Yes, I know. That was quick - I'm still trying to make up for the big gap.
Now, I have another apology to make - I promised this chapter would be the start of the party but my fngers got happy and typed far too much before the party so I decided to make that the next chapter.
No Beta no please forgive any minor errors.
Still not mine - Belongs to SM - I'm just having fun with her characters.
On waking up on my 'would be' wedding day I felt an immense weight on my shoulders and lots of different emotions were running through me. Sadness, Guilt and Remorse for what I had done but also overwhelming amounts of happiness and relief that I had, for the first time in my life, done something that was just for me.
The last few days had gone so fast. So many things had happened that I didn't have much time to think about what wasn't happening today.
Emmett had bought his girlfriend, Rosalie, to meet me and Alice. She looked like your typical high school cheerleader, long blonde hair, big boobs and she was genuinely stunning. As soon as they walked through the door, Alice had started squealing, in the way only she can. I giggled as I remembered the look on Rosalie's face – Eyebrows raised, looking at Emmett as if to say 'What the fuck?' Then she opened her mouth. 'Ooookay, whatever this little pixie is on, someone find it and bottle it for me. It's going to make me rich.' It made us all laugh and had broken the little tension that always comes when meeting someone new.
Rose, as she had instructed us to call her, was very feisty and had a big opinion on Jake and she was hilariously funny, without even realising it. She had agreed with everyone else that I had done the wrong thing but with the choice words 'He's obviously a golddiggin' bastard Bella. How did you stay with him for five years, was the sex that good?'
~o~o~o~
Whatever the 'thing' was between me and Edward had cooled considerably since my message telling him I was only twenty. Although he said age was only a number, he had stopped any of the little flirting there was and didn't call me beautiful again. I was disappointed at first but thought maybe it was for the best. Twelve years really was quite an age gap and I had only met the man once and I was drunk. He was still coming to the party tonight and I was going to talk to him as much as I could.
The ringing of the doorbell broke me from my thoughts. I glanced at the clock to see 8.45am. It was too early for the caterers to be bringing the food and Alice was collecting the cake. Who the hell called before 9am? It rang again and I reluctantly pulled myself out of bed and threw on my dressing gown. I opened Alice's door to find a man at the other side, holding something.
'Delivery for Isabella Swan. Sign here.'
I signed the paper and took the long wrapped package that I realised was a flower. Nobody had ever sent me flowers before, even a single one. I went inside and unwrapped it – there was a single rose but not just any rose, it was a black rose.
I felt myself frowning in surprise. Who would send me a black rose on what should have been my wedding day. Black roses meant death, didn't they? I needed to check.
I turned on the computer and went to grab a bottle of water from the fridge to calm my nerves while it was loading. I quickly loaded up Google and typed in 'Color of Roses meaning' – There it was… Black Roses meant Death or Farewell. I dropped the rose I didn't realise I was still holding. Who would do that? What did it mean? I shook my head to get rid of those thoughts and took a deep breath. It was just someone playing a stupid prank or someone who didn't even know what a black rose meant. I looked back in the package to see a card I had missed. I quickly picked it up and dropped it just as quick after I had read the words… 'Always Mine. Never Forget That. Jake.'
~o~o~o~
I jumped in the shower and tried to put the rose out of my mind but it kept coming back to the front. Do I tell anyone? Maybe Alice. No, I decided. Jake was just trying to scare me and I'm not letting him know he succeeded. Alice would march straight over to the Res and have it out with him. I'd keep it to myself – it's not like Jake was even capable of doing anything to me – it was just a scare tactic.
As soon as I got out of the shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and ran to the kitchen to throw the flower and the packaging in the trash. I kept the card. I don't know why I wanted to keep it but just something inside me said I should.
~o~o~o~
Alice wouldn't be home for hours and I didn't know what to do to pass the time so I logged on to Facebook. Before I could even read a few updates, a chat box appeared.
Edward: Hello
This must have been the first time we had been online at the same time.
Isabella: Hi Edward. How are you?
Edward: Busy with the surgery and tired but apart from that, I am well. How about yourself?
Isabella: I am okay.
Edward: Are you sure? That wasn't very convincing.
Do I tell him? I mean, he doesn't know Jake but he could tell Jaz who could tell Alice. Before I had made up my mind, the computer pinged with another message.
Edward: Oh god, how inconsiderate of me. I forgot what today should have been for you. Of course you're not okay.
Oh right, yes… that would work.
Isabella: I'm okay, honest. Just lots of thoughts going through my head at the minute.
Edward: Of course there must be.
Isabella: Looking forward to tonight though.
Edward: Oh. About that.
No, no, no. Please don't let me down Edward, I thought. I didn't want to spend the night with two couples.
Isabella: ?
Edward: I'm bogged down with the surgery today and I am not going to be able to leave here until later than I thought so I may be a bit later than I'd planned.
Oh, thank god.
Isabella: Oh, that's okay. I thought you were dropping out on me and was going to leave me with just two loved up couples to deal with.
Edward: Of course not, silly. I've been looking forward to it. However much I shouldn't, I really want to see you again.
He did?
Isabella: You do?
Edward: I really do.
Isabella: I'm glad. I'm looking forward to seeing you again too. It's nice having someone to talk to who didn't know me before.
It really was. Even though I secretly wanted more, I was glad to have his ear to listen to me. Oh, I just realised that was his job too.
Isabella: Maybe you should start charging me. ;)
Edward: Ha. No, I never would. I love being able to help you get through this. You're my friend Isabella and I hope you reciprocate those feelings.
Isabella: I definitely do, maybe more than you realise.
Was that too forward?
Edward: I'd better get back to work. See you tonight.
Edward Cullen is no longer online.
Yes, obviously it was too forward.
Oh no, Is our Edward really that paranoid about a few years age difference? Should he be? What do you think?
Party next and I still have no game suggestions - Come on guys? ;)
Much Love xxx