Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, blah, blah, blah.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who review this story so far. You're kind words mean the world to me:)


Thankfully the seven and a half hour flight from London Heathrow to New York JFK was no where near as tiring or boring as I thought it would be, and by the time we landed I was so excited be seeing Angela that I thought I would burst.

After I spent the best part of an half hour queuing through immigration and collected my baggage, I looked around the arrival lounge hoping to see Angela, who'd promised she would be there to greet me.

"Bella! Over here!" A wonderfully familiar voice called out and I was relieved to see her waiting for me at the far side of the room.

She was grinning widely and waving me over to her and her enthusiasm was contagious. I couldn't hide the wide smile that pulled on my lips as I grabbed a firm hold of my holdall and suitcase and excitedly made my way over to her.

She looked so very different from the last time I'd seen her. Her hair was the same but her style had certain changed. At university Angela herself would have been the first to say that her style was more laid back and casual. However today, she looked every bit the professional, dressed in a smart black knee length dress with a funky scarf that reminded me of the quirky art student I had known all those years ago.

It took me a few moments to get around all of the people gathered arround in arrivals before I finally reached her.

"Welcome to New York!" Angela exclaimed excitedly, as she drew me into her arms and hugged me tightly.

"Thanks. It's great to finally be here." I replied, feeling a little overwhelming already.

"Here, let me have one of those off you," she said gesturing towards my luggage. "You must be exhausted. How was your flight?"

"It was good," I answered honestly. "I managed to get a few hours sleep so it wasn't too bad."

"I'm glad. Now lets get going, we have so much to catch up on!"

She led the way outside of the airport before effortlessly hailing a taxi to take us to her apartment. I piled into a sleek yellow taxi and we began to make our way towards where Angela's apartment was located on the upper east side.

Apparently Manhattan was quite a distance away from the airport and it took a lot longer than I expected before I finally got my first glimpse of the the famous New York skyline. My breath caught in my throat; It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Sure, I'd seen it in film, in photos, and on the TV but nothing could compare to being here and seeing it for myself.

For the first time it hit me- that I was really here.

"It's beautiful, right?" Angela asked. She squeezed my hand and smiled across at me but I couldn't force myself to look away from the spectacular landscape for very long.

"It's incredible" I whispered back mesmerised.

We drove into the heart of the city and as the taxi continued to weave it's way in and out of main roads and side streets, I could only stare out of the window at the city streaming by me. Waves of yellow taxis, hot dogs stands on every corner, over excited tourists taking photos, and business people trying to flag down rides home. It was both overwhelming and incredibly exciting!

Unfortunately we hit some pretty horrific traffic along the way, but half an hour later we pulled up to the front of Angela's apartment.

"It's a small place," she said apologetically as she led the way inside. "But it's within walking distance to the museum and the rent is cheap. Well, cheap for New York, I guess."

I looked around the tiny one bed apartment and I was impressed. Sure it was a little on the small size and it wasn't especially lavish or showy, but it was cosy, and it was in the midst of Manhattan and had a spectacular view of the city.

"It's perfect Ang." I told her. "I don't even know how to thank you for letting me stay with you."

"Nonsense, Bella. Make yourself at home. I was thinking you would want to get settled first but how about we go out for some dinner after you've unpacked?" she asked.

"That sounds lovely," I answered as I settled my bags down on the floor.

An hour later, I unpacked and quickly freshened up before heading out for some dinner at a little Italian restaurant a few blocks away.

"It's one of my favourite restaurants in New York" Ang said, cheerfully as we waited at the entrance to be seated.

There, we ate the most incredible spaghetti carbonara and cheesy garlic bread, accompanied with some delicious Italian wine in between reminiscing about our uni days and filing in the gaps of our lives since we had last seen one another.

Angela didn't mention Jake but I knew it was coming. We had just finished our deserts when she reached across the table and gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

"Are you ready to talk about him yet?" She asked sympathetically.

"I suppose now is a good a time as any," I attempted to sound casual. I don't think I quite managed it.

"Good riddance is what I say." Angela said sternly. "You deserve so much more than Jacob. He wasn't good enough for you. I've always said that."

