Chapter 1

Isabella P.O.V

Rochester, New York - 1933

I held my breath as my mother tightened the corset tighter then I would have thought possible. My sister was already fully dressed; she already went through this, like we both do every day.

I understand why we wear corsets, or at least the reason my mother tells me, 'to keep our bodies beautiful'.

"Hold still Isabella." my mother scolded me.

"Sorry mother." I apologized, even though it wasn't needed.

My sister, Rosalie, and I are our mother and fathers favorites. Let me start at the beginning.

My sister, Rosalie Lillian Hale, is my twin. I'm Isabella Marie Hale. We were born October 10th. We are both about 5, 6 feet tall and beautiful.

We have the perfect hourglass figure, our long wavy pale blond hair cascades down over our shoulders and stops at our middle back. Our eyes are a vivid violet-blue; some people say it seems our eyes stare into their very soul.

We started getting noticed at the age of thirteen; we were only children but men's eyes watched us, followed us, they drooled over us. We have two little brothers, who are in no way pampered like us.

Our brothers are Harrison and Joseph. Harrison is eight years old at the moment and acts more like a man then a child. Our brother Joseph just turned three; most would cuddle and adore their three year old, but not my parents. My sister and I are eighteen, all grown up, as we like to think.

Many things are changing at the time. My sister and I are fighting more and our relationship is becoming strained. You may wonder why? Well, it's because of her recently found fiancé, Royce King.

Royce is handsome, to some. He has extremely light blond hair, lighter then ours, and pale blue eyes. His looks are not the only reason he's noticed though, no.

The Kings are one royal family in Rochester, New York, where we live. Royce saw Rosalie at his father's bank; he was getting full control of the company. My father works at the same bank, and found Royce was a great suitor for his daughter. My mother thought the same but I think it was more about his money then anything else.

Two days after Royce saw Rose for the first time, my mother conveniently forgot my father's lunch. She sent Rosalie to the bank so my father wouldn't have to work on an empty stomach.

Royce courted Rose that day; that night the roses began coming, bouquet after bouquet. One day Royce said Roses eyes were like Violets, those started showing up along side the Roses.

The young couple was engaged before they had known each other for two months. They don't spend a great deal of time alone together, their always in public; actually they don't spend that much time together at all.

Royce told her he had many responsibilities at work, and when they were together he liked people to look at them, to see her on his arm. Rose likes it too. Well, just like me, she likes attention.

There are lots are parties, dancing, and pretty dresses for Rose and anyone close to her. When you were a King or in this case 'with' a King, every door was open for you, every red carpet rolled out to greet you.

It hasn't been a long engagement; the wedding was in a week. It was going to be huge, the whole town was going to watch Rose walk down the aisle on our fathers arm. They'll tell her how beautiful she is, and she is beautiful, just like me.

"Isabella! Are you listening to me?" my mother's voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"Sorry mother. What were you saying?" I asked.

I heard her sigh as she helped me into my dress.

"I was saying not to be out to late. Same goes for you Rose." she said a bit louder.

"Yes mother." I heard Rose answer from her bedroom.

"There you go. Beautiful." my mother whispered after she was done tying the silk lace on my dress.

Rose walked in the room in a dress just like mine but it had different ribbons. We were both dressed in long sleeved white cotton dresses. They were both buttoned up to our necks in the front to where it was hard to swallow.

I had light purple ribbons on my dress while Rose had pink. We both had our hair pinned up, no strands hung down. We had hats on, tied with a single ribbon under our chin; the ribbon hung down to our chest.

"Are you ready Isabella?" Rose questioned. We never called each other our nicknames in public.

"Yes Rosalie." I answered politely.

"Have a good time girls. Don't be out late." our mother told us sternly.

"Yes mother." we said together and started walking through the house to the door.

We were visiting Vera, a very close friend of ours. She had married recently to a man who our parents would never approve of let alone even suggest.

They had had a son a few months ago, they named him Henry. He is the cutest thing I have ever seen. He has dark black curly hair and the cutest dimples. His green eyes are very noticeable against his hair.

Rose and I love children. We always spend time with our little brothers but we fight more. They've never been jealous of us but we do embarrass them from time to time; their our brothers, it's what we do.

Rose and I were a street away from Vera's now, she lived very close.

"The wedding seems to be coming along well." I complimented.

"Thank you. Bella, I know you don't like Royce but-" I cut her off mid-sentence.

"Rose, it's not that I don't like him, I think it was just a fear of losing you. I took it out on him, I'm truly sorry." I apologized and finally told her the truth.

