AN – First of all a huge thank you to the people that took the time to review: Bellaangel383, Isabela is Online, taralynn09, Bunch2009, CassieCat97, AprilFlowers96, iLOVEyOUh.1001, TwilightLover Now and forever, jac master and VampLove617. I really appreciate every single review as it motivates me to carry on writing.

Sorry this chapter has taken me a while to write but I have been so busy lately I haven't really had time to do anything. Again I'm really a little unsure about how this chapter turned out, I found it really hard to write and I nearly gave up but decided to stick at it and I hope you all enjoy it regardless of the fact that I'm so unsure about it.

BPOV

The room was so quiet and still that I could have dropped a pin to the ground and as it hit the floor it would have made a rather loud clatter in these deathly silent walls.

At first I wasn't entirely sure I had heard him correctly, but the silence in the room confirmed that I had indeed heard accurately and cleared my mind of any doubt.

I could feel my cheeks blazing with embarrassment as his words echoed through my mind… 'You look so beautiful."

"Yes my dear" Tanya spoke looking directly at Edward and running her fingers through his perfectly shaped bronze hair. Her eyes then turned coldly to me….. "She does, doesn't she? Considering she normally appears so plain…..so ordinary looking."

Her eyes were filled with so much hatred as she continued to glare fiercely at me…I'm not even quite sure what I had done wrong, it had been Edward that had commented on my appearance without any encouragement from me.

The only reason I could think of for her callousness towards my appearance was she was trying to play Edward's comment down….to make it sound like it meant nothing. Which it did mean nothing, it had to mean nothing, because there was no way he could be attracted to me when he was about to marry Tanya Denali.

I suddenly felt humiliated…..I never even wanted to be here…I only came because Edward had persuaded me and now I wished more than ever that I had resisted and told him I could not come….that it was in no way possible for me to come tonight.

But I hadn't…..I had agreed and now I was standing here in company I didn't even know feeling completely and utterly inadequate.

"Tanya…" A rather short, exceedingly beautiful dark haired woman who looked about 24 – the same age as me - spoke icily with a smile that didn't reach her eyes and looked extremely forced. She paused for a moment as if trying to calm herself down before continuing.

"Jealousy isn't a flattering emotion to express…There is no need to slight Bella's appearance just because you feel threatened."

I didn't even know who this woman was but I suddenly felt very grateful towards her as she stood next to me defending me, before she even knew me.

"And I am one hundred percent positive that she looks simply beautiful every single minute of every single day…" I believe the small dark haired beauty was about to say a lot more but was rudely interjected by Tanya.

"Why you little…"

"Enough Tanya, I won't stand for any more nonsense tonight." Edward's young and beautiful Mother announced in a voice as smooth as silk and an underlying tone of authority.

I looked around the room as discretely as I could…Tanya's parents looked slightly embarrassed and uncomfortable, Esme and Edward's Father smiled at me reassuringly and apologetically and I couldn't help but smile back. Even though I had only just met both of them and spoken to them briefly for a couple of minutes I could see they were such warm and gentle people...

I was so lost in my own revere that when I felt a hand on my shoulder I jumped with a start. I turned to look at who had interrupted my thoughts and was surprised to see the small dark haired beauty smiling at me attentively.

She pulled me over into the corner of room and I noticed Esme was no longer there and the others were now engaged in what looked to be a forced and strained conversation.

Edward kept trying to catch my eye, but I wouldn't let him….Something was happening to me….something I couldn't explain. I was developing strong feelings for a nearly married man….What WAS happening to me? I asked myself emphasizing the word 'was' before turning my head back towards Alice.

"I'm Alice, Edward's sister." She stated cheerfully while holding out her hand to shake. I took it a little hesitantly but firmly, as she continued to talk….

"I think you and I are going to be great friends Bella." I was a little taken aback at her statement she didn't even really know me but she wanted to be my friend….and that was something I wasn't really used to. Aside from Angela I didn't really have any friends….I suppose in a way my life was fairly lonely.

"I'd like that." I whispered in reply unsure of what else I could say. The doorbell sounded then, it was a loud chime which echoed throughout the whole room.

"OHHH that will probably be my husband Jasper." Alice exclaimed with an excitement which lit up her whole face.

"You're married?" I asked a little shocked; she looked no older than myself.

"Yes….for these past six years, Jasper and I married straight after high school graduation…..Many people thought we were far too young and were just rushing in head first, but Jas and I knew different. We were in love with each other from the first moment we saw each other, and we have had six blissfully happy years of marriage. He's my soul-mate…."

"And she's mine." A tall, honey blonde, muscular and exceedingly good-looking man spoke while putting his arm around Alice and kissing her cheek.

"Jas…this is Bella." Alice introduced us.

"Bella Swan?" Jasper asked in a rather raised voice with a rich southern accent.

He seemed to be staring at something or someone behind me so I followed his line of sight and caught him and Edward staring at each other with what appeared to be a very knowing look before Edward nodded his head ever so slightly.

Even Alice looked vaguely confused as she also noticed the look which passed between them. "Have I missed something?" She asked her left eyebrow raised as she pointedly stared at her husband.