"Thanks," I said, sniffing back a tear or two at my friends kind words. "Obviously it still hurts a lot but I think I'm ready to move on. It just so frustrating that I didn't see it sooner. I should have seen it coming." I confessed.

"Well, how were you supposed to know?" Angela asked.
"I just should have. All the signs were there, I just ignored them. But enough about Jacob Black. I'm done talking about him any more. I've wasted enough time on him already."

"I'm glad." Angela said sending me an encouraging smile. "That's the best news I've heard all day."

"Lets make a toast," she said cheerfully, sounding a little tipsy from the bottle and a half of wine we'd already drunk.

"To your visit to New York. And for forgetting all about that low life ex fiancé!"

I held my glass up and clinked it against hers.

"And here's to meeting hot new men too" she added, giggling as I took a sip of my wine.

When I'd placed my wine glass back on the table I gave her a weary look.

"In case you've forgotten, I just got out of a six year relationship with a guy I was supposed to be marrying. I'm not exactly on the lookout for another boyfriend. Besides, I'm only in New York for four weeks."

"Oh rubbish," she said, waving her hands dismissively. Clearly I wasn't getting through to her.

"I mean it Ang, I can't … not yet...it's too soon. I'm not ready."

"Bella you are. You just don't know it yet. And when the time is right you'll know." She said, sending me a sneaky smile that told me she was up to something.

"Whatever you say," I sighed, and took a large sip of my wine.

One last drink quickly turned into two and before I knew it another couple of hours had passed before Angela and I staggered out of the restaurant and made our way back to her apartment. I fell asleep that night, thanks to my jet lag and the three bottles of wine we had consumed while catching up and discussing the exciting days ahead of me.

It was the perfect start to the holiday.


My first few days in New York went smoothly as I tried to find my feet in a foreign city. Unfortunately Angela was crazy busy working on a charity benefit that the museum was hosting at the end of the week so she was unable to show me round the city herself. She was incredibly apologetic and promised to make it up to me over the weekend but I honestly didn't mind. It was actually really liberating to walk around the city alone with not a care in the world.

The hustle and bustle of Manhattan wasn't unlike that of London and I liked it that way because it stopped me from having too much time on my own to think over things. I could almost forget that somewhere thousands of miles away Jake even existed.

I tried not to think about him very often and instead I focused on making the most of my time in New York. After all this trip was suppose to be a fresh start for me. No longer would I be the shy pushover who got taken for granted and played like a fool; It was the start of a stronger, more confident woman, taking control and getting on with living life to the fullest.

Manhattan was everything I expected it to be and more and my first few days were spent doing all of the obvious touristy things there was to do in New York: I experienced the craziness of Times Square, I took the ferry across to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty. I visited the Empire State Building and explored Central Park on a sunny day. I even tried to open my mind to a bit of culture by visiting both the MOMA and the Metropolitan Museum. And to top it all off yesterday I finally got round to doing a bus tours of the city.

I loved every second of it. The city really excited me and the people were a big part of that. All the New Yorkers I met were nowhere near as pretentious and stuck up as I had wrongly assumed they'd be. In fact, everyone was very helpful, and whenever I was stuck or lost there was always someone around to point me in the right direction.

No stay in New York would be complete with out a little overindulging and today I couldn't resist the urge to indulge in New York's other famous attraction: Shopping!

I started off the day with a trip to Tiffany's and some of the other exclusive designer stores on 5th Avenue. I didn't stay there long; I felt a bit of a fraud. Sure, I was no Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman but those places were still pretty intimidating, not to mention way out of my price range. I had a quick browse around before I went off in search of Macy's and some of the other more reasonably priced stores where Angela suggested I would pick up a few bargains.

Eventually, when I'd had enough shopping for one day I decided it was time to think about heading back. Luckily, the subway wasn't far away and I manoeuvred my way through the packed out station to begin my journey back to Angela's.

Despite being here a few days, it was all still very confusing to me and I probably epitomized the stereotypical lost tourist when I stopped inside the station and pulled out my ridiculously large map and tried to figure out where the hell I was going.

