A/N: Stephanie Meyer owns it all...we just make them do what we want them to. HI! It's NaughtyHisbella! *waves* This is my first time everposting a chapter on FF. I'm a bit...scared. Laureate04 says it's all good. Welcome to Bella's perspective. I write Bella, Laureate writes Edward. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm sorry for the wait. Thanks to Laureate for holding my hand through this and much much Love & Thanks to SassyKassie for her beta skills.
Let's see what Bella's about, shall we?
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BPOV
Stupid lovey dovey people.
"Thanks for choosing Marriott," I smile. "We hope you enjoy your stay." I wave the key at Mr. Kissy Face hoping to get his attention. He's too busy loving up on his woman to notice.
"Sir?"
"Oh, yeah. Sorry. It's our 5 month anniversary." Mr. Moochie Lips beams at me.
"How very nice. Enjoy your evening."
Lord! All these people in love. They make me sick. That's all I see...everywhere. On T.V., friggin' Brangelina and Snooky and the DoucheBag BabyDaddy. Ugh! The worst offender is Tom Cruise. What grown man jumps on a fucking couch on national television declaring "I'm in love"? A complete ass, that's who. God, I hate people. And who comes up with those stupid names? Brangelina? TomKat? Robsten? Idiots...
Whatever.
A few more hours and I can go home and watch my latest DVD purchase, "Edward Cullen: Wherever You Go, There You Are." Edward, I feel like we're close enough to call him by his first name, is phenomenal. He so prophetic. His message has helped me step out of my shell...somewhat. I have all of his books, cds and dvds. I've seen all of his East Coast shows.
I sit here night in and night out watching people live their happy little lives. I wonder if it's all just a show? Take me for instance, outwardly, I'm an average woman who does her job, Night Manager at the Residence Inn Marriott/Cherry Hill, well. I fix credit card errors with a smile on my face. I offer the turndown service with a flourish. "Would you like the Andes Mint on your pillow?" The one cool thing about working here is that I get to stay free at our affiliate hotels, which cuts costs of seeing my guru.
I have a degree from Rutgers University in Meteorology and am a member of the American Meteorological Society, but I work this dead end job at a hotel. My dream is to be a weather forecaster on one of the network news shows. Or CNN. * sigh * Inwardly, I'm a bit of a loner. I wouldn't say I'm shy, just not a 'people' person. I'm what you would call 'socially awkward.' I also get stage fright. I was never great at public speaking. I can talk to guests, but tell me I need to do a presentation and I clam up. My palms get sweaty, knees want to give out and the heart palpitates. That doesn't bode well for someone who wants to be on television.
In addition, I'm just lonely. I was born lonely. In fact, I was born lonely and unhappy. My life has never been the proverbial "bed of roses". To be honest, it's been a complete cluster fuck of disappointment. I know...I know. I'm bitter. Wouldn't you be bitter if your biological mother didn't want you? The man you loved didn't want you? The only people who wanted me were Charlie and Renee and what a bang up job they did, didn't they? I don't even want to think about them right now...
I met Ben at Rutgers in my Thermodynamics of Atmosphere class junior year. He was cute; tall, blonde and built like a football player. He was a brainiac instead of a linebacker. We started dating after our first group project. We were working on the role of supersaturation of ice crystals and cloud droplets. It was a whirlwind romance. Movies, concerts, dinners, storm chasing. We laughed a lot and spent time with our weather geek friends. We understood each other, or so I thought. I found him the night of our 2 year anniversary with his trouser snake invading the skanky depths of Jenna Spellman, cheerleader for the football team. He told me he couldn't deal with my constant need for reassurance that he loved me. Ben felt it just wasn't right to have to work so hard at loving someone. So, hence...he left me for the bubble headed brunette with the size AA boobs and the loose cooch. I ran into them about 6 months ago, he's a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. She's on her 4th pregnancy and looks like hell. I guess that's one thing I can be happy about. I've been alone ever since. Three years. Not for lack of trying though. Bree tried to set me up with a guy she worked with at Macy's. Turns out, Jakey was gayer than the day is long. He's one of my best friends now. Jake, Bree and Alec. We couldn't be more different, but that's why we work.
