Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. The original content including, but not limited to, the ideas, plot line, characterization and intellectual property of this story are owned by OliviaRising. August 2010.

A/N: This was a very hard chapter to write! I hate making Bella gloomy and whiny, and I hate making Edward seem like a complete jackass. This chapter is definitely a downer, so watch some Office afterward! ... but review first, of course!

As always: Review = Teaser

A Beautiful Melody

Chapter Eight

Sunday passes with no word from Edward. I desperately want to call him, but that would seem... well, desperate. He should make the first move... but this is the twenty-first century, so it would be perfectly acceptable for me to call him... right? He's contacted me everyday since that fateful conference last week, but now- nothing.

And what was up with the formal good night? No kiss?

So, in lieu of spending the day pathetically waiting for a call from Edward, I give Alice a detailed play-by-play of my night with Edward.

She is just as bewildered by his mercurial attitude as I am. And now, instead of encouraging me to pursue him, she not-so-subtly hints that maybe I should set my sights on some one else... like James... ugh.

But, I don't want anyone else. I want this beautiful, mysterious man.

And as I try to fall asleep on Sunday night, my only comfort is that I will see him tomorrow.

But then Monday turns into Tuesday and before I know it, it's Thursday and I still haven't heard a word from Edward. He told me that we would be working 'closely' on this project, but I haven't seen him once in the four meetings we've had this week.

I meet with the team from Cullen Enterprises daily and, instead of Edward sitting at the head of the conference table, Angela seems to be filling in for him.

I constantly question where Edward is or if he will be joining us, but each time I get a nebulous answer.

It's becoming pretty clear that Edward won't be very hands on with this project, and I can't help but fear that it's because he was too hands on with me.

Does he regret it?

Each time I walk into Cullen Enterprises, I hope I run into him. I have a vague idea of where his office is located, and during the meetings, I find myself daydreaming of stomping off to his office, throwing the door open and demanding an explanation for his distance.

But, instead, I sit quietly during the meetings, jerking my head up each time someone enters the room- it's never him.

When I arrive home on Thursday evening, my fifth day without contact from Edward, I'm in full withdrawal. My head is filled with his image... his scent... his voice... but when I open my eyes, reality comes crashing back.

Alice tries to distract me as best as she can, but he's all I can think about. When did this fantasy crush become all-consuming?

I constantly wonder what he's been doing... who he's been doing, and its driving me insane! I am not this kind of girl! I have never been so infatuated with a boy... a man, and I have to say that it's not how I want to live my life.

I try to convince myself that all I want is closure, to know why- I'm willing to act professionally, so why can't he? It's not like I didn't warn him that this might happen, but he just brushed it off- and now look at what's happened!

I thought... I don't know, I guess I thought he actually liked me. He always seemed so interested in me... with those piercing eyes... and he said he was attracted to me, but I guess that isn't enough.

"Don't worry Bella, he's not irreplaceable. Men are falling over themselves to be with you- all you have to do is chose. Who cares about Edward Cullen? He probably has herpes!"

I smile weakly at Alice's attempt to lighten the mood, but my heart's just not in it. Edward is irreplaceable, at least to me. No man has ever made me feel the way that he makes me feel... made me feel.

And the worst part is knowing that he is purposefully avoiding me, like I'm some bad rash he can't get rid of. I'm like that drunken one night stand that constantly haunts you because, the next day, you find out she works at the same office... except I didn't even get to sleep with him!

So I spend Thursday night drowning my sorrows in Alice's homemade margaritas and promptly falling asleep with my head filled with images of emerald eyes and bronze hair. Even in my dreams, I can't escape him.

I begin my Friday morning with a pounding headache and a painful heartache. I don't have a meeting with the Cullen Enterprises team today, so the chances of seeing Edward are pretty much nil.

With my hangover making it difficult for me to even think, I decide not to go to work until later. I spend the morning recovering on the couch, sipping steaming coffee.

By the time I arrive at work, I have thirteen missed calls and an obscene amount of emails that need immediate responses. Jacob has decided to send me a delightful email demanding reports and schedules for this and that, and he once again warns me not to screw up the project with Cullen Enterprises. I wonder if he would be happy or angry to hear that Edward is studiously avoiding me. He probably could care less, as long as the project is fine.

