Chapter 9

Arriving

The flight was long and boring; I knew I definitely was going to be jetlagged. I found out that once I had landed in Europe I was to immediately drop off my luggage at the hotel, and then go straight to a photo shoot! Ugh! I did not even get time to rest. I sighed as I felt the plane slowly dip forward losing elevation, slowly heading for the landing strip! Here we go I thought as I exited the plane, arriving in France.

I was already starting to miss my friends… I couldn't dwell too much on that, because if my mind was clouded and my mood was in the dumps, my shoot would be ruined. A crappy picture equals no clients, no client equals no pay, and no pay equals no getting home to my friends, family…. and Edward. Maybe I should have just been an accountant, more numbers, less stress, and closer to home. I walked to the baggage claim area, and waited for my luggage to come around. Just then, I saw them. My purple and black polka dot bags came around slowly. I reached quickly to grab them, only to miss by a few inches. Damn! Now I would have to wait for it to come around again… ugh! Perfect! First day in a new country and I was already running late.

"Here Miss, I believe these are yours." I heard someone say. I turned to see Dr. Carlisle Cullen handing me my luggage, his wife standing a few feet behind him. She offered me a warm smile.

"Dr. Cullen?" I asked, eyes going wide.

"Isabella, might I ask you what brings you to France?" He said and with heavy French accent. Hmm never noticed that before.

"I have a few clients here just begging me to take their photographs. They're mostly newlyweds on their honeymoons in Paris," I said shrugging.

"Thanks, by the way, for catching my bags. I was starting to think I'd be here all day."

"No problem," he replied, smiling.

"Well, I'm running late, so I'd better go. It was nice to see you," I said.

"Alright," he laughed, "who knows? Maybe we'll bump into you again."

We said our goodbyes, and I headed toward the cabs waiting on the west wing, just outside the airport.

"Taxi!" I yelled. All the taxis passing stopped at once. Well maybe my day was taking a turn for the better. I went for the closest one, placing my bags on the seat beside me.

"Hi," I said smiling, "I need to go to The Hotel du Louvre on Andre Malraux 75001, please."

"Alrightys, Miss," said a voice that sounded freakishly familiar. Great, now this city is messing with my head. First, I was delayed at the baggage claim, and now I swear I am hearing the voice of Michael Newton, better known as Mike, from Forks High School.

"Bella? Bella Swan?" I head him question. I looked forward and saw his name tag hanging on the mirror.

Michael James Newton.

Oh sweet baby Jesus, you have to be kidding me! Of all the cabs I could have climbed into in this world, it had to be his. I knew this good luck would not last for long.

"Um, yes?" I asked.

"It's Mike, from high school. Do you remember me? I asked you to prom that one time. Whoa, you have really lost the weight! The years have been good to you!"

"Um, yeah… What are you doing in Paris?" I asked trying to ignore the annoying comment about how I looked.

"I moved here after I got laid-off from my office job in New York. Apparently, one of my co-workers filed a complaint about me stalking them. Ridiculous, right?" he said laughing, while watching me through the mirror. I snickered, Yeah right! I could totally believe it. Mike had been stalking me since 7th grade, and I thought it had ended with high school, but I guess not. Then again, maybe he was just in Paris for the job.

"Wow, that stinks," I replied looking out the window, trying to end the conversation.

"Yeah, so I moved here," he said.

Just then, we arrived at the hotel, and quickly, I climbed out before he could help me.

I walked up the steps and into the lobby. Wow, it was huge! This place was the size of my apartment back home. Well…ok… maybe the size of it doubled a few hundred times! It was really a nice hotel; the floors were waxed so perfectly that I could see my reflection in them. The mustard yellow walls contrasted beautifully with the forest green marble columns, and a chandelier hung down elegantly in the center of the room. There was also a sweeping staircase that added a dramatic touch.

My heels click-clacked on the floor; echoing throughout the lobby. I walked up to the counter and rang the bell for service. A girl appeared immediately from the desk behind the counter. I hadn't seen her because she was short. Shorter than me, and that was saying something.

"Bonjour! Comment puis-je vous aider, ma chère?" I heard her say, crap! I do not speak French! I got out my English-French dictionary, and tried though.

"Er …Êtes-vous… parlent pas… l'anglais," I stuttered out. I looked up to see that she was smiling at me.

"Yes, I do speak English," she said, as I let out the breath I had been holding in. Good thing she speaks English. Otherwise, this would be a loooong conversation!

"Okay, good… uh, I am Isabella Swan, I have a reservation here," I said looking away. "Okay, let me check for you in our database," she said as she began typing on her computer.

"Ah! Here you are. You're registered on the second floor, the Junior Suite with one king size bed, one bath, Free WiFi Internet Connexion, Annick Goutal toiletries, luxury bathrobe and slippers, LCD TV with satellite channels and Pay TV, air conditioning and sound proofing, 24-hour room service, mini-bar, voice mailbox, safe deposit box, and a hairdryer. Here you go," she said handing me a small silver key.