I started working for Marriott right after graduation. I threw myself into work, using it to keep my mind off of the heartache. Within a few months, I was promoted to Night Housekeeping supervisor and a few months after that, my current position. It didn't hurt that I was the only one willing to work the nightshift. Just after I became Manager, I was having a hard time settling in to the job. I needed something. I googled motivation and a video of Edward at a high school in Chicago popped up. His words moved me. His green eyes and good looks didn't hurt either.
Bree is very outgoing. She has a morning show, "Breakfast with Bree" at WMMR, one of the radio stations in town. Her favorite shift is Sunday morning and her "Bree and the Beatles" slot. She worked at Macy's and was a member of the 'Bod Squad' for the station while getting her communications degree at Rutgers. They're the 'hot' girls who do the promotions and things.
Alec is a software programmer for a video game company. He loves zombies and spends most of his free time working on his own game, "Splatter Brain." Jacob, aka Jakey, is the manager of the Nordstrom Cosmetics department at the Cherry Hill Mall. He primarily works the makeup counter. He can turn Medusa into Heidi Klum with a flick of his mascara wand.
Bree and Alec think I've lost my mind with this self-help business and the crazy money I spend on Edward's stuff. They believe I just need to stop living like a vampire and go out into the sunlight. That if I interacted with more people, I wouldn't be so awkward. They haven't known me my whole life so they don't realize this is how I've always been. Jake thinks I just need a good 'shtupping.' Bree suggested I interview for a position at her radio station. That was a conversation, let me tell ya...
"What do you have to lose?" Bree asks for the millionth time.
"You just don't get it, Bree. I'm not cut out for that. I'm not good with people."
"You are too! You talk to people everyday! You know weather like the back of your hand. All you have to do is go in and speak into a 's it. No one will see you but the others in the studio."
"I...I don't know."
"You can do this, Bell. Plus, you can get out into the world. You might like it. You say you're not a people person, but how would you really know?" Bree said, hands on her hips.
"I'm not. We've talked about this. You, Alec and Jake are the only people I care to interact with." I shoved a bite of bagel into my mouth.
"I bet if Edward Cullen offered you a job, you'd take it in a heartbeat," she said bitterly.
"Don't hate on Edward," I admonished her.
"You spend all night at the hotel. You come home, watch one of those stupid 'motivational dvds' or read one his books for the millionth time and sleep. He's a total joke. You say he's helped you, but you are no closer to living your dream then you were a year ago!" Bree's face turned a very unbecoming shade of red.
"He's not a joke!"
"Bella Swan...enough is enough! You need to stop this and do something with yourself! You say you want to be a forecaster. You also say the one thing you want is to be loved. How the hell are you going to get that if you don't get out there?" Bree yelled.
I didn't talk to her for a week. Alec ended up in the middle of it. He loved me, but he agreed, to an extent, with Bree. Jake...well...he stayed true to himself and kept out of it, only saying that I "needed to rumple someone's foreskin." God love him. I spent the entire week watching my dvds. I felt so pumped and motivated, I put together a new resume and prepared to submit it to all three of the big networks. That was 3 months ago and they are still sitting on my desk.
Since Mr. Moochie/Kissy Face and his woman retired to their room, it's been quiet. It's usually quiet, except for when the occasional "Snookie 2 and the Wannabes" show up, but not this quiet. All I can do is read Edward's latest book and check the local headlines. My Dad, Charlie, is Police Chief here in Cherry Hill. You have to get through Camden to get here and it's not somewhere you want to have a flat tire, ya know what I mean? So, Charlie usually ends up with a few calls each night when the violence and crime makes its way into the edges of our town. We may not agree on how he and Renee raised me, but I still love him and want him safe. I grab my trusty iPhone (another perk of being a manager - money to pay my bills and have toys...) and settle into a low chair behind the front desk. The news tells me that there was yet another police chase but they ventured toward West Collingswood instead of heading straight down 38. I scroll through further only glancing at the headlines until one of my alerts pinged.
