A/N: This is yet another story I have written and so I thought I'd post it to get some feedback. After all, feedback is what helps me become a better writer so I'd really appreciate any ideas you guys may have. Reviews really are love! Whether you love it or hate it. Enjoy! xx

A Twist of Fate

"Oh, please tell me you're not going to buy another tragic gossip magazine Paige," Vanessa asked, looking at Paige with despair. Her friend hardly made a move these days without consulting her celebrity gossip magazines on what the stars were doing. Paige knew the name of the celebs that pumped gas, the new ‘it' couples and the celebs that had conveniently or by force had checked themselves into rehab.

"It is not tragic," moaned Paige like she had just been insulted, paying for her numerous magazines. It was amazing how many magazines she managed to purchase during the course of one week. Monday morning she had bought her fascist magazines and here she was again-buying up many others.

"It's intriguing to know what the celebrities are doing in their own little crash world," Paige continued. "Aren't you at all curious and suspicious of celebrities?"

"No," insisted Vanessa "You're only reading into the ups and down of their private lives. Who wants to continually read about that a million times when you've already see a similar story previously?"

"Duh, their stores entice the readers to go out and purchase the magazine, otherwise it'd be a bunch of words that don't mean anything," Paige explained. "Besides, reading about celebrities is a distraction from our own meaningful lives."

"Then in that case, I guess I should be reading these rather than books a whole lot more."

The two women left the newsagency and Vanessa took a sip of the mocha latte she had ordered for lunch before they were due to head back to the office for a more nauseating work load.

"Want to know the ‘big' gossip on our all-time favourite celebrities today?" Paige asked.

"I'd rather not hear of it-though I don't know why you bother asking me, you're only going to tell me anyway," complained Vanessa, slightly smoothing down her shoulder length curly champagne coloured hair with her hand.

Paige scowled at her friend notwithstanding Vanessa did have a point. Paige rarely followed her direct orders of insisting she didn't want to hear of gossip because she told her anyway.

"I really wish you wouldn't eat that double chocolate chip muffin when I'm making do with my latte."

"It's either this or hot chips," Paige said before she changed the subject back to the land of celebrities. "Anyway, you'll change your mind when you hear this;" she jugged her lunch with the star track page in one of her magazines "Soap star Luke Reyes is officially on the market after he confirmed that he and his soap star ex girlfriend Charlotte called it quits after she was seen canoodling with a mystery guy. Isn't that awesome?"

Vanessa rolled her eyes in displeasure. "WOW, that's great! I'm sure he'll be fighting the ladies off with a stick."

Paige tut-tutted. "You're so cynical. Luke Reyes is one of the finest actors on ‘If you can't have me.' He is very important."

"I really don't care and I'm not cynical. I'm a realist; I pay attention to the things around me so if I come across a sea-blue eyed hunk, I'll admit that he's gorgeous and perhaps I'll even gain enough courage to talk to him."

Sunlight bounced off the surrounding townships of glass windows of shops. Vanessa fumbled around through her bag, searching for her sunglasses. At last she found them at the bottom of her bag when she heard a cry behind her and then a thump. Paige was sprawled on the footpath-probably falling due to her constant attention to her magazines rather than on where she was going.

"Are you OK?" Vanessa asked trying to help but Paige was surprisingly heavy for someone so petite and slim.

"I tripped," moaned Paige, "and I wrecked my manicure. Damn, now I'll have to arrange for an emergency appointment," she cried out in hysterics.

"Let me help you," a deep voice echoed behind.

Vanessa looked at the stranger and caught her breath. He was handsome, perfect for a chick lit cover with his sandy blonde hair and blue eyes.

He lifted Paige to her feet. Despite her grazed knees, Paige seemed to know this was her lucky day.

"I feel silly," she fluttered her eyes at him with a smile as her masculine rescuer carried her to a nearby café.

"I'm Zachary," he said. "I'm no doctor so you should see a doctor."

Paige laughed at the response he had given, and insisted she was perfectly fine and didn't need to go bother any doctor with her complaints. There were far worst patients to help than her grazed knees.

As Paige and Zachary chatted, the owner of the café came out to them.

"Can I get you ladies anything for the shock? It's on the house."

Vanessa followed him inside and waited while he made their coffees. The café seemed quaint and gave out a cosy appeal. She was surprised she had never come across it before nonetheless now that she had, she could see herself and Paige making frequent trips here for lunch.

The café was buzzing with people and according to the owner; it was for one specific reason-Luke Reyes. His friend had called in earlier to arrange to have a table reserved for a lunch function with his mates. Hearing his name mentioned, Vanessa knew Paige would have a field day and would request to take leave from work if it meant there'd be a possibility she'd get to meet her favourite soap star.