"Your room number is 124, I hope you enjoy your stay here at The Hotel du Louvre," she said smiling.

I started making my way towards the staircase. Yeah, that's right I said staircase. I don't do elevators. Just then, a concierge walked up, picked up half of my bags for me, and began carrying them up the stairs. Thank goodness! I wasn't sure how I was going to make it up there with all my bags anyways, and with how much I was paying for my room, I definitely deserved some help getting up to it.

We made our way up the two flights of stairs. I huffing and puffing as he made it seem effortless, even with all my bags. I let out a big breath as I finally reached my room. Sticking the key in, I opened the door and could not believe my eyes! The room was ah-mazing! It was all blue! My favorite color, I have always loved blue, my room back home was blue too! I slowly walked around my room in amazement! The bed was gigantic with white puffy pillows! The desk the curtains and the chairs were all blue too! I also had an amazing view from the windows, facing a street with tons of little shops. I had a feeling Alice would be jealous that I have access to all these little French shops! I was in heaven! I sat the bags I was holding at the moment on the bed, and then took the rest from the concierge. I gave him a tip, which he gladly took and thanked me before closing the door behind him. At last, I was alone; I flopped on the other side of the bed, and just laid there. I was beginning to feel the jet lag. My eyes slowly slipped close as I dozed on and off. I awoke to the sound of my cell phone ringing to the familiar ring tone!

"When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears, when you'd screamed I'd fight away all of your fears, and I held your hand through all of these years, but you still have, all of me."

I clicked answer and spoke our familiar saying that we have said since we first met.

"Heller!"

"Open your door Bell." Was what she replied. Open my door? Did she think I was at home? Still I took her advice and opened my hotel door.

"Bella! I've missed you sooooo much!" Dalana said as she threw herself at me and buried me in a hug.

"Dalana? Wow! What are you doing in Paris?" I asked as she walked in my door a smiling Damon walking in behind her. He gave me a tight hug, and then went to sit by her on the small love seat.

"We've been vacationing here for a few days before I start my new job in New York City.," she said smiling at me. I crossed the floor over to the chair placed directly across from them.

"Wow, what is your new job?" I questioned her as I slid into the seat.

"I'm officially physiatrists, do you need help with any of your problems?" she stated looking at me intently. I laughed it off.

"Um… not at the moment. How did you know I was in Paris though?"

"Alice of course, I talked with her a few days ago when she called me to ask for me to look after you while you were here. I agreed of course!" she said standing up walking towards my bags and unzipping them. "She told me of your dreams of wanting to become a major wedding photographer and she thought you might be in need of some major fashion help! And from what I can see you do, so you know what that means!" she smiled suddenly jumping up and down, sometime I wondered if she was really Alice's biological sister. Because shopping ran through their blood.

"Shopping… yay… not," I muttered looking away "What is wrong with my clothes anyway?"

"Belllllaaa-" she started to wine as she held up a floral blouse. "You need to start looking the part if you want to get anywhere with this job. Especially looking like this!" she said as she held up another item of clothing that I identified as my favorite pair of sweats. I sighed as she pointed out the door, where I was doomed to force in hours of shopping before my first job.

After hours and hours later, we finally returned to the hotel room I was beat and not looking forward to my first job! I was worn out, and my feet hurt. I had unwillingly been forced into hours of shopping spending more than $10,000 on only five new outfits for my jobs I had here in Paris. At least now I would look; according to Dalana 'stylish'. I quickly slipped on my white blouse, my black dolce and gabbana pencil skirt, the red belt Dalana had chose to brighten up the outfit, and some black opened toe pumps, and headed out the door.(A/N: Outfit Link on Profile) My first photo shoot was taking place when the sun was setting, I heard that Paris has the most beautiful sunsets. Perfect this outfit would be cool and sexy. Whew! Was I tired! I quickly collapsed on the bed not bothering to plug my phone into the charger.

I awoke to some terrible feeling that something bad had happened, I immediately felt nauseous, and ran for the bathroom. I felt horrible, I was throwing up, and my head was throbbing. Ugh! At least I don't have any jobs for the next few days, I went to lay back down on my bed and heard my phone beeped. That meant low battery. I plugged it in and went to take a shower, maybe that would help me feel better. When I got back I checked my phone to see that I had 180 missed calls, 180 missed calls? Who would be calling me that much. Right when I was going to see who they were from my phone started ringing again a name flashing on the screen. 'Alice'

"Hello Alice," I sighed couldn't she leave me alone for one day? I heard sniffling on the other end. "Alice what's wrong? What happened?"

"Its Edward; Bella- he, h-he, he…" she stuttered into the phone

"Spit it out!" I said, anxious now

"He was in a plane crash." she said at last.

"Is he okay?," silence "ALICE is he okay?" I screamed into the phone

"No… he's in a coma…" she whimpered into the phone. I felt my stomach drop, as I reached for the trash can near the bed and was violently sick…

Muahahah I know I'm evil for not updating and making it cliffy! : ) Sorrys! Please REVIEW and take my POLL on my profile!

-Alana