I'd never really had a very strong sense of direction; it had taken me two years to master the London underground tube system, and even then I avoided taking the tube if I could. There was always something going wrong with it. Not to mention it was always overcrowded, noisy and never particularly clean.

The subway was just as busy and overcrowded but at least things seemed to run a little bit more smoothly over here. It took me a few minutes but eventually when I'd figured out where I was meant to be going I bought my ticket and made my way through the ticket barrier and headed to the correct platform.

It was rush hour and the platform was heaving with businessmen in suites, college students and my fellow overexcited tourists. There had to be at least 100 people waiting for the next train, which meant it would be interesting to see everyone try to cram on board when the next train arrived. According to the signboard ahead it wasn't due to arrive until another five minutes, so I took a seat on the nearby bench and pulled out my book to pass the time.

The station was stuffy and humid as I sat waiting, so I was relieved to hear the sound of the train approaching a few minutes later. Slipping my book into my bag, I manoeuvred my way through everyone to get as close as I could to the nearest set of doors. Unfortunately the carriage was already half full and I jostled for position in front of the still closed train doors. Eventually both sets of doors finally opened and passengers began pushing their way onto the over crowded train.

I was waiting patiently at the side when a movement at the end of the platform caught my attention. I glanced across and without meaning to noticed a beautiful man who was making his way towards me. He was tall, comfortably over six feet,with broad shoulders, a long straight nose, perfect kissable lips, fair skin, and the kind of perfectly chiselled features that you would expect to see on a Michelangelo statue.

His eyes were downcast but I found myself wishing that he'd look up so that I could see the colour of his eyes. And don't even get me started on his hair; It was the most unusual shade of brown, with flashes of bronze and gold through it. It was styled in the most perfect, chaotic mess. Or perhaps he was just one of those guys who went for the unkempt look. Either way it suited him and I couldn't take my eyes off him.

I was wishfully dreaming away when suddenly his gaze turned toward me and the most stunning green eyes I had ever seen met mine. My heart stopped beating and I could feel my cheeks heat up in it's tell tale blush at being caught ogling him. I looked away sharply and forced myself to focus on getting on the train, but it was a harder task than I thought as more and more people started pushing to get on board. I didn't seem to be getting anywhere and more commuters seemed to appear from nowhere and tried to get on board.

Angela told me that I had to be fearless and just force myself on board like everybody else, but that just wasn't me. I preferred to wait my turn. However, the longer I waited, the more impatient I became. I was just about to give up and hold out for the next train when I noticed the gorgeous guy from earlier step forward, blocking path of the other commuters. I stared up at him in surprise as he gestured for me to go through.

From a distance he was gorgeous but up close he was literally breathtaking. As in, I had to take several deep breaths in order to steady myself. His eyelashes were uncommonly long and dark and with the exception of a tiny scar on his forehead he was without flaw. His eyes, I decided were the most unusual shade of green I had ever seen. The colour of emeralds, flecked with gold and hazel. Odd but unmistakably beautiful.

I knew I was staring but I couldn't seen to force myself to look away from him. Besides, I figured that the dark haired Adonis in front of me was probably used to it. And if the crooked smile that was playing on his face was anything to go by then he knew I was blatantly checking him out.

"After you," he insisted. The minute he spoke I was gone. His voice was beautiful, and unique, with a sexy edge to it.

The tall, handsome man before me smiled again and I couldn't help the blush that stained my cheeks again. I found it hard to look away from his piercing eyes, but when someone cleared their throat behind me I quickly came back to reality.

Realising that I had been caught staring yet again, I ducked my head. I was too embarrassed to face him again as I muttered a shy "thanks" before hurrying inside the carriage.

I was still busy thinking about the handsome stranger when the train began moving. I didn't have a chance to grab a hold of rail in time and when the train shot forward suddenly I lost my balance and fell forward. I was sure I would have fallen to the ground, most likely taking a few unsuspecting passengers with me, if not for the strong arms that quickly wrapped around my waist and pulled me back upright.

Once I had straightened myself out I tentatively turned around to thank my saviour but all of my words melted away when he of the wonderful voice and gorgeous green eyes appeared.

