Hello! Welcome to Episode Two! We're so glad you liked the first chapter and can't wait to share more with you! REMINDER: THIS STORY IS BEING POSTED ON OUR COLLAB PAGE. SEARCH FOR DARLING JILL AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO READ EPISODES 1, 2, AND 3 THERE!
Thanks to our beta Fran for making this chapter what it is, and to our prereaders who spot things we can't see!
Episode Two:
The One with the Real World
Life sure can be funny. Not funny, haha, but funny as in What. The. Fuck?
These are Edward's thoughts as he watches the girl of his high school dreams pace around his sister's kitchen in a tattered wedding gown on the same day his divorce is finalized. The irony in this situation is quite humorous, and on any other day, he probably would have laughed along with the rest of them. But today, he's lost in thoughts of his failed marriage and unprepared to see his high school crush after so long.
He hadn't thought about Isabella Swan in years, not since she crushed his heart the night of her senior prom. He had tried to brush it off, as he was Rose's dorky older brother and always would be, so he went off to college with every intention of leaving the beautiful girl in his past. He threw himself into his classes, and when he met Tanya, he was able to do just that: forget about Isabella Swan for good.
The last thing he ever expected was not only to see Isabella Swan again in his lifetime but also to see her waltz into his life on what was supposed to be her wedding day. He stands by the sink, amazed by the events of the day, and tries to let it all sink in.
One thing is clear to Edward as he watches her, his friends, and sister behind him in Rose's living room as they laugh at the television, making fun of some terrible telenovela.
Isabella Swan is no longer a girl.
She was always gorgeous, in a way that had all the high school boys drooling all over her, himself included. But as he glances at her now, he can't help admitting that the years had been kind to Bella. She's all grown up now; her curves filled out, a sun-kissed glow to her skin, her hair longer and still holding dark waves even after being soaked in rain that has since dried.
Once upon a time, in another life, Edward had dreamed of seeing her in a white dress like he is now. And much like all the other boys in their high school, it was him who he pictured at the other end of the aisle.
Now, not only is he not the groom waiting for Bella at the other end of the aisle, his ex-wife had left him and their marriage for another woman.
Man, how things change.
"Daddy, I can't marry him; I'm sorry. I just don't love him."
Bella's been on the phone with her father for a while now, trying to repair some of the damage done when she ran out of her wedding and left hundreds of Seattle's elite waiting for a bride that would never come.
"Well, it matters to me!" Bella's hand runs down the beading on the bodice of her gown, the material suddenly suffocating her like skin she needs to shed in order to leave it all behind.
Edward remembers Bella's father, Charlie Swan, as well as her mother, Renee. Her family is wealthy, much like his own, and Charlie is a formidable businessman. But Bella, along with his other two daughters, are his pride and joy. They're his princesses, and he always treated them as such, spoiling and doting on them like they were made of gold.
"Come on, Daddy, listen to me! It's like all my life, everyone's always told me, 'You're a shoe. You're a shoe; you're a shoe, you're a shoe!' And then, I just stopped today and said, 'What if I don't want to be a shoe? What if I want to be a purse? Or, or, or a hat?"
Reaching into the vintage fridge his sister continues to insist on keeping serviced, Edward removes a can of soda with furrowed brows while he listens to her conversation.
"No, I don't want you to buy me a hat; I am a hat! It's a metaphor, Daddy!" Her hand flies in the air, one foot stomping the ground in exasperation. She lost the pair of expensive ivory Prada heels the moment she stepped into the apartment building, but Edward knows with or without the pounding of her feet, her father still has no idea what she is talking about.
He leans closer to where Bella stands on the phone in the kitchen. "You can see where he'd have trouble."
Edward doesn't know why he turns to her, leaning in to make the comment. It's been years since he's talked to this woman, and he's all jumbled up from his disaster of a marriage.
That must be all this is. He's forgotten how to interact with women that aren't his sister or Alice. Hell, he'd even forgotten how to talk to Tanya by the end of their marriage. Maybe he should ask Tanya for some advice on how to talk to women without sounding like a complete crapweasel.
Bella continues as if he hadn't said anything.
