Chapter 22

'Alice! YOU PRICKED ME!' Rosalie squealed delicately. Alice rolled her eyes and continued her fitting. You'd think that because Rosalie is getting married soon we'd be fitting her for a wedding dress...No. Alice is starting her own fashion line and forced Rosalie and I into being her models. Rosalie was currently draped in fabric being fitted for Alice's 'summer line' called 'sea breeze'. I sat in the corner dreading my turn.

'Rosalie Hale if you don't stop fidgeting I will stick this pin into your eye!' Alice threatened. Rosalie folded her arms and began pouting but stood perfectly still. I laughed. Who would have thought someone as small as Alice could have such control over us.

It had been a year since my terrible ordeal, but I couldn't be happier. I was engaged to the man I loved, I graduated second best in my class (Jasper being first) and I fell straight into a job soon after writing a column for a well known newspaper. Alice was launching her first fashion line, which was getting all the hype from the fashion critics, Jasper not only advised her but he had also fallen into work at a popular magazine and when he wasn't working there he lectured at Dartmouth (we all made fun of him for this, he just left and he had already returned as a professor), Emmet was off for a 4 month humanitarian trip in Africa with Carlisle, they were setting up safe camps and small hospitals. This killed Rosalie being away from him and we all often felt the grunt of her mood however she and Esme (who was temporarily living with us) decided to start their own business in Interior Design. When Rosalie wasn't doing that she was at Jacobs she'd making extra money by fixing cars. Jacob was sure business had increased since she had started work. Edward had taken off before he finished his degree. I wasn't sure where he had gone, but I was missing him. I had decided to marry Jacob but I still had a place in my heart for him. Plans had started straight away for mine and Jacobs wedding. Rosalie and Emmet weren't getting married for another year because of Emmet's work. This gave Alice the excuse to pull mine forward. I had warned her that i only wanted a small intimate ceremony in a garden somewhere, which she assures she has taken on board. The date was set. June 6 here we come. I was both excited and anxious about my upcoming nuptials. Excited because I was marrying Jacob, anxious because we had decided to write our own vowels. As i watched Alice fit Rosalie I was attempting to write them. Many pieces of paper had been scrunched up into balls and thrown onto the floor.

'Bella its your turn!' Alice said pulling my arm. I dropped my pad, its pages empty from quotes of love. Rosalie took my place and pulled out her phone and began texting. I stood on Alice's stand and looked into the mirror as she began throwing different fabrics at me.

'How does Jasper feel about his room being turned into a dressing-room?' I asked as Alice began pinning. She rolled her eyes.

'He's moved into my room now, that's our big move. Everyone else is getting married but no, our big move is he moves all of ten feet into my bedroom!' she said muttering the last part to herself. I looked over at Rosalie who raised her eyebrows.

'Problem Alice?' She asked sliding her phone away. Alice ignored her and continued pinning. I was about to question her when we heard a soft knock at the door.

'Enter,' Alice screeched.

'At your own risk,' Rosalie muttered under her breath. I laughed only to be stared down by Alice. I apologised and looked to see who our visitor was. It was Jasper. He had just returned from work and looked positively shagged. He had also been conned into being one of Alice's play-dolls and was reporting to her as ordered. She glared at him.

'You're late!' she snapped. We were all taken back by her mood except him. He smiled and practically skipped over to the corner to wait his turn. Alice turned back to me and angrily started pinning again, she poked my thigh and I yelped.

'Oh don't be such a princess Bella,' Alice snapped. I rolled my eyes. I knew this 'bitchy' phase Alice was going through wasn't going to last, it would be over when her fashion show was over but in the mean time it was hard living with her. I decided to try and lighten the mood.

'So Alice I was thinking, did you want to design my wedding dress?' I asked smoothing some of the fabric on my shoulder. She smacked my hand away from the material.

'I already have!' She retaliated. I raised my eyebrows and began to talk when she disappeared into what used to be Jaspers closet. She came back holding a dress bag. Jasper excused himself and Rosalie jumped forward. 'Bitchy' Alice disappeared and she unzipped the bad. I gasped at the beautiful sight before me. It was the most elegant dress i had ever seen and it suited me perfectly. It wasn't to big and frumpy, it was perfect. It was so simple and classy.

'Well, are you going to put it on?' She said now carefully removing the dress she had just fitted me for. I smiled and nodded. I slipped into it. The straps sat delicately off my shoulder showing off my neckline (she had remembered I wanted to wear my Moms necklace) . It was satin covered in lace and it highlighted the small curve in my waist. Gold intertwined through the delicate lace. It fell just below my knees. It was perfect for my small garden wedding. A tear flowed down my cheek as i turned to hug her. She was a magnificent designer. She hugged me then disappeared into the wardrobe once again.

'I hope you don't mind but I bought you shoes as well,' She said bringing out a box. Ah, there was the Alice I knew. The shoes were ridiculous. High and not well suited for a garden however I didn't complain. I stood in the mirror staring at my dress for what seemed like forever when Jasper re-entered.

'Wow Bella, you look beautiful,' he exclaimed eyeing me over. I thanked him and stepped down from the podium to talk about what i was going to do with my hair.

'I don't mean to interrupt but I have some exciting news,' He said getting all of our attention. 'Edward just responded to my text, he is coming to the rehearsal dinner and the wedding,' Alice started jumping up and down with excitement. I was excited to, I hadn't seen him since Jacob had proposed.

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Rehearsal Dinner- June 3.

I sat nervously waiting for Jacob to arrive so we could go to dinner. We were meeting everyone there. I had been trying to write my vowels again with no luck. I heard a knock at the door and I sighed and placed my still empty pad away. I answered the door assuming it was Jacob but found Edward staring at me intently. A few incoherent sounds escaped my mouth as I took in his beauty. I had missed him more than i thought and hug him tightly. He reciprocated and kissed my head softly.

'I missed you,' I said as I pulled unwillingly away from his cool body. His velvet voice responded.

'I missed you too Bella,' I guided him inside and sat him down.

'You were supposed to go straight to the rehearsal dinner, but that's okay you can ride with Jake and me,' I said boiling the kettle. He stood up and walked into the kitchen. He placed his warm hand on my lower back.

'Bella I need to tell you something before you wed Jacob,' he said quietly looking deep into my eyes. His voice sounded nervous but his perfect face showed no sign of fear. I turned to him.

'Bella, from the moment I saw you, I felt whole. If you marry Jacob you'll be making a huge mistake, please reconsider,' he bent down and lightly kissed my lips. I quivered by his touch and kissed him more forcefully, we passionately kissed for too short of seconds when I pulled away.

'Three days before my wedding you tell me you want to be with me, Edward you're about a year to late. You can't so this!' I said crying. He placed his hand on my shoulder.

'Don't cry. You know as well as I do that we share a special connection, a bond of sorts. Jacob, he can't give you what I can. He can't give you true love. Bella I understand if you choose him, I love you and whatever makes you happy will make me happy. Please just consider what we could be, we could be like Carlisle and Esme, you and Jacob aren't like that, you connect, just not in the right way' he leaned into kiss me once more but i stood back and threw my hand out slapping him hard.

'Don't you dare try and kiss a soon to be married woman! Edward I don't think you should come tonight, I don't think you should be at the wedding either,' I turned away from him hating to see that id hurt him. I'd hurt me too, I did love Edward but I had made a commitment to Jake. I was going to marry him, even if it cost me my true love.

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