�Good morning, Isabella� the lady from the bookstore addressed �Nice to see you around here again� �Thanks, Mrs. Cooper� I approached the tall desk �How is the sale going?� �Very common, same old clients, some new books� she smiled, her face wrinkling �Oh! I see, reading is not as popular as music, is it?� �Unfortunately it isn�t� the old woman touched her cheek, something she usually did unconsciously �But what can I do? Not everybody likes reading as you do� I smiled, �You know me too well Mrs. Cooper� �How couldn�t I? I still remember when you were just a little child and always bought fairytales� �I remember it too, it wasn�t that long ago� �You always came with your now fianc�e� she grinned My smile didn�t disappear, lost in the yesterday �I obligated him to come with me, but he has never liked books, not even now; he reads them only if it�s necessary� �At least you do� she sighed �With that, you could teach him and your children something about literature� �Yes, I guess I�ll have too�� My stomach fluttered �Thinking about heirs is too early though� �You decided to marry until you are 18, correct?� �Yes, we all agreed that it was the best� �Just one more year, honey� I sighed �One more year� 365 days didn�t seemed like a very short time �I wish I had longer� She chuckled and agreed �Time flies� The morning was full of similar conversations about me and Jacob. The gossip was everywhere (it was horrible). I tried not to spread it more but it was in vain. Like taking off the feathers of a chicken and trying to glue them to the bird again. It had only passed a week after my birthday-engagement party and that had been enough to spread the news through all Chicago. Poor Angela, her wedding was still a scandalous; she wasn�t marring a lord or a viscount, or a man with money. She chose someone she loved, even if he was inferior somehow. I supported her, considering my situation; but there was little I could do. The next day was her wedding so I was buying my shoes, this time, all by myself. My parents were nowhere to be seen (when I got up, they weren�t there); Jacob was at the bank with his father. Actually, his sisters were supposed to be with me, but I had lost them God knows where. That same evening, when I finally bought a pretty sparkling silver pair, I�d walked a lot to different places and my stomach was groaning. I stopped to seat and eat something in the coffee shop. My feet were asking for a rest and could not wait to get to the house. While sitting there I started to think about how life was playing those days. Again. My wedding was being delayed (I had to beg literally) so we would wait till 1919, the day wasn�t settled yet. We were spending Christmas Eve with Charlie�s family, so I wouldn�t see Jacob that day. He had been very difficult about the delay, and he seemed reluctant when he heard my reasons. My mother was more excited than I was, when we talked about me in a white gown. And, what can I say about Charlie? His exuberance was all but contagious, the plans he had made for me since I was 5, were now halfway to become true. He complained a lot when I decided to delay the date, of course I convinced both of them, I was so spoiled by those men. I just had to ask Jake if he trusted me and my word of marrying him next year. Not that I would break that word, because even if I didn�t want to marry him, I still loved him. My dad said that he could die happy only if he saw some grandsons. He was exaggerating of course, because he was as healthy as a horse. The only danger was one. The influenza. Edward had been taking care of his mom. Elizabeth got the flu through Mr. Masen; her son was the only one they got and the only one who could help. Mr. Masen was now in the hospital with many other soldiers. Though Elizabeth was strong, she got worse everyday. Edward was trying not to get the disease himself, but he was falling into it; the last time I had seen him, he looked a little sick. We had to stop seeing each other for a while, for his mother recovering. My mind was really lost in those thoughts, but a woman accidentally broke a glass, taking me down from my little cloud because of the noise, I turned my head to see the accident, when I saw one man sitting in another table, looking towards me. I returned my head instantly and took a sip of my tea. Cautiously, I peeked to see the man who was watching me. My mouth almost fell to the floor; he was the most beautiful man I�d ever seen. Pale, even more than I was, his blond hair like golden strings, and his butterscotch eyes. I�d never seen someone so, attractive like this man with perfect symmetry, like a diamond. He barely seemed 26. I turned to the other side to see if he was looking someone else. No! he was looking at me. I blushed at his sight, he smiled politely and I smiled back. What was he doing? Flirting with disaster? But his factions were serene and calm, so innocent. I was suddenly very interested in my cup of tea when, thankfully Rachel and Rebecca sat down to my sides. �Bella! Where have you been?