"Look, Daddy, it's my life." Bella pauses, struggling to take a full breath while listening to her father ask her what she has planned. "Well, maybe I'll just stay here with Rosalie."
All eyes swivel to the woman in question, Rosalie's blonde hair twisted over one shoulder.
"So, I guess we've established she's staying here with Rosalie." Rose's smile is only a little annoyed. She's a nurturer at heart, always has been, and even if it's been years since she's seen Bella, she would never turn her away, especially at a time like this when it's obvious she could really use a friend.
"Well, maybe that's my decision." Bella continues on the phone with her father. "Well, maybe I don't need your money. Wait, wait, I said maybe!"
The line goes dead as her father hangs up, and Bella falls into the chair in defeat.
She had no idea what her plan was when she left Mike at the altar; all she knew, all she still knows, is any life will be better than the one she was about to begin with a man she could never have loved.
f.r.i.e.n.d.s
Bella steps from the bathroom feeling like a new woman. All her worldly possessions are still boxed up at her family's home, waiting to be delivered to the house she was meant to share with Mike. Her sister assured her she would reroute them to Rose's, but in the meantime, she had to borrow some clothes from her long-lost friend.
Her wedding dress will now be hung in the closet of her new bedroom, not as a reminder of her failings but as a reminder of her choice and the strength it took to leave a situation that would have been terrible for her. A reminder that she's stronger than she thought, and whatever may come, she'll make it through.
As she steps from the bathroom, exhaling her worries away, for now, Edward stands from his seat on Rose's couch to give Bella a soft place to land. He feels a sort of kinship with this woman before him, seeing as they're both dealing with failed relationships today, and even the empty hole in his chest won't prevent him from seeing that.
"So, Bella, what's your next move?" Jasper asks, propping his feet on Rose's coffee table. She immediately swipes them down, shooting him a maternal glare he brushes off with a smile.
"Well, I don't know yet. I guess I'll have to get a job," she says, sighing as she takes a seat and throws her head back against the couch.
Emmett takes a seat on the back of the couch next to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you're gonna be fine. And if you need anything, I'm right across the hall. Anytime, day or night. Jasper's there too, but, well, he works a lot, so you can cry on my shoulder free of judgment." He winks, and Bella smiles up at him, certainly in no mood to take him up on the flirting but still warmed by the sentiment, nonetheless. She recognizes there is something sweet and harmless about Emmett, even if hitting on her is his way of showing it.
Rose sits on the coffee table in front of Bella and reaches to squeeze her knee. "You just have to stay positive."
"You know what Lizzo says," Alice announces, dancing around the living room. "I just took a DNA test; turns out I'm 100% that bitch!"
Bella's too sad to laugh, but she has to admit that this group of friends she's stumbled into makes everything a lot less shitty.
f.r.i.e.n.d.s
A little while later, both the kitchen and the coffee table support two boxes of pizza, Emmett's idea, as a celebration of Edward and Bella both starting these new yet slightly bleak chapters of their lives on the same day. The gang assumes it can only go up from here, even though Bella and Edward are hesitant to believe that just yet, but pizza does make everything better.
"So, what are your plans for tonight?" Edward asks Bella in an attempt to fill the awkward silence that stretches between them.
"Well, I was supposed to be packing for my honeymoon in Aruba, but…" She replies sadly, discarding her crust in the nearly empty box.
"Fuck, you're right; I'm sorry. Although, you know, you don't really want to be in Aruba this time of year," he scoffs. He tries to think of something horrible about the typically beautiful island. "Talk about your...big lizards."
The second the words are out of his mouth, he feels like hitting himself. No wonder Tanya decided she liked women more.
Not just any woman, of course. Fucking Irina. He should've known all along.
"But hey, the guys are coming over tomorrow to help me put my new furniture together; you're welcome to join us," Edward offers.
"No, thanks, I'm good. I'll be tired from job hunting, I'm sure." Bella appreciates the offer, but she hardly knows Edward, and she really doesn't know Jasper and Emmett at all. She'd rather be with Rose.
Part of him is a little sad to hear it. He only asked because it looked like they both could use each other's understanding right now, but it will be nice to have some guy time. Then again, maybe she doesn't want to be the only girl.
