A/N: Stephenie Meyer owns all Twilight characters.

Sorry for the delay in update. This is my longest chapter so far. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did while writing it as this had been in my head for a really long time.

Bella

"You are mistaken. I, for one don't think your lips are too puckered or that there's anything wrong with your eyes," Edward said, holding my gaze.

I felt suffocated. My heart was beating so fast that I was afraid that it would jump out of my insides and I would kneel down in front of him, holding my heart in my hands.

I shook away that thought from my mind and looked down, in a lame attempt to hide the small smile that had appeared at the corner of my lips.

After my heart regained its usual beating pace, Alice came out of the dressing room. She was wearing one of Eric's latest designs, a white knee-length halter neck dress with pink lilies all over it. I made a mental note of complimenting Eric on it. Her dress was teamed up with a pair of Jimmy Choo slingbacks. The hair stylist must have used some mousse and straightened her hair so it seemed shinier. Alice looked absolutely stunning.

I looked at Edward's face to see his reaction.

"So, what do you think? Have we done justice with your best friend?" I asked.

He looked at me and with a small smile said, "I think you guys have done a great job. I wish Alice's mum were here, she had wanted to see her all dressed up like since forever."

"I think we can manage that to happen. The issue with Alice on the cover will be out very soon," I said.

"So who came up with this bizarrely cool idea anyway?" Edward remarked.

"That would be me," Melanie replied, appearing out of nowhere.

Edward and I both stood up and I started stammering.

"M-Melanie, this is Ed-Edward Cullen, Alice's friend," I managed to say.

"Edward, this is our Editor-In-Chief, Melanie Gordon," I said tightly.

Thankfully, Edward didn't make the blunder I did on my first encounter with Melanie. He didn't put his hands forward for a handshake. He just simply said, "Pleasure to meet you."

Melanie nodded and went forward to see how the photo session was coming along.

"How did you know?" I asked, not being able to hold my curiosity any longer. I realized that I probably looked impressed.

"Alice had warned me about that beforehand, no physical contact," he said, shrugging.

I rolled my eyes and pretended to be jealous, "Oh, how I wish I had a friend like that."

Edward chuckled softly and looked at me. He stared deep into my eyes and I noticed his smile faltering a little. Gradually, the smile was gone but he still kept looking at me, like he was trying to figure something out. I didn't look away either; I stared back at him, glad at having the liberty of scrutinizing his perfect face again. The dark circles still seemed prominent and his eyes seemed a little puffy too. With a jolt of jealousy, I thought he could have been kept up at night by a woman. This time, I truly pondered, someone as flawless as Edward must have someone special in his life; because life was just too unfair. Life didn't offer grand options like him to ordinary people like me.

I was shaken out of my reverie by Melanie's shrill voice and a crying baby.

"What on earth is going on here? Do you people seriously think we'll put one of these pictures on the cover? No offence to Alice Brandon, but if we put Kate Moss in that setting, our magazine cover would still be a flop," she said, fuming.

I tried to see what had triggered Melanie's temper. Ah, the background was inappropriate for a cover shoot. Everything was white – the floor, the walls, the table Alice had been perching on, even her dress was of an ivory shade. The entire scenario was way too plain, something that would never catch a person's attention if he happened to pass by a magazine stand.

"For heaven's sake, who brought that baby here at work? Can someone please make it shut up?" she screamed.

I saw Gabriella quickly rushing forward and take the little toddler with brown curls from Grace's arms and pat it on its back to make it calm down.

This gave me an idea. If Melanie approved of it, then all was well. If she didn't, well, then I'd have to ask Sister Charlotte to pay me for my volunteer work since I'd be unemployed then.

I cleared my throat and started walking forward, towards the middle of the room where Melanie stood. I heard Edward ask "Where are you going?" but I ignored him.

I stood right behind Melanie and she turned to face me. I explained my idea to her in a soft voice so that no one else could hear me. She listened to all of it with an expressionless face. After I was done, all she said was "If my magazine doesn't sell, you know what to do, don't you?"

I nodded, "I'll pack up my things and never show you my sorry face again."

Melanie clapped her hands once to capture everyone's attention then said, "Listen up people! We are taking this photo shoot to Central Park."

