3. Big Day

My eyes flew open. Must. Control. My bloodlust. Or would it be regular lust? I resisted the temptation to get down on my knees and pray for repentance over the un-kosher thoughts that my mind had been creating ever since last night. God was probably sick of me. Though I was proud of myself—and justly so. I had resisted the temptation to lurk outside of Bella's house—had remained in the meadow—even though she probably dreamed calmly about my sculpted body and bronze locks.

Bronze locks. That's really what I was. Bronze. Average. Third place. Mediocre. It was the circumstances that had made me—chance, luck. I was nothing more, nothing less. I was in the race, but I was the face that no one remembered—no one should remember. I thought back to my pre-vampire days, fuzzy though they were, and recalled the bad case of bacne and tire around my middle. My mother whining about me wanting to join the army at the time—"Edward, you're not physically fit and you cry when the other boys bump you! You'll be eaten alive out there!" How very wrong she had been. She left me as a boy, but now I am a man. But a poor excuse of a person. Compared to Bella.

You see, people like Bella? They are pure gold. High arches in the distance, rainbows, lovely, untouchable. They live. They see things through the right colored glasses—not rose, but something else. Violet? Orange? The entire spectrum? Who knows, but the point is that they see it. The way everything is supposed to be seen. They look at the sky and don't see stars, but rather heaven. They are it. And I would kill to have it, whatever it was.

I sniffed. It smelled like a skunk had pissed on me. I recalled, faintly, a skunk that wouldn't leave me alone last night, so I ate it. It wouldn't hurt to be completely full for Bella. Stretching out of pure habit—I saw on a television show that stretching when one gets up can make one rejuvenated for the day, not that I needed rejuvenation—I checked my watch. Three hours until the wedding! I had to get home and shower!

I leapt to my feet and sprinted off in the direction of the house. I decided to take the road route, and slowed when I heard a car. The second I heard the thoughts of the inhabitants, I sped up again.

"Edward, you ass, we've been looking for you all night!" yelled Emmett out of the Jeep's window.

"Caaaalm dooown," Jasper joked.

"Quit making me calm!" replied Emmett in an eerily peaceful voice.

"Sorry, guys. I guess I had a lot to think about," I apologized. "I just wasn't thinking about you." Emmett's face froze, and then he grinned.

"Yeah, I bet you did have a lot to think about. How did that thinking go?" He wiggled his eyebrows lasciviously. My lip curled in disgust as I tried to hide the immense pleasure that swept over my mind. I couldn't help it. I grinned.

"There's my boy!" Emmett laughed, and Jasper joined in.

"Come on," Jasper called, and I shrugged and climbed in.

"Dang!" Emmett gagged as I entered. "You smell like a skunk pissed all over you!"

"One did," I replied.

"What did you do?" asked Emmett, though I read his mind and he didn't sound like he was hoping for an epic story.

"I ate it." He nodded and drove on. When we arrived in the garage, I immediately began listening, but Esme came out.

"Boys? Can you help me set up tables before— Dangit, Edward, you need a bath."

"I know," I replied, and followed them out back when I heard it.

"They're back," Rosalie said and almost immediately Alice yelped.

"Keep him out of here!"

"He won't cross you today," Rosalie replied. "He values his life too much. Esme's got them finishing things up out back. Do you want help? I could do her hair." As Rosalie's eyes began to sweep from Alice's face down to Bella's I switched to attempting to read Emmett's mind. He was busy thinking about screwing Rosalie violently. I watched in horrified fascination for a few seconds before shoving the thoughts away. Rosalie. So crude and vicious and unlike my clean, pure Bella in everywhere.

I helped set up the chairs and suddenly Esme was by my side.

"Shower. Now," she demanded and I grinned and dashed into one of the downstairs bathrooms. Once inside I stripped hurriedly, taking a few seconds to strike a few manly poses in the mirror, smiling to myself. Yes, Bella would enjoy the show that was coming up soon, and the Island Esme was the perfect place to showcase it. I breathed a sigh of contentment and gagged. More modeling after the shower.

