I do not claim New Moon as my own. This is SM's genius work, I'm just touching it up, and switching around the point of view. Credit goes to SM as well as me. Some parts are copied word for word from NM just to give you the full effect.
Chapter 1: It Takes Some Convincing
My mind didn't want to accept it, and neither did my heart, yet somehow both knew the truth. I had no say in the matter, which is something that doesn't always happen. Not that me exercising free speech would have done any good. This decision was unanimous, and it was for the good of everyone; Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper. But most importantly, it was for the good of Bella. We were leaving, end of discussion.
I snapped out of my daze. Bella's car was pulling into the parking lot behind Forks High School. She seemed troubled, just as I was, except I was better at hiding my own imperfections. I leaned motionlessly against my polished silver Volvo, waiting for Bella; my Bella. Alice stood by me, waiting for her too. Bella was beautiful. She didn't seem to think so, and she believed in herself a great deal less than I did. It was almost as if I could see her for who she was when she herself could not.
"Happy birthday, Bella!" Alice cried. She was probably more excited about Bella's 18th birthday than Bella was herself. I felt a pang of sympathy for Alice. She had worked so hard on this birthday party. I could only hope Bella realized that, would act accordingly. We all knew she wasn't very happy about being older, a feeling I'd never know, but she'd break Alice's heart in two if she didn't seem excited.
"Shh!" Bella hissed. She glanced around, probably not wanting others to make a big deal. The last thing she wanted some kind of celebration. She had made that ridiculously clear.
Alice, of course, ignored her. "Do you want to open your present now or later?" she asked eagerly, as they made their way to where I was waiting.
"No presents," she protested. Bad move, Bella. Alice was the type of person who was very persistent. She succeeded in getting anything she wanted. "Brainwash" was her nickname.
"Okay…later, then." She said. That was Alice for you. "Did you like the scrapbook your mom sent you? And the camera from Charlie?" Alice prodded. This was the small-talk. We had to get Bella buttered up for her party.
"Yeah." Bella replied, quite solemnly. "They're great."
"I think it's a nice idea." Alice resumed. "You're only a senior once. Might as well document the experience." I agreed with Alice, actually. I couldn't count how many times I'd been a senior on my two hands.
"How many times have you been a senior?" Ah, my Bella was a smart one.
"That's different."
Bella extended her hand out to me, and I took it eagerly, forgetting for a moment my glum mood. I gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. They were soft, and thin, and rather warm. I chuckled to myself. To me, anything was warm. I lifted a cold finger and traced it around her plump, red lips. "So, as discussed, I am not allowed to wish you a happy birthday, is that correct?"
"Yes. That is correct."
"Just checking." I ran my hand through her tousled hair, breathing in her scent, and yet, tasting and cherishing it at the same time. I knew this would be one of my last chances. "You might have changed your mind. Most people seem to enjoy things like birthdays and gifts."
Alice laughed, while Bella gave out a sort of exasperated sigh.
"I don't like getting older." Bella volunteered. She was never one to give out information unnecessarily, so it was an oddity.
"Bella, you're only 18." Alice said, in an attempt to comfort the birthday girl. "Don't women usually wait till they're twenty-nine to get upset over birthdays?"
I laughed out loud, this time. I assumed it was a little bit harder in the human world. Alice and I never had to worry about getting older. The word, to say, was strange. I myself had never had to worry about age, but pretty much everyone else did. I longed to know the feeling of age. To be older. To progress. I was stuck in one age, forever. The thought was a bit overwhelming, but I coped as best I could.
"It's older than Edward." She replied, her voice hard with an edge. I sighed.
"Just by one little year." Alice responded. More like a hundred little years. I was always going to be older than Bella, if you wanted to look at the matter technically. I was a hundred years older than Bella, yet my attitude and outlook on life advanced with each decade. Bella never had to really worry about being older than me.
"What time will you be at my house?" Alice continued, changing the subject.
"Quite frankly, I didn't know I had plans to be there." I shot a glance at Bella. She was serious.
"Oh, be fair, Bella!" Alice complained. "You aren't going to ruin all our fun like that, are you?"
"I thought my birthday was about what I want."
"I'll get her from Charlie's right after school," I chimed in, ignoring Bella's request.
"I have to work," she protested, putting up a weak defense.
"You don't, actually." Alice told her smugly. "I already spoke to Mrs. Newton about it. She's trading your shifts. She said to tell you 'Happy Birthday.'"
"I-I still can't come over," she stammered, scrambling for an excuse. "I, well, I haven't watched Romeo and Juliet yet for English."
Alice snorted. "You have Romeo and Juliet memorized."
"But, Mr. Berty said we needed to see it performed to fully appreciate it-that's how Shakespeare intended it to be presented."
I rolled my eyes. We all knew Bella was going to wind up at my house. She needed too much convincing.
"You've already seen the movie," Alice accused, pointedly.
"But not the nineteen-sixties version. Mr. Berty said it was the best."
I noticed Alice had finally lost her smug smile, and gave Bella a tough glare. "This can be easy, or this can be hard, Bella, but one way or the other-"
I interrupted Alice's attempt at a threat. "Relax, Alice." I paused, "If Bella wants to watch a movie, then she can. It's her birthday."
Alice glared at me. She began to open her mouth to speak.
"So there," Bella added, thinking she had won the fight.
"I'll bring her over around seven," I continued. "That'll give you more time to set up."
Alice's laughter chimed in again. "Sounds good. See you tonight, Bella! It'll be fun, you'll see." She grinned in triumph.
"Edward, please-" Bella started to beg, but I pressed a finger against her warm lips. "Let's discuss this later." I said. "We're going to be late for class."
With that, we opened the wooden door to our classroom, and settled in our seats. The bell rang, and our minds quickly fell into place.