A/N

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or Edward Cullen for that matter (*sigh*)

I want to thank stacygirl, volleyplayer for putting my story on alert. It means a lot to me.

Also, ignore the chapter numbers in the first 4 chapters. I messed up, which is why it may seem chapter 4 comes before chapter 2. Ignore all of it, just continue reading in the serial in which the stories have been posted on

You may have noticed that I, like loads of other people, name my chapters on songs. Some of them might be cheesy songs, but I have a wide taste in music. I basically listen to everything besides rap and hip-hop. So enough with the blabbering, let me get back to the story.

Chapter 5

Edward

I had a bad day at work.

Who am I kidding?

Every day is a bad day for me. But this particular Thursday made to the top even in my list of messed-up days, which is saying a lot.

I had just come up with another idea for the Insurance Company's commercial we have been working on since the last few weeks. I thought I should keep it simple.

A kid turns 10, and was really hoping his dad would buy him the video game he'd been eyeing at the store for days. Surprise! Turns out, his dad got him an insurance policy, instead of the Playstation. He starts whining and labels his 10th as the worst birthday. When his dad slips into a coma 6 years later after a major car crash, and the kid is still in school, the insurance comes in handy.

I knew it was all dramatic, and actually quite sappy, but I had nothing else in my mind.

So I got up from my chair and walked out of my room, and someone ran right into me.

'Oh, Edward, I am sorry I didn't see you,' Lauren Mallory replied, batting her eyelashes.

I refrained myself from rolling my eyes. Right, she didn't see me. She has been seeing me through an X-Ray tube ever since I started working here.

'Never mind, Miss Mallory,' I replied curtly.

'Oh, but you should, you know, and how many times have I asked you to call me Lauren?'

She kept following me as I headed towards the Head of Creative Department's room.

I turned back and snapped, 'Well, I am sorry but I have to go and discuss some ideas with the Head now.'

Dumb girl, she couldn't even understand that I wanted her to leave me alone.

I could not wait for her shallow mind to grasp my words' meaning and went inside the office room.

I shut the door behind me and walked forward to the desk placed at the far end of the room.

'Stephen, I just came up with a new idea for the commercial for the Insurance Company,' I said.

Stephen Mallory looked up from the files he'd been studying and eyed me. He was 55 and had been in Advertising since the past 20 years. He looked younger than his actual age and could work for hours, without so much as a break. He was well educated and extremely intelligent and observant, unlike his 21 year old daughter.

This last trait of his often turned out to be of a great disadvantage for me, since nothing missed his eyes. Ever.

He took one long look at me as I explained my idea to him. He listened patiently throughout the time I talked, without interrupting me once.

'Well, sounds like a hit advert to me.'

And…

'You know Edward, I am actually a little bit worried.'

'About what Stephen? Are you worried about finding a good child actor to play the role? If so then I have some friends in Broadway..'

'No, no, it's not the commercial I'm worried about. I am worried about you. When was the last time you took a vacation?' he raised an eyebrow.

'Um, two years ago?' I replied, hesitantly, wondering where he was heading to.

'Wrong. Two years ago, I myself sent you to Hawaii to supervise a commercial we were shooting. As far as I can recall, you were there for about 35 hours, and took a plane back to the City as soon as the commercial was done filming,' he finished in one breath.

I was getting more impatient by the minute and was tapping my foot on the granite floor.

'What are you trying to say, Stephen?' I asked.

He leaned forward on his desk, placed both his elbows on it and gestured towards the chair in front of the desk.

I groaned internally in frustration and slid into the black leather chair.

'I think you are well aware of what I'm trying to say, Edward.'

I looked up at the man I have come to respect in the last seven years.

At 23, as soon as I had completed my undergraduate degree on Marketing from Dartmouth, I took a job as an assistant manager in the accounts section at Pablo's Advertising Agency at the Lower East Side.

I didn't leave my job even while I completed my post graduate's degree from CUNY. From the very beginning, Stephen had been a mentor for me. He always guided me, praised me for my good work but also criticized my bad ideas. Even though I admired the man deeply, sometimes his concern for me became too much overwhelming.

'I feel fine, Stephen. I don't need a vacation,' I replied, warily, wishing he'd let this go.

'If not a vacation, then the least you could do is going out after work and have some fun. Meet some new people.'

With the last remark, he hinted nonchalantly what I was tired of hearing from everyone else.

'You know Stephen, I respect you too much, which is why I am going to pretend that this conversation did not happen.'

I got up from the chair and walked swiftly towards the door.

'Son, it has been four years….' he trailed off, his voice sounding pained.

My hand froze on the door knob, but I didn't turn around. A lump raised in my throat and I wrenched open the door and exited the darn room.

Outside Stephen's office, I was met with Lauren's annoying face again.

If I was being honest, I did not have many reasons to despise the girl. Overlooking the fact that her IQ level was so low that it was almost negative, she was quite tall, blonde, with blue eyes and a perfect figure that models would commit murder for. Sure she lacks brains and wits and has no knowledge whatsoever about what's going on in this world, some guys, like my male co-workers would easily find themselves to be in love with her; which is exactly the case, if I was guessing right.

