A/N

You guys have been SOOOOO amazing about reviewing! Here is the chapter before the ball! I am soooo stinking excited for you guys to read it! This chapter, chapter 9, will be the three months prior to the ball. So here goes! Oh, five more reviews before the ball please! This will be my second update for me today. See! You review and I will update. Anyway, here it it! Still in EPOV

A week has gone by. My Bella and I have not been back to school yet, today is our first day back. My mother says we will withdraw if the problem with the vile Albert grows anymore. I really do not want to risk the chance for it to grow but mother says that everyone deserves a second chance.

On a good note, over this last week Bella and I have gotten as close as ever. It still takes a lot in me to keep from kissing her. I still want to wait until the right time. I want her to remember it.

"Hello Mr. Masen." After all this time she still calls him that.

"Good morning Isabella! Are you ready to return to school?"

"I suppose so. I am a little nervous I must admit."

"Don't be. My son will take care of you, I have no doubt."

"Nor do I." I stated at the table during breakfast "Do not fret Isabella. I won't let him near you if I can help it." I still didn't call her Bella in front of anyone. I wanted it to be something between her and I alone.

"I know. I still can't help but worry." That was something I knew to be true. Bella worried over the smallest of things.

"You two have a good day at school." My mother turned pointedly at me " Keep out of trouble Edward." She said it firmly. But if he touches her I will not be staying out of trouble. He will not get away with it.

We arrived to school but were a little early. We sat outside since it was slightly warm and waited till others arrived.

"Isabella? Will you promise me something?"

"Anything Edward." She said full of trust.

"If Albert so much as brushes past you in the hall, will you tell me? Please?" She sighed deeply at my request.

"Edward, I don't want you doing anything to get you in trouble because of me."

"Please Bella." I released the full effort of my eyes on her plus using her nick name from me. She could never resist that.

"Fine. But please, please do not do anything rash."

"I won't if he keeps away from you."

People arrived and I walked her to our first class. Thankfully Albert was not in this class but my luck seemed to change after I got back from my third class that I have without Isabella.

Albert, once again, was backing her into a corner. This time was a little different. He was being very forceful and was grabbing her hips and pushing himself on her. This time was also different because there were no teachers in the hall just yet. I ran down the hall as fast as I could.

"Albert please stop."

"Sh princess. Just come with me, I'll get this over with and I'll leave you be like none of this happened."

"No!"

I was still running hard but they were at the opposite end, I could see him move too far! His hand sunk to her ankle and he ran his hand under her dress up to her thigh. She was pushing him as hard as she could but he didn't budge.

"Be quiet. You will attract unwanted attention." He whispered in her ear and I saw him kiss her neck. I lost every bit of control I even thought of having. I didn't think through what I was going to do. I knew what I would do.

I ran straight into him knocking him into the wall while Isabella took that moment to walk behind me. I didn't hesitate and punched him harder than I ever have in the jaw. I didn't stop. It was his jaw first, then his eye, then his nose, and his stomach. His nose was dripping blood and I heard Isabella gag behind me. I knew his nose was broken when I heard the loud crunch from my fist hitting him a second time. Blood was pouring even harder down his face now. I was about to hit him again when I felt soft hands clasp around my arm.

"Edward stop!" Isabella had tears pouring down her face but she continued her gagging noises.

"Please stop!"

I did as she asked, grabbed her by her wrist and led her outside.

"Not that I protest to you hitting him, it was just the blood. If there was anymore than that I was going to lose it in there. Blood makes me sick to my stomach." I chuckled and she glared at me.

"I thought you were actually upset for him. This is a relief. Although I am sorry you are sick." I walked over to her and sat her down on my lap.

"I do love having you this close to me but, I feel we should leave as soon and as quickly as possible. Do I need to carry you?"

"No. No. I'll be fine. I just needed air. Let's go." We took off in a quick pace that I was surprised Bella kept up with. She must have wanted out as badly as I did.

"What happened this time?" My mother said as her eyes went wide at the blood specks on my shirt that I didn't realize were there.

"He touched her mother. Very inappropriately. I couldn't stop myself. It was the only way to get him off her." She was shocked but let me pass with Isabella at my side.

"I am going to take a quick shower. I will be back in a moment." I told Isabella once we were on the second floor.

"Alright. Hurry back." I smiled.

"Always."

With that I took off for the shower so I would be back at her side all the sooner.

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Mother withdrew us from school after that incident happened. It has currently been a month since then and just under two months until the ball.

I could not sleep that night so I headed to the kitchen for a glass of water.

"I am surprised you are up." I turned to see my mother smiling at me.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Nor could I. Edward?"

"Yes mother?"

"You are proposing soon aren't you?" What in the world!

"What?"

"You are going to propose to Isabella soon. I can see it in your eyes. You have an excitement there like no other."

"Mother she has only been mine for a little over a month and a half."

"I was with you father only a few weeks before we were married." She informed me. This was true. But I wanted to give my Bella more time than that. Although I cannot wait for the day I make her mine. It seems like one life time will not be enough to fulfill my love for her. It would take more than eternity to almost satisfy my need of her.

"I know mother. I have heard the story many times." And I had. They were so in love and couldn't wait to be with each other. After three weeks of being with my father, he proposed to mother at the same stable I took Isabella to.

"I just want you to know, if you need any help, I will be more than glad to be of service."

"Thank you mother." I finished my water and went back to bed and slept peacefully.

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It is now one month until the ball. I am glad to say that Isabella and I have fallen deeply in love. She has awakened senses in me I never thought were possible. She opened my eyes to see the beauty in others and so many more things I couldn't even say enough.

"Stay with me tonight?" She asked me as I started off to my room. Staying until early hours in the morning had become a ritual for Bella and I.

"Of course I will stay." She beamed at me.

"So I asked your mother to take me to get a dress." She said looking at the bed not meeting my eyes.

"And she said...?"

"Yes of course."

"That is fantastic. You two will have a wonderful bonding experience." She still looked down.

"What is wrong?"

"She wants to buy the dress for me." She didn't like it when people spent a lot of money on her. Though my parents took her in as their own the moment they met her.

"So?"

"So, it isn't fair. I have money." She did have a good bit. She had a lot of her mother's money since she passed.

"She knows. But she just wants to be helpful Bella. She wants to give you things like she does for me."

"I know that. I just don't want her to spend any more money than necessary."

"How I about I talk to her? Tell her to let you pay for half?" She sighed a deep sigh

"Better than nothing I suppose."

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Mother and Isabella went to look for a dress this weekend. It is two weeks until the ball and they did not come back empty handed. I wanted to see what she had but Bella wouldn't allow me to look at it. Apparently Mother hasn't even seen it.

I have something on my mind I have to speak about. I cannot wait any longer. It is about to burst out of me but I want to do it properly.

"Isabella. Can we go for a walk?" She nodded and I took her back to the stable and to the exact spot where I asked her to be mine.

"Isabella, Bella. I have something I need to speak about. I cannot wait any longer for this to happen." I got down to the ground.

A/N

I know, you hate me. But if you review, I will give you the next chapter. Five more reviews will reward you with the finishing of this scene and ball. Come on people. Just review :)