"Violette!"

What did I do now?

I tried to recall if I left a mess downstairs before I retired to my bedroom. I cleaned my dishes, gathered my school stuff, put away my baseball….

Groaning, I dog-leafed the page I was on and lifted myself off my bed. I forgot to put away my brother's baseball bat. Worst I left it in the front living room or the guest room as I called it. No one except my mother was allowed to be in there and I had so foolishly left the bat near the vicinity of it while I struggled to bring in a box that had been delivered the moment I got home.

"VIOLETTE!" she screeched once more.

You would have thought I left a dead body on the floor by the way she was screaming out my name.

I left my room and traveled down the hall to the stair case. Even though I thought she was being really stupid and overacting, her anger made me shrivel up inside. I should have remembered to pick up the bat. Ever since birth it was drilled into my mind not to ever step foot in the guest room unless we were entertaining. I didn't even acknowledge the existence of it.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs my mother was standing at the entry way that led into the pristine living room. When you walked in to our house you were faced a long hall way that extended to the very back, a door lead outside to the backyard. To your right was a living room that appeared so fragile and a atmosphere for forbiddance veiled it. But only the important people were allowed to go in there. The rest of had go further back to the second living room, directly across the kitchen and dining room. The Bathroom and office was right by the front door to the left.

"What is this?" my mother pointed her slender hand behind her and sure enough there was the bat. I had initially leaned it against the wall but it must have fell and rolled into the guest living room.

"Castle's bat." I answered grudgingly. Castle had graduated last year and was now attending a university. I didn't want to by a bat when there was a perfectly fine one at home.

"What is it doing in my living room?" Her face was flushed with rage and she could barely speak. I towered over my mother, I had inherited my body from my Dad, but I still cowered beneath her. Dad may have never hit us, but she sure did.

"When I was bringing in your package I leaned it against the wall. It must have fallen over and rolled in there."

"And you didn't pick it up."

Here it goes.

"I forgot."

Her hand was already in motion and her soft skin contacted my face. It didn't hurt; with all the sports I did I had a very high pain tolerance. It also helped that I've grown up use to this. But just because it didn't hurt didn't mean I was alright.

I don't know why she acted like this. She treated that guest room like she would a child, hell she treated it better then she treated Castle and I. Why was it some important to her? On many occasions I had asked Dad when he called but he always said it was 'complicated'. Whatever the hell that meant.

The doorbell rang and she froze. I could so the horrified thoughts flashing across her face.

Whoever was out there probably heard me screaming at her. Possibly the sound of my slap.

She regained control of herself and headed towards the door, but she couldn't escape the flush of her face or the red blemish on mine. Like a good little girl I should have bolted up the stairs but what she didn't know was that I was expecting someone.

On his way home from work Carlisle Cullen was going to pick me up and take me to his house. Today was my 17th birthday and Alice was throwing a party for me.

When I had gotten home and saw the package being left on our porch for one foolish moment I thought it was a birthday gift from my mother. It wasn't and I berated myself for thinking such a thought. She would just claim that the gift from my dad was also from her, that they both pitched in for it. She would open the letter addressed to me and sign her name. If my dad had known about this no doubt he would come down here himself and personally hand it to me and innocently ask why she hadn't gotten me anything.

However today wasn't going to be a complete disappointment. For three years I've had the Cullens'; another family. When they first came to Forks their appearance had slipped from the minds of all the people here. No one questioned why they had the same color eyes or pale skin when they all had no blood relation, with the exception of the Hale twins. I did though and I didn't know it then but Edward had been able read my thoughts and understood I would soon find out their secret.

It was only dear Alice who had kept them from leaving. I had always wondered why they let me befriend them and into their secretive world. As it turned out Alice saw a future in which I had a happy life with her brother, a brooding boy who was lonely. But of course that didn't go very well…

"Dr. Cullen!" my mother was completely aghast and her face became even redder.

Carlisle Cullen smiled at her and she became more flabbergasted. His golden eyes flicked to me for a moment and I felt a wave of shame and embarrassment fall over me. They knew my mother sometimes hit me but they rarely saw her marks.

"I'm here to pick up Violette. My daughter Alice is throwing her a birthday party."

"Oh yes! That completely skipped my mind…"

"If you were planning on taking her somewhere we could postpone it for tomorrow night."

"Oh…no, I have some clients to attend to tonight. She's all yours."

I was already ready to go and I mumbled a 'bye' to her before leaving the house. My cheek still stung and I cursed myself for wearing my hair back today. My life hasn't been a walk in the park for quite a while now and my skin showed that. I felt like there was a beacon on my face.

My mind was still spinning and I'm sure the car ride only seemed awkward and it was all in my head. I had already been confronted by Carlisle and Esme when they found out about my mother's abuse. I had told them that she only slapped us and rarely did it happen. That was just how she was raised and she only screamed at us most of the time. I didn't tell them how the screaming was more painful than the slaps. I just played it off as something that went over my head. Only Edward knew how I really felt.

