Chapter 1

Present Day

Yay-forced family time at Thanksgiving was finally over and I could return to my freshman World History class tomorrow. I'm just feeling sorry for myself again. Holidays always did this to me. Let me tell you-if I have to see my brother Emmett wear his "food pants" again in the next year, it will be too soon. I swear he stole them from Rick Flair. They are hideous, and I have no idea how Rose puts up with it. She tells me "he's cute" and "it's one day out of the year Bella" but I know he will sneak them out again for our Christmas meal as well as Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, and any other family gathering with huge amounts of food.

It wasn't so bad this year except for my Aunt Catherine asking me for the 10th holiday in a row "When are you going to bring a nice young man—or woman-to meet the family Bella? We won't judge you sweetie." UGH as if she can NOT judge. I had to bite my tongue and not reply with "When will your daughter have a permanent baby daddy—what is this the 4th kid and 3rd dad?" I do love Alice but you would think after marrying losers 1 and 2 (Felix and Jamie—serious losers) and having baby number 4 in the oven with no mention of the father—Aunt Catherine would know better than to focus on my love life. Honestly, I love Marcus, Jane and Alec (twins), and will dote on this baby as well but geez ever heard of birth control? Alice won't even tell us who this dad is but at least she didn't marry loser number 3. I guess she isn't "trailer trash" since she is financially stable with her own home (no thanks to previously mentioned losers 1 and 2) but c'mon Aunt C—focus on them and not me!

I need to focus on this lesson. After 5 glorious days off, I must return to school tomorrow. I'm sure my freshies will be thrilled to be starting World War 1 since there are only 6 weeks left in the course. Ok focus Bella—why was Gavrilo Princip NOT eating an actual sandwich when he killed Franz Ferdinand again? Right, sandwiches were not a "thing" in Serbia yet in 1914. I continued writing out my lesson plans for the week and checked the weather. Great-rain again. Please God, just one snow day? I'm begging you? On behalf of all teachers, 20 school days between Thanksgiving and Winter Break is too long!

I came out of my sorta plea/prayer to my cell phone ringing. "Hey Angela, what's up?"

"Bella, how was your break? Mine was great. Guess what? Ben proposed!"

"No shit! That's awesome Angela! WOW when is the wedding?"

"Dad says Christmas Eve will be perfect since we have nearly 2 weeks for break after and the church will already be decorated! I had to check with you first since you are OBVIOUSLLY my maid of Honor."

"Angela, that's awesome! 13 months is plenty of time to plan the perfect wedding. I am assuming blue and silver since you always decorate your tree those colors. Who else are you asking?"

"Bella, you aren't listening. I said Christmas Eve—I didn't say next year."

What? Hold up? "Are you out of your mind? That is 30 days from today—you cannot pull together a wedding that quickly."

"Bella, I'm pregnant. 6 weeks."

If this was a Hallmark or Lifetime channel movie, I know we would hear crickets. So what if it is November? Angela, my sweet bff since 1st grade that still wore a purity ring her dad gave her in 7th grade, always made sure to have her own apartment- 2 blocks away -and NEVER talked about sex- was pregnant, engaged, and getting married? My speech was not working. I tried anyway.

"How did this happen? Pregnant? Are you sure?"

"Bella, you are 25 years old and teach high schoolers one hall over from me. Surely you know the basics? Anyway, we both had too much to drink at Emmett's Halloween party—remember-you drove me and Ben home? Anyway, he ubered back to my house to check on me and well…. wesortalostcontrol."

I had no clue what to say. I mean Ben liked Angela for years when we were growing up and she him. They went to colleges thousands of miles apart, but he moved back to the area last Thanksgiving. They had only dated the last 6 months and I knew they were deeply in love but holy shit—a baby and marriage?

"Bella, say something. Yell at me if you want but I need you. I am having a small wedding back in Forks in 30 days and you will be my only attendant. Please please…"

"Angela...I love you-Congratulations! Of course I will be there for you. Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes, he's everything to me Bella. I know it's backwards but he's my one and I'm his. We may be going about it backwards, but we know we are forever. I need my bestie. Believe me, dad was very disappointed but once he learned I was a virgin until last month, he said he understood. THEN he and mom told me they had sex after their rehearsal dinner! My whole life has been a lie!"

We laughed and laughed after that. We made plans to stay after school tomorrow and plan out some details.

As I was going over the whole surreal-ness of the night, my carefully held wall broke down for the slightest moment. Oh crap—was he going to be at the wedding?