Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my OC


I smoothed out my skirt, standing up from my crouched position by the smaller desk. I was just picking up some of the papers the kids had left behind. School had already ending, I was just cleaning up while I waited for Kathy to get back from a staff meeting. Usually I would go with her but once a month, the teachers on the new hiring committee would meet to discuss the potential candidates and every month I felt a little more stressed as May approached. May was when they'd make their final decision.

I took a deep breath, shaking my head. Even if I didn't get the position, it would be okay. I could find another job. I if I didn't get the job then I had essentially just failed at my entire career choice and would be working at a bookstore for the rest of my life, alone, in my late grandmother's house. Yup, would be completely fine with any outcome, totally and completely fine. I was glad when Kathy came back into the room, interrupting the mental spiral I was about to go on.

"I told you to go home"

I shrugged, looking at her innocently. "I was just clearing some things up" I put the papers down on her desk in the corner, turning to her. "How did the meeting go?"

She rolled her eyes, "It's not May yet, Coraline"

"I know, I know"

"So, go home" I knew she was right. I couldn't worry about what I couldn't change.

"Fine, fine, I'll go home," I admitted, knowing I couldn't argue with this woman to save my life. "Have a good weekend" I grabbed my bag, pulling it over my shoulder. I heard Kathy repeat the sentiment to me as I walked out the door.


"You're just stressing out for no reason" Ben said, flicking through a stack of papers. We were going through the receipts for orders. "You know you're going to get the job, just stop worrying"

I frowned, "But I don't know that for sure, there are other qualified people out there"

"Yeah, that's true and probably with more experience too" he said, and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You aren't making me feel better" I deadpanned, tossing a crumpled receipt at him. He dodged it easily, throwing me a look.

"You didn't let me finish, there are other people out there but there aren't a lot that want to work in the town of doom and gloom" I had to admit that he had a point.

"I guess you're right about that, but I can't help but still feel nervous"

We both heard the entrance bell ring; it was Carlisle. I gave him a smile as he entered.

"Doctor Cullen," Ben called him over, "Can you tell Coraline that she's stressing out over nothing?" I looked at Ben, rolling my eyes as the Doctor eyed the two of us with amusement.

"Don't listen to him!" I said, laughing. "I have a perfectly valid excuse to be stressed"

He raised an elegant eyebrow, "Is this about your teaching position?"

"So, she talks your ear off about it too?" chirped in Ben and I shot him a glare, breaking out into a laugh after a moment. I turned back to Carlisle who was looking at me with a soft smile.

"You're going to get the job, Coraline" Carlisle's eyes shined gold and I couldn't help but stare into them. They really were beautiful. His words were oddly soothing, I had heard the same sentiment more than once from multiple different people but it was different coming from him. I believed it when he said it.

I shook my head, looking down at the desk and tucking my hair behind my ear. "Thank you, Carlisle"

"So, you listen to him and not me" Ben said, jokingly.

"Well, maybe I just don't listen to people who have yet to finish their pile of receipts" I said gesturing to his large pile. I had finished mine while him and I had been talking earlier but Ben was a bit less good at multi-tasking. I smiled, turning back to Carlisle. "Are you here to pick up your order?"

He nodded, and I told him that I would just grab it from the back. I came back a few minutes later, book in hand. "You know I think you've bought more books here within the last two months than any other customer"

"You have my children to blame for that"

"Well, I couldn't possibly punish them for reading, not as an aspiring teacher anyway" I said, ringing the order up on the cash register. I smiled. "Plus, you ensuring my job security, so it all works out for me in the end"

"Yes, it had proved to be quite the tradeoff"

"Just don't go broke from buying too many books" I reminded and he looked at me with a smile playing on his lips.

"I don't think books will be my economic downfall"

"You never know, it'll be $9.95 by the way" He got out his brown leather wallet, giving me a ten-dollar bill. I slid the book with his change over the counter to him. "I hope Edward or Alice enjoy the book"

"I'll see you next time, Coraline"

"See you around, Carlisle" I responded, watching as he walked out the front door. My eyes lingered on the door for a few moments before Ben's voice brought me back.

"You and the doctor are on a first name basis now?" He looked up from his receipts, Ben had stayed silent for the second half of the doctor and I's conversation, just listening instead.

I shrugged, "We're friends"

Ben gave me a disbelieving look. "You like him"

I nodded, "As a friend" I specified.

"Oh, come on don't lie"

"I'm not lying!" I defended. "I don't like him in any more of a capacity than I do any of my other friends, plus he's married, isn't he?"

Ben looked at me with a questioning look, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "Doctor Cullen isn't married, he's not even dating anyone, it's widely known"

As the words came out, my mind did a mental back step. "What?"

"Did you assume he was this entire time?" he asked, putting down the receipts in his hand. I nodded slowly, still considering the information. "Well, no wonder you haven't gone after him"

I looked at him, wide eyed, shaking my head. "No, it still changes nothing" He gave me another disbelieving look and I shook my head. "Married or not, him and I are and will only ever be friends"

He shook his head, seeming to give up. "Whatever you say, Coraline"

"I'm going to start unboxing the new arrivals in the back" I said, going into the back room.

All the while I was thinking about what Ben had told me. He wasn't married. Carlisle wasn't married. My goodness, Doctor Carlisle Cullen wasn't married. This really was a shock. I would have thought he was with someone, anyone, but to be unattached, that was a different image than I had in my head this entire time. I couldn't believe it. He was just so wonderful, I couldn't understand why he didn't have someone. It's not like many women weren't throwing themselves at him, I thought, thinking back to being at the hospital at him. That day, almost all the women and men were just enchanted with him as I suspected almost everyone who came into contact with the good doctor was. Maybe, I was too, but I wouldn't let it get to me. Him and I were friends, like I told Ben, and that's all we would ever be.


Hey, so I just wanted to let you guys know that the timeline of things is a bit off because while I have read all of the books, it's easier using the movies as a reference point for plot points. It's just much faster for me to check what happened where rather than having to re-read an entire book, I just wanted to let you guys know that. As always, tell me what you think of the latest chapter!