It was the truth too. I thought she would get married and forget about me. Rose stopped walking and turned too look at me.

"Isabella, I could never leave you. You my sister and I love you. Once I get married it just means we won't live together. I promise you, we'll see each other everyday." she said and hugged me.

"Thank you Rosalie, I love you too." I said and hugged her back.

"Now let's get to Vera's. I miss little Henry." she said with adoration in her eyes.

"He's so cute." I gushed to her as we made our way to Vera's small house.

Her house was only one story tall but was very sturdy. It was painted white and had flower pots hanging from the porch and on the window seals. Her house was small but homey. We made it to her door and knocked.

She opened the door, her normal peppy self. She was about 5,4 feet tall. She had a petite body, her hair was a soft red and she had green eyes. She was very sweet too.

"Rosalie, Isabella!" She exclaimed. "How great it is too see you. Come in! I'm just getting Henry some breakfast." she said and ushered us inside.

The inside of her house had a soft, warm feel about it. The walls were painted a very light, barely visible, green. There were more flowers inside scenting the house.

Rose and I sat down at the table, posture straight and chin up just like we were taught. Vera came back in the room holding Henry who was wide awake and looking as cut as ever.

"Rosalie, could you hold him?" Vera asked. Rose's eyes lit up and she held her hands out.

"Of course! I'd be delighted." she said as Vera placed Henry in her arms.

Vera went to the kitchen and came back with some milk. She handed it to Rose and sat down.

"Henry is looking cute as ever." I complimented watching my sister hold and feed him.

"Yes he is! Aren't you sweetie?" Rose cooed.

"He's growing everyday. He is looking more like his father but with my eyes." Vera said will nothing but love in her voice. "Rosalie, how is the wedding coming along?" Vera asked curiously.

Our mother and Royce's mother had been planning the wedding. Not even Rose or I know any of the plans. Our mother just tells Rose it's going great. Rose looked at me and to Henry as if to say she was busy.

I smiled and turned to Vera.

"We're not sure. Our mother and Royce's mother are planning it. They won't tell us a thing except it's coming along." I stated.

"Well, I can't wait to come. I bet it'll be big with lots of beautiful flowers." she said.

Vera had a thing for flowers if you haven't noticed. She loves them. How they look; how they can scent a room up. She just loves flowers.

"I bet it'll have roses and violets." I stated smiling at Rose who smiled back.

"I bet it does." she whispered smiling at me. "How are you and Jim?" she asked curiously.

Jimmy is Vera's husband. He is a hard worker on a farm away from town. He and Vera moved here when she became pregnant. He goes a long way everyday for work.

"We're doing great. Mr. Lees is giving him a raise if he works a few more hours this week." she said.

Mr. Lees was Jim's boss and a very well known farmer.

"That's good." Rose and I said together.

We all looked at each other before laughing. Rose and I always ended up talking together, we couldn't help it. It's a twin thing.

"Aw, girls." Vera said breathless before she sobered up. "If Jim gets this raise we might buy a bigger house, the one right next to yours." she said looking at us to see confirmation.

We knew the house well. It was an old two story house with chipped white paint. There's a small garden in the front yard grown over with weeds. Besides its untidiness, it is a good house.

"It is a good house. It would only take a few days to fix it up." I stated sternly hoping she would buy it.

It would be nice to be closer.

"We'll help you fix it up if you'd like." Rose said looking up from Henry who was now sleeping.

"Thank you girls." she said as we heard the door open. "Jim." Vera called.

"Yea honey." he said as he walked into the room.

You could tell Jim was a hardworking man. He has black curly hair and brown eyes. He was tan from working under the sun. His hands were callused and worn.

"I missed you today, sweetheart." he said kissing Vera on the lips so full of love.

"I missed you too. Oh!" Vera exclaimed looking at us. "You're late. Your mother will be angry." she said.

Rose and I looked at each other. We didn't know we had been here so long. Jim gently took Henry off Roses lap.

"Well, we better be leaving. We promised our mother we wouldn't stay long." Rose said standing up as did I.

"I didn't realize it was so late!" I exclaimed.

"It was good seeing you girls." Vera said hugging us.

"Thank you for keeping my Vera company today." Jim said looking at Vera with a love filled expression.

"It was our pleasure." we both said. "It was great to see you Vera." we both said again.

Jim chuckled while Vera giggled.

"You too girls. Have a safe walk home." Vera said.

Rose and I turned and walked out the door.