A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I received some great advice from one of my reviewers and I was trying to apply it this chapter. Hope I accomplished it. Oh and everyday we get closer to New Moon the movie. It's so close I can almost taste it. lol. You can tell i'm excited right, but who wouldn't be.

Chapter Five

It was finally Friday and some how I had survived my first week. With only a few mishaps I had even finished the Merger files with time to spare. And though I did sacrifice a few hours of sleep last night, it still felt great to have everything ready for Mr. Cullen when he arrived. He thanked me with few words and left the office. Me, on the other hand was running back and forth between my desk and accounting. When Angela said I would be on Jessica's shit list she hadn't been joking. I had seen the girl more than I had Mr. Cullen and by the time lunch came around I felt like worked for her instead. Thank god I didn't. I wouldn't have been able to survive that.

Angela, and another girl from resources met me at a restaurant around the corner where they were telling me of all the girls who had quit because of Jessica and her side kick, Lauren down in Foreign Affairs. I hadn't met her yet, but from what I heard she was even worst than Jessica. The food at the bistro was great, lot's of flavor and money. I choked when I saw my bill and sweet Angela had tapped me on the back. Assuring her that I wasn't on the verge of death, I rummaged through my purse for my wallet. Where in hell did white cheddar chicken linguine cost forty three dollars a plate? And the glass of iced tea was six dollars per cup. If I had known there were no free refills I wouldn't have order it again and again. I begrudgingly handed over my card to the waiter and prayed that it wouldn't come back declined. Biting on my bottom lip, I watched the waiter walk away. Continuing to watch him behind a small counter toward the back of the restaurant, I pretended to listen to Angela talk to Nickie while I was more interested in the dark haired guy laughing with another waiter as he swiped our cards. I kept praying that it wouldn't come back rejected or even worst. Over drafted. When Matt returned with our receipts neither Angela or Nickie seemed to even notice their bills. They just signed off their stubs and gathered their things.

I rushed straight to my computer when I returned to the office and logged into to my online bank account. I was dreading seeing my balance but I had to know if I had anything left in order to pick up some dinner tonight. I was biting on my nails as I waited for the page to load. Please, I pleaded. Don't be in the red. Over draft fees were a killer.

When the screen popped up, I literally tumbled out my chair. I hit my forearm on the edge of my desk on the way down but I didn't notice the pain. This was a mistake, I thought as I gawked at the computer. I persistent to stare at the screen until I couldn't put it off any longer.

Composing myself, I logged off and stumble to the double doors. I took a deep breathe before knocking. There is a simple explanation to this. I would just clarify the situation and everything was going to be fine. Everything was going to be fine, I repeated. And even though I spoke the words when he called for me to enter, I could still feel the beads of sweat on the back of my neck.

"Mr. Cullen," I began. I could hear the uncertainty in my voice as I stepped forward.

"I'm not sure of what happened but there most be some mistake with my pay check," I stated. He continued to work on whatever was in front of him, not bothering to look up.

"What's the matter with it?" I swallowed the bulge that formed in my throat.

"I think there has been a misunderstanding," I stated clearer than I thought possible.

"Because there can be no way that I was paid 7,000 dollars for a weeks worth of time." he stopped what he was doing, and eyed me.

"Is that what this is about?" Oh great, now I had made my boss mad. First I was stealing money and now I upsetting my boss. I was surely done for. I should just pack my things, and leave with the small amount of dignity I had left.

I nodded. "I'm sorry but I wanted the issue to be set straight before I was accused of anything." I admitted with as much assurance in my voice as I could gather. He sat back and a chuckle escaped his lips. I wasn't expecting that.

"Bella, weren't you listening when I went over your salary?"

"I was, " I spoke softly. The truth was I hadn't been listening. I was still in a daze that I had gotten the job. I didn't hear much after that.

He smiled again.

"The amount is correct, Bella." He stated with a pleased look on his face.

"Really?" I asked. Nodding, he grinned.

"Are you sure because I don't want to get into any trouble later." I added.

"You won't get in trouble. It's yours. You earned it." I felt the sides of my mouth pull up. OMG, I had made seven thousand dollars in one week. Forget dinner tonight. I'd finally be able to afford rent and my bills. And I'd actually be able to buy gifts this Christmas, maybe even fly home for thanks giving. My smile broke out into a full on grin now.

"Bella?"

Things had turned around so much and it was all thanks to this man. This handsome and generous man. I glanced at him and realized he was staring at me.

"Huh,"

"Are you okay?" My face turned red and I knew he would notice it under my sheer skin. I nodded and looked away.

"Ok but don't forget you also get an additional paycheck every two weeks." Shaking my head up and down, I nodded to show that I understood. It hit me then. I stopped.

Wait?

What did he just say?

An additional pay check! I twisted around to face him again.

" Are you telling me there's more!"

Heading home I stopped by the grocery store feeling a happiness that words only could not describe. I bought everything I had wanted and could never afford. And after I pack those away I went straight to my land lady and paid the rent. She was surprised to see me hand a check to her. Usually she had to search high and low to find me around the 1st of the month but that wasn't going to happen any more. Not only was I getting paid 35 dollars an hour, but I received an additional two grand for also being his personal assistant. No wonder Jessica had wanted the job so bad. I went to bed that night with out a worry in the world.

