Royally Arranged

Chp 9 I Expected Everything and I am Not Sorry

Bella's POV

A pair of cool arms wrapped around me gently and I stirred.  

" if that's Alice, I am moving out." I mumbled groggily and I heard him chuckled lightly. " What? First I am Emmet and I now I am Alice? Who will I be later? Rosalie?" he teased and his lips pushed to the back of my head.

I squirmed and turned around and faced him, smiling. " hi."  

" Hi." he grinned and pushed a strand of hair back to my ear.

He pushed my head gently over his shoulder and he whispered in my ear. " You are absolutely wonderful out there, yesterday." he breathed, sending shivers to my spine. " Well, I was only wonderful yesterday?" teased I. He threw his head back and laughed freely. " Oh no, you are amazing." he gave me a loop sided grin and I giggled. " Always. " he promised.

I smiled, he leant in, expecting for a kiss but I hopped out of his arms. His eyes snapped open at the huge blank space that his hands at curving around. He pouted slightly at me.  

" Morning breath, Edward." I explained and rolled my eyes, skipping away to the bathroom for a few human minutes before retreating back in his open arms willingly.

" I wonder..." he trailed off, swirling a strand of hair with his pinkie, sniffing it before letting it down back to my shoulders. " Hmm?" I hummed in respond, thanking my lucky stars that I could still think straightly after what he did with my lips seconds ago.  

" We are not divorcing right? After the marriage?" he asked, unsure. I gasped in horror and turned my gaze on him, softening when I saw worry covered the mass of his grassy eyes. I cupped his cheek and looked seriously in his dazzling sad eyes. " Don't you ever ever think of that again, Edward Mason Anthony Cullen! Of course we wont divorce like we planned but it changed because-" I stopped.

" Because what?" he asked. " Nothing." I mumbled, shaking my head before returning my eyes back to his. Knowing we won't be separated, he kissed me. The kiss still stunned me though. It's like lightning and electrifying shock lit up your whole body with a soft touch of his lips to mine. We made out before, only for a few times but never made love.

●○●○●○

" Oh my god, this is so good." Rosalie squealed and continued buried her head in the book she had recently bought it. I glanced at the cover for a few seconds and snapped my sight back to the huge pinkish words on the cover.  

' Falling In Love with My Best Friend.'  

The words immediately took me back to the past.

' " C'mon, Bells! They won't know!"

he urged me, shoving my shoulder gently. " I can't, what if I get caught?" I hissed and peeked a look behind my shoulder. " You won't," he laughed. I glared at him and snatched a cupcake from the table. Be thankful I am siting on a high hair.  

" C'mon! It's so boring." Jacob pouted boyishly at me and pointed to the opened window behind him. " I can't, Jake, if they caught me-" " I know, I know. I will be ground for the rest of my life." he mimicked my voice and rolled his eyes. I glared at him and popped the rest price of the icing cupcake into my mouth.

" I just can't, Mother will catch me. She knows I hate balls, Jacob." I protested, shaking my head.

He sighed, tucking both of his hands back gentlemanly and looked upset. " Oh well, I will go alone." he sighed, " staring at the moonless night all by myself." he sighed desperately again, and peeked a look at me before stepping closer to the grand window, I fought the urge to grin at his techies. Closing his eye when he saw me with a blank expression. " Just a moonless and a friendless night, all by myself." he sighed sadly again and stepped closer to the window.

" Cut it out, Jake. I am coming with you." I rolled my eyes and hopped down from the high chair. I peeked a look at the people swirling around in each others' arms gracefully. They are playing Canon in D, again. He grinned widely at the new information he had received from me.

" There's a stupid branch over there!" 

I cried out in frustration when I felt my foot stuck between the branches I was holding. " My foot is stuck! " I whispered shouted at Jacob who just jumped down to the grassy ground beneath me. I held the railings of the windows, branches tightly, chanting that I won't fall in my head.

" Jump! I saw guards" Jump!" he whispered urgently back and I cursed mentally in my mind. I pulled my right foot out and I swear, it will be swelling later, or tomorrow. I heard clanking footsteps of the guards and hopped down to the grass unsteadily before running away, filling Jake's shadow to the garden maze.

" Gosh, what a chase," I panted heavily and propped myself beside Jake on the wooden bench. " It's exciting. We should do it again," he grinned at me. I stared horrified at him and shook my head furiously. " no way, Jake! We will get caught!" I protested.  

" Aww c'mon, your bodyguard will protect you." he pumped his chest out manly and I tumbled over by laughters. " And you will get fired of I get caught!" I giggled. He took it seriously at my words but kept a teasing face. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder protectively and we enjoyed the beautiful moon shining brightly to the whole universe. I rested my head on his bulk chest and sighed blissfully. 

" you know I will leave one day right, Belly?" he asked softly still gazing at the moon. I gulped back a tear and nodded. " We still have 7 years to my eighteenth birthday, Jake. We will work it out. You and I promised." I mumbled. He nodded in respond.

We knew I was lying. There's no way it will work out. The lie comforted us greatly and we refused to believe the reality that was moving so fast in front of us. It's worth it.

A day after the horrid ball mother planned yearly, I was summoned to Father's study. Unsurprisingly, mother was there too. It's bad news. They found out my secret relationship with my bodyguard. We fought. That's one of the worst fight we ever had. Father fired Jake, sending him away, not without a proper goodbye. After the horrible morning, I was summoned to his study again, fifteen men in their early forties lined up in his study, all dressed up nicely, with shades. From that day onwards, I was been followed by them everywhere I go. Privacy meant nothing in my world now. Private matters was eyed by everyone. Trust broke in my family line with my father and mother. From that day,I never smiled. I had been doubted by my parents, trust is like a paper. It had been crippled up, never smoothing again.

But the boyish smile from Jacob was carved in my mind and heart, because we are just young... And in love. '

Immediately and automatically, the young Jacob and Edward was compared. Who is better? Am I in love? Was I in love? Or it's just imagination? Naive days back then? Which relationship is stronger? Mine with Jacob... Or with Edward?

I winced when I saw Edward and Jake's faces appeared in my mind at the same time for love. Everything changes when it come to Jacob, he changed my horrible princess life. He brought sparks to me, letting me saw light. With Edward, the whole world turned in the opposite way. He never fail to amaze me. Butterflies was gulped down to my stomach when he smiled boyishly at me. My heart rate beats faster than usual. Jacob's face brought fluttering to my weak heart, Edward gave me speed.

Which one will I choose if I had a choice? Jacob, the one who brought laughter and summer to my life... Or Edward who save me from the darkness of the kingdom to his fairy tale and be a real princess?

My mind is not clear. I wanted both for myself, I am selfish enough for it. But will my heart take the pain of losing one of them? Clearly, I knew the answer.

No.