What if you fall hard for someone you barely knew? No, scratch that, what if you fall for someone without having met them at all?

Wishing Tree

Chapter 2: Hopeless Masochistic Skeptic Of A Romantic (Edward's POV)

I was just jogging again that one Sunday morning, and ended up in the same location as last week. And so, on a whim, I decided to check the wish I had originally put up like some desperate ad on eHarmony's website.

I honestly had to wonder, had I really become desperate?

Turning the corner of the Johnny Rocket's restaurant, I almost collided into some girl who was barely reaching my shoulders and looked so frail. Thankfully, I dodged her in time. She was so engrossed in her book (I had to glance, it was Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen), I don't think she saw me.

But I saw her. For what seemed like an eternity to me, was just a second in reality. Ah, it lasted forever and ended so soon.

Her complexion was that of ivory, just so creamy which contrasted beautifully with her soft brown hair, thick eyelashes and equally soothing brown eyes.

Who is she?

I fought the urge to ask for her name and… number. I didn't want to ruin this. No.

When was the last time I saw such beauty? Never… She was so utterly beautiful to me, and it was idiotic but I felt my knees weaken.

I sighed. Jasper won't say it out loud, but Emmett will… saying I'm such a girl.

I didn't want to hope anymore, if something was to happen, I wanted to leave it to fate. "Third time's the charm," I mumbled to myself, "if I bump into her a third time then I will do something about it".

Control yourself.

Oh Emmett won't live this one down either… me actually not doing anything.

I was clenching my fists hard, trying not to turn back and chase after her. It was then I saw it. Enough distraction it proved to be.

Someone replied.

"Sorry I was late by a couple of hours, Mr. Cullen! How are you today? Yes, sounds lame, I know, but I didn't know any other way how not to sound creepy! Anyway, I'm Bella. Nice to meet you! I hope you reply. --Bella Swan"

Huh.

I read the note which was attached to my original wish. I was somewhat dumbfounded due to the reply. Bella… Bella… The name was pretty, it had a nice ring to it. Bella. It just rolled off my tongue.

My lip twitched once, then I just couldn't help but grin - already semi-forgotten about the ordeal with the Brown Eyed Beauty. Was someone (else) really as willing to throw logic away as I was for this? To find this thing we can't hold, put in our pocket, or preserve in a jar called "love"?

I just hope they don't think I'm a desperate fool, nor a creep. In my defense, I'm really not one to go around openly looking for "love" in this manner… but since it was only a wish, I thought why not?

My name is Edward Cullen. Lawyer by education, pianist by profession.

And I'm going to be taking a lot of crap from my friends Jasper and especially Emmett… if they find out about what I did last week. And by crap, I mean being the butt of many and more jokes.

I was jogging down Colorado Boulevard that one morning last week. I ended up in the outdoor tourist shopping district called Old Town Pasadena; a nice neighborhood, not too crowded, yet lively enough even at this hour.

What I found was a secluded area by the cinemas which held an open courtyard full of small trees in pots. The trees were adorned with what looked like millions of pieces of paper. I quickly realized that they were actually wishes.

I saw loads of unique ones. It was towards wish number 40 that I found out that people aren't as selfish as I thought they were. Was there hope to find the right girl? I sure wanted to hope.

Despite the many Lauren Mallory's and Jessica Stanley's I had in the past, I wanted to hope.

A lot of people, surprisingly, wished for other's wishes to come true. More so, a lot of people wished for their most beloved's happiness instead. They were beyond heart warming gestures… all of a sudden I wanted to have someone whose wishes I wanted to grant so much for them.

This triggered a spark in me. I felt truly incomplete. I felt whole in a sense, yet there was something essential missing.

And I knew what it was. No, who it was.

It was someone, and not just anyone. It was the girl I knew I loved, even though I hadn't met them yet. After all the disappointments with previous relationships, I understood one thing: there is certainly the one girl out there for me… the one for keeps. I knew I loved her more than myself… no, more than life AND myself. We just haven't met yet.

Can I be selfish just this once? I asked, while looking at the bright blue sky. It wasn't that hot and bright yet.

I then turned and went to one of the tables which held the boxes for the wishing papers. I took one out and asked to meet my true love. Tomorrow.

All right, I wasn't really strict on the date for meeting them. But I wished sincerely. I just forgot to check last Monday. Oh well.

And back to today, someone replied!

I don't know why, but I was overjoyed. I wanted to reply, and I was going to… I took another piece of paper and started writing:

"I'm honored to meet you, Ms. Swan. I'm very happy you replied! I forgive you for being late. As for making up to me, how do you say to keeping in touch sounds? - Mr. Cullen (9/29)"

Adding the date is good. I want her to know when I replied. I don't want to consider her as a stalker or creep. At least not yet.

As I was hanging up the paper to her reply, I suddenly realized… the girl from earlier was coming from this way. She might have been the one to reply. I was so happy, I didn't know why. I wasn't one to fall for someone and just their appearances, and I wasn't about to start now… that left me feeling kind of irked at myself.

Quickly shaking off that feeling, I let myself wander in the courtyard.

I was still happy - goofy even that this thought occurred to me. Maybe the Brown Eyed Beauty was the one who replied! Ah, I could only wish.