But when I looked at her shiny, perfectly styled blonde hair, all I could think of was black curls and how I used to run my fingers through them. And how divine it smelled when I used to kiss that hair. And the blue eyes reminded me of hazel orbs and how they used to look back at me with all the love and affection in the world….

And Lauren's lipstick coated fake lips reminded me of another pair of lips. They were much thinner and I realised how much I missed running my fingers across them and how they used to kiss my eyes…

'Hey gorgeous, daydreaming huh?

Lauren's forcedly soft voice jilted me back to reality.

'So you know, I was thinking if you were free for drinks after work?' She raised a pencilled eyebrow.

The only reason I had not been rude to her was because of my admiration towards her father. A small part of me also screamed that if I brushed her off, she might go and complain to Daddy. But a bigger part laughed at the absurdity of that idea. Stephen would never jeopardize my job just because I wouldn't hook up with his daughter.

Which is why I politely replied, 'Sorry, can't make it, I have a family affair,' and then quickly strode past her to the peace of my own office room.

By 3 o'clock, I was done with my day's work. On Thursdays, Stephen lets me leave around this time so that I can go to Brooklyn to 'visit my grandmother.'

I steered my silver Volvo out from the parking lot and headed off towards Brooklyn. I stopped in front of my old-fashioned loft, parked the car in the parking area and went upstairs. I took a quick shower and changed my clothes from corporate to more casual.

Next, I took a cab to the Brooklyn Museum and walked the rest of the way until I stood outside Queen Victoria Child Care Orphanage. This place always brought back the bitter memories – no, they were not always bitter. As a matter of fact they used to be the best recollections. The enchanting laugh still rung in my ears, the silly jokes she used to crack, the funny faces she used to make – thinking of those times now hurt and the unshed tears stung my eyes.

After heaving a sigh, I entered the premises after flashing my ID card. I went to the supply room and took out a football from the locker. I held the ball firmly in my hand and a small ghost of a smile crept up on my face. 9-year old Jesse had been practicing some new techniques and was dying to show them off. The mere thought of the enthusiasm of the bright young boy lifted my spirits and that smile was still plastered on my face as I walked towards the field.

The field was probably half the size of an actual football field, but Sister Charlotte was kind enough to put up a net and hire me to coach these kids some sport. In the 5 years that I've been working here, I had grown extremely fond of all the kids.

I checked my watch. It was almost five fifteen and the kids were supposed to come out to the field at five. I waited for another fifteen minutes and suddenly fear gripped me. What if one of them had fallen sick and had to be taken to the hospital?

Wild thoughts went rushing through my head. Still holding the football in me hands, I hurried to the main building that housed the orphanage, went past the classrooms until I came to a halt in front of one, with its door wide open.

All the kids were seated behind their benches – safe and apparently unscathed. Tremendous relief washed over me and I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding. Next, I shifted my eyes to see what they were looking at so eagerly.

Hmm, it was a new teacher. I could tell she was new because I practically knew everyone here. She seemed like a young woman in her early 20s and her dark brown wavy hair was let down and it came up to her waist. I could not see her face as her back was towards me and she was writing the word 'Fractions' on the board.

At the next moment, fury coursed through my veins as I caught myself staring at a stranger and also because the aforementioned stranger was calmly explaining math to her students during my football practice!

'Excuse me? What do you think you're doing in my class?' I snapped, trying to fight off the anger.

Her fingers froze on the board and she turned to face me, with her hand still held high.

She was very average looking. Her eyes were plain grey; her nose was very sharp and her cheek-bones were low – not a good combination. But her dark brown locks brought back the memory of black curls, but I quickly shook it off.

At that moment I felt a small hand tugging my jeans.

'Look, we've made a new friend. She knows about Beckham, isn't that cool?'

I spared the newcomer a quick glance before looking down at the distraction. The ghost of that smile reappeared.

I smiled wider this time and leaned down towards Jesse, resting my hands on my knees.

'That's all very good, buddy, but aren't you supposed to be out in the field right now?'

Someone cleared their throat.

'That's where I come in. Hi, I'm their new Math and English teacher.'

I was expecting a carefully polished and confident tone, instead of a squeaky nervous voice. I was preparing myself for the batting eyelashes, a manicured hand for a handshake and all the flirting in between.

The woman surprised me. I blinked a few time to clear my head and then I spoke.

'Okay. Forgive me if I'm being rude, but why are taking your class during my practice session?'

'Well, Sister Charlotte said..' she began.

'Look, you're being mistaken. I get it; you are new and need time to get used to things. But that's not an excuse to jump into someone else's schedule.'

'Who's going to jump when and where, that's my decision to make, Mr. Cullen.'

Longest chapter so far. I am not seeing any reviews and that hurts *sniff*

If I don't see any review after the next chapter, I'll stop writing this.

If you liked this mad Edward, then please review, otherwise he'll be furious with you.