We were almost to the house when he asked me if I was alright. Of course I said yes but I knew he didn't believe me.

When we got to his house Alice was waiting outside, a smirk on her face. When we reached the steps she put her hands over my eyes, and I admit it was difficult for her to do so, and told me not to peek. Of course when we go to the stairs she had to let me go but I made sure not to get a view of the living room.

Rosalie was waiting for us by Alice's bedroom door and as always she was radiant in her dress.

They quickly redid my hair, putting my black locks into a braid and created an elaborate bun. Alice applied a minimal amount of make up on my face and as Rosalie smoothed back any lose hairs Alice ventured into her walk in closet. I had no clue what she had in store for me but I knew it would cost a lot. I had since allowed them to buy things for me though in the beginning I had adamantly refused their gifts. They assured me over and over that to them money was nothing. They had so much of it that buying things felt like getting something for free.

I had since loosened up about that but a voice from the back of mind still said to rebuff their gifts. It sounded like my mother. No. It was my mother. She didn't even have to be with me, I knew her so well that she was always with me. I could create conversations that may as well be real.

"Ta daa!" Alice held up a very pretty dress. It was a solid gold overlaid with a see through black material. It was strapless and would fall just below my knees. Another thing was it matched my gift from my father. It was a gold locked embedded with a fire like jewel. It hung from a golden chain that was brand new and it locked securely.

"Your grandparents wanted me to give this to you. It was meant for your 18th birthday but they decided to give it to you a year early."

He didn't have to say it. My grandparents were really old and my grandma already had one foot over the grave. If she were to die my grandpa would follow after her. Because she was the world to him and without her he would be lost. They wanted to see me wearing a family heirloom that was passed down from mother to daughter. They had only one child and my grandma didn't trust my mother with it, so she saved it for me.

My heart twisted painfully. I had been able to see them during spring break but the week had passed by way too fast. I could only hope that I would see them after graduation. If they lasted that long…

A cold hand fell onto my shoulder and I was surprised to see Rosalie offering me some comfort. Our relationship in the beginning mirrored what she had with Bella. It had since cooled considerably but there was still a chill. She knew I still hoped and until I gave that up she would remain at a distance.

"Thanks." I said.

She nodded.

I slipped into the dress and of course it fitted me perfectly.

"Now for the tiara!" Rosalie chimed, opening a box that had been set on Alice's vanity.

"What?" They did not get me a tiara. I refused to believe it.

"A little gift from Emmett." She added in a much softer voice, "Don't worry it's nothing extravagant."

It better not be.

From down below I could hear Emmett's booming laughter. I'm sure Edward had told him my very threat filled thought that had been directed at Emmett.

Rosalie put it on me and I honestly should have seen this coming. Emmett did say he was going to treat me like a princess this year. I'm just glad he didn't get me a crown. Because there would have been a high possibility that it would had actually belonged to a princess from some country in the past. The tiara was sliver and embedded with pearls that I hoped were fake. I led myself into thinking they were because when I looked into them mirror they didn't match my eyes.

"If only you let me dress you up like this every day." Alice said mournfully.

Before Alice came into my life I had a hard time finding things that suited me. The stores here didn't cater to tall athletic girls and I was too afraid to ask my mother for a ride to Port Angeles or some other place. I usually stuck to jeans and t-shirts, not wanting to risk buying anything that might look strange on me. Like my mother, I spent my money very carefully. After befriending Alice she had taken me out of Forks and to places with a much broader range of clothes. She enjoyed figuring out what suited me and of course at the time I still had a problem with them buying me stuff; so my outfits were pretty tame and to quote her, 'very formal'. Now however I let her dress me up on special occasions (which turned out to be every holiday in existence), giving her no limit.

"Prom is coming up Alice." I reminded her. That cheered her up. I could see the mad glint in her eyes.

There was a knock on the door. "Is she ready?" Emmett asked.

"She just needs to put on the heels." Alice said.

Gratefully the heels were only an inch. Anything more would have made me the same height or even taller than the guys here. I don't know why but being taller than a vampire or having the ability to look them straight into the eyes was very disconcerting. Rosalie, Alice, and Esme are little bit easier to look at; their slender bodies were feminine and very deceiving. The men however were larger and they were imitating, not even the gentle Carlisle could escape that.

"Now she's ready." Alice smoothed out my dress and steered me towards Emmett.

He held out his hand and I took it, which turned out to be a very bad idea.

Once we entered the hall way he lifted me so that I was sitting on his left shoulder.

"No, Emmett! Put me down!"

"I will not let our lovely and pure princess walk down these filthy floors. Of course you're not really pure-,"

"Emmett!" I was mortified. It was no secret that Edward and I had been physical, though not in the way Emmett was implying.

