What I own: An unusual number of stripper heels, an adorable cupcake print apron and a Siamese mix cat.

What I don't: Twilight. Despite a strong physical resemblance, I am not her and I am making nothing off of this piece of fiction. I just like to play in her sandbox.

This is written in collaboration with the amazing TittyKickers… she writes Jasper, I do Bella, its all kinds of fun. Reviews make me grin like a movie star and will be rewarded with sneak peaks and possibly panty flashes if you are lucky.

"Bells! Hey, Bells!" My best friend Jacob's voice was rich and deep, resonating with laughter as he ran up to me, throwing his strong arms around my waist and spinning me around. Shrieking, I pounded futilely on his developed chest and squirmed in an attempt to get free.

"So help me god Jacob Black, I will guarantee that you will never be able to please a man again if you don't put me down this fucking second!" The threat in my words was negated by the laughter that was behind them and Jacob ignore me and continued to spin , my long, dark hair flying out behind me as the hazy sun filtered through the trees down on us.

"Yeah, I'd LOVE to see you try it Belly bear!" Jacob barked with laughter as we spun, and I squeezed my eyes shut relishing the feel of the cool, damp Washington wind that flew by us.

"Seriously Jake, if you don't put me down I am going to puke on your shoes!" That threat still carried some weight and I found myself being dumped, rather unceremoniously, onto the soft, green grass against which I collapsed with a laugh. Squeezing my eyes shut I tilted my head up to the sky, barely feeling the rare warmth from the sun on my face and relishing the cool, clean, fresh scent of my home town. Forks, Washington, with its two traffic lights, one grocery store and a population that was less than the high school I had briefly attended in Phoenix, was not for everyone but I loved it. My dad was here, my friends and my home, the only real home that I had ever known. Forcing my eyes open, I looked around for Jacob, perplexed when I didn't see him but, rather, a small pink bunny rabbit sitting in the middle of the field. Forcing myself up I crossed to the small creature and lay down, the ground damp under my stomach and faced it, meeting its dark eyes.


The bunny studied me before opening its mouth to reveal sharp, dark teeth. "I've got a pocket full of sunshine Isabella…" The creatures voice was distorted as it responded, beady eyes sparkling, "Take me away" The creature coughed and hopped away, leaving a trail of pink glitter in its wake.

"Wait, Jake, what am I supposed to do? I was desperate for an answer to my question as dark, black clouds filled the sky and the temperature dropped, a shiver racing down my back.

The bunny stopped and smirked mischievously, seemingly thinking over his reply. "A sweet escape, Bella, a holiday…" With that it bounded for the trees and disappeared just as a huge crack of thunder rang out and the sky opened up, spilling heavy cold raindrops and pink glitter down on me….

I sat up with a start, the annoying strains of 'Pocketful of Sunshine' blasting from my alarm clock, and my sheets in tangled ropes around my legs.

I knocked the purple clock off of the nightstand, effectively silencing it and dropping back to my pillows with an exasperated sigh, images of my dream flashing through my mind, already becoming cloudy at the edges. I really needed to find a new song to wake up to. Glancing towards the window, the bright Texas sunlight peeked in around my dark curtains. I was about as far from Forks as I could ever get and only one person there even knew how to find me, which was exactly what I wanted. Jakes blinding smile floated through my mind and I resolved to write to my dear friend in the next day or so. Of everything that I had left behind in Forks, his friendship was what I missed the most. Shaking my head I set about untangling the sheets from my bare legs and sliding out of bed, stretching towards the ceiling as my spine popped contentedly. I quickly shrugged into my white silk robe that had lay, haphazardly, over my night table and crossed over to the window, opening the curtains and blinds and allowing the bright, midday sun to stream into my room before heading into the bathroom to shower and change for work. I had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

''This is as good as it's going to get" I muttered the words to my reflection in the mirror, twenty minutes later, as I swept my long, damp, dark hair up into a messy bun and slicked some gloss on my lips, leaving the rest of my face bare before pulling the scratchy, stiff blue polyester dress up over my curves and tying the starched white apron around my waist. Shaking my head I glanced at my clock and grabbed my backpack before heading out the door. The moment I stepped outside I was engulfed by the oppressive Texas humidity and I smiled softly as I slipped my sunglasses on. The tiny town in southern Texas was smaller than Forks and, strangely, I found myself loving it. The cracked asphalt shimmered in the heat as I headed down the street, passing both the post office and the only grocery store on my short, two block journey.

Stopping in front of the rundown, white building, I braced myself slightly before pushing the glass door open. The tiny bell above the door chimed and I was greeted with a chorus of ''hellos'' and ''good afternoons'' from the patrons of Ruby and Robert's. I waved a response and headed towards the tiny break room, the scents of coffee, barbeque and pie mingling in the air. Pushing the door of the small space open, I dropped my bag next to the small table and poured a cup of coffee into a heavy, shipped white mug, taking a long sip of the beverage. I didn't particularly like the stuff but its rich scent and slightly bitter taste always reminded me of waking up on weekends with my dad. Charlie drank at least a pot a day on his own and, by default; I had started drinking it as well. I shook the thought of my father out of my head, refusing to dwell on the memories right now. There was a time for that and it was definitely not now. I dug in my bag for a few pens and shoved them in my apron pocket before affixing my small, gold plated name tag to my pocket. Isabella. I had begged Ruby to shorten it to Bella but she had refused with a lopsided grin, insisting my name was perfectly lovely. Chuckling softly I left the quiet and calm of the break room and headed back into the hustle and bustle of the diner. Taking a quick glance around me recognized most of the customers and could greet them by name. Okay, nearly half of them answered to some variation of Billy, but still. With a grin I ducked behind the battered counter and grabbed one of the three pots of hot coffee that we had brewing at all times and headed back out, drifting from table to table, making polite small talk and refilling cups. Time passed quickly in the diner. Waiting tables, while never anyone's dream job, was good enough for me. If anyone had told me three years ago that I would be waiting tables in a barbeque joint in East Jesus Nowhere, Texas I would have scoffed and asked what drugs they were on. It seemed almost a lifetime ago that I had been a smiling college student at U-dub Seattle, studying English Literature with the kind of zeal only a bright eyed twenty-one year old can have, A lifetime that had come to a screeching halt at the hands of a stupid, scared kid and some asshole who didn't know enough to get a designated driver. As I set about bussing tables and arranging coffee cups, my mind wandered , thoughts of my parents flickering across my mind ending abruptly with memorial services for each of them, thousands of miles and two months apart. Two months was all it had taken for me to lose the only family that I had ever had. I was pulled out of my thought by the deep, jovial voice of Billy Ray, a grizzled good ol' boy who liked his coffee black, his steak rare and considered macaroni and cheese a vegetable. "Bella, sugar, think I could get a refill?" He held up his white mug with a grin. I shook all thoughts of my past from my head, smiled and grabbed the coffee pot, glad for the distraction, and began another trip around the diner.

