I bet you all want to kill me now for taking so long to get this chapter up, huh? Lol. Sorry about that. A lot of things have come up. My parents just went through this crazy divorce and one of my aunt's died recently. But here's Chapter 17 of THAT Girl…

"Maybe you should take the lady's word for it and leave her alone," came a voice from behind us. To those thugs near me the voice probably sounded menacing and terrifying but to me it sounded like the voice of a hero."

"Oh? And just who are you pretty boy?" said the one with the dark hair.

"Nobody of interest to you. But I think that you should be worried about who is watching you over there," he motioned across the street. There was a police station and about 3 officers were watching out of the window to see what all the commotion was about. One of them was even starting to come out of the door.

"Hey over there! What's all this about?" an officer called over.

He started to come across the street toward us and that was when the men trying to do the unthinkable to me took off in the other direction. "Hey! You come back here!" shouted the police and two of them started racing off after them.

I turned to Edward and found that he was watching me intently, His eyes slightly piercing and dangerous. But the second our eyes locked they softened immensely.

"Edward I…what I mean is…thank you. So much. How did you find me?"

"I followed you. Um…Mrs. Weber said you might need a bit of help because she added a few thing s to the list. Are you all right Bella?" He said that all in a rush but the last part was full of so much concern for me that my heart nearly burst.

"I think I'm fine. Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not Bella. To think that they might have done something to you. If I hadn't been here protecting you…watching out for you…I would have felt so guilty. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself. Had there not been a police station so close I probably would have done something stupid like go after them. What use would I be to you dead?" He said all of this with such an effort that it seemed almost painful.

"Don't think that way. Ever. Because you were there. And even if something had …happened…it wouldn't have been you're fault." How could he think that way? It made no sense to me how he could have such little regard for himself. He was perfect. "Edward I…I love you. I have for the longest time and I know that it must have seemed awful the other day when I didn't say anything when you told me your true feelings, but I do love you too. And I'm so sorry—"

Somehow we had come to stand face to face. Or rather face to chest since he was so much taller than I. He kissed me sweetly, cutting off my apology and I knew that everything would be okay. He pulled away a few seconds later and put his forehead against mine.

"Bella you are my life now. (A/N: italicized because it's a direct Twilight quote) There is nothing that you ever need to apologize to me for." He folded me into his arms and we stood there on the street for a few more minutes until I said, "We probably need to continue on to the store, Edward. Mrs. Weber is probably getting worried."

He laughed his musical laugh and took my hand. We got what Mrs. Weber needed and then walked back to her house. The rest of the night was wonderful. True, Edward and I never really got more time be alone but we both knew that we wanted to be with each other and that was what mattered.

After we had eaten the men all went off with Ben and we women took care of Angela. She was so positively happy that she made the entire house light up and everybody around her was affected too. We didn't do much. We talked about marriage a little, at least until Angela started looking worried a bit. Then we talked about everything else of little consequence. I told her that I would be over bright and early tomorrow for her. Now, if only I could still my pounding heart, for love is soon to cause me a heart attack.

.………:Next Morning:……….

"Bella! Oh thank goodness you're here! She's locked herself in the bathing room and refuses to come out or let any of us in!" was the welcome I received when I arrived at the Weber household on the day of Angela's wedding.

I made my way over to the bathroom and knocked on the door.

"Go away," was the pitifully sorrowful response I got back.

"Angela, dear, can I come in? It's me, Bella."

I heard some shifting around and then the door handle was rattled a bit. Then Angela's tear-streaked face peered out of the door. "Bella?"

"Yes, I'm right here." She opened the door wider and let me in. Then, after I had come inside, she quickly shut and locked the door as it was before my arrival. "What's wrong?" I asked sympathetically.

"Everything. What if this wedding is ruined? What if my marriage is a disaster? What if Ben fell out of love with me? OH! I can't stand these thoughts tormenting me. I just can't get married today. Or ever!"

"Angela, I know you. And I know that you never give up on something without first trying your best at it. If anybody ruins this wedding, which is very unlikely, they will have many people to answer to. I know for a fact that your marriage will not be a disaster because you two are very much in love and marriage only is a way of letting the whole rest of the world know that. Ben loves you so much. You can see it in his eyes every time he looks at you. There is no possible way he could ever fall out of love with you because he knows what a spectacular young woman he'd lose," I said. My little speech had Angela crying again but for what I guessed, a better reason than doubt. Maybe joy?

I wiped her tears with my sleeves and smiled at her. She smiled back and we started laughing. After about five minutes we just sat there in silence. I gave her a hug and we stayed there content until her mother came to the door. "Angela, Bella, is everything all right in there now?"

"Yes. It's fine now. Everything is going to be okay. I'm sorry for distressing you with my hysterics mother," Angela said repentantly to her mother. She unlocked the bathroom door and we stepped out.

"Now, why don't we get you ready and looking like a beautiful young bride, shall we?"

So the next 3 hours we spent preparing Angela for the biggest day of her life. We styled her hair into a bun with cascading curls hanging loosely around her face, framing it delicately. We helped her into the many layers of her elaborate dress and put her heels on her. My mother had come over and both the moms talked to Angela about the Wedding Night and all that comes with It. But before we did any of that, we sat down and forced Angela to at least have a few bites of breakfast even though she profusely, yet very much in vain, tried to convince us that she wasn't hungry.

By the time we had finished all of that and gotten each of ourselves ready for the wedding as well it was about 10:15. The wedding started at 11:30 but we had to be at the chapel by at least 10:30 because we were arriving with the bride. We had to leave now. The coachman was nowhere in sight.

