Random Rita ~ Friday Feature Fics!

♥

Evenin’, ladies!

Lookie what Sandy Claws got me for Christmas! A brand new office romance with Snarky Bella and Assholdward LOL!

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12290095/1/The-Last-One

It’s the hottest book of the season, every kid wants it. When two people who often clash at work go head-to-head for the last one on the shelf, who will come up the winner? A holiday fic written from a Pay it Forward prompt and for my Secret Santa last year, thank you again.

Rated: Fiction M – English – Romance/Humor – Chapters: 5 – Words: 8,550 – Reviews: 449 – Favs: 234 – Follows: 416 – Updated: 19h ago – Published: Dec 25 – id: 12290095

Edward’s assistant goes on maternity leave but ultimately decides she’d rather stay home with her twins than come back to work. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Edward proposes to make Bella’s temporary position permanent!

“What is in it for me?”

His eyes narrowed again. “What do you mean?”

“Let’s see, you have no choice, you need me as you explained. However, I do have a choice. My contract ends in two weeks, I could simply walk away. You’ve given me nothing but hell for two months, why should I stay?”

“You’ve seen the package and benefits, I’ll throw in five percent more, and an extra week vacation time.”

“I’ll take the extra week, but ten percent more and Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve off next week.” The office was closed for Christmas and New Year’s Day, but Mr. Cullen had calls and video conferences scheduled around the holidays.

“Oh, um, thank you.” He nodded, waiting for something else. “Do we have a deal, Mr. Cullen?”

“No.”

Bella pursed her lips. “What do you want?”

“New Year’s Eve; I need you here.”

“All night?” she asked. He nodded once again. “And you’re agreeing to my pay raise and extra week?”

“You drive a hard bargain, Miss Swan. Yes, I’ll agree to your terms.”

She smiled as she stood up, holding out her hand for his as he rose to his feet. “You have yourself a deal, Mr. Cullen.”

“Good, now go get me some coffee, make a fresh pot.” He said it with such authority that normally she would snap right to it, but if he wanted her to work for him, some things had to change. She waited, even after his dismissal, his attention already on his planner. “Is there something else, Miss Swan?” he asked without looking up.

“I know you have an eidetic memory, so use it to figure out why I’m still waiting.”

He looked up at her, his eyes narrowing again. “You’re pushing your luck, Miss Swan.”

She batted her lashes and smiled sweetly, adding a little wink that seemed to make him smile. Though he covered it quickly, adding a gruff, “please,” to his request.

She walked out of his office with a bounce in her step and swing in her hips, singing Christmas carols.

Edward sat back, watching the delectable Miss Swan, and wondered what circle of hell she was sent from to torment him.

This fic is so much fun…just try to resist!

~oOo~

It’s been a good while since we’ve had a good RockStarward so I jumped onto this one the instant I read the summary!

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12219270/1/Where-I-Belong

Bella Swan never expected superstar Edward Cullen to wander into Walgreen’s and she never expected him to change her life.

Rated: Fiction M – English – Bella – Chapters: 8 – Words: 23,663 – Reviews: 272 – Favs: 213 – Follows: 471 – Updated: 3h ago – Published: Nov 4 – id: 12219270

Bella glanced at the clock for what felt like the thousandth time that night. 11:42. It was like that time keeping monster was running more slowly just to spite her. She gave it the finger. She dropped the accusing finger quickly when the doors slid open.

“Welcome to Walgreens,” she said slapping on her retail smile.

The grunt that came from the ball cap clad gentleman wasn’t inviting but it was retail standard. Customers had a habit of forgetting the people behind the counter were real, live humans who addressed them. Bella felt her smile fade and she turned her gaze back to the clock. 11:43. Rat bastard clock.

She moved from around the counter to the magazine rack to straighten the misplaced gossip rags. She read the headlines without much consideration. Leo was dating another model. Brad and Angie were splitting up. . . again. Blake Shelton did something redneck. A Kardashian did something trashy. Edward Cullen was spotted hand in hand with the star of some new drama that Bella would never see.

Bella wrinkled her nose. The allure of life where your every move was media headlines was lost on her. She didn’t aspire to notoriety. Her goals were more along the lines of having enough funds to move out of her dad’s place. She hoped that if she really worked hard, that place would have a fridge filled with Killian’s instead of Bud Light.