I think he was about to say something only a voice boomed so loud from behind Jasper I nearly jumped six feet in the air. The whole room stopped their conversations and looked towards the cause of all the noise.

It was a huge – muscular build of a man with dark curly hair. He held his arms open to embrace and kiss Alice affectionately on the cheek as Jasper shook his head chuckling.

I took the opportunity of this man's arrival to glance casually at Edward….he was looking at the man and smiling. He looked like he was about to cross the room but Tanya yanked on his arm and he turned back towards her parents as it appeared they were trying to strike up a conversation with him.

"Bella…" Alice called averting my attention. "This is our Brother Emmett."

His appearance was slightly daunting and it wasn't until I glanced up at his child-like face and beaming smile and that relaxed slightly.

"Hi." I muttered rather weakly not knowing what else to say, I was a little shy at meeting so many new people. I wasn't used to this atmosphere, I didn't really relate well to people. I wasn't outgoing or confident and I had extremely low self esteem especially in the presence of Tanya Denali.

"Bella? Bella Swan?" He asked as he glanced back and forth between Edward and Jasper, as Jasper nodded his head with a smile. I didn't understand what was going on and it was clear Alice didn't either because she looked at her husband and Brother in puzzlement.

Emmett then shifted a little to the right almost as if to make room for someone and it was then that I saw he was accompanied by the most gorgeous honey blonde haired woman that looked as if she was an airbrushed model on the front of a swimsuit magazine. Even the beautiful Tanya Denali paled in comparison.

I couldn't refrain from gaping at her with a slightly open mouth as Emmett wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her forehead.

"I'm Rosalie, Emmett's wife and Jasper's twin Sister." She stated as she appeared to glance towards me with an icy coldness. I didn't understand what I had done to emit such a cold glare but it was then I realised she wasn't glaring at me she was glaring at Tanya who was stood directly behind me in her line of sight.

"You must be Bella….the wedding planner." She stated as her gaze travelled back to my face and she smiled. I felt slightly more at ease as I nodded my head in reply while she engaged in conversation with Alice and Jasper.

It struck me then that Esme and their Father whose name I hadn't managed to obtain didn't look anywhere near old enough to have children the ages that Emmett, Alice and Edward were. Esme didn't look a day over thirty years old and neither did her husband…

"Dinner's ready to eat." Esme announced – I hadn't even seen her slip back into the room, and as everybody made their way from the living room towards the dining room I hung back unsure of what I was really doing there.

It seemed to me Tanya didn't need a wedding planner, and even if she did this wasn't helping me plan her wedding. I didn't even know what I was doing there. I felt so out of place, I wasn't a family member or even a friend. Edward claimed he wanted me here when he spoke to me on the phone, but why? What was so special about my company?...

"Bella…." Alice spoke softly as she came through the doorway. "Are you OK?"

"OHHH yes I'm fine." I whispered in reply.

"Dinner's in the dining room…..Are you coming?"

"I…..ummmm….Well to be honest Alice, I don't even know what I'm doing here. I'm only the wedding planner for Edward and Tanya's wedding and I just don't understand why he persuaded me to come tonight…..I just don't fit, and its obvious Tanya despises me. I don't know why she just doesn't ask me to relinquish my services. I think I'm just going to go."

"No….you can't, I want you here. We're going to be friends remember? And besides Tanya's opinion doesn't matter. Please come and eat with us and forget all about the witch."

I nodded my head reluctantly…..and my thoughts drifted back to my earlier musings about Esme and their Father not looking old enough to be their parents.

"Alice?"

"Yes"

"I know I probably shouldn't ask and I hope you don't think me rude but Esme and your Father don't look old enough to have children of your ages….."

She laughed before answering… "No their both only thirty two years old, we're adopted all three of us….."

"Ohhh I'm sorry I didn't mean to pry, I just…."

"Don't worry about it Bella…..Our adoption is no secret and now that we're going to be friends you have a right to know. Now come on, I'm starving and I don't want our food going cold or to give Emmett an excuse to eat it all and trust me he will."

I chuckled as I followed her into the dining room and took the empty seat next to her. I couldn't help but notice Tanya as she continued to glare at me with disdain, but I decided Alice was right; her opinion didn't matter so I did my best to ignore her.

The food was absolutely delicious and I couldn't help but guzzle it down as my appetite was suddenly rather large.

Esme tried to engage me in conversation several times but each time Tanya intervened and started up a conversation of her own loud enough for the whole dinner table to hear.

I could see by looking around the table that each and every face aside from Tanya's parents were looking uncomfortable and seemed to being growing rather tiresome of Tanya's antics of domineering the conversation.

"Bella" Edward called from the other side of the table as Tanya had just paused to take a breath.

"In two days Tanya wants you and me to go to Irelan…Owww…. What the hell did you do that for?" Edward asked as his head spun round to look at her face.

I couldn't be sure, but from where I was positioned in the room and from the way she had angled her body it looked like Tanya had kicked him under the table.

"I will discuss it with Becca later…"

I could feel myself boiling with rage at her constantly, deliberately calling me by the wrong name. I had, had enough of her seeming to think she was better than me and could therefore call me anything she wanted.