Vanessa pondered over whether she should let it slip to her celebrity-obsessed friend the small fact. She knew she shouldn't be skipping work. God knows, she had a hell of a lot of sucking up and work to accomplish in order to win a promotion at work-something she had been working towards for quite some time.

She also knew Paige and if she didn't let her know, then she'd be despised for choosing to ignore something that is a big deal to Paige.

Picking up the tray of coffee, she made her way back towards the table where Paige was sitting.

"Where's Zachary?" Vanessa asked, sitting down.

Paige pouted, looking heart broken. "Gone-he was going to lunch with friends."

Vanessa was genuinely upset for Paige. "Fancy eating here today? The food looks and smells good."

"Sure," shrugged Paige. She didn't really care either way.

"I've got some news that you'll find interesting."

"Really?" Paige asked, her mood piping up slightly. "Did you find out juicy celebrity gossip?"

"Actually I did," Vanessa replied with a smile. "And I'm sure this will get you excited. Luke Reyes is coming here for lunch. He's coming today."

"Oh my god, wait-you're not playing a joke on me are you? If you are then it's a cruel way to get me happy. You know what I'm like when it comes gossip and in particular Luke Reyes," Paige narrowed her eyes, feeling uncertain.

Vanessa shook her head. "I'm dead serious. The owner told me while I was waiting for our coffees. It's partially why the place is filled with people more so than usual. I figured you ought to know, so we can cut work to hang around here."

Paige's eyes lit up with glee. "Oh, yeah, we'll definitely be cutting work. Maybe I have the footpath to thank after all-it's what got me here."

An hour later the buzz surrounding the appearance of Luke Reyes was magnificent. A crowd of people had formed since he first arrived with his friends. Paige had tried to gain a vivid spot where she'd get to see him and possibly even meet him though it seemed she was all out of good luck and missed the opportunity to try and meet him.

"I guess we can go now. It's not like I am going to get a chance to see Luke," Paige said, dropping her eyes like a puppy dog.

Vanessa rose from her chair, ready to make a move. It was too late to go back to work so she figured she would just go home.

"I hope you're not leaving before I've had a chance to ask for your number," a deep voice seconded.

"Zachary!" Paige shrieked. "That was a quick lunch with friends."

There he was, looking like a millionaire who had just stepped off a yacht. He didn't look abashed but he grinned at Paige as if she was the lottery and he had the winning ticket.

"Actually, I had lunch here with Luke Reyes-we're friends. When I saw your friend stand up, ready to leave, I knew I couldn't let that happen without asking for your number."

Neither Paige nor Zachary noticed Luke walk up to stand behind him.

Vanessa stared towards Luke, being the only one who had noticed him-notably becoming star struck in a peculiar way.

Eyes sparkling, Paige turned to Vanessa. "Isn't this amazing?"

"Great but uh, have you not seen..."

"Let's go for a cruise and get to know one another better," Zachary said to Paige, who gave a radiant smile to Vanessa and sashayed off.

After Paige sauntered off with her new boy friend, Vanessa was left to stand alone with the one time soap star. She didn't know what to say to the guy, she wasn't the one who even liked him. It was all Paige.

"Hey," Luke said casually. "I'm Luke."

"Yeah, I know who you are. I've seen the show you're in."

"Right, of course you have," he paused for a moment, as if thinking of something to say next. "It looks like your friend has made an impression on my friend."

He watched Zachary and Paige take a walk nearby to the surrounding boutiques.

"Uh-huh and she hadn't even skipped work to see him. She wanted to see you and when she could get a chance to see you-she's oblivious to you," laughed Vanessa with Luke joining in.

"No arguments there. Here's one guy who's glad she didn't see me," Luke smirked.

Was Luke Reyes flirting with her? Was she going to return his sudden infatuation with her? It was all so exhilarating and absurd rolled into one.

The pleasure on his face made Vanessa's heart flip. And Luke's eyes weren't the colour of the ocean at all. More like forget-me-nots. At this point, she could see what Paige saw in Luke. Up close and personal, he was rather rugged and good looking.

"As I rarely work weekends, I was wondering if you'd like to go to dinner with me and then see a movie."

"I'd like that," Vanessa agreed.

"Then it's a date," Luke confirmed.

Paige was all curiosity when she met up with Vanessa after she and Zachary parted though they exchanged numbers and promised to make for a date together soon.

"You practically floated out of there," she said. "I smell a romance and with Luke Reyes of all people. Unbelievable! I can't believe I never noticed Luke earlier."

"Don't blame me," Vanessa implied sweetly to her neuropathic friend. "Blame the matters of the heart and your rubbish gossip magazines. They got us here-like in a twist of fate. It looks set to be wonderful."