“Excuse me,” the guy from earlier was at the counter. The only item he placed there was a bottle of wine.

“Sorry,” Bella told him slapping on the retail smile again as she headed over. “Just tidying up.”

“No problem,” he replied without looking up from his fishing expedition in his wallet.

His voice was nice. Melodic. And, bonus, he spoke real words to her instead of grunting this time.

“May I see your ID?” Bella asked picking up the wine.

“Uh. . . ”

His hesitation made Bella’s nerves twinge. No freaking way was she getting into it with some underage punk who wanted to give her shit ten minutes before close. Then he looked up and she understood. Her mouth dropped open. Her eyes darted to the magazines she’d just organized.

“You’re Edward Cullen,” her tone was way more accusatory than she meant for it to be.

He looked both hesitant and amused.

“I am,” he agreed.

Bella felt her nose wrinkle. Words were out of her mouth before she could put them together the right way. The right way being something without profanity.

“What the fuck are you doing in Forks?”

What the fuck indeed?

He could think of at least a thousand things he’d rather do than trek off to some Podunk town in Washington to celebrate the retirement of Dr. Carlisle Cullen. He’d rather have a sex tape with the ugly Kardashian leaked. He’d rather do Kimmel after swallowing a bucket full of acid. He’d rather cover Celine Dion for the rest of eternity.

To say Edward’s relationship with his father is a train wreck is puttin’ it mildly! Still, he might just have found another reason to come back to Forks…a girl who treats him like a normal human being!

With her backpack across her shoulders, she headed down the cemetery path and through the wrought iron gates. The walk back home would be nice. Forks was quite on Sundays, with folks at church or home doing the family thing. The streets were nearly empty, and Bella felt the sadness that crept in drifting away again.

For a while, after her mom died, Bella was scared of the sadness.

She was scared that she would be devoured by it, just like her mom was. Even though she had lived in Forks for a few years, she was still on the outskirts of the kid populace. She wasn’t bullied but she didn’t really have a circle either.

Bella’s attention was caught when the sleek SUV that was driving by eased to a stop along the sidewalk in front of her. Her curiosity was peaked but many, many SUV reruns with her dad made her ease off to the opposite side of the walkway. As she approached, she saw the passenger side window was down. Behind the wheel was the fuck-hot man she’d just been telling her mother about.

“Hey little girl, need a ride?” he quipped.

Bella felt her mouth curve up in a smile and her heart started to pound.

“Got any candy?” she asked reaching for the door.

~oOo~

Creepy as hell but it’s Drotuno and, as impossible as it seems at first glance, I’m trustin’ her to take us to a happy place in the end!

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12270478/1/Even-In-Death

A month after losing his wife, Edward Masen was taking it one day at a time, trying to simply survive the torrent of grief. Surrounded by memories of their life together and messages she left, he was already questioning his sanity when his phone lit up in the middle of the night… with her picture and number. EPOV/OOC/AU

Rated: Fiction M – English – Romance/Supernatural – Edward – Chapters: 3 – Words: 13,553 – Reviews: 553 – Favs: 462 – Follows: 698 – Updated: Dec 26 – Published: Dec 12 – id: 12270478

Plus, I’m a sucker for any fic that includes a cat!

Resetting my alarm for just a bit earlier, I fell back on the bed, smiling over at Steve, who barely shifted when the bed moved. One long, orange paw stretched out, finally covering his eyes.

“Right, right. . . Turn the light out, human. Got it.” I chuckled, reaching over to shut off the light.

The room went dark, except for the street light outside beaming in through the window. I closed my eyes and pulled the covers up, trying to relax after the long, strange day. Just as I was about to roll over, the sound of my phone buzzing across my nightstand had my eyes snapping open.

Once I’d grabbed the phone, my heart stopped and my hand shook so badly I almost dropped the phone to the floor. As it was, it landed on the bedside table with a thump, still continuing to vibrate. But it was who was calling that had my brow breaking out into a sweat.

My wife’s happy smile, a picture I’d taken just a few months ago, lit up the screen of my phone. Her number. Her face. It didn’t make sense. She was gone, and so was her phone.