"Bella…My name is Bella and I am sick to death of you purposely calling me by the wrong name. B.E.L.L.A. Would you like me to wear a name tag?" I asked with venom.

I don't know where my outburst came from, I was normally so tolerant of people – whether they were unduly rude to me or not. And I could see by Tanya's expression that she was enraged by my words and thought me to be rude and incompetent.

"You will be very lucky if I don't go to the boss of the company you work for. You cannot speak to me like this, I won't stand for it. Come on Edward we're leaving."

Tanya rose from her seat and turned her attention towards Esme. "Thank you for dinner although I probably would have preferred to meet at the restaurant I suggested…I don't know why we had to meet here and invite her….."

She pointed her long, thin forefinger towards me before continuing….. "Especially when she has ruined the whole evening with her impolite outburst towards me."

"Tanya….I hardly think Bella…"

"Edward, just please stop defending her…Mommy, Daddy we are leaving."

Her Mother and Father – who had hardly spoken a word all evening – simply rose from their seats and followed their daughter out of the room.

"I'm sorry…..You know what she's like, I had better go and calm her down." Edward turned to look directly at me then…..

"Bella, I will call you tomorrow and head no attention to her, she likes to throw tantrums." He smiled at me despondently and turned to Esme.

"Sorry Mom, the food was delicious as always and I'm sorry about Tanya's comments and behaviour." He kissed his Mother's cheek and said goodbye to his Father before following Tanya and her parent's.

"I'm so sorry…..that was my entire fault, I should never have…"

"No it wasn't, she was purposely being rude and you had every right to stand up for yourself." Esme smiled at me and sighed….

"I just hope he doesn't marry her."

"We are all hoping for that Mom. He doesn't love her, how could he? I just don't know why he is willing to marry such a god awful woman." Alice whispered looking disheartened by the whole situation.

The whole table seemed to nod their heads in agreement and it made me once again wonder why he was marrying her. She even treated his family with disrespect and it was obvious that every single one of them only tolerated her for his sake.

I sat there quietly as conversation flowed freely then from all members of the Cullen family and I couldn't help but be thankful that I had never really engaged in a relationship with anyone.

Love wasn't really something I believed in…..I suppose I believed that there were people in the world who could find the man or woman they loved and spend the rest of their life in love with them.

But I always thought that love was slightly like jumping from a burning building. Yes there is small chance that you may land on the safety net that has been placed there for you but more often than not you miss the net completely and end up hitting the solid concrete.

Edward had hit the solid concrete at full force head first….but that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was…so had I.

EPOV

The car ride home was in sheer silence. We had dropped Tanya's parents off not twenty minutes ago and Tanya was seemingly refusing to talk to me. Not that minded because I didn't, the silence helped me think about Bella.

The black dress she had worn tonight which insinuated every curve…her silky hair which fell past her shoulders and down her back. I found every single insignificant detail about her features and her mannerisms absolutely endearing and hugely fascinating….

I shook my head as I pulled into our driveway, Tanya jumped from the car almost immediately…..at least her silence was a lot more bearable than her screeching – something she also did often.

As I lay in bed nearly an hour later she was still there at the forefront of my mind. I had even taken an ice cold shower in hopes to erase her from my thoughts. But nothing worked I was utterly and completely in love with her and I had only known her a matter of days…

"Eddie" Tanya whispered seductively in my ear – I don't think I ever will understand Tanya, one moment she's ignoring me and the next moment…..

"Make love to me." She asked already crawling on top of me…

"Tanya, I….I don't want to...not tonight….I….I have a really awful headache."

She headed no attention as she began to kiss my bare chest….

"Tanya….Please….I really don't want to tonight."

"I bet I can quickly change your mind."

She wasn't taking no for an answer, I bit down on my lip and fought the urge to throw up as she began to kiss my stomach…..For the last few days the mere thought of having sex with Tanya repulsed me beyond belief.

"I SAID NO." I growled as I threw her off of me onto her side of the bed and jumped up to my feet not a second later.

I picked up my trousers which I had discarded on the floor and grabbed a shirt from the wardrobe.

"Eddie, what you are doing?" She looked like she was about to burst into hysterics and I had had more than enough of her.

"I'm going out." I replied as I buttoned up the last button on my shirt, grabbed my car keys and phone and swiftly made my way towards the front door, slamming it as hard as I could on my way out.

As I jumped into the driver's seat of the Volvo I found myself dialling the one person that had plagued my thoughts for the past three days.

"Hello" Her sweet voice floated through the phone on the third ring.

"Bella, it's Edward Cullen…

AN - So what did everyone think? It would really make my day if people reviewed and left me their thoughts and comments, even if it's just to say you loved or hated it. I also hoped no-one found the introductions of the Cullen family drawn out and boring.

The next chapter will be far more exiting without giving too much away…. Edward and Bella will go to Ireland where there will be a interesting turn of events, Edward will find out more about Bella and about her past and most of all Edward and Bella will get considerably closer without Tanya around to ruin it.

I will try and get it out as quick as I can but it may be a while as my life is pretty hectic at the moment.

Please please review.

Thank you.