As I was relishing that memory of the replier being the girl from earlier, some other dark haired person walked past me - but not before giving me a look that only looked like she was kind of constipated. Was that giving me the seductive look…? Never mind.

Just then my phone rang. I quickly answered it, only to be greeted by a calming voice.

"Hey Ed," It was definitely Jasper. "It's Jazz" And it was.

"Hey Jazz, 'sup? To what do I owe the honor of your call?" I replied happily. I was still in a happy mood from both the replier and the Brown Eyed Beauty.

"You sound happy! If Emmett were here he'd… definitely say you got some last night." He happily chirped. Chirped, seriously.

"You hang out with Emmett too much." I replied just as happily, my bubble was NOT going to be burst anytime soon. "All right, really, what's up?"

"What? Is it so wrong to call one of my best buds just to ask how their day was?" Jasper continued. Only to be followed by an "Ow!"

"…ow? You all right there?" I questioned. I should have been suspicious right here. But no, I wasn't. Ah, but my bubble was slowly deflating.

"Oh! That's nothing. Just tripped on a rug, kind of. So anyway, what's new, man?"

"Same as yesterday, Jazz. Except today, I got a reply from a girl. Do you remember about the wishing trees I told you about?"

"Yeah, where you put a PERSONAL LOVE PROFILE on, right?" Jasper wasn't sounding so Jasper-ey. Why….

"…yes. Jazz, are you sure you're okay?" I said, now I was worried.

"Yeah, I'm good. So what else happened?" Jasper continued.

"I bumped into this girl. She was absolutely gorgeous! But not just that, she was actually reading a book. I know that doesn't sound so great, but it was a classic! I don't see a lot of these girls actually reading things with substance nowadays."

"So you got her number? When do we meet her?" Jasper replied, sounding like an overprotective elder brother to a girlfriend.

I sighed in exasperation.

"Jazz, no meeting'll happen. I didn't even ask her name, let alone her number." I said with a definite hint of sadness in my voice.

"WHAT?! HAHAHAHAHA," said another booming voice, "ANYWAY, PAY UP, WHITLOCK! PAY UP! TWICE THE AMOUNT!"

"Twice?!" Jasper retorted, shock in his voice. "WHY TWICE?!"

What was happening?!

"Because Ed didn't get that chick's number. Oh wait, not even her NAME! That's just made of WIN right there!" Emmett only fell silent for a moment when Jasper hit the back of his head. "OW! What was that for?!"

"You play too much online games, Emmett… especially World of Warcraft. YOU. Are made. Of Fail. Totally pwned" Said Jasper, calmly. "And I'm not paying twice the amount."

"…so are you Jazz… online games got you hoooooked…" I could tell from the tone of Emmett's voice that he was pouting as he said this, but still stifling his laughter at me.

"…" I was silent for a moment, yes. Then I realized it.

"JASPER! YOU WERE ON SPEAKER PHONE WITH EMMETT?! NO! You TOLD him after I specifically asked you not to?! It was ONE little thing!" my jaw dropped open, and if it could hit the floor, it would.

"No shit, Sherlock." Emmett said without restraint. I just knew he was looking smug right now. "Sorry Eddie-poo."

"Sorry Ed… I kind of slipped… about the tree…." Jasper said, sounding apologetic.

"Aw man. Sheesh. Whatever, it's cool. So what is this bet about, Imbecile One and Imbecile Two? Or should I say Jaspy-poo and Emmy-poo?" I asked.

"NO!" Said Imbecile One and Two. "That's just gross, man," said Emmett, "okay it was my idea. I just wanted you to confess on your own, ever since Jazz told me. Or not deny, or something. Jasper kept saying you wouldn't admit it a second time, but I knew - know better - so now I'm one hundred dollars richer. HAH! Oh, sorry Ed, not you. You!"

I knew the last "HAH!" Was directed towards Jasper. And to this, I knew he rolled his eyes.

"Edward, why didn't you ask for that girl's name at least?" I knew Jasper was going to ask this. He sounded concerned.

"Because if we are destined to meet, we will. I'm giving it the old third-times-the-charm bit." I replied to Jasper trying to sound nonchalant, it was kind of working.

Emmett was the first to reply, and it wasn't as harsh as it could have been. "You're such a girl, Edward." Amusement and pity in his voice all at the same time.

Finally, Jasper continued, "Edward, you're a hopeless masochistic skeptic of a romantic."

"Sorry guys," I laughed, continuing small talk with my closest friends until closing my phone.

I then took a seat on the bench in the Alley which led to the courtyard, just beside the Gap store. I put my face into my hands, with my elbows standing on my thigh.

Was I still that much of a mess?

My friends knew what I had gone through already with girls in the past, and I've been an empty shell for 3 years now. Somewhat.

I wish for the girl I've never met to find me already, as I want to find her, too. Please.

Author's notes:

I don't know if anyone caught it, but there was a song line in there. It's a song that's made me cry in the past, and everytime I hear it I still do lol I GIVE FREE MUFFINS AND STUFF TO THE ONE/S WHO CAN GUESS RIGHT! XD

Anyway. How are y'all likin the story? I'm likin it, cuz I'm addin a butt load of FLUFF. Yes.

Review pls? OMG LUV U ALL SOO MCH! HAHAHA hates typing like this