Wonderful Life

I was happy to get home, to be able to be there for Colbie. She was one of the most important people in my life and I would do anything for her. I knew that whatever happened, it was something bad and she would need all the support that she could get. I finally got in my house, locking it up when my phone rang and I knew exactly who it was going to be.

Christian.

I knew that he was going to be calling and asking where I was, he usually did that. I hadn't seen him in years, probably since I was about eighteen and he was twenty-two, and that was because Christian was off being a big movie star, while I was in nursing school, busting my butt. He finally got a hold of me through my parents and we started hanging out again, until I started working all the time and he was off jetting around the world. Somehow, he still managed to call and occasionally see me.

I didn't really want to see him because I knew what he was going to try to do. He was going to try and convince me to give him a chance. He wanted to have a relationship with me, he was in love with me, and I didn't feel the same way about him. He had told me the day I turned nineteen, that he had been in love with me for the last three years and wanted a chance with me. At the time, I was flattered, but I wasn't ready to settle down, like he was at that time. I still wasn't.

Christian liked to think of us a more than friends, since we knew each other well, but he wasn't my type romantically, he was more like my big brother who looked out for me and that didn't settle well with him. I never felt that spark when I was around him and even the first time that he kissed me, I didn't feel anything, and it was pretty awkward. He was always trying to get me to give him the time of day, but he wasn't processing that we were just friends, although I told him every time he decided that he was going to ask me out.

I reluctantly picked up the phone, knowing that if I didn't, he would just keep calling. "Hello?"

"Isabella. Where have you been? I've been trying to get a hold of you." He said, and I nodded to myself, knowing that was exactly like him.

I sighed. "I've been on vacation with Colbie." I replied, setting my bags down. I wanted a shower, a meal and to curl up on my couch and watch the entire first season of The Vampire Diaries and then go to bed. It was clear that wasn't going to happen yet.

"Was there something that you needed?" I asked, trying to get to the point.

He cleared his throat. "Actually, I was wondering if you would accompany me to a premiere. You know, as my date? I thought that we could go out to dinner afterwards and talk, catch up maybe?" He suggested.

I figured that it was just dinner, so I decided that it couldn't hurt anything, so I told him that I would. I knew that I might actually have fun. "Sure. Pick me up at seven?" I replied.

"Sure. See you then, Isabella." He said, using his nickname for me. I hung up, and decided to relax, showering and grabbing something to eat.

~*~

Later that night, just as I finished watching the last episode of the second season of True Blood when there was a knock on my door. I had no idea who the hell would be stopping by my house when it was nearly eleven at night. I lazily got up from my comfy couch and padded over the door, rubbing my tired eyes.

I unlocked the door, the deadbolt and the chain and opened the door to see Christian standing there.

"Christian, what are you doing here? It's extremely late." I grumbled as he stepped into the house.

He turned to smile at me. "I missed you, Gem. And I thought that I'd come see you." He replied.

"Why?" I yawned. "I already told you that I'd go to your party with you. But seriously, I'm tired, I have to work in the morning and I have a serious case of jet lag."

I stood there, waiting for an explanation, but nothing came out of his mouth, he just kept his eyes on me. "Okay..." I began and was about to tell him that he should go when he stepped forward, grabbing my hips and pulling me to him, and kissing me. I tensed up, realizing that he was here to try and get me to up the stakes in our friendship.

"Christian." I mumbled, my lips pressed against his still.

I pulled away. "Stop." I shook my head. "Christian....I don't. I can't be what you want me to be. I love you, like you were my big brother. I don't feel the same as you. I can't be that person for you."

"Gemma, please...Give me the chance to change your mind. I love you....I have loved you since you were fourteen. Please, just...." He began, and I shook my head again.

Christian was really close to pissing me off and I wasn't really in the mood for my neighbors to call the cops because of the domestic dispute that was about to ensue. He knew that I loved to get into arguments with just about anyone, colleagues and bosses included, because I was very stubborn and very opinionated. Getting into those arguments led to fights, that I was pulled out of and it wasn't a fun thing to do. Usually, if I was at work, Colbie was there to stop me, she had saved my job on countless occasions, but she rarely got involved in the conversations dealing with Christian. I knew that she didn't like him, but she tolerated him because I told her that he was very important to be and he was, but at times like this, I wasn't sure why he was even in my life.

He used to be my rock back when I couldn't stand the fighting that my parents did, when I was a kid and it got to be too much, I would sneak out of the house and go over to his place, and I'd crawl into his bed. I was only a teenager at the time and he took care of me like a brother should, but somewhere along the way, his thoughts on our relationship changed and he started talking about settling down and having a family. Something that wasn't in my future, seeing as my career was just getting started.

"Christian....I don't know what you're thinking, but I don't like you like that. I'm not in love with you." I replied.

He sighed. "Is it Brian?" He asked, and I scoffed.

"No. He's got a girlfriend. I'm just not....I am not interested in dating anyone. Please respect that I don't feel the same way as you feel about me. I mean, jeez, you're like my brother, not my boyfriend and I don't...I wouldn't want to get into a relationship with you and then have us be miserable. It...Our friendship is too valuable to me to screw it up." I replied.

Knowing that he was defeated, Christian left, silently and probably pissed off at me, but I didn't really care. He knew how I felt and if he couldn't deal with it then, it wasn't my fault.

