Paths Cross

AN: I know I kept you waiting too long! I'm sorry! Things are crazy with school. I have Studio and Portfolio this term and another class on top of that and I have to worry about applying to and finding internships that don't suck, so ya. I hope you understand. But since I've kept you waiting too long I'm posting two chapters tonight. And since I already have the next chapter completed I'll post it tomorrow night for you :D LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! 3 Thanks soooo much! =) lots of love

Chapter 2 - New Beginnings

One year later...

As Betty quickly zipped up her dress, she looked at the mirror smiling brightly. She was so happy that she'd be getting her braces taken off in a month. She couldn't wait. She'd had them way too long. It was time to let them go.

She was definitely proud of herself at how far she'd come in the past year. Sure she was only an intern, but she was living in an apartment in the city, taking care of herself, and pursuing her dreams, kind of. Although she wasn't necessarily generating publications at her job, she was proud to say that she had a few hundred followers on the blog she started several months ago. As she darted into her bathroom, she quickly placed the toothpaste on her brush and started brushing.

She needed to call Hilda to confirm her coming to dinner back home. She hadn't seen her family in weeks and she missed them like crazy. She still couldn't get used to how quickly the time passed when she was not with them all the time. She was looking forward to dinner. Her thoughts were interrupted by Allison, her curiously anxious friend this morning.

"Betty! Come on, hurry! We're going to miss our morning coffee if you take any longer"

"I'm coming!" Betty yelled out to her friend as she tried to pull on her boots all while brushing her teeth and walking out of her room. When she walked out of her room into the small living room of her Manhattan apartment, Allison, laughed at her shaking her head in that teasing way of hers.

"Stop making fun of me"

"Oh, but it's so much fun" Allison said smiling at her with her lovely green eyes flickering with mischief and her smile pinching up to a smirk.

"Why are you in such a hurry anyway, Allison? We still have forty-five minutes" Betty said noting the time on her watch.

"Nothing. I just like my morning coffee. You know how anxious I get without my coffee"

"That's true. There's something else. I know it"

Allison rolled her eyes, but smiled "If you must know, this really handsome guy exits the coffee house exactly as we come in, so we have to go now or else I'll miss him" she said blushing as she saw Betty's huge bright smile on her face. "Ooo, you'll miss him" Betty teased.

Allison shook her head sliding down her black shades to cover her eyes as she turned to exit the apartment, "Now whose making fun?"

"Oh, but it's so much fun" Betty came back laughing as her friend pushed her shoulder causing her to giggle some more.

Daniel slipped on his navy pinstripe pants, zipping up quickly and threw his jacket and gym bag over his shoulder hastily; realizing that he was running late and Amanda would get annoyed with him for the twentieth time this week for being late.

It was their morning ritual before work. Grabbing a coffee together, hanging out in the park for half an hour, before heading into work. Ever since they stopped being fun buddies and just became friends, Daniel really came to rely on her and found her advice and help useful, well at times; sometimes, her seductiveness got in the way of her smarts and gave her really bad ideas.

He'd been sleeping late for the past week trying to work on this presentation that was scheduled for this morning, so he'd been late on more than a few occasions, leaving his friend disappointed and upset.

Like clockwork, his phone rang; first his mother called to wish him a good morning. He found it sweet of her, and tried his best to call her first to beat her to the well wishes, but this past week he'd been too busy to even pick up her calls.

"Mom"

"Is this Daniel? The son that I was in labor with for twenty hours? The one who I haven't heard from in weeks?"

Daniel rolled his eyes. Sure his mother would try the guilt trip. "Mom, it hasn't been that long. It's only been a few days."

"I miss you."

Daniel smiled "I miss you, too, mom. I promise after today my life can go back to normal and we can have our lunches. I actually miss those"

"Yes. I've had to find things to do since you've forgotten about me."

"I promise" He said assuringly. Since he'd grown up and realized he needed to be a better man, when he made promises he kept them, especially to his mother.

"Wonderful. Call me later"

"I will. Have a good day, mom. I love you"

"I love you, too, dear"

Daniel smiled and ended the call, and just as he was about to slide his phone into his back pocket before getting into the town car waiting for him, his ringtone went off; running his fingers through his hair anxiously once he saw that it's a call from Amanda, he accepted the call hoping for the best. He really hoped she wouldn't get mad again. He didn't like upsetting her. Mostly, because she threw things at him sometimes if she was having a bad day or was mad at men and took it out on him.

"Uh...hey" he answered nervously.

"Daniel, look, sorry I'm running a little late. I had to meet Marc and I lost track of time."

Daniel let out a sigh of relief. "Great. I mean uh...sure no problem. Take your time"

"You're late again" she stated knowingly.

He sighed "I'll be there in two minutes"

"You're lucky I'm late today, too"

"I know. Thanks. See you soon"

"Wait, did you make sure to bring the flash drive with the presentation?"

"OH SHIT! CRAP!" he exclaimed.

"DANIEL" she panicked; he was sure she would have hit him if she was standing next to him. Thank goodness he was in a car away from her. He laughed heartily "Just kidding. I've got it."

"JERK! I hate you"

"I hate you too"

"Loser!"

Daniel rolled his eyes as the car stopped. He got out and he could see her walking down a sidewalk carrying two cups of coffee. He smiled "Hey, I see you"

She looked around, but wasn't looking in the right direction. He laughed and started walking "Look to your right" he said teasingly.

She looked and shot him a death glare just before she smiled at him. He grinned waving to her as he approached her, hanging up.

As Amanda was on her way towards Daniel, a woman bumped into her almost spilling her coffee.

"I'm so sorry" the woman said.

"Watch it!" Amanda said with a snarky tone.

"I said I was sorry." the woman rolled her eyes and just walked off.

Amanda walked away in frustration to where Daniel was. "Hey, you ok?" Daniel asked noticing her agitated facial expression. "Ugh, didn't you see that lady bumped into me nearly spilling the coffee all over me. That bitch over there, with the red hair" Amanda said pointing to where she walked off.

Daniel tried to hide his amusement at Amanda's defensiveness looking to where she was pointing to see two young women talking.

One of them had short reddish hair wearing a two piece suit and was wearing black sunglasses, being the culprit of his friend's current frustration;

...and the other had long dark voluminous hair that cascaded down past her shoulders. The yellow dress that she was wearing draped perfectly against her curves. When he caught sight of her he instantly recognized that luminescent metallic smile.

"Anyway, I should be mad at you, but I'm" Amanda started

"Betty?" Daniel cut her off, quietly questioning himself and the beautiful mirage before him.

AN:I really hope you enjoy it! I'm posting the next chapter as well! =D