Hey guys! It's me. I know I'm still not done with "Shopping? No way! Yes way!" but this story suddenly popped up in my head and I thought that it would be a waste not to put it in writing. So, for those waiting for another chapter of SNWYW, please wait a little bit and enjoy this story first. I love you guys and I'm really trying my hardest to write the next chapter. I'm halfway done but i don't know which way to go so please content yourselves with this in the meantime. :)
Reviews are well appreciated. :D
~moogledoodler
BPOV
September 13, 2008
*sigh*
Another day has passed; another day without a glimpse of my soulmate, I thought as I opened the doors to my apartment. You see, I have made it my life's goal to find my soulmate before I reach 30. I turned 29 today.
Oh I forgot to tell you, I'm Bella. Bella Swan. I own a flower shop that has been passed on for generations in our family. I live directly above my shop so operating it is a bit easier.
One more year. I still got one more year to fulfill my goal, but where do you start looking for your other half? They don't have directions for that down the highways, right? Turn left, turn right at the next corner…they don't have that. It's always up to you how you find them. So, where to start?
Later...
"Thank you, young lady! I hope you enjoy the book!" the old salesman told me with a toothless grin.
"Oh I'm sure I will." I smiled at him at the same time hoping that this will help me find the man of my dreams.
Oh no, not the book. I didn't buy something like "A girl's guide to soulmates" or "How to find your man" handbooks. I'm talking about the money I paid the old guy. You see, I decided to start my hunt for my guy by writing my cellphone number behind a dollar which I paid the book for. Yes, yes, I know. It's a bit risky considering how many people out there could get that dollar and let's face it. Not all people in New York are good. But I thought it was worth the risk, and if we're really for each other, fate would make my dollar go to "him". I hope it does soon.
October
After weeks of no results from my plan, I almost gave it up; until one day.
Tut-tut. Tut-tut.
I looked for my phone and found it underneath all the flowers I was arranging for a wedding.
You have one new message. It said.
*Unknown Number*
Hi. :)
Huh? Who could be this? Could it be…
I hurriedly texted a reply.
+639100123456
Hello. Who's this?
*Unknown Number*
Um. I know you don't know me, and as a matter of fact I don't know you too. I just happened to see that there was a number behind the dollar I was paying the cashier. So I went and saved it then after a little bit of arguing with myself, I decided to send a message. Um, sorry, I was rambling.
+639100123456
Oh. Yeah. I almost forgot about that. That was out of impulse. And yes, you were rambling. But it was rather cute. :)
*Unknown Number*
I didn't answer your question, did I? I'm Edward.
+639100123456
Ahh. So you're a guy, huh? I'm Bella.
*Edward*
Yeah. Last time I checked, I am. :D
BELLA
Ha. Ha. Very funny Edward.
*Edward*
Haha. I thought so too. :))
After a few more texts back and forth of no nonsense talks, I looked up from my phone and saw that I still got many arrangements to do.
"Oh shoot. I lost track of time."
BELLA
Hey Edward, I'm sorry but I really have to go for now. I still got tons of flower arrangements to do and the deadline's tom. Sorry, really.
*Edward*
Is that a subtle way of saying I'm annoying or that's really the truth? Haha. Kidding. Sure, sure. Go ahead. I'm just a text away when you're done. :)
BELLA
Thanks. :)
*Edward*
NP. :)
I continued with the arrangements I was doing before said Edward texted me. I never realized I was smiling too much.
"Someone's happy today. So, who's the lucky bloke?" Alice, my most valued customer sang as she entered the door of my flower shop.
"There's no man, Alice. You know that." I replied while rolling my eyes at her.
"Tch. Save me the lies Isabella. You're smiling too much. What, did the flowers suddenly talked back?"
"Fine. Fine. Remember the dollar I told you about. The one with my number behind? Someone replied, finally. And yes, before you ask, it's a guy. But no, I am not allowing you to jump into conclusions."
"But I can hypothesize, right?"
"Uhhh. No." I said sticking my tongue out at her.
"Ugh. You're no fun, Bells. Anyways, can I get my regular?"
"Of course. Here." I gave her the same flowers she orders every single day. A bouquet of callalilys.
"Thank you!"
"You're welcome."
With that she waltzed out of my store.
Walking back to my seat behind the counter, I passed a mirror and was shocked at what I saw. I, Bella Swan, was indeed, smiling too much.
Later…
I closed the shop and went up the stairs to my apartment and thought for the first time in my life, I'm passing through the same doors without a sigh but a smile.
BELLA
Hey. You there?
*Edward*
Always.
BELLA
That's cheesy, you know? Haha.
*Edward*
Yes, I know. But it made you laugh.
Our banter continued until I fell asleep with my hands still glued to my phone.