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I rushed to David's room to inform him about this. When I entered his room, I saw he was standing against the window, gazing outside, deep in thought.

"Um, David? Melanie has decided to go for an outdoor cover shoot. So, are you coming?" I asked.

David turned his back to the window and said, in a harsh tone, "Does it make a difference, Bella? You guys would still go ahead with this even if I don't come, so why should I bother?"

"Now, that's ridiculous David! Your opinions matter as much as Melanie's, if not more. Moreover, the situation is not the same anymore. Alice herself agreed to do this; we are not forcing her to do anything."

David seemed taken aback at this new detail. "Alice decided to do a photo shoot?"

I nodded.

"Oh, screw this!" David grabbed his coat and said, "If that girl herself is determined on building a career as a cover-girl, who am I to stop her?"

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When almost everyone was downstairs, I rushed back to the room where the cover shoot had been taking place a while ago. Since I'd been running, I started panting as soon as I skidded to a halt at the door.

"Oh, thank heavens you are here. Come, let's go!" I urged Edward.

"Bella, I don't know. I am not exactly a member of the staff.." he said hesitantly.

"Yes, but you are close to our 'model' and just in case she freaks out and needs to be comforted, we'll need you. We can't let our 'model' be upset, can we?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

Edward flashed a brilliant crooked smile and said, "Of course not."

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By the time we reached Central Park, the sun was already setting and evening was approaching swiftly. As per my suggestion, Melanie directed the entire crew to shift to the Great Lawn.

David didn't get the opportunity to see Alice clearly before we had gotten there. Once we were in the Great Lawn, he seemed to notice the change in her for the first time.

Alice was surrounded by the make-up artists and hairdresser when David, Edward and I walked over to her. David seemed to recognize Edward from their last encounter.

"So, David, what do you think?" I asked, motioning towards Alice.

"I think Alice looks….different. But, in a good way, of course," David muttered so slowly that I wasn't sure if he meant to let the rest of us to hear that.

However, whether he meant to or not, Alice did hear him because I noticed a light shade of pink creeping up to her pale cheeks, but she quickly recovered herself.

"So, Mr. Gordon, now do you believe that someone like me can carry off a designer outfit, like those models who hang out with?" she asked, with acid in her voice.

David blinked a couple of times and I was certain he was thinking the same thing that I had on my mind. That day, it was Alice who had called at the phone on my desk and she had heard David's rant.

"Alice, you have to understand, I didn't want to insult you in any way. As a matter of fact, that's the last thing I'd think of doing. The reason I didn't want you to do this photo shoot is because you are nothing like those models I hang out with. You are a more real person, not some fake plastic Barbie doll," he said in a small voice.

Edward looked baffled at this conversation that was going on before his eyes. He snapped his head left and right, once towards Alice, then at David and back again.

With my right hand I gestured him to wait and nodded, meaning that I would explain the situation later.

Alice looked confused at David's strange explanation but had no time to react as one of the crew members came to inform her that the set-up for the photo shoot was ready.

Melanie had managed to get a horse-drawn carriage right at the middle of the Great Lawn, with the Turtle Pond at the background. She instructed Alice to go and sit at the driver's seat. She was still wearing Eric's dress and a man, who looked like the carriage driver, helped her get on the driver's seat. Melanie sent one of the crew members to smooth her dress and fix her hair.

However, once Alice settled down on her seat, the two horses went a little berserk and were about to raise their hooves to leap forward. However, in the last minute, Alice pulled the strings in a strange angle and calmed the horses down. After her accomplishment, she faced the mob watching her and smiled.

Edward leaned sideways to whisper, "In the eleventh grade, Alice took horse riding as a hobby."

I nodded, saying "Figures."

Everyone looked at the scenario before them in awe, wondering what Melanie had in mind. I mentally kicked myself for suggesting Melanie something so ridiculous. Everyone is going to laugh at me. Worse, I was definitely getting fired after this. While I fretted over the outcome of this disaster, I noticed Edward move forward and stand silently beside me. I turned my head sideways and saw that he was staring at me with the same expression he had back at the office. Strange, as it may seem, but at that moment I felt my body beginning to relax, all tension being washed away as he gazed deeper into my eyes. He smiled reassuringly and I gathered up enough courage to witness the entire photo shoot.

