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"So you've gone out twice? And you're still not hitting that?" Alice asks while we eat lunch.
"It's too soon. You know, because of...of Mike."
"Right. Mike." She looks at me skeptically. "Like you are missing that action. And I'd so be hitting that Riley. Hard. Rock hard, and long...like his co-"
"Alice," I interrupt. "It's only been a little over a month since Mike. And I know you'd hit that...with a flogger or whatever."
"You know me too well," she sighs. "And FYI, Jasper loves it. So what if it's been like a month, it's only been three weeks since you flew out there to hook up with your teenage summer fling, you hussy."
"I flew out there to see Edward...and hooked up with the other Edward." I laugh at how ridiculous that sounds. Alice joins me. It must be the margaritas. Or my crazy life.
"Slut. With your cross-country affairs and underwear models."
"Jealous. Riley asked me to this charity ball on Valentine's Day. Maybe you can help me find a dress."
"Like I give a fuck about clothes." She snorts and motions to her outfit, which consists of a velour track suit and flip flops - to her credit the suit is pink and bedazzled. "You need to get out of the clothes and jump on that."
"And you call me a slut. If you're nice, I can get him to sign a poster for you."
"Can you get video of him walking around in his jock? That'd be hot. I bet he has to wear an extra large one to fit all his junk. Have you felt it?" She leans forward like I'm going to spill a secret…or maybe to eat more chips and salsa.
"We only hugged...and he kissed me goodnight. I don't usually grab cock while saying goodnight," I retort.
"Prude. Well, you kissed at least. You didn't tell me about that. Was it better than Airport Edward?"
"Nothing is better than that," I say with a dreamy sigh. I take a bite of my lunch and regain my composure so I don't sound like a fangirl. "Riley was a gentleman. It was a very chaste kiss."
Alice makes a face. "Chaste kisses suck. And not in a good way."
"It was nice," I insist. It's not a good sign that I can't come up with a better way to describe a kiss with a man I'm dating. I had more sparks with Mike, and that was like kissing a friend. How pathetic.
"Nice doesn't curl your toes, Bella. Now Jasper, that man knows where to put his tongue-"
"Anyways, unfortunately, the man that curls my toes is like two-thousand miles away in Seattle. And that will never happen again." I sigh and push my plate away. "Crappy salad. I should have gotten something else. With meat. And cheese."
"Which guy do you mean? And by the way, this double meat burrito is fuckawesome."
"Edward...I mean both Edwards. Fuck, this is confusing. I have these feelings for radio Edward, but this strange pull to airport Edward."
"Talk about double meat. Maybe you can have both of them. We can research where that's still legal. Maybe Vegas." She laughs. "But I notice that you aren't talking about Riley. You know, the guy you are actually dating?"
"Oh yeah."
"Um, yeah. The famous major league player slash heartthrob." Alice is no longer teasing. I can see the worry in her face as she scoops a chip into the guacamole.
I pause, trying to think of the reason why I haven't jumped on Riley. He's gorgeous, eligible, charming, and judging by the attention he's giving me, seriously interested. There's only one thing missing. And unfortunately, it's the most important thing of all.
"There's just no...magic."
"And the others...they have it." It's a statement, not a question that comes from Alice's mouth.
"Like Harry fucking Potter."
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"Where's the butter?" Alice asks with her head in the fridge.
"On the door. Do you think I should wear my hair up or down?" I ask my best friend. It's probably useless, but I extend the courtesy. She did agree to help me get ready. I'll just pretend she offered in spite of the drinks and snacks I promised, and the fact that Jasper is out of town.
"Let me see the dress...You got sausage? Wait, maybe later you'll get some." She snorts as she turns to look at me.
"Didn't you already have breakfast?" I ask, rolling my eyes.
"Yeah. But this is brunch. Go put on the dress, and I'll pretend to care what you're wearing tonight. If you're lucky, I'll share some sex tips. You probably need some since you're all 'like a virgin' again."
"Yes, me and Madonna. But unlike her, I won't be doing any baseball players tonight."
Alice closes the fridge and looks at me seriously. "Bella. What's holding you back? This is the third date. You know you're supposed to give it up tonight. You never heard anything from either Edward, not that you helped matters by giving the airport dude your name or anything. It's time to move on."
"I-uh," I struggle for words to describe how I'm feeling. I'm not exactly in a love triangle. Only one side is actually showing interest. "We'll see what happens...I don't know why I can't let this go. I'm trying, Al."
"Ok, Bells," Alice says softly. She knows not to push. "Go put on the dress. I'll be waiting. This fucking sausage is taking forever to cook."
After a few minutes, I walk out and Alice smiles. "I really love this dress. I've never worn anything like it."
"I do declare, that dress is serious business, Miss Scarlett. You're covered in more blue tulle than all of the Miss America contestants combined. And your boobs look fierce. Riley's going to want to fuck you or motorboat your boobs or something. "
"Thanks, I think." Though I really don't want him touching my boobs. Maybe I should tuck them in or whatever. "So hair up, or down?"
"Up, I think. With curls. By the way, what's the charity you're supporting? Jasper said we should make a donation. There's a silent auction, right?"
