Hi everyone,

I wrote all day today and am totally stoked with all the feed-back. Usually I wouldn't write this quickly but couldn't just leave you with the prologue. I hope you like this chapter as well.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 1. To accept or not to accept?

Nineteen years later…………..

I parked my Chevy in the parking lot of a Los Angeles club. I wasn't excited or even looking forward to it, but my twenty-first birthday was something I didn't want to celebrate. My best friend Alice giggled and jumped elegantly onto the gravel. She straightened herself up and fixed my hair before we walked inside. The club was crowded with all the people that Alice knew, but were strangers to me.

"Come on." She grabbed my arm and pulled me to the dance-floor. The music was blearing and pumping in my chest.

"I've just got to go to the bath-room." The dancing crowd hadn't even noticed my entrance and I was glad.

I walked into the smelly ladies room and looked at my reflection in the mirror. Alice had put what make-up I could stand on me and curled my hair. The only part I was half hoping for was to see my dad. I'd moved out when I was eighteen after finishing school. I didn't have enough money for college, so I settled down in an old apartment. Alice lived with me as my room-mate; we'd been best friends since we were twelve. I pretended to fix my hair and left the bathroom to be greeted by a loud cheer of everyone.

"Happy birthday Bella!" Everyone cheered and led me to the tall tower cake that I specifically didn't ask for.

It was amazing and incredibly tall. It had three layers of soft milk chocolate cake and dark chocolate icing. It made me feel sick just looking at it. I stumbled over in the stilettos Alice gave me and stood with Alice for a photo. Right then my dad walked in. He wasn't dressed up, but what could I expect? He was a police chief for crying out loud.

"Happy birthday Bells." He gave me half a hug and I smiled with him. "Well, do I have to make a speech?"

"No, dad you don't have to."

"Your mother said I should."

"How's she doing?" My mother had lung cancer, had as soon as I was one year old.

"Better."

"Well you can for her."

Charlie walked up to the stage and grabbed the microphone. He looked apologetic and I wondered why.

"Well, as Bella's dad, I'm supposed to make a speech. Well I have a surprise for everyone. Bella is engaged." He looked down at me and my face turned furious.

Married????????!!!!!!!!!!! I was going to get married!!!!!!!!!!!!??????? I ran out of the building and quickly started my car. Charlie followed and quickly jumped in before I could drive. He leaned across and turned the car off and took the keys. I looked into his eyes, the why-didn't-you-tell-me look bound across my face.

"Look, I know you're mad." He looked out the front of car.

"Mad? Oh that's the understatement of the century!" I wiped away a tear, why in the world was I crying?

"We should've told you."

"We? What do you mean we?"

"Your mother and I, and Carlisle Cullen."

"The Cullen's. You don't mean……god dad, how could you do this??!! Suddenly tell me that I'm going to marry a rich snob that all the girls are after? Dad please just tell me why."

"When you were two, your mom was in hospital, her cancer was bad and she needed an operation to survive. So Carlisle said that Edward can marry you and Carlisle would help us financially. Your mother would be dead if you weren't engaged right now. When you were fourteen we made it official. And we decided on your twenty-first birthdays you would find out. Edward was humiliated too, and the wedding's in a year." I leaned back in my chair and thought about Charlie's words. It all made sense and I knew this is what I should do, just not want to do.

"When will I see him?"

"You have a week to think it over. Your mother will die without the next operation, so if you accept meet him at the local coffee shop at eleven. I have to go." Charlie left without another word. Soon Alice was by my side.

"Why didn't you tell me Bella?"

"Because I didn't know."

"You didn't know about your own wedding?"

"It's in a year. It's to Edward Cullen because my mom's sick; Carlisle helps my mom for free, because I'm marrying Edward." I didn't look at her as I said this.

"Well you go home; I have to entertain these people. I'll get a cab home."

"Thanks Alice." I drove the hour home then.

The apartment Alice and I shared was small and old. I loved it but Alice detested it. She was close enough to getting her own apartment so she didn't winge. I had my own bedroom and a bathroom Alice and I shared. I rugged up in some clothes and made a hot chocolate. It was winter and I lived in Fork's, Washington where it was constantly covered in rain. I sipped my hot chocolate thinking about all of this. I was to marry Edward Cullen. He was good-looking, I couldn't deny that. But I hardly knew him and from the exterior, he gave the impression of a mean and annoying person. But I knew I should let all that go and stick it out. My mother would be rotting in a grave if I wasn't engaged so I guess it was a good thing.

I would have a good home with Edward and I knew one day I would realize I'd made the right choice. But I was over-whelmed now so I would have to re-think it in the morning.

That night, I hardly slept and kept waking up. It was a restless evening and Alice came home at three. She brought home some of the cake and I had a bite. It was delicious and I loved it. I couldn't get to sleep after that until five. I wanted to scream and cry and throw a tantrum. But I stayed sane.

My alarm woke me up at seven. I had work today and was annoyed. I was tired and couldn't stand another day at the Fork's bakery. I didn't do much, just served people and cleaned up but it wasn't too bad. I only had to work Monday to Friday from nine till three but the pay wasn't good. Hope-fully I wouldn't have to work if I married Edward. Alice made coffee and I made toast.

"So, you didn't tell me, when are you meeting your fiancée'?" Alice giggled and poured the boiling coffee into mugs.

"If I accept in a week, at the coffee shop."

"Ok. Well I think that you should. At least you would have a stable home and you probably wouldn't have to work. Just look after the home and look after the kids, if you have any." She stopped pouring the coffee and stared at me. She was right. She always was.

"Well, I think I might." I smiled and took my coffee and toast.

At eight-thirty I left for work. I could barely see because of the heavy rain and that helped me muffle my thoughts. To accept or not to accept? To have a husband and finally settle down or to find someone I actually loved? I didn't know if anyone would love me, at least with this I had security if I was with Edward. But I soon arrived to work and was taken out of my thoughts.

"Bella, quick, get an apron and serve those customer's." My boss, Julia called out as the door dinged as I entered.

I grabbed my apron and served the customer's. All through the day, the same question ran through my head: To accept or not to accept? My words jumbled and I wondered if this was a sign? By the end of the day, I was tired. I drove home, my vision blurring and quickly got into the house. Alice was still working; she worked at a gallery, trying to sell art, so I hopped in bed.

The scenery made me freeze. I was sure I was dreaming; it was sunny. I was in a beautiful garden and people were dressed quite formally. I was in a small tent-like room. White sheets giving me privacy. Istared at the mirror and gasped with shock. I was in a beautiful wedding gown and my hair was done beautifully. I walked outside where Charlie was waiting. He held his arm out for me to take, but I didn't.

"Bells, it's your wedding."

"WHAT??!!" I yelled back.

I ran to where people were sitting and saw Edward, although I couldn't see his face; it was blurred. I tried to run; I ran anywhere but couldn't escape.

I quickly sat up and hit my hand to my chest. I gasped and breathed heavily. I lied back down and brought the blanket over my shoulders. By that point I knew what I had to do, I would accept.

Thanks for reading! In the next chapter, Edward is included. I would love to get some more feedback from everyone. It means the world to me.

-Nancy212