Chapter 1 BPOV

I've been a nervous wreck all day waiting for my best friend and roommate to get home from work. Tonight I needed her help to get me through my second assignment for work. I absolutely love my new job. I just wish it was a more permanent position. I recently got hired at The New York Times newspaper as an entertainment journalist. The job is great, the only drawback being that I am only covering for Kate, the staff journalist, while she is on maternity leave. So I have three months to try and make my mark on the newspaper in hopes that I might secure a permanent position with the paper if another journalist slot opens up.

It's incredible how hard it's been to find a good job in this city. At least for someone like me, with a degree in English Literature. My main goal has always been to become a writer, but without having the financial resources to spend full time trying to write the next great American novel, I knew I would have to make a living doing something else in the field while I write in my spare time. Luckily some of my college courses in journalism helped me land this temp position to get me started.

Alice Brandon, my best friend since kindergarten and my roommate now and throughout college, is the main catalyst in my move to New York. Her passion in life is fashion and right before our graduation from college, lucky shit that she is, she managed to get a highly paid internship at a top fashion magazine in New York. It only made since to tag along and share an apartment together while we both chased our dreams.

Unfortunately, we have been here three months and my job hunting has been less than ideal. After applying for any and every job available in my chosen field without success, I was forced to search for anything that would supply a decent paycheck. My meager savings was almost gone, and although Alice offered to pay my half of the bills until I found my dream job, I couldn't let her do that. Which eventually led me to my new full time job as a "secretarial assistant" at one of the largest companies in New York, The Cullen Corporation. I'm not exactly sure what kind of business they do there but, I really couldn't argue with the salary, and I guess I'll find out more on my first day next Monday.

For tonight though , it's all about my writing assignment. As an entertainment journalist, once a week I'm assigned a specific 'hot spot' in the city to cover. I visit the establishment as a regular paying guest, observe, and write and turn in my review in time for the Wednesday's Special Edition Entertainment Section. Before her maternity leave started, Kate went with me on my first assignment to kind of walk me through the process. We visited a local day spa, soaked up some pampering on the company dime, and made note of everything article worthy. Per newspaper policy, when we were done, we met the owner or manager on duty, showed them our Times I.D. while explaining our reason for visiting and the upcoming article we would be printing. We asked a few questions and left them with my business card before leaving. It was a fun day and barely like working at all. Kate assured me that 'getting paid to enjoy the town's entertainment' was basically the whole job description. Writing the articles was easy.

Come on Alice, where are you? Hurry up! My nerves aren't holding up so good for this second assignment. I'm on my own tonight, and tonight's 'hot spot' was a new nightclub called Twilight. It was rumored to be the hottest new club in town with multiple bars, dance floors and live entertainment. Most single twenty-two year old women would be excited for a night like this, but the club scenes never were my style. I have no idea what to wear, I don't really like dancing, and mingling with strangers is not my idea of fun. That's where Alice comes in. Inside that tiny little body of hers lives a huge burst of energy, friendliness, style and fashion expertise.

Just as I grab the bottle of tequila to down a couple shots to calm my nerves, the front door flies open and a gust of Alice whirls in.

"Okay, I'm assuming you've already showered and are awaiting me to make you beautiful so snap to it and get naked so I can get started here. I brought a dress home from work that'll look perfectly sexy on you and I only have a couple of hours to do your hair and make-up before we get going. I'm so excited for tonight. This is going to be sooooo much fun! Maybe we'll meet some new friends or find you a hot guy to hook up with. Are you drinking already?" Alice says all this in one breath and stares at me expectantly waiting for me to strip my clothes and hand myself over to her.

"Breathe Ali! We have plenty of time, and I was just having a couple shots to calm my nerves. You know I hate doing stuff like this." I slam down a shot and offer her one before I continue. "And also, I'm working tonight, not looking for some hot guy to 'hook up' with."

Alice slams down her shot in a hurry and motions me toward my bedroom. "I know Bella, but you know your job requires you to enjoy ALL the amenities they have to offer at the club. 'Hooking up' with a hot guy really could relieve some of that pent up stress you've had lately. It's been since junior year in college when you and Mike broke up. Aren't you dying to 'get back on that horse' so to speak?"

"No, no, no, Alice! Do not bring up him." I quickly cut off her rambling. No need to start off the night on that sour note. I started dating Mike Newton during our first year in college and it took two years to realize he had been whoring around with every willing sorority girl on campus the entire time. So maybe I have some trust issues and I'm a little reluctant to get involved with anyone right now. Who needs a man to be happy anyway? This is the time to get my career started.

"Okay, okay! I didn't mean to mention him, but you know what they say….if you fall off one horse find a hot stallion to ride instead!"

I can't help but to laugh at her crazy but sincere concern. "First of all, I don't think that's exactly the right saying, but I do understand what you mean. And secondly, I'm not avoiding men…I'm just not trying to find one. But if it will make you feel better - if I happen to find someone worth my time, maybe I'll 'go for a ride' with them, okay?"

"Deal! Now let's finish getting ready and get our sexy asses down to that club!"

Two hours and much 'Alice magic' later and we were out the door and headed to Twilight looking completely fucking hot and not even a little bit trashy.