"Are you okay?" he asked. He was so tall I had to lift my face to meet his eyes.

Swallowing, I said hoarsely, "Yes. Thank you very much for your help." I murmured, feeling my cheeks colour yet again.

He was still gazing down at me in amusement. Probably because he thought I would do something stupid like fall over again.

"You're welcome. First time in New York?" He asked knowingly

"What gave it away?" I asked smiling.

"Besides the map," he laughed, pointing at the now crumpled up map I was clutching in my hand. "It's not hard to miss." He grinned a wonderfully crooked grin that did strange things to my insides.

"Yeah, I'm your typical tourist," I laughed and shook my head.

"And you're English?" he surmised.

"Guilty as charged," I replied. Again I was grinning like an idiot, but he seemed to be smiling back. Normally I was never this comfortable with strangers but there was something about him that put me at ease instantly.

"I'm Edward by the way." He smiled softly and held his hand out for me to shake.

"Bella," I replied and barely stifled a sigh as his warm fingers closed around mine.
"It's nice to meet you, Bella," he said. His accent turned my name into something else entirely; something not unpleasant. I went to remove my hand from his and was surprised when he held onto my fingers for a moment longer than necessary.

"So Bella, what brings you to New York?" Edward asked after a brief moment of silence. "Your typical holiday?"

"I'm actually visiting a friend." I said and quickly explained that how Angela and I had stayed in touch ever since she moved across the pond.

"So, are you here on your own?" I heard hesitation and interest in his voice and it made me feel hopeful. Perhaps I wasn't the only one who felt such a strong reaction.

"Yeah, it's just me," I said blushing again. What was it about this guy that threw me off so easily? I couldn't stop blushing like a school girl. It was embarrassing.

"And what do you think of the city so far?" Edward asked smiling.

"I love it," I answered, happily moving the conversation on easily. "It's exactly how I imagined it to be. And everyone's been so helpful and friendly."

Back on the tube in London it was like there was some unwritten rule that says you don't speak to anyone else unless it was absolutely necessary or there was some dire emergency. But I quickly forgot about offending anyone else around me with Edward sat next to me. Besides, he seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say. As we continued down the line Edward and I continued to talk and get to know one another better. A few stops passed and the train emptied and we found two seats next to one another.

We spoke about our backgrounds, the schools and universities we went to and our families. I learnt that Edward was 26, a lawyer who'd lived in New York all of his life. He talked about his family a lot which I found endearing. I learnt that his father, Carlisle, was a successful surgeon at one of the city's top hospitals, and that his mother, Esme was a renowned interior designer. He was the middle of their three children and he talked with great amusement about his elder brother, Emmett, who was a bit of a joker. He was forever playing tricks on Edward and his younger sister, who by all accounts was a force to be reckoned with.

In return I told him more about my home back in England and my mother, Renee and my father, Charlie. I talked about how I was a high school English teacher and how I had come to New York on a whim after Angela persuaded me to come for a long overdue visit. I told him about my interests and hobbies and how I was ridiculously clumsy. The only thing I didn't mention was Jake for fear it would dampen my mood.

Not only was Edward gorgeous and kind; he was charming, intelligent and funny. I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed talking to him. I couldn't remember the last time I smiled as much. The last time I had felt anything close to this had been when I met Jake. And look what a disaster that had been, I thought bitterly then cursed myself for thinking about him. This trip was meant to be about moving on from the past.

A few times I considered asking Edward for his number but I cursed myself for being too eager. Just because Edward had taken the time to talk to me it didn't mean he was single or even interested in me in that way. Knowing my luck he probably lived in some huge, fashionable house, with a supermodel wife and perfect kids.

Still that didn't stop me from enjoying spending time with him. I lost track of time when I was with him and before I knew it close to half an hour had passed. I'd missed my stop a long time ago but I couldn't have cared less. I stayed just to keep on talking to him.

It was like we were in our own little world and Edward had started suggesting what hidden tourist spots I should visit when the announcement that we would shortly be arriving at the next station caught his attention.

He frowned slightly and looked hesitantly towards the upcoming station. A moment later he looked back at me with a sad expression. I had a feeling I knew where this was going when he started gathering his things.