November. December. January.
After three months of nonstop texts, e-mails, chats, and phone calls, we, that's Edward and I, finally decided to meet up. I mean, we've been talking to each other this whole while, why not talk personally?
So we scheduled a meeting one weekend and met up at a coffee shop 2 corners down the street. We recently discovered that we lived pretty much around the same area and so scheduling a meet-up became a little bit easier.
To recognize each other, we didn't use the old fashioned ways of…well, holding a flower, or wearing a brooch, corsage, or whatever. We just decided to match. We're wearing a blue shirt, dark-wash jeans, a white jacket, and sneakers.
To tell you the truth, I honestly don't care how he looks. But when I saw him sitting there quietly reading a newspaper, I almost kneeled down and thank all the saints out there.
This man was everything I could ask for and more!
I walked towards the table he was sitting on slowly.
"Um. Edward?"
"Bells?"
I don't know what got into me but I once again acted on impulse and launched myself at him.
"Tell me you're not disappointed at what you saw." I said as he hugged me back.
He nuzzled my hair and said "Not in the least."
With that, I sighed all my pent-up worries and released my hold on him.
Least to say, I had fun that day and once again, I passed through my doors without a sigh but a smile.
September 13, 2009
I woke up to the sun streaming through my windows and looked at my door to see the date today.
Ah, so it is once again my birthday. And now, I turn thirty. I smiled a little to myself and thought about the goal I had set for my life and remembered how Edward has made the past year a memorable one for me. He may or he may not be my soulmate, nonetheless, I'm still happy that he's with me. I forgot to tell you but last Valentine's Day, he had asked me to be his girlfriend, and yes, I agreed wholeheartedly.
I ran through my morning routine and opened the flower shop to my customers once again.
Tut-tut. Tut-tut.
My phone beeped as I was watering the plants.
*Edward*
Good morning beautiful. I'll be there around 5pm. I'm just fixing something.
BELLA
Good morning too. Okay, I'll see you later.
*Edward*
Yes, you will. I love you.
BELLA
I love you too.
*Edward*
And Love, Happy Birthday. :)
BELLA
Thank you. :)
Later…
As I was sweeping the floors of the store, I was hugged by two arms that encircled my waist.
"How was your day, love?" a velvety voice I had grown to love this past year.
"Fine. But now, it's better." I said while turning around in his arms to face him.
"I can make it even better than better."
"Oh? And how is that?"
"Like this." And then he kissed me.
Every time he kissed me, I can feel his unshadowed love for me, but today, I can't describe it, but his love is even more overflowing.
"Better?" He asked.
"No. The best." I said as I gave him another peck on the lips before I pulled myself out of his embrace.
I went behind the counter to count all my earnings for the day.
"Hey, Love. Why are you counting the money already?"
"Um, because there are no more customers?"
"Well, what do you call me? I'm buying a bouquet for someone really special to me. It's her birthday today and I want to give her flowers." Edward said while wearing a totally innocent expression.
"Oh, is that so, sir? I'm sorry, then. What kind of flowers would you want?"
"I want that one." He said pointing to one of the most expensive arrangements the shop has.
I went and got the bouquet off its place and lay it down on the counter.
"That's $60 sir."
"Here." He placed 60 one dollars on the counter.
I picked it up and almost placed it on the till, sure that he was paying me the exact amount.
"Hey, are you sure that's $60? What if that's only fifty?"
"But—"
"Count it."
"Whatever." I said rolling my eyes out at him.
I counted the dollars and immediately understood the pressing need of Edward for me to count the money he paid.
There on the last dollar, was my handwriting.
In black ink, the same numbers I wrote that fateful day exactly one year ago were beside four words that will change my life forever.
Will you marry me?
Shocked at the words before me, I looked up, or rather, looked down, and saw Edward on one knee holding the bouquet he bought on one hand and a ring on the other.
"Isabella Marie Swan. When I paid that dollar to the cashier, it was on impulse that I went and saved your number. I debated texting you thinking 'who the hell does that these days?' but now I think it was fate that whispered to me to go ahead and send a message and I also want to believe that it was fate that brought that dollar back to me to ask you this question. You once told me that it's your life's goal to meet your soulmate when you reach thirty. Today, you do so, and if to fulfill what you desired the most, I am asking you this: will you let me be your goal, your soulmate, your husband, and your forever? Isabella Marie Swan, will you marry me?"
And I did the only thing I could do: kiss the life out of him. I launched myself at his kneeling form and kissed him for all its worth.
"I'll take that as a yes?" Edward asked.
"Yes." I said as he slid the ring in my finger.
~fin
Soooo, tell me what you think! Please press that green button down there and review. Even one liner reviews are very much welcome. :)