We officially went crazy for 3 minutes before a knock came at the door. What do you know, it was the notorious coach man. It was now Angela's mother's turn to go hysterical. She started crying and asking the coachman questions like 'Do you want my only daughter to be late for her own wedding?' , 'Why weren't you here two minutes ago?', 'Do you enjoy it when people suffer?'

She would have probably continued on that way for a long while but Angela intercepted by saying, "It's going to be all right mother. We'll make it there on time. Don't worry." And she swooped her mom into a bid hug and patted her back just as I had done to her earlier in the bathroom when she was nervous about it all.

We got past all these minor hitches in our path, clambered into the carriage, and took off towards the chapel where Angela's father, the minister, Benjamin, Edward, the best man, my father, and Angela's 9-year-old twin brothers awaited our arrival.

Once at the chapel, we had about 20 minutes. The mothers went out into the main area of the building where all the men were. I elected to stay with Angela because she wasn't allowed to see her groom-to-be before the wedding started.

I heard all sorts of people coming through the doors. I wasn't to be a big wedding, but nevertheless, it wasn't to be a small one either. There were relatives and friends and such who were in attendance mostly but here and there we noticed somebody from school enter through the doors whom we weren't well acquainted with at all.

Of course, the guests couldn't see us. We were to remain exclusive so to hide Angela's utterly beautiful appearance until it was time to reveal it to Benjamin as well. It only seemed fair. We watched through a peep hole in the wall just like we did when we were younger children and the church was holding some sort of big event.

Then, rather soon actually, the flower girl, the daughter of one of Angela's aunt's living in Wisconsin, came to find us. It was time. Angela was surprisingly calm when the flower girl came, I on the other hand, was incredibly ill at ease and it was not even my wedding.

The girl led us to the entrance of the congregational area of the chapel and we waited. We heard the pianist start the familiar wedding tune and the doors opened from the inside. Edward was waiting on the other side along with Angela's father. Edward linked arms with me and we walked towards the front of the church. When we got there we separated. I hadn't even noticed how Edward looked, but as always he looked sensational. His beauty was breathtaking. And yet I was more overwhelmed by Ben.

He was shining with so much love right now as he saw Angela coming down that aisle as his soon-to-be bride. Her father looked so proud to be standing next to her, walking with her. Taking those last few step with her still being his little girl. But when he handed her off to Ben, I don't think there was a more proud day in his life. I looked out towards the crowd and saw Mrs. Weber dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. This was such a joyous moment for everybody. Even the people who didn't know Angela or Ben very well, I think that just experiencing this wedding was enough.

Angela's father also took the role of minister since this was his church and while they were reciting their vows I started crying as well. This was my best friend here and she was getting married. I don't remember much in detail what happened next. I remember everybody being so happy though. There was the whole 'you may kiss the bride', the dinner, and then Angela and Ben celebrating and dancing a while before they set off towards their new home.

Ben's parents had a good deal of money and so they had a house built nearby for the new couple to live in. Ben knew about it, Angela didn't. But all of the wedding presents everybody had brought, had been sent over to that house during the wedding ceremony and it would surely be a surprise to Angela. My family had bought them a beautiful china set for a wedding gift. I remembered Angela wishing that someday when she was older and married that she could have a lovely china set, and that was just barely this past Christmas. She would love it though, I knew her too well for her not to.

After the newlyweds had left, many stayed after and danced in celebration a while longer. Edward asked for me to join him outside near the fountains at the back of the chapel. The summer air in the evening was crisp but very refreshing and I was in desperate need for fresh air.

" Bella you look quite lovely. I've never told you this before but I am really quite partial to that particular shade of blue on you. You've worn that color a few times before and I noticed that I rather liked it," Edward said once we had walked for a short while.

"Oh, why thank you Edward," I said blushing.

"Did you enjoy yourself? You looked quite happy for your friend."

"I very much enjoyed myself indeed. As little girls we used to imagine how our wedding day would be and whom we might marry. It was a bit childish but it was something we looked forward to so much. Now Angela has already had that occurrence in life. I can only hope for the same someday."

"Would you rather it sooner than later?" Edward asked quietly.

"Hmm?" I asked, a bit distracted.

"Would you be more inclined to being wed at a sooner date rather than a later one," he asked slowly, as if he were afraid of my response.

I took me a long moment of dwelling on that question before giving my brilliant answer of, "It depends."

"On?"

"Everything. The circumstances."

"Well what if…that is…um…what I am trying to say is…" what ever it was he seemed to be struggling a great deal with getting it out.

"Yes, Edward?" I asked patiently.

"Bella…will you marry me?"

I gasped. I hadn't been expecting that question any time soon. Or at all really.

I couldn't think of an intelligent response so I just stood there gaping at him, my mouth moving but no sounds coming from it.

"You needn't give me a response now if you don't wish to Bella. I just wanted to ask the question."

"Edward I…don't know what to say…." I took a few deep breaths. And then I took a moment to really think it through. I loved Edward. He had told me numerous times he loved me too. I believed him, even though it really didn't make sense to me at all. Was I ready for marriage? How am I supposed to know when I am or am not ready for something this magnanimous? It was a bit overwhelming so I do not even begin to know how to explain how I was able to mutter a simple "Yes."

But next thing I knew Edward had swept me up into his arms and lifted me off of the ground, twirling me around in his embrace asking, "Really?" so incredulously that it echoed my own sentiments on the answer I had given my self.

But then I had a sudden epiphany-like moment and when I said, "I'm positive," there couldn't have been a more true reply from me.