"Stop teasing the birthday girl!" Rosalie slapped him on the other shoulder. "You're making her face clash with her outfit!"

"She can use a bit of color."

"It's not my fault this place is covered with clouds!" I exclaimed, of course that necessarily wasn't true.

I had stopped joining sports and I didn't exercise much. I no longer went out when it was sunny or not raining. I did all those things so I could be with my Dad. I could recall the times he took me out jogging or arrived at my games, a proud smile cemented onto his face. He wasn't here anymore. He was looking after his crumbling parents and watching his marriage evaporate. I lost interest in sports and the only time I held a bat was when Emmett took me out to hit baseballs.

I felt empty without my dad and his presence had yet to disappear from my house. That was why I spent a lot of time there nowadays. As well as to avoid Edward, who was also the cause of some hurt.

Emmett must have sensed my mood change and he relented. But he still carried me down the stairs and to a chorus of 'Happy Birthday!'. Alice had shielded my eyes the moment I was at the door so I hadn't been able to get a look at how she transformed the living room. The decorations matched my dress and they were abundant. Alice never did anything small. In the corner of the room, stacked on a small table, were my presents. They were in silver boxes with shiny ribbons and a printed design on them. There was no wrapping paper.

They didn't want a repeat of what happened last year.

Beside the presents was a small birthday cake.

Happy Birthday Violette! was written in elegant script and I recognized it as Esme's. Of course, she made it. This birthday was turning out very emotional. Once upon a time my mother made me birthday cakes from scratch. But as the years passed her obsession with her job and her living room increased and because my dad and brother couldn't cook, my cakes were store bought. For the last two years it was now Esme who baked my cakes and she had assumed the role of a mother in my life.

I gave her a very tight hug and thankfully Jasper subdue my whirling emotions so I didn't break out into a sobbing mess.

My happiness was suddenly more dominate and the evening took a turn for the better.

Yet when my eyes rested upon or met with Edward's, the old hurt bubbled to the surface but I was able to gloss over it. However he would catch the thoughts and a shadow of guilt flicked across his face.

Because he felt in some way he had led me on. For one blissful month he entertained the notion of being with me and eventually gave into Alice's pestering. We were both very happy and for once not even my mother could tear me down. In some way Edward had been able to shield me from her poison filled words. He was my best friend and he knew me better than I would ever know myself. For one month he was my future and I was his.

Even now I was still reeling from the break up. Which brought my attention to Bella.

She had been sticking to the side and trying to become invisible. She wasn't one for parties or social gatherings. Our relationship wasn't much. She treated me with indifference and on the occasion she would catch me staring at Edward with longing and I would receive a withering glare from her. The more that kept happening the chances of us getting along vanished. She didn't like me. She was jealous.

I know why she felt that way and I didn't have any ill feelings towards her. It must be hard to watch another girl pine over your boyfriend. A girl who knew him longer than she did and once had a romantic relationship with him. But we were human. I still longed for someone who I knew would never return to me and she was afraid she would lose Edward to another girl, even though that would never happen.

Emmett still maintained that this was a ball and that the princess must dance. Even though I found this annoying it kept my mind off depressing things as I struggled to follow his graceful steps. By the time I had danced with every single person in the room (with the exception of Bella) it was time to open the presents.

Apparently the tiara didn't count as a gift and I tentatively opened a silver box with a tag reading, from Emmett and Rosalie. Hoping that because it was also from Rosalie, who knew how I felt about expensive things, that it was a very tame gift.

"How?" I asked. How did he get the baseball player I admired so fiercely to sign this? I held the signed baseball as if it was the Holy Grail. I suppose it would have been easy for him to get this signed but I was still astonished.

"Now let's not let Emmett and Rosalie steal the spotlight." Alice declared, handing me one signed, from Alice and Jasper.

They had given me a very beautiful jewelry box that was tall and meant for the necklace I was wearing. Esme and Carlisle some very nicely bound books of authors who I loved. Edward and Bella got me a book series that would probably tear my heart apart as I fell in love with the characters and watch as some of them die.

It always leads to misery, I thought, annoyed with myself.

After that it was time for me to eat my cake, Bella declined the offer. We both felt uncomfortable about eating in front of them but I was hungry and the cake looked delicious.

I set my last gift down and Esme carried the cake to the kitchen. I followed her, feeling the night come to a close.

This year's birthday felt different somehow. Last year my father had been gone and even with my brother here I still spent it with the Cullens. Nothing had really changed…so why was this night so light and…fragile?

As I retreated to the kitchen so I could get a slice of birthday cake, I caught a strange expression on Edward's face. Before I could think about it Alice swept up from behind me and with her arm around my shoulders, she pulled me away from Edward. I quickly dismissed what I saw.

Because he turned his attention towards Bella. I had to remember that his life revolved around her now. Some things weren't meant for me.