"Well this is me." He said, confirming my suspicions.

"Oh," I said disappointed as I felt a strange pull at my heart.

I didn't know what else to say. Suddenly I felt all shy and awkward again. I looked up at Edward, his grin vanished and he looked at me intently. We were both silent for a few moments before he finally spoke up and broke the deafening silence.

"I hope you enjoy the rest of your time in New York. I'm sure you will have a great time."

"I'm sure I will." I tried to smile, but inside I was a mess. I couldn't explain it but now that I'd got to know him, all be it briefly, I was devastated at the thought of having to let him go.

Edward faintly smiled at my statement, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. He stood up and looked as though he didn't know what to say. We stared at one another for a long drawn out moment before he spoke.

"So, I guess this is where we say goodbye then..." his voice trailed off.

I felt my heart sink. "Yeah, I guess so," I replied once again trying to hide my disappointment.

My mouth suddenly seemed so dry. We had talked so freely before but now I couldn't seem to get my words out. For the first time it was surprisingly awkward between the two of us yet for some reason we both seemed to be prolonging the torment with idle chit chat

"It was nice to meet you." I finally spoke. " And thanks again for saving me earlier."

"It was my pleasure, Bella. Do you need any help or do you know where you're going from here?" Edward kindly offered, and I smiled at his thoughtfulness.

"I think I can manage without you," I teased. I was too embarrassed to tell him that we'd past my stop a long time ago.

"If you're sure." Edward studied my face for a long moment. He looked like he wanted to say something else. Then he nodded and after a few tense moments he said, "Well goodbye then."

I felt an unfamiliar tightening in my chest, but I quickly batted my disappointment aside. "Goodbye Edward," I said with a lot more emotion than I wanted to show. I offered him a quick smile before I forced myself to look away.

I thought I heard Edward sigh as he started making his way over to the middle of the carriage, but I couldn't be sure. A few moments later I heard the doors open but even then I wasn't brave enough to look up and watch him go. That would have been too painful.

It was only when I was sure the carriage doors had closed that I allowed myself one final look. I craned my neck to see him through the window and I immediately spotted Edward hovering on the platform looking directly at me. We both stared at each other for a long intense moment. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I wanted so desperately to get off the train and go after him. To get his number, his full name. Something. Anything, that would give me a chance to see him again, but it was already too late. The train had started pulling away from the station.

I saw a look of disappointment on his face which mirrored my own bitter regret. Time seemed to stand still as I sat there staring onto the platform, a sorrowful smile passed over my lips. Tears welled behind my eyes, inexplicably when Edward raised his hand and waved goodbye before the train picked up speed and disappeared around the corner.

Only then did I allow a few stay tears to fall.

Disheartened, I waited until we arrived at the next station before I jump off and made the long and arduous journey back the way I had just come.

Even then I couldn't stop thinking about Edward.

It sounds ridiculous but I felt a connection to him. All the time I was talking to him I thought about the words Angela had spoken to me just a few days ago. 'When the time is right you'll know' she had said. Was that the reason I couldn't stop thinking about Edward?

All the way home I berated myself for being so indecisive and not plucking up the courage to ask for his number. However, I just wasn't confident enought to ask for it. Perhaps it was for the best because no matter how much I wished otherwise, Edward had made no move to ask for my details either.

Regardless, there was no changing it now and it was highly unlikely that I would be bumping into him again any time soon. New York is a big city and I my chances were slim to none. This is real life- not the movies and guys like Edward were one in a million. I had missed my chance. I had to accept that and move on.


A/N: Well guys I hope you liked this chapter. Unfortunately this will be my last update for a while. I'm off to South East Asia for a few months travelling starting next week. I can't wait:)

When I'm back I promise to update more regularly. I know I have a load of stories on the go at the moment so I have started a poll on my profile page of which story/ one shot you'd like me to focus on when I return.

So, if you have the time please take a look and vote. I promise that whichever one wins I will update first!

Finally, thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, added this story on alert or favourite. I'm glad you like where I'm going with this:) Please keep the reviews coming in.

Me x

ps: I decided to change the name of this story, if any one was a little confused:)