He turns to Alice to see if her coming would sway Bella's decision.
"Okay, Alice? Do you wanna come help?"
"Oh, I'd love to, but I don't wanna." Alice retorts, spinning toward the sink.
That's that, then. Guys Night In it is.
f.r.i.e.n.d.s
There's just a moment of dread when Bella drifts from sleep the next morning, like the sensation of clouded confusion that hits you when you wake up in an unfamiliar place.
For just a brief second, she thought she would have to roll over and face Mike, her new husband.
When the reality that she had escaped that future washes over her, she smiles and stretches her arms over her head. No birds are chirping, no sun is shining through the window in the heart of Seattle, but she still feels more relaxed than she ever has in her life.
Finally dragging herself from the comfortable pillow-top mattress Rose had provided her, she tosses her hair into a messy bun, throws on a red silk robe, and makes her way to the small kitchen.
Bella had never made coffee by herself before. It was always waiting for her when she woke in the morning, brewed by her parents or one of the staff employed at the house. So, she sets to work scooping the fragrant grounds into the filter like she had witnessed so many times before, filling it nearly to the top.
Surely that will be enough to make a decent pot of Joe.
"Good morning, sunshine," Rose announces behind her. When Bella turns to look at her friend, she almost rolls her eyes with how annoyingly perfect she looks this early in the morning.
There's no denying it; Rose looks damn good. That hadn't always been the case.
"Stop looking at me like that," Rose teases, crossing her arms over her ample chest with a grin on her lips.
"Like what?"
"Like you can't believe I lost all that weight I was carrying around."
"It's not that! You know weight is just a number, anyway," Bella laughs. "You're happier now. You were always pretty, but shit, Rose."
Rosalie rolls her eyes, taking a seat at the kitchen table. "Yeah, well, we can't all be happy and beautiful our whole lives. Some of us have to work harder for it."
"Oh, stop it," Bella swats her arm. "Thanks, Rose." She adds with sincerity.
Rose glances up, her icy blue eyes meeting the deep chocolate of Bella's. "It's not a problem, Bell. I've missed you."
The two of them had grown up together, were exceptionally close, but had drifted away after college, which happens. Regardless, seeing each other has landed smiles on both their faces as they sit at the table in the kitchen.
Bella squeezes her shoulder just as Emmett and Jasper come bursting through the door, arguing about something or another. Unlike Bella, they're dressed for the day, despite the early hour.
Thank goodness Bella had the forethought to make a whole pot of coffee.
They all melt into companionable conversation while Bella pours them her first batch of self-made coffee before Jasper speaks.
"So, Bella, big day of job hunting ahead, yeah?"
"I suppose," Bella sighs. The thought is both daunting and exciting.
"You have any leads? Special skills?" He continues.
"Oh, let's see...I was captain of the cheer squad, homecoming and prom queen, and proud member of a sorority in college. Does that count?"
"In Sims, sure," He muses sarcastically.
"Then, no. No leads."
"Well, you made coffee! People get paid to do that all the time." Emmett offers as Bella sits the cup down in front of him. He smiles before bringing it to his lips. One sip of the bitter liquid that has the texture of tar tells him she will not be earning her stripes in that particular job. But he keeps his mouth shut and chokes it down so as not to discourage her.
The rest of the gang doesn't offer the same comfort, but luckily for them, Bella is distracted by Alice skipping through the door, her skirt flowing around her ankles and a bright smile on her face. "Morning, beautiful people!"
Rose, Jasper, and Emmett mumble through the swill in their mouths, discreetly searching for places to discard their drinks. Jasper and Emmett empty their cups into the plant on Rose's kitchen table, nodding to each other without words to buy Rose a new plant before she notices.
Shortly after, Edward comes through the door, his eyes immediately finding Bella and offering a small, polite smile. They all exchange pleasantries before beginning to head out for the day.
"So, what, you all have jobs?" Bella asks, looking around at her new friends all dressed in various ways for work, with the exception of Rose.
"Yeah, that tends to be how bills get paid," Jasper quips.
"What do you all do?" She knows Rose is a chef, but aside from that, she had been too caught up in her own troubles to learn about the others.
"I'm a masseuse," Alice announces.
