Prologue

«Edward, not fast enough! If I'm late, even for a second, then I will have to wait for a few hours!» Alice was whining.

«Well, then you can go to another beauty salon - is it a problem?» Edward was very calm, amused by his sister being so nervous and impatient about such a trifle.

«I don't want another beauty salon. This one is the best in whole New York! And if you keep driving like this I'm definitely gonna be late!»

Since Edward could never refuse his little sister, he complied. He couldn't be that serious and closed Edward Cullen , who he used to be known as, with her. She was the only person he could be himself with.

Silver Volvo ran noticeably faster. Less than fifteen minutes later the car braked sharply at the destination, turning on the corner. All the while, Alice kept her eyes on her watch, more like a bracelet, which looked perfect on her thin wrist.

«And I have a few minutes to spare! Thank you, my saviour!» she gratefully hugged her brother with a broad smile, kissed him on the cheek and slipped out of the car. «Don't worry, you wont have to wait for long, just about an hour. Love you.»

«I have to wait for you?»

But the only answer was a clap of the passenger door.

He didn't promise to wait for her in the first place, but decided to do it. Although he doubted that Alice will be done in an hour. Edward didnt want to spend this hour sitting in the car, so he made up his mind on taking a walk. He hasn't done it in a while – there was no right time – and now he only wanted to just walk down the street alone, breathe the fresh air and think about some things.

Edward looked stunning, in jeans and a shirt with sleeves rolled to the elbow: his silky bronze hair, waving in the wind, being tall, having a slender body and a graceful gait - all this made the women look back at him. It always has been that way. His cheekbones and green eyes made that guy simply the ideal of beauty.

Wandering the streets of New York, surrounded by skyscrapers and crowds of people, everyone hurrying somewhere, he turned off the road, walked a lonely path to the benches, away from passing cars surrounded by green grass and trees that were so rare in this huge teeming city. But approaching, he suddenly stopped.

A girl in a wedding dress sat on one of the benches. The dress smoothly delineated a slender figure of a bride, showing her incredibly thin waist. Her brown hair fell in curls on her shoulders, only a few strands has been fixed from behind. He couldn't see her face. She sat with her head down and nervously straightening the dress with her fingers.

Edward knew that somewhere nearby there should be church. Ran away right from the church? Or decided not to go there at all? He imagined himself in the place of her fiance and felt uncomfortable.He was married himself. And he tried to imagine that Rosalie dumped him right at the altar.

He realized that he should go away and leave her alone, but hecould not. Something was egging him to talk to her, made him curious to know her story. So he surrendered to the impulse.

Had Edward approached the bench, as she tossed her head immediately, turning to the guy. And that's when he saw her eyes. People tend to say that there is nothing special about brown eyes, but he wasn't so sure about that at that moment. These eyes were spellbinding: framed by feathery lashes, it was as if they could see everything inside you. But the look in these eyes was baffling. Fear, doubt, discouragement, regret - all of this was reflected in these large chocolate-brown eyes. Maybe she had been crying.

At the moment Edward felt really sorry for this girl, who looked about 19 or 20 years old. But he also noticed that she was absolutely beautiful - not just eyes. Natural scarlet lips, snow-white skin and upturned nose. Light make-up only made her more lovely.

Without saying anything, he sat down beside her, followed by her gaze.

«Nice dress,» he said in conversational tone.

The bride was a little embarrassed because she did not expect him to sit sown next to her, let alone talk.

«Thank you,» she said quietly, returning to her dress.

Edward wanted to talk to her, to figure some things out. Though it wasn't like him – to feel this way, so curious.

«Problems?» he asked.

«I'm sorry?»

«It is obvious that you have problems. Come on, tell me. You will feel better.»

The girl was confused.

«Why should I tell you about my problems? I don't even know you.»

«So you do have problems.»

She turned away.

«As for me, I don't listen to advices, but, apparently, you need it badly,»Edward continued.

«And by the way, people should listen to strangers words a lot more than they usually do.

Sometimes a stranger can understand you more than the closest person …»

«Ran away?» Edward asked.

She shook her head.

«Not yet,» she said in a quite voice.

The girl looked suspiciously at Edward. He ran his fingers through his messy hair – an old habit - and the girl noticed the wedding ring

«You are married?»

«Yes. Two years already.»

«How did you meet?» she was glad to be a little distracted and also seemed to be genuinely interested.

«Rosalie and I met in college. A sudden passion and, after some time, the wedding. No big deal.»

Edward was open with her.Usually he wasn't that type of men you can hear the story about their past from.

«Weren't you two friends in the beginning?»

«No. Although, what can be better than to live your life with your best friend, right?» Edward smiled.

The girl averted her gaze and a very strange mixed expression immediately reflected in her eyes.

«Friendship often turns into love,» she murmured. «But sometimes it remains nothing more than just a friendship. And there is nothing you can do about it.»

«And you who's waiting for you in the church now?Your friend or your love?» he peered into her confused and frightened eyes.

The girl looked away again. She remained silent.

«You can't think for so long,» Edward laughed slightly. She could not help smiling, but in less than a second, she was serious again .

«Jake and I have known each other since childhood. After my parents had died, Jake and his father became my family.»

«Nice.But it's not the answer.Do you love him?»

«I do. But…» she looked a bit distant. «Not the way a bride or wife should.»

«And how it is? Like in mexican serials? Or maybe Jane Austins novels?»

«No. Love is just love.Either you feel it or you don't.»

«I would rather bet on the second one.»

«You don't believe in love?»

«Where is this love? You just should respect that one person, to feel some kind of attraction maybe, and share his interests, life.»

«So you dont… love your wife?» the girl asked slowly.

«We are pretty content with our life.»

«But it's not the answer,» she repeated his recent words.

«It's mot my answer that matters right now, its what decision you will make,» Edward said looking into her big brown eyes. «You have to make a choice: either you live your life with a loving and caring husband, or you spend it waiting. Waiting for someone you may not even meet, ever.»

«And what if I meet that someone when i'm already married?»

Edward sighed.

«You wont. If you don't be looking for him.»

Then his phone rang telling about the incoming message.

Alice. «Coming out in five minutes». Has it already been an hour?

«I don't know about what you are thinking, but sitting here will certainly not solve your problems."

The girl laughed softly, wiping the tears in her eyes.

«There are people waiting for you there, including your future husband, and there you are, talking to some stranger. Come on already, go,» he smiled, standing up from the bench.

«It was nice to talk to you!» the girl said in a soft voice.

«It's mutual.»

«Bella,» she stood up and stretched out her hand.

Edward hesitated a bit, looking at her, but then shook her hand.

«Edward!» he introduced himself. «By happy, Bella!»

He made her smile again saluting with his hand. She gave him a goodbuy nod. And they turned and walked in opposite directions: he was going back to reality, and she was running forward to her future.