At the bottom of a pile of mail that has been stacking up all week, there is a cream envelope containing an invitation to a charity banquet from a competing company. For tonight.

Shit! Because of my week-long pity party, I have completely forgotten that I have to attend this dinner! Normally, I'd have the option to back out, but since I'm Jacob is in London, I have to go in his place!

I immediately call Alice and she picks up on the second ring.

"Alice Brandon for Nylon Maga-"

"Alice! You have to help me!"

"Bella? What's going on? Are you in trouble? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine- I just completely forgot that I have a charity banquet tonight! I don't have a date... I don't even have a dress!"

"Okay, calm down. Don't worry about the dress, you can use the one I picked out for the charity gala. As for the date, why don't you invite that guy James? You two were pretty hot and heavy at the club on Friday..."

I inwardly groan- not that guy again!

"Alice, he was a creep! And even if I wanted to invite him, I don't have his number... or his last name!"

"Fine, fine- I'll cancel my plans with Bethany from Glamour and you can take me as your date. But you owe me big time!"

I breathe a sigh of relief. Now I wont have to suffer through another insufferable work-related event alone. Alice makes everything entertaining.

"Thank you, thank you! You are the best friend a girl could have!"

I can practically hear her smiling on the other end.

"I know- now let me get back to work!"

I am still smiling as I hang up the phone until another thought assaults me- Edward will be there. I mean, he has to be... it would be a big insult to the company hosting the event if the CEO of Cullen Enterprises doesn't show up.

Will he ignore me? What will I say? I should slap him!

… But all I want to do is kiss him...

I hate how pathetic I've become in the span of a week.

I arrive home later than usual and Alice is in full hysterics.

"How could you do this to me, Bella! We have to be there in less than two hours! Two hours! You're still in your work clothes and your hair... ugh! Could you have at least tried to put in some effort this morning?"

I can't even defend myself before I am shoved into the bathroom.

"I don't want to hear your excuses! Now take the quickest shower of your life or I will literally come in there and help you!"

She makes "help" sound synonymous with "kill", so I shut my mouth and do as she says.

When I exit the shower, my skin is clean and pink from the furious scrubbing I subjected it to. Alice is waiting for me in my room wielding scary-looking hair utensils- she's taking no prisoners.

We decide to leave my hair down in long, luscious waves, and to keep my make up light and smokey. Alice has chosen for me a one-shoulder, shimmery green gown with a high slit on one thigh. The bodice is form-fitting before flaring out, and is cinched at the waist with a thick gold belt. (A/N: Link on my profile.)

I almost don't recognize myself when I look in the mirror- the woman staring back at me looks like she belongs on a red carpet or a runway. I actually look... sexy.

Edward Cullen, eat your heart out!

Not to be outdone, Alice is wearing a strapless, light blue gown with a sweetheart neckline and a cinched waist. The draping elongates her and she looks stunning... as usual. (Link on my profile.)

We hail a cab and arrive at the banquet with fifteen minutes to spare. It is a grand affair, as to be expected, and everyone is dressed to the nines. The banquet hall is decorated luxuriously with gold drapes adorning the windows, almost a hundred round tables topped with intricate centerpieces, and spacious area of wooden flooring, presumably used for dancing.

This whole affair will begin with the dinner, so Alice and I quickly find our assigned table near the 'dance floor'. The other guests at our table seem friendly enough, but mainly keep to themselves. I notice that each company does not have it's own table because I see several employees of Black Corporations scattered around the room.

I try my hardest not to peruse each table too thoroughly, lest I see Edward- I just can't handle that right now.

Before the dinner is brought out, the host makes a little speech at the podium set up at the front of the room. He says the usual stuff: thanks for attending, here is how you can leave a donation, etc. This year's charity banquet will benefit underprivileged an understaffed schools- a worthy cause... better than Peregrine Falcons, if you ask me.

I have the delicious Sea Bass, while Alice is stuck with Jacob's steak. We chose our preferences months ago, so we can't change our orders. The steak is huge and easily more than Alice eats in entire day, and combined with the appetizers and the promise of dessert, Alice barely eats a quarter of it.

