You Belong with Me

Part One - Chapter One: Arriving in Manchester

Thinking back Alexa Dylan shouldn't have been surprised that her older sister Jennifer Dylan had decided to have her wedding in rainy Manchester.

Jennifer had always enjoyed being the centre of attention and her fiancé was English; it had just seemed like the older blonde was looking for any excuse to have an expensive wedding.

Alexa still didn't understand why she insisted that the family flew out an entire month before the wedding; it wasn't as if there was anything that was left to organise; Martha had made sure of that.

Alexa frowned as her mother spoke to her; it was as if since Jennifer had gotten engaged she could do nothing right in her mother's eyes; from dumping her controlling boyfriend to her choice in university, there was always something that she was doing wrong.

"Honestly Alexandria... you're hopeless," Martha said as she picked up her suitcase; the blonde nodded along knowing it was better to agree with her than to argue with her, she hated her full name.

"Dixon was a perfectly nice man... I don't see why you dumped him," Martha continued causing Alexa flinched at the mention of her ex-boyfriend, whom she had recently split from due to his controlling ways.

Alexa's father offered her a reassuring smile, he knew his wife could be a little controlling but he knew that she was just concerned for their daughter; they just didn't want her to be happy.

Her twin brother, David, smiled as they collected the last of the suitcases while her elder brother Ryan glared at their mother; he hated that Martha was constantly putting his little sister down.

Alexa sighed as she picked up her back-pack before she followed her parents who were bickering about staying with her grandparents for the next month.

"We could have checked into a lovely hotel," Martha whined as they entered the main part of the airport, Alexa rolled her eyes while Joseph stared at his wife.

"With what money Martha?" Joseph asked making her glare at him before she muttered something about wanting the better things in life, he was already paying for Jennifer's expensive wedding and he couldn't afford for them to stay in the hotel that Martha wanted them to.

"Joseph!" said Alexa's grandmother, Elizabeth as she hurried forward to hug her only son; it was obvious she had missed him since he had moved to America with Martha and their children.

Joseph smiled as he hugged his mother while Martha pursed her lips for a second then she forced a smile as she greeted Joseph's father, Steven.

"Oh Alexa... look how much you have grown, you've become a beautiful young lady," Elizabeth said pulling the blonde into a hug. Martha humphed, as she looked at her mother-in-law in disagreement; they had never seen eye to eye especially when it came to the blonde.

"Well maybe she should start acting like one," Martha muttered making Joseph glare at her as a warning, he didn't want anyone fighting right now.

***

Alexa's grandparents lived in a three bedroomed-house; the first was the master bedroom which obviously belonged to Steven and Elizabeth, then there was Joseph's old bedroom which he would be sharing with Martha for their month long stay, it had been redecorated since he had last been home.

Ryan and David would be sleeping in the living room while Alexa had been given the guest room; she, of course, was pleased that she was getting her own room.

Setting her suitcase in her room, Alexa sighed and sat down on the bed; she really wished that her mother would let up about her break up with her ex-boyfriend.

Martha didn't even know the real reason behind the break up, not that Alexa would ever tell her; as far as her mother as concerned it was her fault anyway no matter what had happened.

"Alexa!" Elizabeth called making the blonde smile as she stood and headed back downstairs and into the kitchen; she smiled at her grandmother, who was preparing to cook dinner for everyone.

"So you're off to University in September," Elizabeth said excitedly making Alexa smile at her, she loved her Grandparents and it was a shame that she didn't see them all that often; because her mother didn't like them.

"Yes I'm going to study Literature," Alexa said as she moved to sit at the kitchen table, Elizabeth smiled; Alexa had always been a smart one, even if her mother didn't see it.

"Well you'll enjoy it," Elizabeth said as she started to boil some pasta, Alexa nodded and watched her grandmother; they could talk to each other about anything and she liked that.

"Your mother mentioned your single again... did things not work out with that Dixon boy?" Elizabeth asked curiously; she knew there was probably more to the story than Martha knew about.

"He wasn't the guy I thought he was," Alexa said simply making Elizabeth sigh and moved to comfort the blonde, she was always forgotten about when it came to things within the family and with the wedding, it seemed more certain.

However before she could speak Jennifer and Martha entered the kitchen gossiping about the impending wedding.

"Grandmamma," Jennifer said moving to hug Elizabeth, who looked distasteful of the name that she had been called, while Martha shooed Alexa out of her chair so her sister could sit down even if there were other spaces.

"The wedding planning is going fabulously," Jennifer said smiling as she sat down, Elizabeth smiled as she put the kettle on; she loved all her grandchildren but Jennifer was a spoilt brat, Martha had set her upon a pedestal years ago and never taken her off of it.

Alexa sat in the far corner while her sister babbled on about her wedding, she wasn't looking forward to the wedding and she hoped it was over sooner rather than later.

"So Jennifer will you be joining us for my famous spaghetti carbonara?" Elizabeth asked as she got out some plates for dinner; Jennifer wrinkled her nose in disgust at the mention of her grandmother's favourite dish.

"God no... I have just had my final dress fitting and I don't want to push it," she said, making Elizabeth nod; she never understood her eldest Granddaughter's obsession with dieting.

"Oh and Alexa... your dress is done as well," Jennifer said making the blonde look at her confused; she hadn't even had her measurements taken.

"But how do you know it'll fit?" Alexa asked making her sister roll her eyes, as she looked at her; Jennifer smirked as she looked at her younger sister, she knew her wedding was going to be perfect.

"Because it's a size 4 and you're a size 4," Jennifer said as if it was obvious but Alexa stared at her in horror, she was nowhere near a size 4 and her mother and sister knew it.

"I'm an American size 8," Alexa said making her sister stare at her, Jennifer shrugged as if it didn't matter that her sister's dress was too small.

"Then you better lose some weight," Jennifer said simply making Elizabeth frown while Alexa stood stiff staring at her sister in disbelief.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing; even worse her mother was acting as if nothing had happened, Alexa sighed; she could see this wedding was going to be a nightmare.