Swallowing thickly, I swiped my thumb across the screen to answer.

“Who is this?” I answered angrily.

There was a sudden inhale of breath, but whoever was on the other end didn’t say anything.

“How did you get this phone!?” I yelled, starting to shake with anger and heartbreak. “Answer me, dammit! Where did you find it?!”

There was that same whispering that sounded like static, and then the phone beeped that the call had been ended.

I wanted to throw my phone, but at the same time, I wanted answers. My first assumption was that some kids had found my wife’s phone and were playing around. But deep down, somewhere in the depths of my soul, I wanted her back. And as crazy as it sounded, I’d take whatever I could, even though I knew it wasn’t possible. My wife had died almost a month and a half ago.

Geez, the hairs on my arms just stood on end readin’ this again *shudder!*

~oOo~

The gore factor is strong in this one LMAO!

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12269910/1/Quarantine

This could have been your typical high school romance. Boy meets girl. They fall in love. Live happily ever after. But when a deadly illness breaks out in Forks, students at Forks’ High have to put the romance aside and do what they can to stay alive. Even if that means losing a few friends along the way. Rated M ExB

Rated: Fiction M – English – Horror/Romance – Chapters: 4 – Words: 6,466 – Reviews: 193 – Favs: 154 – Follows: 312 – Updated: Dec 27 – Published: Dec 12 – id: 12269910

Just then, the bells rings, and the lunchroom erupts in the chaos that is “making it to your next class on time.”

“I’ll see you next hour.” Edward grabs his belongings and joins the masses. We’re herded like cattle, out the tiny double doors that lead from the cafeteria into the halls, and disperse from there.

I make a quick stop at my locker and turn to go to my next class when I see her.

Tanya walking, more like stumbling down the hall. She trips over her own feet and falls into a small group of people. She doesn’t get up right away, her shoulders heave up and down like she’s trying to catch her breath.

“Tanya, are you okay?” One of her friends rushes to her side.

“No. I can’t breathe,” she gasps. “I can’t.” She starts to cough, so violently that she falls again, this time onto the ground.

As soon as she does, everyone around her gasps. Her face has these strange spots all over it, almost like pimples, but they’re huge and raw. The next time she coughs, blood spurts from her mouth like an erupting volcano.

“Oh my God. . . ” I whisper, instinctively backing up.

Mr. Franklin, the math teacher, steps out into the hallway to see what the commotion is. When he spots Tanya, he immediately springs into action.

“Everyone, back up. Back up, people!” He kneels down beside Tanya and checks her out. She coughs again, spewing another rain of blood.

Mr. Franklin backs away, shocked, his shirt and his face dotted with red spots. “Oh, dear.” He turns to another student. “Call 911!”

By that time, more teachers and students had gathered. I’m frozen, standing by my locker with my hands gripping my books so tightly that I can’t feel my fingers.

“Come on, guys. Let’s give her some room. Ambulance is on the way.” Principal Walters starts pushing all of the students back, urging them to get to class while they tend to Tanya.

I force myself to look away and robotically walk to my next class, one foot in front of the other.

Edward is already in his seat, seemingly blissfully unaware of what’s going on in the hallway. He’s got his headphones in, working on his homework before class starts.

I plop down beside him, still shaking and unable to speak. When he finally notices me, he immediately pulls his headphones off.

“Bella? What’s wrong?” He asks.

“Did you see her just go down?” A student says, walking in the door.

“No, but I saw the blood, man. It was all over Mr. Franklin’s face!” Another says.

As the classroom fills with students, all chattering about Tanya, Edward seems to get a good idea of what happened without me uttering a single word.

Our teacher tries to run a normal class for about five minutes before she realizes it’s not going to happen and declares it a study hour.

A text ringer goes off on someone’s phone. Then another one. Then another one. The teacher doesn’t bother yelling at anyone for it.

As each student reads their texts, the talk starts.

She started bleeding out of her eyes, nose, ears, and mouth.

She was convulsing as they took her out in the ambulance.

And the final one. The worst one.

She’s dead.

So, what do Mike Newton, a wild party and a dead deer have to do with anything? You’re gonna have to read to find out!

Happy Friday, y’all!

Rita