I jumped in and scrubbed at my hard, light, marble-statue-esque skin, using a whole bar of soap and washing my hair several times. I dried myself and then stared in at the water-resistant mirrors. Yes. Much better, even though I smelled like a flower. I looked at the bar of soap. Dove. I shrugged and looked under the counter, finding the open bottle of cologne. I had fallen in love with a certain honey enticing scent seventy years ago and stocked up on enough bottles of it to keep for many years to come. Though now I knew the smell well enough to make it on my own, most likely.

Suddenly I realized that I hadn't brought my tux with me in my hurry.

I peaked out of a crack in the door and listened for where everyone was. No one was facing me, at least…maybe if I ran fast enough. I prepared myself and then launched out of the bathroom with only a towel around my waist. Halfway across the living room I heard a whistle.

"Edward!" Emmett cat-called, and suddenly everyone turned to look at me, right as the towel slipped. I ran faster, sure that even as vampires they wouldn't be able see anything vital, especially with my hands covering my nipples.

I ran all the way to my room and got dressed as quickly as possible. Then I stared dreamily into the mirror as the first guests arrived.

"Edward! You idiot, it's starting!" Jasper hissed into my room. I leapt to my feet and ran a hand through my hair, tousling it. I gave myself a winning smile in the mirror.

"Why, Edward my boy, you dazzle even me!" I said in a deep, charming voice, winking at my reflection.

"I'm going to pretend I never saw or heard any of that," Jasper said, looking more like a doe in headlights than ever. I detected nausea inside of him, and listened to his mind. He was contemplating receiving intense therapy. I was thoroughly embarrassed.

"Let's just go," I mumbled, pushing past him towards the hall.

"How does Bella stand you?" he asked out loud. I didn't bother telling him I wondered the same thing every day, every second. I felt myself sinking back into a state of slight depression when I saw all of the people that showed up.

"Well, Edward, my boy, it's time to start dazzling!" snickered Jasper, and he walked quickly through the filled up seats to Emmett, the only thing on his agenda being to share the news of my retardation.

"This way!" squealed Esme, and I followed her to my place. My mind was spinning. I wondered if Bella had tried to run yet, and reassured myself with the thought that Alice would have caught her in seconds. The wedding march began and I stood there, in a crowd of people all standing, waiting for the most beautiful woman in the world.

Alice suddenly appeared and I breathed a sigh of relief that it was beginning. I counted to five and then—there it was! Bella's foot! The most beautiful foot in the world, inching forward, it seemed, and then—Eureka! But it was her body! And her face! Partially obscured by Charlie's body, but I could forgive Charlie for that. I made a mental sweep of the audience's minds to make sure they thought she was breathtaking as well. They did, except for a moron freshman who I hadn't even invited. He was still stuck on Alice. I made a mental note to eat him later.

Suddenly Bella's eyes met mine, and I couldn't help it. I grinned. After what seemed like an eternity, there she was, at my side. Charlie took her hand and placed it in mine. I didn't think again for the rest of the night. All I could do was stare into her eyes. I felt like I had just fought an awkward fistfight in the boys bathroom and come out on top with only receiving a partial swirl-y. I felt invincible. Bella was mine!

I looked around at all of the envious men in the crowd. Bella was such a heartbreaker, but it would not be my heart! Never!

Suddenly, I realized that in my fierce bout of conquest I had been fighting the impulse to raise my hands in the traditional symbol of victory. But then, I realized that this was truly over. I could kiss the bride.

Gently I reached down and held her face as though it were made of soggy Kleenex, ready to tear. I kissed her until the first person felt as though they were watching a porno film. Then I had to tear myself away from her gnawing lips. It took two tries, but I unplugged myself and stared deep into her eyes. I was smirking. She was so dazzled it was out of control. Against my better judgment, I thought, "Well, Edward my boy. You did it."

There was an insane applause, and I turned us to look at everyone in the crowd. I waved and blew kisses as though to adoring fans. Bella's eyes bore into my rugged jaw line. I wanted to kiss her. I was sorely tempted.

Suddenly, Bella's mother gave her something that was in between a hug and a wild attack. I was tempted to warn her to be gentle. And hug after hug occurred. I thanked God that Jacob Black still hadn't returned from wherever he was.