"Yeah," I say, pinning my hair up in front of the mirror in my room, "the auction list is on my desk. I can bid for something you want."
"Crap," I hear her call out. "I just dropped all your mail behind your desk. Sorry."
"It's ok, Alice. I do that all the time."
"Damn, Bella. You have some more mail stuck back here."
"My mail is always sliding back there. One time I lost my visa bill. That sucked."
A moment later she comes rushing into my room.
"Ohmigod, Bella. You have to see this. It was stuck under the leg of your desk. I found it when I moved the desk out to grab the mail I dropped."
She hands me the letter. I gasp when I see the return address.
Seattle, Washington.
It's from Edward Cullen.
"Holy shit. He did write me back." I scan the postmark - more than two weeks ago. I've been dying over here and he actually wrote me? Thinking that he didn't even care that I wrote him. Maybe it's just a "thanks for writing, but I'm taken" rejection. Is he waiting for me to respond? Fu-uckk me. I tear it open before I can freak myself out any more.
Dear Isabella,
There seems to be a million ways that I could start this letter...
My eyes tear up as I read the most perfect letter. He's sort of rambling, just like I do. I laugh at his cowlicks comment, though I don't remember him having any. And his words...they touch my heart yet again. He's been thinking about me - like I've been thinking about him. I find myself sobbing.
"Alice..." I choke out, "he agreed to meet me at Disneyworld on Valentine's Day!"
"Bella, that's today! What time?" she shouts.
"Gah! Noon! Shit, it's...nine-thirty! I'll never make it...Alice?" I stand there, freaking out. I wave the letter and envelope and something flutters out...the picture!
I scramble to grab it out of the air before it falls to the ground, but I'm not coordinated enough. It falls at Alice's feet. She picks it up and glances at it.
"Christ, Bella. He's gorgeous. You weren't exaggerating," she says in wonder. "The kid is cute, too." She hands it to me.
"It's him...Edward..." I gasp. A strangled noise escapes me. The man in the picture is the man in my dreams.
"Of course it is. It says it's from Edward Cullen," Alice says, concern in her eyes. "What's wrong, Bella? You've seen him before at his house playing with his son."
"No, Alice. That wasn't Edward that I saw. It was someone else. This picture...It's my Edward...from the beach...from the airport...from the radio...oh my god. He's the same person." I bend at the knees, trying to catch my breath. All this time...the boy I met, the man I kissed, the voice I heard...
"You are fucking kidding me. The guy you made out with is the same Edward from the radio? This is a sign. You have to go. Now!"
"I'm going to miss them," I wail. "I'm not going to make it."
"You better get moving, then. You're lucky you drive a Porsche." She grabs my keys off the table as we rush to the door. She shoves my purse at me and wishes me luck. "Go get him, Bella. This was meant to be. It's too freaking crazy not to be real."
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"Welcome to Walt-" says the smiling woman before I interrupt her.
"One, please." I throw my credit card at her.
"Are you sure you're at the right entrance, miss? The characters enter at the south gate."
"I'm not an employee," I say impatiently.
"Oh," she looks me over with a raised eyebrow, "I guess someone was shopping at the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique in the 'big girls' section, huh?"
"Can you hurry, please?" I roll my eyes. I don't have time to be polite. She hands me my card and ticket and I rush through the gates. I ignore the strange looks...I realized two hours ago I was wearing a poufy ball gown while driving ninety miles per hour on the Ronald Reagan Turnpike to meet my first love. Yeah, I'm not exactly the picture of sanity right now.
I look up, searching for the top of the castle. I'm late...and I can't stop for directions. I grab the bottom of my dress and run towards the pointy blue spires I see above the trees. Crowds of people line the street...kids with ears and balloons and dressed like pirates. This is supposed to be fun...but I'm frantically trying to find them and not crush small children with my stilettos.
"Mom, look! It's one of the princesses!" a little girl shouts and points at me as I run by. I wave at her and keep running. I'm nearly there.
Out of breath, I finally reach the side of the castle. I hurry towards the front, searching the faces. There are tourists posing for pictures, someone selling cotton candy and frozen bananas...but no Edward, no Jacob. I run around awkwardly – my foot hurts…where's my shoe? - still hoping to see them. But they aren't here.
I've failed.
I collapse on a bench, numb, with my dress billowing around me. I hear the joyful strains of "Someday My Prince Will Come" and I choke out a sob at the painful irony. Not today, Bella. No prince, just...a bare foot – with a big ass blister. Great. Those shoes cost a fortune.
"Mommy, why is the princess crying?" a little girl asks. I turn to look at her anguished face. Her mother gives me a dirty look and mutters something about reporting me for ruining her visit.
Just try it, lady. I drove three hours in a ball gown for nothing.
My hair has fallen out of my up-do, and my face must be streaked with tears. I'd probably scare him away if he saw me, I think bitterly. I'm a crying mess at the Happiest Place on Earth. I pull my phone out of my purse to call Alice. I need her to talk me out of this mood before the Mickey police arrest me for being such a downer.
"Alice," I cry, "I drove as fast as I could. I looked everywhere. But I'm too late."
A hand gently tugs the phone out of my hand.
"No, you're not."
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End Notes: Reviews are like meaty burritos…or sausage. Stuff our box with some.
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