Chapter 1: New years 2013

Bella's POV

Today is the last day of a stressful year I for one am glad it's over. I graduate from college in February with my associate's degree in journalism and begin my new career in Chicago. I never expected this year to come as I lay here daydreaming about what could happen.

(Knock, Knock) But before I could make it to the door it swung open.

" Bella we have to get ready ugh you look like a disaster." Alice comes barging in with bags from designers.

"Alice, can't I just have one nice relaxing day off from the stress I just got last night from Washington."

"Bella, Jaspers's parents are hosting the biggest New Year's Eve Bash in Chicago...I told him I was bringing you and if you don't hurry up and get in that shower I will find more things for you to try on!"

"Fine but I won't enjoy myself." I gathered everything and headed to the shower. Jasper and Alice had been together since high school and were always trying to find ways to include me in their activities. Unlike Alice though I was more into hanging out with myself and reading or studying for the next test. I was hired to start at the Chicago Tribune in February exactly one week after graduation.

It wasn't my dream job but you always have to start somewhere. I quickly showered before the evil pixie could find anything else to try on for tonight. It was now three o'clock in the afternoon and I was sitting in my computer chair staring at Alice in full concentration. Thirty minutes later my makeup and hair were up to Alice's standards. Now was the hard part Alice deciding on the evening's dress attire and (insert cringe) high heels. After what seemed like hours we had finally settled on the dress for the evening and were moving on the shoes when another knock on the door brought Alice out of her trance.

"Bella grab that while I put on my dress," Alice said bouncing over to the bed to a nice black slit down the side dress. I made my way to the door and opened it no one was there though as I looked down there was a bouquet with two invitations in it. I bent down picked up the flowers and shut the door taking them over to my nightstand and grabbing the invites out. I sat down in my chair and gently placed my invites into the clutch I would be taking tonight.

" Who was at the door this early Jasper said he would pick us up around six-thirty tonight."

"Esmé and Carlisle sent us flowers and our invitations to the party tonight."

"Oh, that was nice." " Did I tell you that everyone that's everyone would be there tonight?"

"Yes, Alice only a million times are we almost ready."

"Yes, your heels are over there and Jasper should be here any minute with your date as well."

"My date?"

"Well duh silly you didn't think you would get by that easily did you." "Bella I know you way too much and know the first chance I let you out of my sight you will be right back here and in bed before midnight and anyways it's Jaspers's cousin who desperately needed a date."

Six-thirty sharp there was a knock on the door I got up to answer it and there stood Jasper and his cousin. His cousin's emerald-green eyes bored into mine before Jasper could even blink.

"Bella, this is my cousin Edward your date for the night I hope you don't mind." Jasper with his Texas accent was saying to me but I could not take my eyes off the green-eyed handsome man to his right.

"Nice to meet you, Edward." "We will be ready in a minute Alice has some finishing touches." Jasper snickered and rolled his eyes. Within the minute Alice and I were headed out the door and into our limo that the boys had ready to pick us up and we headed downtown to Jaspers parent's building. Traffic was a mess on the way but the limo driver pulled down some alleyways to the back of Cullen Towers and we entered from the private parking area into the grand ballroom filled with what seemed like a million people we handed our invitations to a security guard at the end of the hallway. Edward looked at me with a look of surprise when I intertwined my hand in his arm as he led us into the ballroom.

We made our way to our table while Jasper and Alice headed to the dance floor. Edward was a quiet man at first once we settled into our seats he began to open up a bit.

"So I hear you're graduating soon." his voice sent shivers down my spine.

"Yes in February. I have a job lined up with the Chicago Tribune until I finish my bachelor's degree"

"That's good news here I thought Jasper had gotten me a date with a head cheerleader." He laughed

"I'm far from that" I laughed with him. " I can't even walk on a perfectly flat surface without tripping over air."

