I couldn't leave this story alone. It couldn't leave me alone. It's also been the first time in eight months I've been more than excited about writing something. So here's to that.

Not beta'd. Be gentle.

xo

"Hey, Bell. Whatcha doin? Yeah me either...It's a pretty day outside... Great for our meadow, wanna meet me there in ten minutes?"

"Meet me in our meadow in five minutes."

"I'll be at your house in five minutes, be ready. We need to talk."

I cast a look at the floor, amazed that there isn't a trail. I've been in my room picking up the phone, putting it down only to throw it back down or across the room, for hours. I'm running out of time.

The walls are mostly the same, but my closet is bare. Pictures of Bella, Ali, Em and I that Bella had insisted I put in my room, are packed away too. There's one of her and I in my wallet.

Another one, she'd kill me if she saw it, for more than one reason. It was the day we skipped class for the first time, we went to First beach. I took a picture of her when she fell asleep in the sand, her head on my legs. Her hair frames her face, and the sun makes her look paler than ever. She's always been beautiful,but that day, she was happy; truly happy since the first time her mom died.

Charlie didn't try to kill me when I told him this. I still saw his hand and mustache twitch.

"Jesus! I'm talking to myself now." I pull my hands through my hair. What do I have to lose, honestly?

She can reject me, and then I leave; no harm, no foul.

I shake my head. I have everything to lose.

She's everything.

Two hours later, the sky is dark. I've wasted a whole day. I look at the clock. I leave in six hours.

I make up my mind right then and there.

I grab my keys, tell mom and dad that I'll be back.

The ride to her house is so familiar. I eye the front door, and then her window. Hers is the only light on. I know Emmett is home, and so is Charlie.

I eye the tree outside the window. I try not to think about how hurtful it would be if she pushes me out of the tree. I think, I'd deserve it for what I'm about to do. I watch her for a few minutes. She has her phone between her ear and shoulder, sketch pad in front of her. Smile on her face.

I knock on the window. She looks at the door, confusion crossing her face, before she turns to the window. She jumps up when she sees me, and throws the phone on the bed.

"What the hell are you doing?You're going to fall!"

"I'm good... I was just passing by and well, I had to tell you..." I trail off. She's wearing a La Push High t-shirt. His. Pictures line her mirror, outshining the ones of her and I.

Any nerve I had, well it's gone.

"Had to tell me...? What the hell? You're acting so weird, Edward."

"I..You..." I lean in,a few more inches and I could kiss her... show her instead of tell her.

"You have a flat tire. Passenger side, rear."

I'm such a wuss.

"Oh...okay. Thanks." Confusion crosses her face, and she pushes my shoulder. "You scared the shit out of me!"

I laugh. "Uh yeah, well I gotta go. See you tomorrow?"

She nods, the confusion leaves her face. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Edward."

"You're really doing this?!" Esme asks, she's over-excited, even if she's asked me one million times since I told her what I wanted to do.

I nod, fingering the small diamond ring that belonged to my grandmother. It's perfect for Bella. Small, square with tiny diamonds surrounding it.

"Yes, mom." I laugh, spinning the ring around my pinky. "Do you think she'll say yes?"

It's the same question I've asked one million and two times. The nervousness finds it's way back up. Even if we've known each other for most of our lives, it's been a year since that night.

Alice of course, was over the moon excited. She was also pissed off the that we spent the whole weekend in my apartment, and she had no idea. We actually got something past her.

I asked Bella to move in with me when we were together for two months. Charlie eyed me for a couple of minutes, then he smiled.

"Congrats son." he said, slapping me on the back a little harder than necessary. The message was received, loud and clear. I'd deal with him, and Emmett if anything happened to her.

"Son, that girl has loved you since you flung her in mud.." Mom laughs.

Bella says it's true, that she didn't know it and when she knew she did, it was too late.

"So, when did you know?" She asks, her voice is soft and I can feel her breath on my chest.

"I think a part of me always knew, ya know?" I pull her closer.

"That day we skipped class. It was the first time you seemed really happy. I knew I would do anything to make you smile like that."

"It was because you were there."

I smile and kiss her forehead. "What about you? When did you know?"

"I...I can't remember a time that I didn't love you, Edward."

I kiss her then, slow, long and deep.

"Why did we waste so much time?" She whispers.

be ready shes coming up

"Edward? Babe?"

I hear her heels clicking, and then they stop. I watch as she looks around, sees the candles, rose petals. Finally, her heels click again.

I take a deep breath, waiting.

Finally, she's there in front of me. On one knee, the song I wrote for her playing softly in the background.

She looks at the ring in my hands, and before I know it, she's there.

"Edward." She whispers. I look up at her, smiling.

"Bella, will you marry me?" I ask, holding in a deep breath. This is us. We don't need fancy words, or deep confessions. That was what Alice told me when I asked her to help me. Keep it simple.

I hold the ring up, not breathing, waiting.

Before I know it, she's wrapping her arms around me, kissing me.

"Yes. Yes. Yes!" she says, laughing.

I pull back, and the smile on her face, the look in her eyes, I breathe again. Putting the ring on her finger, it's the second to best feeling, ever.

"I love you." I whisper.

I pick her up, carrying her inside as I kiss her. Her arms are around my neck, hands in my hair. Her legs wrap around my hips, as I carry her to our bedroom.

I lean down, placing her on the bed. She kicks off her shoes.

"I knew you were up to something." She says in between kisses.

"Yeah?" I ask, kissing her neck, hands on her hips.

"Mmm." She sighs, my hands find their way under her shirt.

"I should call Alice." She whispers, as my hands push her shirt up, off.

"No, you should stop thinking about my sister..." I trail off as her hands run down my chest, stomach to the button of my jeans.

She's pulling and pushing. I'm taking and giving, and soon there are no boundaries. It's just us.

"Edward." She whispers as I enter her. It may be the millionth time since a year ago, tonight. Each time is like the first time. It's always perfect when I push and she pulls. She gives, I take. Her hands are everywhere, but they find her favorite place, in my hair.

Unlike that night a year ago, I know she has the smallest freckle on her thigh. I know she likes it when I go slow, and fast.

"I love you." She breathes and I know she's close, "I can't wait to be your wife."

I close my eyes as the sweetest,most intense, beautiful feeling shoots through me.

Later, after we've called our families, we're laying in bed.

"Vegas." She whispers, "tonight."

I watch her, waiting.

"Bella?" I say.

She sits up, "Alice can have her big frou-frou wedding but, I need to tie myself to you as soon as possible.

I smile. "Yeah?"

"Tonight."

We have one of those moments, the kind where we seem to read each others thoughts.

"No more wasting time."

And we don't.