THE FRIEND

" Black dress--checked, black heels, shined--checked, borrowed purse from Alice--checked, eye brows plucked-- painfully checked, legs waxed-- again, painfully checked....."

Bella silently checked her date prep list in her head as she climbed up the stairs of the student low-cost housing building where Alice and her shared a studio apartment.

Propping her backpack on her right shoulder, Bella tried to reach for her cellphone on her back pocket as she felt it vibrating, indicating an incoming call. She checked her screen and smiled.

" Hi Jake!" She greeted the caller with enthusiasm.

"Oh Hi Bells! Just checking in if we're still okay for tonight?", Jacob asked.

" Sure! I won't miss seeing you buddy! It seems like ages since I last saw you…….unless, you have other plans..." Bella asked, now feeling uneasy.

" Of course not! I really want to see you too Bells! I've missed you. I haven't seen you since Charlie's......", he paused awkwardly .

"I'm sorry, didn't mean to dampen the mood...." he apologized.

" Hey, it's okay, its been what, almost two years? Everyone has to move on." she said faking a memory lapse.

The truth is, Bella missed her Dad every single day. She talks to his picture often before she goes to sleep, telling him about her day. Alice said that she should stop because it's making her more depressed but she just can't. Until now, everything still seems unreal. Maybe that is also the reason why she haven't visited Forks since she left for University. Coming home will just make everything real, and she's still not ready to face it. To face her anger.

" Okay.... don't forget its a dress and tie event, so put on your knock-out dress, I have to impress my friends. I fucking boasted that I know the prettiest girl here in New York and I'm bringing her as my date, so you better clean up well!", he teased.

" Ha!ha!", Bella rolled her eyes.

" You better not made a wager on that, because I won't lend you money! Who are these people anyways?"

" Oh, they're agents and publicists, all those marketing peeps. It's actually a 'getting to know and be hired' party for people in my line of work, so yeah, I have to make an appearance and see if I can get myself a gig. After that we can leave and have a quiet dinner. You know, try to catch up...", Jacob explained.

" I can't believe I hear you say ' my line of work'", Bella imitated his voice.

" Jacob, you're seventeen, you're supposed to be in school..."

" Well, things happened. Anyways, I'm just saving money for University because, unlike you, I'm not scholarship worthy. Besides, I'm really enjoying it, with all the attention and what not! ", he exclaimed.

Bella laughed. " Okay, okay, I'll get off your back. For now. I'm in front of my door now, so I'll see you later at 7?

"Yes, I'll pick you up at 7",

"Bye"

"Bye buddy!", Bella said as she unlocked her door.

She was still smiling as she put her backpack on her desk. Bella's mind started to wander towards Jacob.

" I wonder what he looks like now?", she thought.

Granted that his face is everywhere nowadays due to the Levi's print ad gig, she still cannot believe that that hot piece of male donning only very tight jeans off the big billboard in Manhattan, is the same kid that she knew since she was five years old.

Jacob has always been her number one fan. He would follow her everywhere and would do anything she asked. When they were kids, it was cute and funny, but as they grew towards their teens, Bella noticed that for Jacob, it's more than just friendship. At first, she blamed it to male adolescent hormones and considered his crush on her as 'sweet'. But as Jacob became more obvious of his attraction to her, she started distancing herself from him. She barely saw him during her last two years in highschool and the last time they saw and actually spoke to each other, they were both preoccupied with more important things.

But here they are, two years after that incident, they are going out on a date for the first time.

" It's long overdue", Alice have said.

Alice is Bella's best friend. They've known each other since middle school, when the Cullens arrived in Forks from Chicago, giving the small town their one and only on call physician. Dr. Carlisle and his wife Esme, brought their two kids to Forks, when Esme inherited a big piece of land from her grandparents as well as a couple of business establishments in Port Angeles, the closest city to Forks, with "real shops and boutiques", as Alice reiterated. At first, they were supposed to stay short-term, just enough time to dispose the properties. To the town's delight, Esme experienced a big blast from the past and encouraged her husband to permanently relocate to Forks. Since Dr. Carlisle rarely objects his wife and loves the slower pace that Forks offered, the family permanently relocated to one of the wettest town in continental U.S.

At first their son and daughter were not happy about it. They were both used to busy and lively neighborhoods, unlike Forks wherein it seems like everyone goes to sleep at 5. Aside from that, because there's nothing much to do, people tend to be nosy. Charlie used to say that if you belch on the cafe after a hearty breakfast, by the time the waitress give you your bill, Eric already printed it on his tiny Forks Forum for that day's publication. Because of that, it is also one of the safest towns, or so Bella thought...........

Getting her self out of dreamland, Bella shook her head and went to check the fridge for messages.

