Once Upon A Time

Hating Love

"Wait!"

There were gasp and mummers coming from the guest. My mouth dropped open as Tanya tore her gaze away from Edward and looked toward the crowd.

I couldn't believe that-

"I can't get married today," she announced and ran away. Edward stared after her and several guest stood up. I was the first to brake away from the shock and I chased after the bride. I glanced back at me to see her father staring angrily and Irina looking irritated. Edward looked shocked an expression he shared with almost all the guest.

I saw Tanya turn a corner of the house and I slowed to a walk. Slowly I turned the corner to see her sitting on a bench her face buried in her hands crying. It was such a painful scene that it made me ache.

I sat next to her slowly and draped and arm around her frail shoulders. She wrapped her arms around my waist and cried on me.

"I can't do this Bella, I can't!" she sobbed and I rubbed her back soothingly.

"Why?" I couldn't help but ask.

She pulled away and looked at me. Even with tears running down her cheeks and her makeup just a little smudged she looked amazing.

"I'm not supposed to feel forced to marry the man I love right?"

"Of course not. It should be something you want to do," I said confused.

"The wedding feels all wrong. Daddy is pushing me to get married so I will be financially suited and Irina says I should marry young so I won't grow into a single old hag. Half of my friends want to steal Edward away and it makes me feel like I have to marry him," she sobbed.

"No, no Tanya. You should marry him because it feels right not forced, you should marry him because you want to marry him not because others want you to marry him. Edward will understand and he'll wait because he loves you," I said the words knowing the were true and feeling my heart rip at every letter I spoke. She looked up at me with her gray blue eyes. They were glossy and tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Bella you are a saint," she whispered and I stared confused.

"You may be the only friend I have. My other friends would tell me not marry him so they could steal him away and they don't even know him. But you, you spend half your time knowing him and you don't try to steal him away or tell me not to get married to keep him in the market. You tell me not to marry him because I should do it when I'm ready," she explained shaking her head.

"I don't know how I ever deserved to meet you but I'm glad I did," she said and gave me a smile. I stared at her with wide eyes.

Guilt wash threw me like the ocean waves during a storm.

"I would never do such a thing," I whispered looking away knowing that moments ago I was deciding whether or not to stop the wedding. I wasn't the saint she said I was. I was a devil in disguise and I didn't want that.

So at that moment I let go.

I let go of all the loved filled memories I had with Edward. I let go of the string of hope I had that maybe I would have my happily ever after with him. I let go of it all and I tried to place myself as a friend but the only problem was he was still there.

He would always be there.

"Tanya!"

I looked up to see Edward running toward us. I felt empty inside. I felt like because I had given up my chance at true love there was nothing more inside me. I was just a person but not a soul, because my soul mate was gone.