Eight hours later, the sun had long since dipped below the horizon, the temperature had dropped so it was bearable and I was still at work. I glanced down at the crumb and coffee covered table top before me moments before I wiped it down with a stained cloth, the crumbs falling silently to the floor. It was almost 10PM and most of our customers had left, only the few stragglers hanging on, sipping their coffees. Soft, old, country music drifted through the small space, punctuated soft coughs and the scrape of metal against china. I kneeled down behind the counter, sliding open the display case that housed Ruby's ridiculously delicious pies and set about re-arranging them, the rich scent of butter, sugar, fruit and spices mingling and making my mouth water. I hear the familiar sound of the old door creaking open followed by the tinkle of the bell signaling the arrival of another customer. I sighed softly and glanced at the clock on the wall. 9:45. fucking perfect. "Have a seat anywhere you want, I'll be right there" My voice carried a slight edge of irritation. I continued to shuffle the flakey pastries that were in front of my, my stomach growling slightly as not exactly needed reminder of the fact that I had not eaten in hours.

"Jesus Hell Bella, its only another hour" I whispered the words under my breath before standing up, brushing my crumb covered hands on the stiff starched apron as I grabbed my pen and order pad and scanned the diner for my new arrival, catching sight of an unfamiliar form in a corner booth. Smiling slightly I headed towards him, my sneakers squeaking on the scuffed and dinged linoleum as I approached the booth. The jingle of coins and scuff of chairs announced the departure of at least a few of my remaining customers. I paused and glanced back at the door, grinning and waving.

"Night boys, I'll see you tomorrow"

"You take care Bella darlin', and watch out on your walk home" Waylon, a weathered rancher paused at the door and smiled after his customary departing warning.

"Now Waylon, " I turned towards the door, my hands playfully on my hips even as a smile tugged at my lips as I addressed the grandfatherly man, "You know I always carry pepper spray, and besides, I live two blocks away and it's not like Cold Spring is a hotbed of criminal activity." I gave a quick wink and Waylon waved, watching the door shut before turning back to the customer who was still seated in the booth. "I'm sorry about that honey; can I get you some water before you order?" I arrived at the table and my eyes finally rested on the man in front of me. My mouth went a bit dry as I took in the man in front of me. His head was down but I could still see dark blond hair curled around exquisitely sculpted cheekbones, and lips that stood out, dark and plush against almost shockingly pale skin. A well loved acoustic guitar sat in the booth next to him, and I smiled slightly as I stumbled to find my voice, a blush forming on my cheeks as I waited for his response, oddly disappointed at the simple nod. "Alright then, coming right up." I tap my pen on my pad and turn, heading back to the kitchen. My hands shook slightly as I grabbed the glass and scooped ice in it before adding some of Cold Springs finest and heading back out towards my only remaining customer. I sat the glass down and grabbed a straw from my pocket, setting it on the chipped Formica table top.

"So what can I get for you?" I kept my eyes on the handsome stranger as I waited on his reply.

"The water is just fine, I'm not hungry." His voice was husky and low, a deep Texas accent sending a small chill down my spine.

I nod mutely and smile my voice light. "Well if you need anything, just let me know. We'll be closing in a few minutes but I'll be in the kitchen if you change your mind." I once again feel a blush stain my cheeks as I turn away and head into the empty kitchen, organizing the menus in a neat pile and taking a quick peek into the fridge, removing the slice of homemade cherry pie that I had stashed away and pouring a tall glass of milk. Hopping up on the counter I took a small bite, the sweet juicy fruit and rich buttery crust exploding over my tongue as I chewed. I moaned softly before swallowing and set my snack on the counter, the china clinking against the scarred counter, blending with the sound of the bell and the opening of the door. I slid off the counter, my white converse slapping against the floor and headed back out to the main diner just in time to see the door swing shut, the bright moonlight shining off of dark blond hair as the stranger walked away, his guitar over his shoulder. I shake my head in disappointment as I head towards the door, sliding the cold deadbolt and flipping the open sign over with a soft sigh, grabbing the rag that still sits on the counter and heading back to the corner booth, where a weathered ten dollar bill sat beside the untouched glass of water.

"I guess he liked the service." I laugh softly and the sound echoes in the now empty space, my fingers flipping the switch and plunging the room into darkness.

Pups fic rec corner: Okay my lovelies, just one rec for you today: Happy Birthday, Darlin' by the incomparable GemmaLisaX. This lovely little glass of lemonade was just perfect, sweet and intense at the same time. Go, read and review… and tell her Pups sent you!