"Paleontologist," Edward offers in a bored tone, knowing that though it may be his passion, others rarely find it interesting.
"I'm an actor," Emmett says, smiling in a way that shows every one of his straight, white teeth and the dimples that frame his mouth.
"Oh yeah? Anything I would've seen you in?" Bella muses.
"Have you seen the off-Broadway version of Pinocchio?" Jasper asks.
Bella shakes her head while Emmett punches Jasper in the arm, and Jasper lifts himself from his chair, pleased he was able to rile people up before his workday started.
"Well, I gotta get to the office. You know what they say, if I'm not there to enter those numbers, it...doesn't really matter."
"Yeah, I've got an audition to get to," Emmett adds.
"Don't forget, Em," Jasper immediately begins dancing, flailing his arms and legs like a puppet on strings. "Once I was a wooden boy, a wooden boy, a wooden boy," he sings, dancing out the door with a grumpy Emmett on his heels.
This is how they start their workday, with little jabs and jokes from friends to get each other ready for whatever comes their way.
Bella could get used to that and is determined to find one of those 'job things' for herself.
f.r.i.e.n.d.s
Later in the day, Perk's Place is much sunnier than yesterday, the rain long since chased away and the gang's usual spot filled with everyone besides Bella. When she finally breezes in, she's carrying a bag, and her face is lit up with a wide smile.
"Great news, guys!" She announces.
Edward snaps the book in his lap shut, straightening his spine in alert. "You got a job?" He asks excitedly.
"Are you kidding me?" Bella scoffs. "I'm trained for nothing! I was laughed out of twelve interviews today."
"Well, you're surprisingly upbeat," Jasper teases.
"Well, you would be too if you found designer boots for half off."
"Oh, how well you know me." Jasper deadpans, and Bella laughs but ignores him.
"Oh, stop. These are my 'I don't need a job, I don't need my parents, I've got cute boots' boots."
"Uh, Bell?" Rose hedges.
"Yeah?"
"How did you pay for those boots?"
"With, uh," Bella's face falls, her fingers running along the handles of the bag. "With Daddy's credit card."
Seconds later, she finds herself sitting at the table in the coffee shop with her new friends surrounding her with determination written all over their faces.
"Okay, cards on the table," Rose demands as Edward heads to the counter to get a pair of scissors.
"What? Why?" Bella exclaims.
"You're never going to be able to move on if you don't do this."
Bella fishes her wallet from her purse, her chest constricting at the thought of this step, making everything just a little more real.
Alice plucks the expensive leather from her hand, flipping it over and unceremoniously dumping all the cards on the table in front of them just as Edward returns with the scissors.
"Cut," he commands, quickly followed by the others repeating his word.
"Cut, cut, cut, cut," they chant.
Bella snatches the scissors from Edward while Rose picks up one card at a time.
One by one, she severs all her ties to her past.
Card by card, she reclaims her independence.
She's terrified.
She's thrilled.
She's...strangely sick to her stomach.
When all the cards are shredded, no more going back, a tall, tan man approaches the table, his teeth flashing as he leans down next to Bella.
"I'm sorry, did I hear you need a job?" He asks.
"Yeah! Yes...yes, I do," Bella responds.
"I'm Jacob," the man holds his hand out for her to shake. "I'm the manager here, and I'm in dire need of a waitress."
He had been won over by her big, brown eyes and long wavy hair the moment she walked in the door. Maybe it was a low blow to prey on her when she was so clearly desperate, but he didn't care much, as long as he got to keep seeing her smiling face every day.
"Really? Oh, that would be great!" Bella cries, grabbing his arm in excitement.
"You're hired. Be in here by 8 AM tomorrow so Jane can train you," he winks before he leaves, Bella sighing with relief as soon as he's gone.
Edward isn't thrilled about the looks that had been shot her way, but he's happy for her. She deserves good things. He can only hope his life will start looking up soon, too.
"Welcome to the real world," Rose offers, throwing an arm around Bella's shoulder. "It sucks. You're gonna love it."
The real world DOES suck. But we love this little corner of the world right here! Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! Follow our collab page, Darling Jill, to read Episode 3! It's already posted :)
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