"Ohhh, Edward...you're coming back...how did I miss this?"
He was coming to Madison Square Garden for two nights in May. I'm usually up on all of his appearances. There's no way I'm missing this one and look through room availability at the New York Marriott. Luckily, there's a single available for the Saturday night show. Quickly, I book it for myself. Staying for free rocks! Tomorrow, or I suppose tonight, since its' now about 4 am, is his show in Philly. Guess who has a ticket...yeah, me.
Slowly but surely, my shift ends. Thank God! I want to get home and write Edward a new letter. I usually write one once or twice a month. I'm positive I'm his biggest fan. I'll write him, take a couple hour nap and then get ready for the show tonight.
Traffic is light so I make it home in about 10 minutes. After brewing a small pot of coffee, I transfer it into a carafe to stay hot and head to my desk. I pull out the purple stationary Bree bought me for my birthday.
April 9, 2010
Dear Edward,
Good Morning! It's me, your biggest fan again! I just wanted to write you and tell you I really enjoyed your presentation on being the best
Customer Service Representative. It has helped me immensely in my occupation as Night Manager for a national hotel chain. I purchased your newest dvd, "Wherever You Go, There You Are" directly from your website. It arrived yesterday.
I can't wait to sit down and watch it.
Today is your appearance in Philadelphia. Once again, I will be in the audience. I never miss an East Coast show. Your words and enthusiasm have really helped me. I have mentioned before that my friends think I have lost my mind, but I wish I could get them to just one of your shows. I really think they'd understand and would be impacted by your words. I just found out about the Madison Square Garden show in May. I'll be there! I'm going to suggest they purchase a ticket too.
Thank you so much for everything you do for people. You cannot imagine how much you have helped.
Sincerely, Your biggest Fan
Bella Swan
I have to move around the resume copies to find an envelope but am successful. I stamp it and make my way to the mailbox. Bree's ringtone blares from the pocket of my sweatshirt on my way up.
"'Lo..."
"Bell! You're off tonight, right?"
"I have plans, Bree."
"What do you mean you have plans?" Bree whines in my ear.
"I'm driving to Philly tonight. Edward has a show there," I smile in excitement as I close the door to my apartment.
"Are you f'n kidding me? How much money are you going to spend on this gamooch? He's a crook, a phony," she growls.
"He is not. You've never even watched one of the dvds I have. I think if you watched just one or came to a show with me, you'd get it. I found out today he's playing at MSG in May. Come with me?"
"No. There's no way I'm wasting my money on that bullshit. You shouldn't either. Forget this Cullen guy and come out with me and Jake. We're meeting some of the hot bods from the station. Drinks and dancing..." Bree's voice goes higher. I think she thinks it sounds enticing. I hate dancing. I have two left feet and usually end up on my ass.
"While the drinking sounds fabulous, the dancing doesn't. I'd rather spend the evening listening to Mike Newton rip off Edward. I'll text you when it's over. If I feel like it, I'll meet ya." I've opened my macbook and pulled up Edward's site. I purchase a ticket for the Saturday MSG show. An email tells me I can pick it up at Will Call. SCORE! "Listen, I need to get some sleep before tonight. Have a good time."
"Whatever. One of these days you'll see what a scam this guy is. Be careful, please." Bree sounds exasperated with me, as usual.
"I will. Be safe too and give the Jakester a hug for me. Make sure he shaves his legs if he wears those shorts again. You know how he gets when he's around those hot bod friends of yours." I giggle and hang up. The second time Jake met us at the bar, he showed up wearing a pair of gold hotpants. Between all the hair on his legs and his tall tommy hanging out, I was gagging on my Heineken. The man's got more hair than Sasquatch. I forced my purple trench coat at him to cover that shit up.
I make my way to my bedroom and flop onto the bed. Hopefully, I'll get a few good hours of sleep and be 'open,' as Edward says, to his message tonight.
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A/N: I'd be open to anything that man gave me...Just sayin' Leave us some sugar...we tend to write faster (or atleast I do...) Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, fav'd! We truly appreciate you taking the time to read our little story...Much Love, Naughty (NHB) and Laureate04
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