"I have two left feet and would probably stomp you to death with these heels I have on," I said while pointing at the extremely thin and tall heels Alice had insisted I wear tonight. Alice and Jasper made their way to us around ten o'clock and we all sat around the table and talked about what we planned on doing this new year. The men told us they had planned on taking over a bar down the road from the Cullen's private ports. Chicago was the height of some of the best exported and imported goods and the Cullen's owned most of the ports in the area. I have learned not to ask Jasper any questions cause he was always a quiet person. Edward and Jasper got up from the table and walked to a backdoor where Carlisle sat all three men walked out the door while two bodyguards stood watch to make sure no one followed. Alice and I headed to the bathroom.

"Who was the other dark-headed guy with Carlisle" I asked Alice while navigating through the crowd.

"Oh that's their other cousin Emmett they were all adopted by Carlisle and Esmé, Edward and Emmett were brothers they lost their parents when they were younger."

"That's cool though that they would take them in like that." "So what's the story with Edward."

"He was away in New York for a while opening a hotel out there." "He got back a couple of weeks ago for this celebration."

"He seems nice he doesn't talk very much though."

"Yeah he and Jasper are very quiet, but they are great to hang out with and I can tell Edward likes you." "He said you are his type and he loves normal women instead of those who act like sex slaves."

" I don't know about all that now Alice."

We made it to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror I was getting tired and wanting to go home already. As we left the bathroom we ran into a big-chested blonde.

"Oh you must be Bella, I'm Rosalie Emmett's wife."

"Hi, I am are you having a good night."

"Somewhat these parties are all the same the men go out smoke a cigar and wait til the last minute to come back."

"You can join us at the table if you like we don't bite," Alice Suggested as we walked down the hallway back to the ballroom.

As we walked back to the table I noticed the boys were coming back in and met us at the table. Edward looked down at me with that crooked smile and asked me if I wanted to dance and I agreed. he took my hand and helped me to the dance floor.

"I warned you I had two left feet," I said while he intertwined his fingers in mine.

"It's all in the one who leads I will have you twirling around this dance floor before the night is over."

"I will hold you to that."

"You know Jasper and Alice talk about you all the time."

"I figured that, I usually keep to myself."

"Well, I was wondering if you might consider accompanying me on a date this week-end."

"I wish I could but I have the end-of-term finals to finish up before February."

"Never hurts to take off for the day its a great stress relief."

"I'll see if I can work you into my schedule."

We danced our way around the floor waving as we saw people he knew we stopped after the last song noticing it was ten minutes til midnight the atmosphere of the party made the time fly by as we made our way back to our table to see that we had been joined by Emmett and Rosalie also Carlisle and Esmé had made their presents known around the table. Pulling out a chair Edward motioned for me to sit. All was calm as the countdown started everyone standing up and counting down as we watched the time click by. In no time the clock struck twelve and I lost my concentration as Edward wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into him locking his palms onto my face and kissing me. He leaned down in my ear and began to speak.

"Am I included in your schedule now?"

"Maybe," I said earning a chuckle.

All of a sudden the fire alarm started going off and the men reached behind their backs before ushering us women towards a hidden stairway. As we made our way down the stairway we heard bangs coming from the room we were just all in then the screams flooded the air as the men told us to stay together and run down the stairs. I dreaded being in high heels I reached down and flung them off dropping them down the middle of the stairway to grab on the way out. We were stopped halfway down the seventy-two-story stairwell by Emmett who put his finger to his lips to tell us to stay quiet. We backed our backs up against the landing we were on we had made it to floor fifty-three. Emmett entered a code into the keypad as we heard doors below us starting to open. We quietly exited the stairwell in a hallway with three doors. Carlisle took the lead as Edward and Emmett headed back into the stairwell.

"Stay with Alice, Rose, and Esme."We will come after you all when we find out what's going on I promise." Edward told me as Carlisle held the door open that led into a broom closet. He bent down and moved a couple of mop bucks to show a grate opening.

"What about the fire alarms"

"Don't worry if there was a fire the sprinklers would be going off it was just a distraction." "Once down the ladder and this grate closed the door will open up to my office and it will automatically shut you all in there don't panic we will come to get you once we get the all clear."