~*~

The next day, after working my long shift, I was dying to go to the beach, so I called a few friends, Nikki and Ashley, to see if they wanted to go to the beach. I grew up with Nikki Reed, and after she got involved with the Twilight she introduced me to Ashley and we'd been good friends since then.

I considered Ashley and Nikki two of my closest friends, besides Colbie. We usually got together and had a girl's day when there was time, but between their schedules and mine, it wasn't as much as we would've liked. Though today was different. We were actually going to be able to head to the beach today, where we were going to lay around and gossip. I liked being a regular girl sometimes and today was one of those days I was going to get to just be myself and not be bothered by anything that had to do with work.

"Long time no see, Gemma." Nikki called, as I sat down.

I nodded. "I know. I know. I've been busy and then I went to Australia for Christmas and then I had to come home and go to work and it's just been somewhat of a zoo at the hospital. Sorry, I have been meaning to call, but you know, life gets in the way." I replied, sitting besides Ashley.

"It's fine. We know what you're talking about. It's not that fun sitting around and listening to both Rob and Kristen either fight or make up. You either want to puke or leave the room. I'm just glad that we get time off to hang out now, seeing as we haven't started filming on Breaking Dawn yet." She replied, adjusting her sunglasses.

I smiled and slipped mine on over my eyes. "Yeah, I don't think that I want to witness two others make out, it's not my idea of a good time." I replied, thinking of the times that I'd witnessed Robert and Kristen either fighting or mauling each other while I was hanging out with them. From what I could guess, Kristen was kind of insecure of the other girls around her and could get really jealous when she wanted to.

"But Rob's not really my type. I mean, he's gorgeous, but I don't want that type of publicity. Robert is really sweet and wonderful, a blast to hang out with but I don't see anything that resembles a real relationship between the two of us. He's hooked on Kristen for now." I added.

We spent the time talking, about our families, our careers, men, clothes, traveling, anything that we happened to come upon and laughed while laying out. By the end of the day, I was ready to head home and get to bed. I was also going to check on Colbie and Brian when I got home, and was going to make sure that they were okay.

~*~

Later that night, I totally forgot that I had agreed to be Christian's date at his premiere when he told me that he was on his way. I had been sitting there, watching some Kristen Stewart movie on some movie channel and as soon as I got off the phone with him, I got started on getting ready. Luckily, my hair was dry and straight, thanks to my taking a shower, all I had to do was get dressed and apply what little make up I usually wore.

I slipped on my black dress followed by my pumps and then put on a bit of mascara, lip gloss and just as the doorbell rang, I was ready. I grabbed my clutch that held my cellphone, my license and I was ready to go.

Opening the door, I stood before Christian, all dressed up in a tuxedo, looking gorgeous. His eyes traveled from the top of my head to the tip of my toes and he looked up at me.

"You look beautiful. Shall we go?" He asked.

I nodded. "Sure." I mumbled, linking my arm through his and letting him lead me out to his car after I had locked up my house. This was a really great neighborhood, but I didn't want to take the chance, even if I had a kick-ass security system.

~*~

Stepping out of the car, I was assaulted by bright lights that kept flashing in my face as thousands and thousands of questions were hurled at me. Some of them were the regular type, you know: Are you dating Christian Bale? Are you getting married? How did you meet? How long have you known each other? All of those personal questions which irked me, and Christian, but didn't seem to keep the smile from showing on his face.

As I was walking towards the entrance, I bumped into a tall, brick-like object that was warm and dressed in black. I looked up, brushing my bang out of my face to see a gorgeous man who was smiling at me. I knew that I'd seen him somewhere, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Hello." The stranger greeted me, and in my favorite accent: Australian.

I bit my lip out of nervousness. "Hi. Um, sorry for walking into you. I don't really like these things and I promised my friend that I would go and I don't want to be photographed and I should really close my mouth now." I said, knowing that my face was probably bright red.

"It's fine. I'm...." He began, but we were cut off by Christian.

He smiled at the both of us. "Sam. I see that you've met my date. Hon, this is my co-star, Sam Worthington." He said and I nodded, smiling.

"Gemma Ryan. Christian's buddy." I replied, shaking Sam's hand.

And right as Christian was about to say something else, he was whisked away by his other co-star, Bryce Dallas Howard.

"Gemma Ryan. Ryan...Now, is that any relation to Hollywood director and banker Robert Ryan?" He mused.

I smiled. "Actually, he's my father. Why the curiosity?" I asked.

"It's just that I've met him a few times. He doesn't seem like the type to have kids. He seems like he is all business." He replied, sheepishly smiling.

Shaking my head, I laughed. "No, only when it's something that goes wrong. He's pretty awesome, but we don't really see each other everyday." I replied, not wanting to delve into the craziness that was my family.

"Um, look...." He began after an awkward moment of silence, "Would you want to have lunch tomorrow? I know that it seems kind of forward and early, but I'd like to talk to you and get to know you." He offered.

I smiled. "I'd love that. I....Tomorrow's my day off actually." I answered.

"What do you do? Actress?" He joked.

I scoffed. "Hell no! Um, no offense or anything. But I'm a surgical nurse at Huntington Beach. But if you want to call me and we can meet somewhere, them I'm up for that." I replied, scribbling my cell phone number onto a piece of paper and handed it to him.

By the end of the night, I was exhausted, I had a feeling that Christian was pissed at me and my feet were killing me. I headed home, tired and climbed into bed after pealing my dress off and closing my eyes.