Isabella

"Seriously?" I asked rhetorically while watching the Disney movie on my television that was put up by Nia, my neighbor's child whom I was looking after for a few hours because her mother was out for grocery shopping. "What is wrong?" Nia asked while munching on her potato chips. "You do know that in real life no fairy is going to show up to help you, right?" I asked her, shifting my eyes towards her. "I know, momma said that too." She answered making me raise a brow. "And what else did your mother tell?" I asked her, curiously while snatching a piece of a chip from her bag and plopped it in my mouth which earned me a glare from the little girl. "She said that nobody will be coming flying from the sky to help me but that doesn't mean nobody will be there to help me, there is a fairy for everyone who appears in the time of need." She said. I stared at her in surprise and amusement. "That's so wrong. If that was true then I would've found my fairy long back." I said with a long sigh.

The doorbell rang cutting our conversation short as Nia ran towards the door to open it. "Momma!" She yelled in happiness and hugged her mom. "Thank you!" Nia's mother, Jessica said while smiling at me. "No problem Jess," I replied while leaning against the door. "I'll see you later and Happy New Year." She said and gave me a hug. "Happy New Year," I replied while hugging her back and watched them walk towards their door. I was about to close mine while I heard Nia call my name. "Yes?" I asked. "You didn't find your fairy maybe it's not the time." She said and waved her small hand at me and ran in her apartment leaving me dumbfounded. How can a seven-year-old be this smart?

Shaking my head I closed the door to my apartment and went back inside to turn the television off. I looked around my small one-room apartment and couldn't help but sigh. The plaster from the walls was falling off which I tried to cover up with printouts from Pinterest, the wooden carpeted floor underneath me was creaking with every step I took. This was definitely not a house I imagined myself living at the age of twenty-four but fate had other plans. With another sigh, I picked up my towel and drew the curtains before undressing. Throwing my clothes in the laundry basket I went to my matchbox-sized bathroom and hung my towel on the rack. Now, was the biggest task of all that is standing on tip-toes and hitting the showerhead. A couple of hits later cold water started falling from it on my bare pale skin. I gasped at the sudden contact but sighed soon as slowly my body got used to the cold water. I scrubbed my body with soap and washed my hair with a vanilla-scented shampoo before getting out of the shower and wrapped the towel around me.

Getting out of the bathroom, I wore my oversized tee first so that I can blow dry my hair while sitting down in front of the full-length mirror that came with this apartment. My attention was soon shifted when I heard my phone vibrating. A smile graced my lips seeing my best friend, Victoria's name pop up on the screen. "Good morning babe!!" she yelled in my ear making me flinch. "Good morning!" I wished her back, not bothering to tell her about her tone because I know it won't make a difference. "Get ready, I'll be there to pick you up." She said as I heard some shuffling in the background. "V, I already left. Meet you directly at the hotel." I replied and received a huff in reply. "Okay. Bye!" Victoria said before disconnecting the call.

I chuckled lightly before keeping the phone away and went away to get dressed. I lied to Victoria because I don't like her coming all the way downtown to get me. It was a waste of her time and gas. Victoria comes from a rich family unlike me. I met her when I stumbled here in Pheonix, seven years ago. I was on the street in cold December night, shivering to death when Victoria saw me and helped me. She has done a lot for me since and I have no idea how I will ever repay her.

Shaking those bad memories I wear my hotel's uniform which was a simple fitted olive green dress with a white apron around the waist. I tied my hair in a sleek bun and did a bit of light makeup before wearing my cream color coat and grabbed a banana on my way out of the apartment.

I walked my way to the bus stop while eating the banana and listening to some music. Once I reached the bus stop I smile at a few familiar faces who smiled back at me and climbed the bus when it arrived at the stop. My life was not simple, but then again whose is? Still, I like to find happiness in every small thing around me. Like the color of the sky when the sun rises and sets, the face of a child who takes a lick of his first ice-cream, the way flowers bloomed in spring and fall in autumn. Happiness is always around you hiding in small things, you just need to have an eye for it.

I get down at my destination and walk towards the gate of my workplace, Hotel Royale. A place which now feels like a second home to me. Because of this place I got to rebuild my life here and afford a small place of mine. "Good morning, Isabella" I hear Antonio wishing me which made me roll my eyes. "You know I don't go by that name anymore, it's Bella," I said with a mocking glare. "Still I prefer Isabella." He said with a laugh. "Why do I even bother?" I asked, mostly to myself as I walk towards the back gate meant for the employees.

I punched in my attendance for the day and went to the locker rooms to keep my coat and purse. While I was doing so I get a stinging pain on my back making me yelp. "What the hell, V?" I yelled while trying to rub my stinging back and glaring at the raven headed woman in front of me. "You lied." She stated glaring at me, equally hard. "When?" I asked instead and shut the locker door in attempts of avoiding her eye. "You know when and you know how I hate it." She said, following me to the tray of toilet rolls and cleaning supplies. "And you know how I hate you coming to pick me, it's in the opposite direction of your house," I said and pushed the trolley towards the elevator. "You are my best friend!!" She exclaimed like that was enough of a reason, which was apparently for her. "Still," I replied. "Fine, then you need to do something for me." She said making me raise a brow. "Like what?" I asked curiously. "You have to come to the New Year's party tonight with me." She replied making me laugh.

"You know I don't do parties," I replied. "I know that's why I'm asking you to come with me, I promise I will never insist to pick you up ever again." She said and looked at me with those cute little pleading eyes. "Plus it's a masquerade ball. Nobody will ever know it's you." She added. Now that got me thinking. The main reason for me to deny going in the first place is socializing which means people seeing me here. Heaven knows I can't let many people know about me. "Please, Bella!" Victoria pleaded which made me close my eyes and reluctantly occur a "Yes!" She yelled in excitement and hugged me tightly. "You better not make me regret this," I added. "Trust me you won't," She said with a wink.

***

Hello again!

I've got back to writing after over a year. This time I really really hope I continue to write because I know how awfully it is to wait sooo long for an update. I promise these updates will be often now.

As you have noticed, I'm re-writing this book, so here is the first chapter with a few changes. Also, I have changed the cast for Vernon Morris, let me know if you like it.

Love,
Aastha.