� Rachel cried out �We almost go to the police station� �Oh, sorry girls, I was tired so I stopped to rest� �Good lord I�m glad we found you, I am about to faint� Rebecca said glancing around the little establishment, when her eyes widened �Rach, you have to see this, please, with discretion look over your shoulder to that man� Rachel turned around and asked �Who?� out loud. Rebecca kicked her softly under the table and glared at her sister, which blushed. I was so amused by that pair. I saw the man laughing too. He was too far to have had listened us, but he may had understand the scene. I flushed embarrassed to tell them that he had noticed Rachel�s inconvenient. Rebecca sighed �We are getting old for not being engaged Rach� �I�m sorry, but if you mean that angel sitting over there, I want him� her sister replied with fake air of greatness �He must be married, he�s so beautiful� I opined �You have our brother, Bella� Rebecca scolded me �You are pretty enough to take a man�s eyes� I rolled my eyes at the hyperbole (eclipse :P) �I think this� I held up my left hand, showing my ring there �Helps them to run away� �You know they won�t run away� Rachel answered �They will just�change their path towards someone with an empty finger� �Yes, yes, but you know what I mean� I implied with a end-this-conversation tone Then my food arrived. My appetite was less than the curiosity for that man, who, after my food was brought paid and left. Leaving his cup full and my senses confused. �And where did you go after we lost you?� Rebecca asked �I went to see Mrs. Cooper at the library, and then I found the pair I was looking for� my answer was in the same tone as before. �Great, we found the soon-to-be bride choosing her bouquet of flowers� I sighed �Tomorrow she�s becoming a Mrs.� �Yes, oh poor Angie� she said �Her Ben is the son of a carpenter! And with the parents she has, I would have been very scared of them when I�d told them.� �Their parents took it very well, actually� I thought for a second �But she told me her father hadn�t an opposition and convinced her mother to be on her daughter�s shoes� �That�s really considerate from both of them� They agreed �Yes, why wouldn�t Charlie take it that way?� I thought �Thank to God, I do love your brother� �We know you do� Rachel chuckled �but he feels you don�t, be lovely to him Bells, he would really appreciate that� �He told you so?� �No, but he told dad� �Peeking on other�s conversations?!� I sucked breath �I am so disappointed� �Nah, you just don�t like we peek on my brother�s conversations� �I won�t answer that� �Because you know it is true, indeed� I did know it, I hated when other people heard about us, privately. It was bad he told his father, I didn�t want anyone else to guess what was happening, if Jacob didn�t guess himself. After going to the book store, I escaped for a couple of minutes (almost an hour, actually) and went to visit Elizabeth. I just found Edward preparing some of her mother�s things. He said she had been translated to the hospital two days before to be better taken care of, even if we both knew it would be the same, his father thought is would be the best for his wife. I was preoccupied We paid and left the table. Rachel and I were carrying an only bag, while Rebecca carried 3, making us laugh the whole way back. It was getting dark when we arrived to my house, where my mom and dad, and Jacob were waiting for us. �Sorry if you had to wait too much� I apologized �we stopped to eat something� �Oh,� My dad said �We planned a dinner together, actually� �You�ll still come with us, won�t you?� Jacob implied �We didn�t eat anything� Rebecca answered her brother �I mean, Rachel and I, we can go� �Then� Renee spoke �Bella are you coming with us?� �No thanks, I�ll stay here� I faked tiredness �I am exhausted� �Are you sure?� Jacob insisted �Yes I am� �Well then, let�s go, it�s late and I�m hungry� Charlie hurried out the door �Goodbye Bella� my mom kissed my cheek and so did the twins �Goodnight my love� Jacob pecked my lips sweetly I sighed �See you tomorrow� And they were out. It was still early and I wasn�t that tired. �Caroline?� I peeked my head in the kitchen �I�m right here miss� she answered entering from the backyard �Hum� I am taking a bath, and after that, could you play chess with me? I need to keep my mind occupied� �Of course� she answered smiling ? After my short bath, because it was a winter night and very cold; Caroline was waiting for me in the library, with two cups of hot chocolate. So that�s how I kept my mind busy that night. That didn�t go to well, because I thought of the future so constantly, that I lost the game. Disappointed, I went to sleep, and dreamt wit...
Cullen_Hale