Bella,

Be sure to use the home facial kit I gave you before your date. It will give a natural rosy look on your face that Jacob would surely drool over! I'm so excited for you girl! It's about time to sell yourself towards the opposite sex and what's more exciting then to start with a model with rock hard abs!!!!!!! Make sure to TELL ME EVERYTHING after!

Ali

P.S. Someone called about a job inquiry you made. Can't really remember the name of the guy but he sounds cute and he wants you to come for an interview. Said the agency forwarded your resume to them and they are interested. He said to call the agency for details. Hey, didn't know you were looking for a job, or are these one of your pissed off episodes after Mike tried to grope you again while serving coffee to customers? Just kidding , NOT:)

Bro called as well, seems he needs a shoulder to cry on. Since he knows I'll kick his ass and rub it in his face, he called looking for you. Goodluck with that.

Luv yah!

The moment Bella read the message about Edward, she forgot everything else.

Edward Cullen. Alice's older brother, and Bella's long time secret love. Bella is Edward's Jacob. Fortunately, unlike Jacob, Bella has been great in disguising her real feelings in the form of friendly banter and annoyance with Edward, that until now, have no clue about her real feelings towards him. No one knew that Bella literally worships the Cullen boy wonder; not even Alice.

For Bella, Edward is the perfect epitome of perfection. Whatever flaws or wrong decisions he made are always because of some outside influence or distraction, not because of his own weakness or plain stupidity. He can do no wrong. He is so perfect in Bella's eyes that she's always worried that he'll notice. That others will notice. That's why, as her feelings towards him got stronger as they got older, Bella began acting as one of his buddies, one of his boys, in order to mask what she really felt inside. And Edward being the perfect guy that he is, embraced Bella as his right hand gal, trusting her with every detail of his life, even things that he doesn't even tell his closest male friends. For Bella, that was enough. Enough for her to know that among all his friends Edward treasured her the most.

At one point, she thought that Esme might have noticed when she barely made it to the door before she broke down and cried when Edward informed her that he's coming home for thanksgiving with his girlfriend from University. At that point she knew that she's not number one in his list anymore. She knew that it's serious because Edward never brought a girl home, something that gave her hope.

She was proud that she's the only non-Cullen girl that Edward brought home and introduced to his parents, not minding the real reason that she actually needed medical attention that time because Alice practically knock the air out of her when she hit her with a softball while the Cullen siblings were playing at their yard as Bella was walking towards their door to drop off the basket of cookies that her grandma baked.

It gave her comfort that his relationships in highschool are all too shallow to require meeting the parents until that point. To make it even worst, that girl is the same reason why, since that time on, Edward spent less and less time with Bella. Although he always refer to her as his best friend, now, he only remembers her when he needs something or when he's down. Yes, he does call and check on her from time to time, but gone were the days wherein they would just hang out and do nothing or talk and talk about nonsense.

And Bella, being a masochist in love, she treasured those moments wherein he would open up to her about his relationship, telling her that although Victoria can be a bitch sometimes, she's really nice and that his family don't get it and its only her, his best friend Bella, who understand. Sticking to her role as the good 'ol friend, Bella would remain quiet and would pat or hug him as he complained about everyone and everything going against his relationship with Victoria, eventhough Bella know for a fact that Victoria is only nice to her when Edward is around and she would usually snicker or give nasty indirect comments about her to Edward's other friends.

Shaking that memory aside, Bella dialed Edward's number.

The phone rang on the other side. By the third ring, someone from the other line picked up the phone.

"Elloooowww", Edward mumbled.

" Edward, is that you? Are you okay, did I wake you up?", Bella asked.

" Behlaaahhhh! My sweeet little behlaaahhhhh, I missed you!", he slurred.

" You're drunk, what's going on?"

" Oh nothing, just caught Victoria with James, so we're over"

Edward said nonchalantly and he started laughing.

" I fucking caught them Bella, right in the middle of it and I just stood there. I'm such a looser. I should have listened to Alice. To you. I know you don't like her although you're not as brutal as my little pixie. I should have followed my instinct. I knew that something's going on but I tried to ignore it because he's my fucking friend, MY FUCKING FRIEND! Edward shouted.

He then threw the phone across the room and the line went dead.

" Edward? Edward! Shit!"

Bella called again but the line was busy.

There was a slight elation when she heard that Edward and Victoria are done but it was short-lived because her concern for Edward won over.

She then grabbed her wallet and keys.

On her way to the door, she called Jacob and got his voicemail

" Hey Jake, it's Bella. You see, I got an emergency so I can't make it tonight. I'm really sorry. something came up.........school related....have to take care of it by tonight...", she lied easily.

"Maybe we can go tomorrow? Let me know. Sorry again"

And then she hanged-up, all the excitement for the date forgotten. Now her focus is Edward and how to get to his apartment as quickly as possible.