I rose the next morning bright and early just for being in a great mood. I called up Alice and told her to meet me at a small restaurant near her condo. She sounded surprised but she agreed. I arrived smiling from ear to ear.

"You look happy." She sounded annoyed.

"I am!" I said taking a seat. She looked so small sitting in the oversized chair, like a child.

"You must have gotten laid," she chuckle. My face lit up.

"Nooo," And now that I thought about it, I realized I hadn't had sex in months, too busy trying to find a way to live.

"Then what is it? Don't you think it's a little early for a Saturday morning." she frown and yawned. Too bad, I thought. She did it to me, this was just pay back.

"Oh come on, it's not that early," I stated right when plump brunette came to take our order.

"So how's the collection going?" I asked when the waitress disappeared.

"It's going. I think I'll be done just in time."

"You worry too much," I stated. " You'll be done in no time, and it's going to be gorgeous. Just like everything you touch." I smiled to reassure her.

"If you say so," she said taking a sip of her water. Alice was one, if not the most talented person I knew, not that I knew all that many people. She had no reason to doubt herself.

"And what about you? Are you going to tell me why your so happy?"

"It's nothing in particular," I voiced still grinning. " Can't I be happy?"

"No," Alice muttered. I laughed. Finally things felt like they were falling into place. Finally. Maybe it wasn't a completely stupid idea to have moved here. After all I had met some great people and I had come to know myself better than I had before.

I visited the almost completed store with Alice after breakfast and it looked amazing. She already had mannequins dressed and counters and racks full of clothes. I didn't see what was left to do.

"You said you hired some people already, didn't you?" She turned to glanced at me.

"You don't listen to me, do you?" I chewed on the bottom of my lip. I wasn't sure how to answer that so I didn't. Suddenly I heard the ding from the door and we turned towards the front. In the doorway was a huge man pulling off a pair of sun glasses. He had dark curly hair and board shoulders. He was would be a perfect football payer, I noted.

"Emmett," Alice stated from beside me. Did she know this man? Did I, his name sounded oddly familiar? Not that it was particularly common.

"Sup Alice," he grinned showing he had great big dimples. It was hard not to find him cute after that but I got the feeling like I had seen him somewhere before. I just couldn't place it. He had already made his way to us with too much grace for a guy his size.

" Who's your friend," he gestured to me with the shades in his hand.

"This is Bella, that girl I was telling you about," I shook his hand, smiling sheepishly. What exactly had Alice told him? And she had plenty to tell, that was for sure. Four months was long enough to rack up a number of embarrassing moments.

Then Alice turned to me.

"This is Emmett, my brother. The one I had to ditch you for," I then realized that this was the brother that had come into town recently. The football star. Maybe that was were I had seen him before.

"Hi," I greeted.

"Nice to meet you,"

To be siblings, Alice and Emmett looked nothing alike. Alice with her short black hair, and child like features, while Emmett was just large in general. In fact the only thing they had in common was that they both had the palest of skins. Even more so than my see through epidermis. Emmett glanced aground the shop.

"So this is it,"

"Yep," Alice sounded, with a loud pop when she pronounced the P.

"Nice," he commented touching a navy top hanging on a shelf.

"Glad I got your approval," Alice rolled her little eyes.

"Hey have you guys eaten, because I'm starving." He grinned patting his flat stomach.

"Yeah we did, should have been here when I called you." Alice rejoiced, dancing around the counter to continue what she was going. She was putting together a pair of green and purple curtains for the front window.

"Oh come on, Alice humor me,"

"Nope, sorry. I told you not to be late." She huffed. Emmett grinned.

"It's not my fault," he pleaded and it was odd seeing a man his size beg to someone as small as Alice. I wondered who, in fact was older. "Blame it all on Rose."

She sighed. " I don't know why I'm upset. I knew you were going to be late." Of course she did, because she was a strange little future seeing voodoo women. Not literally but she always had a way of knowing things, things before they happened.

" So what's the problem," Emmett asked throwing his hands up. I liked it, the way they bickered. Just like siblings did but you could tell that that they loved each other. I smiled. Never having any brothers or sisters, Alice was as close to a sister to me as anyone could get.

"Oh come on Alice, cut him some slack," I added. She glanced up at me and I turned away, rolling my eyes. She could be dramatic sometimes. Maybe fashion wasn't her only forte. Maybe she'd take up acting as well. She would do great. I truly believed that if Alice wanted to do anything, even it was becoming an astronaut, she would be great at it.

"Fine," she sulked, but not even I believed her.

Se gave in, and even though we had eaten breakfast a few hours ago, we took an early lunch. Emmett was something else. Fun and boyish with a sense of humor that you either got or didn't. It was great when you did. I listened to him tell me dozens of embarrassing stories about a younger Alice, only to have her retaliate with her own stories. Through out their tales, they kept mentioning their other brother, Eddy. They didn't say much else about him, but he sounded extremely complicated. I didn't worry about it too much. Would probably never meet him anyways?

Yeah, it's Emmett. He is one of my favorite characters in the Twilight Saga, him and Alice. I enjoyed this chapter, enjoyed writing it at least. Hope you liked it too. Review and let me know what you thought.