Chapter 4! I hope that everyone likes it :)
When I arrived home, Charlie was in the living room watching TV. A smile spread on my face when he saw me.
"How was your first day? You look beat," he chuckled.
I sighed and plopped down on the couch. "I am beat. It was busier than it was supposed to be. It's going to be exhausting working there."
He looked worried for a moment. "Do you think you will be able to handle it…now?"
I knew what he was trying to ask. He was asking if I could handle this kind of pressure since my "break down" as my mother referred to it. According to her, I was unstable because I had flunked out. She had called a few times since I had come to Washington to ask my father about my "condition". Did I really come across as a mental patient?
"I'm fine, dad. It's really not as bad as I'm making it out to be." I smiled at him reassuringly. "I really like it there already."
He seemed relieved and asked me if I liked the people I worked with so far. I smiled and nodded.
"I'm sure I'm really going to like every one there."
***
The remainder of my training week went by without any real issue. I got the hang of it all very quickly and even remained calm during the Friday dinner rush. Best of all, Edward and I had become fast friends. I had worked everyday with him. He was always asking for my help on things, or just screwing around and standing at the host stand with me. Sofie didn't like that too much
He and I talked a lot during our breaks too. It turns out that he went through something almost exactly the same thing I had during his first year of college. He had been at Dartmouth and had just sunk into a kind of depression when he was there. He had been accepted with a scholarship, but things just went wrong and he started failing his classes. He begged his parents to let him come home, and they had agreed. He had transferred to a school closer to home, and he lived in a cottage in the far corner of his parents' expansive property. They didn't even make him pay any rent, and gave him the privacy he needed.
He was a very sarcastic and jovial person too. He was constantly picking on me for something, but I really didn't mind, I liked spending time with him.
And somehow, he had given me a nickname. Jellybean.
I don't know how it happened, but he called me it one day and it stuck. It made me feel warm inside every time he called me Jellybean. I think I probably liked it more than I should.
***
It was Sunday now, and Sofie was having some sort of lunch promotion. I had to be there early to help set up all of the decorations and help get the restaurant in shape for the amount of people that would be coming in and out. There was even a clown and face painting in the parking lot. My dad was planning on stop by, as well as Alice. But then again, she was probably coming to size up Jasper some more.
I was standing near the front, next to the host stand; with a helium tank blowing up God knows how many balloons. Sofie was losing her mind, like always, fretting that things wouldn't be ready in time. She was also yelling at Jasper and Emmett, who, instead of cleaning tables and rolling silverware, they had gotten into rag-snap war. They were chasing each other and whipping the other with the end of a dishrag. It would have been more amusing if Sofie wasn't screaming so much.
I was about halfway through the bag of balloons Sofie had handed me when Edward appeared at my side. He slung an arm around my shoulder and smiled at me. I did my best to contain myself at the contact.
"How's it going with these balloons, Jellybean? I think you might float away when you go outside with these." His eyes were dancing with humor as he grinned down at me.
"Edward, it is in no way easy to blow up these balloons and tie them when you are standing like that. You are crushing my arm to my side." I elbowed him lightly in the ribs. He groaned and clutched his side in agony. I rolled my eyes and laughed at him.
He glared at me playfully. "I'll get you back for that, you mark my words."
I just laughed at him and he ducked his head to suck some helium out of the tank.
"You said that your dad was coming to visit?" His voice was high and squeaky, and I could hardly take him seriously. I was giggling almost uncontrollably when I answered.
"Y..yes. My best friend said she would stop by too."
"Oh right, because she has it bad for Jasper. She's already been here two times since you started. She should just ask him out. I'm pretty sure he will say yes."
I narrowed my eyes at him and poked him in the ribs. "Do you have inside information, Edward Cullen?"
His eyes became wide and his face was the picture of innocence and shock. He was too good.
"Why, I have no idea why you would think that." I just shook my head and continued to blow up the balloons.
People were streaming in and out slowly, most of them going straight to the counter to eat breakfast, so I didn't really have to seat anyone yet. Every once in a while I would have to seat someone, only to come back to Edward sucking helium out of the tank, or having disappeared with my bag of balloons. He was really being a trouble maker today.
I had finally finished the first bag of balloons, when Sofie appeared with another bag, exclaiming that she "needed people to see the restaurant from the street!" I didn't have the heart to remind her that the building was right on the street anyway. Edward was back now, and we were chatting about the classes he had taken this last semester. He had been hesitant to talk about school when I had first told him I'd dropped out, for lack of a better term, but I assured him that I really didn't mind hearing about it.
The front door opened again and I didn't even have time to look up before Edward grabbed me by the waist and hurled himself onto the floor behind the host stand. I was jolted to the side, but stayed up right, grabbing the tank of helium for balance. I looked around bewildered finally finding him curled up between the cabinet by the host stand and the host stand itself, essentially blocking him from everyone's view, except mine.