After Alice was settled, with the same confounded look everyone else surrounding us wore, Melanie instructed me to go to Gabriella. She was standing with the rest of the staff members, with her 7-month old baby boy, Henry. She had to bring him to work as her mother, who usually looks after her baby when she's at work, was out of town for the day.

As I took her baby from her arms, I asked Gabriella quietly, "Are you sure about this? Your baby is still a newborn…"

She took a deep breath and whispered "I am counting on you, Bella. I am sure you'll keep him safe."

"I trust Alice, she is great with kids," I said, smiling reassuringly.

Very carefully I took little Henry in my arms and walked towards the carriage. While I walked the small path, I chanced a glance at the crowd and noticed Edward's face among them. He smiled again and felt a calm wash over me. The carriage driver took him from me and put him in Alice's arms. She cradled the baby with her right arm while she held the strings attached to the horses in her left hand.

The scene was just like I had imagined it in my head. With the sun setting in the background of the Turtle Pond, there was a tinge of orange reflecting on the pond water. On the Great Lawn, sitting on driver's seat of the horse drawn carriage, was our very own Alice, holding little Henry. The entire scenario was metaphorical, of course. It represented the modern woman taking care of her baby at the same time holding together the strings of life.

While the photographer snapped the pictures, Edward whispered in my ear, "It's a brilliant idea!"

I smiled shyly and muttered a swift, "Thanks."

After the photo shoot was over, everyone went ahead and congratulated Melanie on her idea. I was glad that Melanie hadn't corrected them – in case the magazines didn't sell, no one would think once before bashing me.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw David watching Alice as everyone went ahead to congratulate her. I walked towards him.

"Ahem, so are you still mad at your mother, or Alice, for that matter?" I asked.

He was quiet for several seconds, "No, but I can't relax until the issue is out on newsstands and we get the reviews. However, Bella, I have to say, your idea was completely bizarre for a magazine cover. Not that I hate it, I just thought it was out of the typical context of magazine covers, that's' all."

I was a little taken aback at this and said "David, I really didn't mean to meddle with your job, I-I just…."

"Don't worry, Bella. I am okay with it. You don't need to feel bad about this," he replied.

Gradually all crew members were packing up and leaving. I saw Alice and Edward standing at one corner of the lawn and talking quietly.

"Alice, you were wonderful there!" I said.

She smiled and replied, "I was shaking from head to toe throughout the time. I had never done something like that in my entire life. It felt surprisingly good."

That's when Melanie came in and joined our conversation.

"I told you it would. Wait till the magazines are out, you've done a terrific job, Alice," she said with a small smile.

I took the opportunity to ask her what had been bugging me since my talk with David. "Melanie, why did you decide to go ahead with my idea?"

She faced me squarely and coolly replied, "Because it was your original idea to put a regular person, a non-celebrity on cover. Hence I thought since you had suggested that, then you must know what to do next with that idea."

I smiled gratefully.

Melanie and David left together with the rest of the crew members. Alice left saying that it was late and her brothers were waiting for her.

That left only Edward and me.

I looked up at the sky and noticed a few stars appearing. Suddenly a thought played across my mind – something I had wanted to do since I was a kid.

I looked at Edward and asked with a sheepish look, "Have you ever lied down right below the sky?"

He looked at confused and narrowed his eyes. "Why would I do that?" he asked looking appalled.

"Because it's fun," and with that, I took his hand and urged him to move forward. I don't know what had gotten inside me. May be all the incidents that had happened on that day were making me a little bit insane. The fact that everyone approved of my idea was actually making me a bit high.

The lawn was deserted. Most of the curious onlookers had left as soon as the photo shoot had ended. I came to a halt just when we were at the edge of the pond. I started taking off my shoes and was preparing to see the sky lying on grass at Central Park when Edward interrupted me.

"Bella, what are you doing? People are going to think you are crazy!"

"There is no one around! C'mon, don't be so boring. I have wanted to do this since forever!"

I didn't give him a chance to say anything more. I lied down on the grass and patted the space beside me, motioning him to do the same.

After battling with his sanity, Edward finally gave in and slowly sat down beside me and then lied down. "If the cops chase us for vandalizing public property, you are taking the blame."

I chuckled, "Do you consider squishing a few square metres area of grass 'vandalizing public property'?"

