A/N you know what ? I love you guys :) please note, I am not drunk

I'm justin a very good mood. So I'm giving you the next chapter a few hours earlier than I would usually. Woop Woop. Here go's...

Still (October 12th/15th 2016, New York)

It is Tuesday. I am sitting in my office reading a tattered old copy of Persuasion when I here a rapping noise on my door.

"Come in," I say without looking away from my novel.

The door opens.

"Hey Bella." I look up, it's Geoffrey.

"Hey Geoff, everything okay?"

"Yeah everything's fine; I just wanted to ask you something."

"Sure, come on in. Take a seat." I place my book on my desk and gesture to one of the seats opposite me. Geoffrey walks over and sits himself in one of the chairs.

"So what's up?" I ask.

"Well you see I have this friend, Ryan, and we're setting each other up on dates, so I was just wondering if you'd be at all interested. I think you'd really like him."

I think for a moment. I don't want to hurt Geoffrey's feelings, but I'm really not into the idea of going on a date. But, then again I might get a free meal out of it, and it's only one evening.

It is Friday. Tonight I am going out to dinner with Ryan. I am in my taxi, headed towards an Italian restaurant on 31st Street. I am wearing a dark purple, knee length dress with a black shawl. The sun is just setting and the day is warm. The taxi pulls up and I pay the driver before climbing out and entering the restaurant. I approach the maître d' and he smiles warmly at me.

"Can I help you, miss?"

"Yes, I believe you have a reservation under the name Genson?" He scans his list.

"Ah yes, Mr Genson has already arrived, I shall escort you to his table." I smile my thanks and follow him through the quiet yet crowded restaurant to a table at the back occupied by a man in a navy suit. As we approach he stands and holds out his hand.

"Hi, I'm Ryan."

"Hi, Bella. It's nice to meet you."

"It's good to meet you too."

We sit and Ryan orders a bottle of white wine for the table. While he is talking I take in his appearance. There is no denying he is good looking; he has a sort of Caribbean look about him - tanned with dark hair and eyes, though when he speaks he does so with a slight British accent. An accent that inclines towards a wealthy upbringing, perhaps.

The waiter leaves and Ryan turns to look at me.

"So, where do we begin?" he says.

"Truth be told I have no idea, I'm not good at the whole dating thing. Especially blind dates."

"Ah trust me; I know exactly what you mean." We laugh nervously and our wine arrives. The waiter pours us each a glass and leaves the bottle along with two menus.

"So where did you grow up?" I ask.

"Surrey, in England. My Father is a judge, and my mother is a poet. They met when my father was on holiday in the Bahamas thirty years ago, and they've been together ever since."

"Wow, that's more impressive than my parents." I was definitely right about the wealthy upbringing.

"How so?"

"Well they were high school sweethearts, got married almost straight after graduation… and then divorced when I was a baby. My dad's a police officer and my mom's a kindergarten teacher, and she's remarried with another kid."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Well these things happen," I answer with a smile, feeling that I need to lighten the mood somehow.

"So what do you do?"

"I'm a stockbroker, wonderful I know," he answers rolling his eyes "but it seemed like a good idea at the time, and I've always enjoyed maths. Truth be told I can't imagine myself doing anything else now."

"I feel exactly the same. I never saw myself becoming a shrink, but now it just seems so natural and right."

"What got you interested in psychology?"

"I'm not really sure… I just found it so interesting in college, learning about the way people think and stuff… and making peoples lives easier is a big bonus too."

"I'm sure it is."

I smile and pick up my menu, not sure what else to say.

We order: cannelloni for me and calzone for Ryan.

We spent the evening discussing our favourite bands, films, books and then Ryan pays the bill, though I offer to pay for my half.

We exit into the warm evening and decide to walk a few blocks before getting a cab; it's such a nice evening.

Our conversation is smaller now; almost all the topics are used up. After a while I tell him I am tired. He hails a cab for me and helps me inside. I thank him for dinner and a lovely evening and we say we'll call each other though neither of us means to do so.

The taxi pulls up in front of my building and I pay for the ride. I slowly ascend the stairs to my third floor apartment, my back slumped. I slam my door closed and through myself onto my red couch face first.

Angrily I begin to pummel the cushion beneath my head, grunting indiscernible questions and insults to myself.

What was wrong with me? Ryan was perfectly nice. He was smart, he was funny, and he was handsome and successful. So why the hell was I being so difficult about this?

Why didn't I want him?

The image of my prom photo flashes in my head and I nod, as if to say "yes that's why. That's why I don't want him. Or anyone else for that matter."

I am now twenty-five years old, he left seven years ago... and I still love him.

A sob breaks free though I try to restrain it.

"Edward… oh Edward. I miss you so much. Why did you leave? I love you, Edward." My words are mushy and confused, but in my head they ring as clear as a bells toll.

I will never fall in love again. Not now. No one could ever come close to replacing him. But yet, I'm still alone. Lonely. I want to have someone to share this rotten life with, someone to make me smile. Someone who won't leave me, who will always want me back.

And suddenly the answer is right in front of me.

A/N ahahhh cliffie :)

reviews? try and guess what she's going to do, I want to see if you can get it :P.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love you all :)

Sasha :) xx