"Edward, what the hell…"
"Bella! SHHHHH. Pretend that I am not down here!" He was whispering frantically.
I stared at him confused for a moment before shrugging and continuing to blow up balloons. A few more people trickled in and sat at the counter.
I finally chanced a glance at him and found him exactly as he was before, except now, his eyes were closed. I abandoned my balloons and knelt down in front of him. I poked his knee.
His eyes shot open in alarm, before settling on me and relaxing.
"Care to explain why you hit the deck?"
He turned and peaked over the top of the cabinets and his whole body visibly relaxed. He turned back to me and smiled sheepishly.
"I thought my ex-girlfriend had walked in. I swear that girl looked just like her. I really did not feel like having her start a fight with me." He smiled and then got to his feet, brushing off his pants.
"Oh," was the only reply I could muster. His hand appeared in front of my face, offering to help me up. I took it, and he pulled me up quickly, nearly flush against his body. I froze, looking up into his face. His lips were right at my eye level, and I became mesmerized by how pink and soft they looked. Then his tongue came out to wet them.
A voice cleared from the direction of the front door, and my eyes snapped away from Edward's lips and I jumped back from him. Alice was standing, with her elbows leaning on the host stand, grinning evilly at me.
"Oh, hi Alice." My voice came out all wistfully and breathy. I inwardly groaned. Alice would surely be cornering me later.
"Hello, Bella. I stopped by a bit early. I'm glad that I did." She winked at me.
"I'm still setting set up. You can sit down anywhere, and I will come see you in a minute, okay?"
Her face was still smug and knowing, and I rolled my eyes at her.
"Uh, and I should probably do something productive too, before Sofie kills me. I'll help you tie the balloons outside, Bella." Edward had stepped back another step from me and started towards the cluster of balloons closest to him.
"Sure. I'll be outside in a minute." He smiled again and disappeared outside.
"Well aren't you two adorable." Alice was giddy and attempting to scope out Edward through the glass on the front door. "He's cute, Bella."
I rolled my eyes. "You've seen him before. Or maybe you haven't, you have probably been to busy ogling Jasper to notice. And we aren't adorable. I'm just an idiot." I sighed and shook my head when she started to ask a question. "Listen you can pick on me about this later, but I really need to get these balloons tied outside. Jasper is the section near the south window if you want to sit and hit on him."
Her eyes lit up and she smiled before heading towards Jasper's section. I sighed again and grabbed a bunch of balloons before heading outside. Alice would be begging me for information the moment she got me alone. I groaned. That was going to be fun.
***
Sofie's lunch promotion was a big hit. We were incredibly busy and everyone had a great time with the clown and face painter. My dad had stopped in for a quick bite, but I hardly got a chance to talk to him, it had been so out of control. But he stopped on his way out and told me that he would have dinner ready when I got home. I smiled at him and he disappeared into the sea of people waiting to be sat.
Edward and I didn't say anything about what had happened before by the host stand. I didn't expect him to bring it up. There probably wasn't anything to talk about.
At about 4:30, it finally slowed down enough that I sat down. Edward had gone home at 3 and the last hour and a half had been boring with out him. I was not looking forward to a day when I would have to work with out him. It was bound to happen at some point.
Apparently, Alice had gone shopping after she had lunch, and was now bursting back through the doors, with her sights set on me.
"Finally! You are finished. It's time to talk." She flopped down across from me letting her bags fall to her feet. "Why didn't you tell me you had a thing for that waiter? What's his name?"
I sighed, accepting my fate. "His name is Edward, and before you freak out, there's nothing going on. We are friends, sure, but I highly doubt that he even thinks of me as more, so just don't even go there and depress me." I gave her a pleading look.
She looked at me for a minute, before sighing and nodding. I got my stuff together and we started to leave before she stopped and squealed.
"I forgot to tell you! I can't believe I forgot this! Jasper asked for my number! Ahhh!"
I hugged her and laughed. "Oh my God, Al! That is so exciting! I hope he calls right away!"
She squealed a little. "Oh me too! Oh I can't wait!"
She linked arms with me and we strolled into the parking lot. When we got to my truck, she spoke again.
"I know you don't want to hear it, but you didn't see what I did when I walked in. And let me tell you, he is most definitely interested."
"Alice." I shot her a look.
"Okay, okay. But just think about it. I know when two people are about to kiss and you miss, were about to kiss him…"
"Alice!"
"Fine!"
I glared at her before getting in my car and driving away. I instantly felt bad for yelling at her and storming away. I wasn't mad at her, I was just mad at myself getting my hopes up. I really wasn't in a place in life where I could deal with rejection. I would just have to admire Edward Cullen from a far.
I dialed my cell phone to apologize.
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