edward patronized me earlier for loving so much. But as I earnestly read through one of my favorite lines of the passage, I couldn't help but love it more.
"If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it."
Oh the hopeless romantic within me. While it was silly to dream of the perfect man I had met tonight rooting my whole meaning for existing, I secretly fantasized of him falling for me as we starred in our own romance novel. With those last words, I drifted into unconsciousness and dreamed of Edward Cullen.