“Bella?” His tentative voice sombered me. My father shouldn’t be worried if I was in my room. Then again, most of the people my age had already packed up their things to move out. I was the only one keeping the pretense of staying.

            “Where’s Edward?” He asked as he took a seat in the rocker. Charlie’s question caught me off guard. He had seen Edward come in, and now Edward was apparently gone.

            “Oh…He just went to the bathroom…” I looked out the window, trying not catch Charlie’s eye. My guilt was written all over my face, not only for lying about Edward, but the lies that were to come.

            I jumped. Edward had started to trace a swirling pattern on my calf with his thumb.

            “Is everything okay?” I sucked in a breathe before answering. Now he was kissing my leg, from the smallest toe to the inner part of my knee. “Yes, yes. Everything’s-“ Chills were sent down my spine again. Stupid, stupid vampire.

            Charlie looked at me quizzically. I decided to bring the conversation back to him, there was no way I would be able to continue talking if Edward didn’t stop.

            “What’s going on Dad?”

            “Well Bella. I came to talk to you about your wedding.” Edward’s hands stilled. I think my jaw dropped to the floor. Charlie was never very talkative and this was his and my least favorite topic.

            My wedding. At only a month away, the time slipped by like sand through my fingers. Each day Alice would add a new name to the guest list, a new flower to the bouquet, and a new pearl to my dress. I was slowly drowning under everything white and the rumors and doubts that swirled around my head. I was too young. Jacob was still out there, running from me and my upcoming nuptials. How could I get married? I couldn’t stand in front of an Edward, a plastic grin plastered on my face and pledge my life to him, when soon it wouldn’t truly be a life.

            I felt my hands gripped into a cold, tight, reassuring clasp. I wanted to look at Edward, to face this new revelation with him. If Charlie had decided not to come to the wedding, I wouldn’t know what to do. I knew he hadn’t been happy about the upcoming nuptials, but I had always expected him to come.