Once I am left on my own, I organize my things, before doing my routine, then proceeding to pull out my bathing suit.
I changed into it slowly, before slathering on some sunblock before grabbing my key card and phone before heading out.
As soon as I walked out of the room, I headed to the elevator to go down to the ground floor.
I stared around the hall as I slowly made my way in the direction of the pool area.
As I walked in, I could see that most of the wedding party had already arrived. Including Rose and her boyfriend, Emmett.
The pool was massive, I knew from what Alice had told me over the phone that the pool had a heating feature, and the spa was amazing as well.
She had informed me that there was an outdoor bar too, and that the first activity would start the moment that all of the wedding party arrived.
Meaning they were waiting on me. Even though I am not technically in the wedding party, I was still a part of the groom's family.
As I walked out, Jasper and Peter waved me over and handed me one of my favorite drinks.
"Sidecar. Just the way you like it. With extra lemon zest, and two lemon wedges." Peter tells me with a smile.
I gladly take the glass, before taking a long, slow sip. "Needed that." I mumbled with a sigh.
"So…" Jasper says.
"So." I mumble back as I look around, hoping that I haven't attracted any unwanted attention.
"The Bridal Luncheon is this afternoon, and the Wedding Party Luncheon is tomorrow." He informed me.
"I'm sorry to let you and Alice down, Jazz, but I will not be attending anything besides the wedding itself. I have no energy to be socializing at the moment." I replied, flatly as Jasper sighs and nods.
"I figured as much. So, I haven't told anyone about your decision, even Alice." He informed me.
I gave him a grateful look, before shaking my head.
"You sure you're going to be okay, Bells?" He asked, concerned.
I nodded in response, "Yes, Jazz. It's been ten years. I survived when it happened, what's two weeks here?" I retort as I take another sip.
He eyes me, incredulously, "Right. I suppose the change in the color of your hair is something that you just randomly decided would be a good idea before the wedding?" He inquires, amused, as he raises an inquisitive eyebrow at me.
I shrug, "The brown hair was looking rather dull. I needed to find some semblance of peace and break the routine." I respond as Peter snorts.
"It looks very becoming on you." He told me, smiling widely at me. "Rose is gonna love it. You look more like her now. It's kinda scary, actually." He adds, making a face.
Jasper smacks him behind the head, "Pay no attention to him, Bee. The blonde looks amazing on you." He tells me as he shoves Peter and shakes his head at him again.
"Lottie is going to love it. It reminds me of the time Victoria and her dyed their hair the same color. They looked too alike." Peter tells me.
I snort, "That's because they are sisters, Pete." I reminded him, amused.
He smiled, "Oh, I know. It's just that there's always a difference with siblings; they never look quite the same, you know? Just have certain traits, and now we actually look related." He replied wrinkling his nose.
"We've always looked related, dumbass. Now, however, we look like we're actual siblings." I told him, causing him to scoff.
Jasper rolls his eyes at us as we hear someone call his name. "I'll be right back." He says before he makes his way across the yard.
As expected, I ended up going to the Bridal Luncheon later that afternoon to avoid causing problems, but the entire time, I was anxious.
Dressing in floor length, lace dress with green and blue flowers. With off the shoulder sleeves, and an upper thigh slit.
I blow dried my hair, and left curls on the ends. Keeping my makeup light, and using my strappy silver heels.
I decided to keep my phone on me, in case I needed a quick get away, before I added my key card, and wallet to my clutch.
I was standing outside, facing the large view of the flower garden and ocean, when the wind blew the air around me. The breeze carried a familiar scent of cologne, which hit me in the face like a slap, causing me to stiffen.
"Isabella?"
I took a deep breath before turning to see Edward standing there, a shocked expression on his face.
I sighed, "Hello, Edward." I finally greeted.
He only stared at me like an idiot before I saw Lottie and Peter making their way over to me. Lottie's arm wrapped tightly around his arm.
I turned to stare at Edward, wondering if he would say anything before I moved past him and moved to go inside with Lottie and Peter.
"Are you okay?" He asked me, quietly.
I nodded, tensely, before walking into the small banquet hall.
After the encounter in the garden, I managed to avoid running into Edward the entire luncheon, despite our friends being there.
He stuck to Jasper's side, speaking to him and some other guys that arrived while I stuck to Kate, Rosalie, and Tanya, Irina, and Angela's side.
They acted like a buffer if he came within twenty feet of where I stood.
Eventually, Rose let Emmett and a few of our cousins in on what was happening and it became a joke of sorts.
I was standing by James, one of my cousins, when I heard someone clear their throats.
James turns around slowly, "Yes? Can we help you?" He asks as I sip my drink.
"Yes, actually, you can. I need to speak to Isabella in private." He says, staring directly at me.
I let out a long breath, before chugging down the rest of my drink.
James gives me a sympathetic yet encouraging smile as I walk past him.
I had barely made it past the doors when I felt his arm wrap around my upper arm and pull to face him.
"Woah, hey. Hands off the merchandise." I snap, pushing myself away after pulling out of his grasp.
"I've been trying to talk to you all day. Why have you been avoiding me?" He demands.
"Because we have nothing left to talk about. You made your decision ten years ago. Now deal with the consequences of that decision." I told him.
"Bird…" He says, with a small, friendly smile.
I glared up at him, "Do not call me that!" I snap, "You don't get to try to use a fucking nickname as some sort of endearment."
He sighs, "We need to talk. There are things you don't know about. That happened." He insists.
I shake my head, and move my hair out of my face, "Edward, nothing you can say will change the facts, or things I saw. Just move on. Things will never go back to how they were." I say before pushing past him and rush through the crowded banquet hall before rushing to my room.