Until that moment, I hadn't realized what I was doing. There, right in the middle of Central Park, long past dusk, I was laid on the ground beside none other than Edward Cullen – the man I hadn't paused thinking about since the moment I had set my eyes on him. I started cursing myself for bringing this situation up. Since the damage was already done, there was no turning back. I couldn't just get up and leave. I decided the best thing would be to not look at him. Because if I did, heaven knows I won't be able to stop myself from jumping on him.

That is why I concentrated on the skies above me. It was not exactly a cloudless night. However, peeping among the clouds where the stars I had seen earlier. The silence was making me more nervous so I decided to make small talk.

"Ah, this feels great! Can you imagine being this close to nature while staying in New York City? The air smells wonderful, like grass. And can you hear the pond water flowing?" I realized I was babbling.

Edward didn't answer to any of this. Instead, he asked me, "Bella, you are really happy today, aren't you?"

I stuck to my previous decision to not look at him and I mentally praised myself for having such high amount of self-control. I replied still looking above at the sky.

"Yes, Edward," I tried not to bask in the thrill I felt just by uttering his name, "I never thought Melanie would approve of my idea. It was surreal to see the scene I had imagined in my head to play out so well in front of my very own eyes," I raised my right hand and started talking using my hand. "So to answer your question, yes, I am indeed very happy today."

After I was done talking, my hand fell back and it landed right on top of Edward's. At the first touch, I felt the now familiar surge of electricity pass between us. I felt so stunned at this that I didn't remove my hand and neither did he. My breath started coming in faster. I couldn't keep the promise I'd made to myself earlier. I turned my face to look at him.

I saw him staring right at me, gazing deep into my eyes, just like he had done before. I swallowed hard and started taking deep breaths. It was like one of those moments I'd watched in numerous movies, which could end either in a good way or terribly.

However, I didn't get a chance to ponder on that for very long because all of a sudden it started raining. It was not a heavy downpour, but just a faint drizzle. We both got up and Edward stood first and then helped me get on my feet. After I'd put on my shoes, he started pulling me forward, still holding my hand.

"C'mon, let's move. You might catch a cold," he coaxed.

I stood where I was and didn't move an inch. "Oh, don't be ridiculous. By the time we get out of the park, we'll be soaked anyway. Besides it's not raining that hard. You might as well enjoy getting wet," I said, as I felt the previous feeling of ecstasy take over me.

He tried pulling me forward again, but I stood rigidly, hence as a result he was pulled back. He stood there facing me, while we both slowly got drenched in the rain.

His gorgeous bronze hair was wet and it stuck out at different angles. Some of his hair was sticking to his forehead. His shirt was soaked and it clung to his broad chest. I slowly removed my eyes and looked up to meet his eyes. I caught him staring at my lips and my heart did back flips in my chest.

Still holding his hand, I moved forward and slowly raised my other hand. I gently brushed aside the hair falling on his forehead. I could see his eyes darken and his chest heaving up and down.

Very carefully, I placed both my hands on either of his shoulders and raised myself on my toes so that both our faces were at the same level. I closed my eyes, and with my heart beating so fast that it had the risk of jumping out at any moment, I leaned forward. Just like the movies, I waited for his lips to meet mine.

I felt the rain coming down more heavily and we both were dripping wet. The rain was soaking my clothes and I was glad that I was wearing a jacket over my thin cotton top. I breathed in a lung full of air as I waited patiently for our first kiss.

But it never happened.

Slowly, I felt him removing my hands from his shoulders. I snapped open my eyes and saw him moving backwards.

"I-I am so very sorry, Bella. I can't do this."

With that, he turned backwards and left.

Realization dawned on me at his rejection. As I stood there, all alone, getting more soaked by the minute in the heavy rain, a thought that I had been unconsciously repressing for so long, suddenly flashed through my mind.

I love you, Edward.

A/N: Special thanks to the people who put my story on alerts. It's such an honour! Thank you all!

Just so you know I have posted my second fan-fiction, 'Perfect Harmony' on . It's an Edward/Bella AH fan-fiction (yes, again!). However, at the moment, TIFR is my topmost priority. Once I'm done with it, I'll continue writing 'Perfect Harmony.' I have posted two chapters so far. See if you like it or not.

Now, review please?