Night Changes || Edward Cullen

17. Run Free

"Have you thought about a dress yet?" Alice asks excitedly the moment they get through the door; she's snatched Drew's hand and is admiring the emerald and diamonds.

"Alice, this happened all of 36 hours ago. Give me chance to let it sink in." Drew says as she yawns. "Your brother has already said traditional though. Jerk."

"I'm a traditional guy. I don't want a circus for a wedding like most people these days have." He pulls a face as he dumps the bags by the stairs.

Drew crosses her arms. "I don't want a circus either! But I don't want to wear some pooffy white dress and tiara and stupid veil. I want something cool like a tea length dress, or a 50s party dress."

"We can stick with traditional and have fun." Alice smirks, a glint in her eye as she leans over the couch as Drew flops into it.

"We'll look-" she's cut off as Alice dumps literally a dozen or so magazines beside her. She stares at the pile, then her mate. "Don't you- ASS!" She yells as he disappears laughing.

Alice grins and jumps over the couch, delicately landing crossed legged beside her. "So." She begins before launching into the magazines she's already explored hundreds of times.

Drew tries to pay attention as much as she can but all the information doesn't seem to settle in as much as Alice would've liked. Drew ends up asleep beside her, cuddling her knees, as she basically plans the entire wedding for them. She'll talk Drew into it somehow.

-/-

As Edward runs out of the room he laughs, knowing he'll have to make it up to his fiancé soon. Fiancé. What a magnificent thing to say. His mother and father will be proud when they get home later; Alice was the only one who knew, purely because she saw as soon as the thought came to him - obviously.

He makes his way outside, a little surprised to see the wolves watching Emmett and Jasper. He's surprised at how invested they are in knowing battle techniques; he supposes its because they're all teenage boys, and they all have a desire to kill his kind permanently. He leans on the porch by his elbows, clasping his hands as he watches.

His eyes follow Bella as she walks over slowly, smiling warmly at him. He nods politely and goes back to watching, trying to ignore that she eventually stands right by him. Both are silent; Drew can't be mad at him if she initiated this, right?

"How was New York?" Bella asks quietly.

Edward keeps his eyes on his brothers. "Breathtaking."

Bella nods, a little bitter by the one word response. "I bet it was cold... Though you wouldn't have felt it." She mutters. Stupid Bella. "I've always wanted to go to New York. Any recommendations as to where to go?" When did her life with Edward become small talk and cold shoulders?

"The brooklyn bridge... I proposed to Drew there." He says, thinking this is the best way to slip it into a conversation. Better she finds out from him than someone else, or worse, see the ring and find out from no one.

"Oh..." She whispers as her heart dies a little. That should have been me. She thinks to herself as she stares at her feet, her hands buries deep in her pockets for warmth. "Congratulations I guess."

"Thank you." Edward smiles warmly at her before watching his brothers again.

Bella stares at his back for a moment before finding the courage to speak. Jacob listens closely from across the clearing and Edward is very aware of that fact. "Did you ever think of asking me to marry you?" She whispers.

Edward sighs deeply and debates what's best to say; yes he did, or pretend he didn't. Finally, he answers slowly. "Yes. The thought occurred to me, but not until further down the line. Once you'd lived a full human life."