Bella's Undisastrous 18th Birthday
While re-reading New Moon recently, I was struck by the perfect family moment that occurs before Bella cuts her finger and it all goes wrong. I realise that it was important for the story and all, but it made me slightly depressed… I mean, even Rosalie was getting into it for a bit!
And then I got thinking; how would Bella's birthday have gone if Alice had foreseen what would have happened just in time?
Just a short one-shot, hope you enjoy :) Oh, and the phrases in italics are from the book; simply because there's no better way to word it then Stephenie's way!! :P
Disclaimer: I own no characters, the ingenious Stephenie Meyer does.
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New Moon, by Stephenie Meyer pg. 28
"Open mine and Edward's next," Alice said, so excited her voice was a high-pitched trill. She held a small, flat square in her hand.
I turned to give Edward a basilisk glare. "You promised."
Before he could answer, Emmett bounded through the door. "Just in time!" he crowed. He pushed in behind Jasper, who had drifted closer than usual to get a good look.
"I didn't spend a dime," Edward assured me. He brushed a strand of hair from my face, leaving my skin tingling from his touch.
I inhaled deeply and turned to Alice. "Give it to me," I sighed.
Emmett chuckled with delight.
I took the little package, rolling my eyes at Edward…
And the next thing I knew, a flash of white had shot across the package, leaving my hands empty.
I looked up, bemused, to see Alice shoot Edward a fleeting glance, panic in her eyes, before turning back to me.
Edward was frozen beside me.
"Bella! What are you doing?! Edward should open it for you, it'd be cuter that way!!" She chirped, her face suddenly animated again.
Too animated.
She gave Edward a hard look before skipping over to Jasper, still beaming at me, taking his hand. Jasper arched one of his perfect eyebrows at her as she subtly took a small, graceful step away from the group, moving Jasper with her. My present was still in her other hand.
My forehead creased in confusion.
"Catch Edward!" She cried, taking an unnecessary step back as she poised to throw it to him.
Edward took a similar unnecessary step backwards to catch it, dragging me with him in the process.
Alice and Jasper were now nearly at the opposite end of the room to the rest of us.
It was almost as if Alice and Edward were trying to separate me from Jasper for some reason…
Emmett and Rosalie exchanged a glance I didn't quite understand, Rosalie turning towards Edward and I, her beautiful face twisted into a smirk.
Why would Jasper and I need to be separated, and why would that make Rosalie happy? It didn't make sense…
"Bella, I need your attention over here for a moment to open it," Edward murmured, his velvet voice breaking me from my thoughts. Something was off about his tone…
"Okay…" I murmured, turning to look at Edward with confusion in my eyes.
He smiled reassuringly.
Too reassuringly.
Something was off about his eyes too…
My eyes widened slightly in panic, looking between the pair with a worried expression. Alice beamed at me, while Edward ignored me, avoiding my eyes as he focused on removing the silver gift wrap.
He passed the contents of the parcel to me with care. It took me a moment to process what it was; a clear CD jewel case, with a blank silver CD inside.
Temporarily distracted from my worry, I stared at it, perplexed.
Edward chuckled slightly at my expression; reaching around me to place the CD in the CD player Alice had no doubt set-up earlier for that very purpose. He hit the play button, and the room waited in silence.
Then the music began.
I listened, speechless and wide-eyed. I knew he was waiting for my reaction, but I couldn't talk. Tears welled up, and I reached up to wipe them away before they could spill over.
"Oh Edward, it's beautiful," I whispered, overcome with emotion as my lullaby played in the background.
"I didn't think you'd let me buy you a piano so I could play for your at your house," he explained. "So Alice came up with the idea to record it for you instead."
I was so touched, the tears overflowed, betraying me.
"Thank you both so, so very much. You couldn't have given me anything I would love more," I whispered to keep my voice from cracking.
Emmett laughed, clearly delighted by my public display of human emotion. I wiped away the tears with my hand as inconspicuously as I could, smiling warmly at the pair.
Edward gave me a supportive squeeze around the middle, kissing the hair on the top of my hair softly.
"I told you she'd like it Edward!" Alice sang, smug. I gave her a small frown, but soon became too immersed in the music to care.
We listened in silence as my lullaby played, until the chords that signified the end sounded softly. The music changed to a more upbeat tempo, and I soon recognised it as Esme's favourite. I turned towards Edward's motherly figure, and she smiled warmly at me before closing her eyes to enjoy the music.
The room continued to listen, but the piece was only half way through before an impatient huff broke the silence.
"Don't forget Esme and Carlisle's present!" Alice exclaimed in exasperation, bouncing beside Jasper in aggravation. Jasper laughed softly at her, giving her hand a squeeze.
A wave of calm spread through the room.
"I'm sorry Bella; she hasn't been to a birthday party in a while," Jasper explained with a chuckle from across the room. Alice scrunched her nose up at him in annoyance.
Edward rolled his eyes as he picked up the long flat rectangle that must have been from his parents. He tore the silver paper off with one fluid movement, handing the rectangular white box back to me.
"Are you sure I can handle lifting the lid?" I muttered, but he ignored me. My initial suspicion was coming back, and I narrowed my eyes at his innocent expression as I opened the box.
It was too innocent…
Inside was a long thick piece of paper with an overwhelming amount of fine print. It took me a minute to get the gist of the information.
"Tickets to… Oh Edward! We're going to Jacksonville?" I exclaimed in excitement, in spite of myself. It was a voucher for plane tickets, for both Edward and I.
I hadn't seen Renee since my hospital stay in Phoenix; and I'd missed her terribly. I couldn't wait to tell her I would finally be able to visit under better conditions!
It took a while, but once it sunk in, a wave of horror passed over me.
"Wait! Carlisle, Esme, I can't accept these! It's too much!" I gushed, embarrassed and slightly horrified at the expense of the gift.
Alice huffed impatiently.
Carlisle, in contrast, smiled politely.
"Think nothing of it Bella. Nothing Esme and I could purchase with the money could match your happiness, and we'd prefer for you to have them." He spoke politely and calmly, but with authority. I wouldn't be getting out of this one.
"You're mother deserves to see you; she must miss you darling!" Esme added with a warm smile.
I felt the tears well up in my eyes again, and brushed them away quickly.
"Thankyou both so much," I murmured quietly, blushing.
Emmett boomed with laughter. "Such a funny human!" He crowed, laughing harder as I blushed deeper. Rosalie smiled slightly, but soon became expressionless again when she caught me looking at her, becoming engrossed in her nails.
Alice, who had been silent for some time, cleared her throat loudly, silencing Emmett.
"Cake time!" she exclaimed. She pointed towards the pink, three tier cake, beam renewed.
I could only shake my head. There was no way I'd be able to devour that cake, no matter how delicious I knew it would be, with no help. And I certainly wouldn't be getting any from my vampiric party guests.
Jasper, possibly realising Alice wouldn't be letting any of us leave until the last crumb of the cake was consumed, smiled sly, turning to Emmett.
"Bet you double our last bet that you can't eat the entire bottom tier of the cake Emmett."
Emmett smiled, equally as slyly. "You're on! Prepare to lose!"
Rosalie rolled her eyes.
What could two vampires who had everything they could possibly want be betting? I turned to Edward to voice my question, but was interrupted by Alice's shriek.
"NO EMMETT! THERE WON'T BE ENOUGH CAKE FOR BELLA!" She exclaimed angrily, launching herself at Emmett as he approached the massive pink cake.
With the exception of Alice and Emmett, who were wrestling with a surprising amount of force, the room broke out in laughter.
Only Alice.
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