Dinner is a smooth but long affair. Our dinner companions don't seem eager to make any small talk with us, so Alice and I just chat between ourselves. She raves about her job, and I am slightly jealous that she gets to meet so many interesting people.

After the dessert, people begin leaving their tables and wandering around to others. Groups of people are scattered around the dance floor in mini cliques, while Alice and I keep to ourselves at the table.

We people watch for a little while before becoming exceedingly bored. I eventually leave the table to get drinks from the open bar, while leaving Alice fiddling with the tablecloth, bored out of her mind.

The bar is located on one side of the room, and is crowed with people keen to take advantage of the unlimited supply of drinks. I wait at the side of the bar because the bartender is obviously overwhelmed by the plethora of requests being thrown at him from all directions. I have thus far managed to keep from searching for a familiar bronze head, but now, standing with a bird's eye view of the entire banquet hall, I can't help myself.

The room is large and crowded with people, so after a few minutes of attempting to scan the myriad of haughty faces, I give up. In the short time I've spent perusing the banquet hall, more people have managed to push their way in front of me and I am now even father away from ordering than I was when I first came over here.

I glance back at our table, hoping to catch Alice's eye, and I am surprised to see that my seat has been filled by a tall, blonde man. I am even more surprised to see the face-splitting grin that has taken residence over Alice's face. I can only see the back of the blonde man's curly head, but I can definitely see Alice talking animatedly to him while making frantic hand gestures.

I'm happy that she has found someone to entertain her, but I can't contain the sigh that escapes me... or the bitter thoughts. Of course, charismatic Alice would find some charming man to divert her all evening while I'm stuck behind an ever-growing line for drinks. Now what will I do for the rest of the evening? I can't go back to the table... I would just be a pathetic third wheel...

I sigh in self-pity and glance around the room once more.

And there he is, in plain sight... his perfect lips molded to another woman's. A gorgeous, amazonian woman. Not a blonde this time- no, a fiery redhead.

And my heart shatters.

I can't breathe. I desperately try to drag air into my lungs, but they seem to have stopped working. My eyes sting with unshed tears as blink in vain to contain them.

The drinks and bar forgotten, all I can think about is escaping from this banquet, escaping from this suddenly suffocating dress, escaping from him.

The only thing worse than witnessing the scene that is now permanently etched into my memory, would be making a scene and catching Edward's attention.

I force myself to push aside the hurt and pain bubbly up inside of me, and focus on getting the hell out of here.

The large doors of the entrance are all the way across the room and seem miles away in my frazzled state. Wasting no time, I begin the daunting trek across the room, the doors my guiding beacon. My purse is lying on the table next to Alice, but I don't bother retrieving it. She'll just have to bring it home with her later.

I keep close the walls, trying not to attract any attention, but when I am just a few feet from the door, Alice's editor eyes spot me.

"Bella! Where are you going?"

Her loud voice pierces through the din of the room, and I feel as though she can be heard around the world. In reality, only a few people hear her and turn toward me but in the corner of my eye, I can see the bronze head lift itself from the redhead and swiftly face my direction.

I feel like someone is shining a spotlight on me, though most of the onlookers have turned away and rejoined their respective conversations.

But four pairs of eyes remain trained on me.

Brown, blue, hazel, and green.

Heat spreads throughout my entire body and I don't know if I should cry or scream.

Without my consent, my eyes find Edward's and the shock of his face twists into guilt and something else I can't place when he registers the heart-wrenching pain on mine.

My body instantly switches into instinctive fight or flight mode. I choose flight.

Tearing my eyes from Edward's searching ones, I quickly dash through the huge doors and fling myself into the warm New York City night.

I don't allow myself a sigh of relief until I am finally ensconced in the safety of a yellow cab. I want to break down, I want to cry, I want to scream, but I somehow find the strength to hold it all in until I reach my apartment.

Wait! Before you start lighting your torches and sharpening your pitchforks, remember that things have to get worse before they get better... at least in this fic!

Hmm, what is that other emotion in Edward's eyes? Who's the male blonde? Who's the redhead? Will Alice forget Bella's purse? Is there still a dinner roll in it?

Let me know your thoughts!

Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! Keep them coming!

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xXx Olivia