Hi guys!

This was supposed to be included in my new story which was a collection of one-shots but I thought that It was a good idea so I'll just post my stories individually.

Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.

Fall to Pieces

Edward had just gotten his first paychecks. He couldn't stop touching it because he really felt great with those pieces of paper he worked hard for.

Neither his parents nor his friends including Bella knew all about his jobs. He worked as a cashier in a convenience store in a town twenty minutes away from Forks, served coffee during weekends and sometimes worked in his friend's car repair shop.

He was doing all of those for Bella's birthday which was fast approaching. It would be held on the day after tomorrow.

There was one problem though. He still didn't know what to give her although he had the money. It was her eighteenth birthday so it better be something really special, something worth keeping and something that she would never forget.

Edward, from the minute he arrived home and retreated to his room, had been staring at the envelope which contained his money. As if the object would talk to him and tell him what to do with it.

He was thinking of what Jacob, Bella's very rich suitor would give her. Not like Edward Cullen could be called poor. His father was a veteran Doctor and his mother owned a furniture shop. They owned one of the few large houses in Forks.

Jacob could give her a genuine gold necklace, diamond earrings or even an island if she wished for one. But Edward knew Bella a little too well and she never liked extravagant things. She liked all things simple. It was one of the many reasons why he liked her.

This time, he wanted something that really came from him and not his parents. He believed that it would make the gift extra special because he worked for it. It wasn't easy to have many part time jobs while you are in high school. He had to make so many excuses why he was coming home late. He was also falling asleep during his classes which made him miss many lectures. Thank God, he had Bella whom he could borrow notes from.

All things simple. The words ran into his head over and over again.

He finally knew what he'd give her and the money would just be enough.

A plan was formulating in his mind. The same time that she'd see the present, she'd also know what Edward had been keeping to her for so long.

Two days later…

As soon as Bella's eyes opened that morning, she felt butterflies flying wildly in her stomach. She was so anxious and excited…and well, happy. Today was finally her eighteenth birthday; she could be officially called an adult. Miraculously, the sun seemed to celebrate with her too.

All those who were important to her would be in their house today. Her friends, her mom who arrived last night from Arizona, and of course her father because he lived there. Her parents divorced when she was about eight because they wanted to take two completely different paths in their lives. But they were good friends now, her mom remarried three years ago and her dad was dating Sue Clearwater, a very nice woman whom she knew could take care of her dad.

There was only one person that he was anticipating to see that afternoon and it was her best friend, Edward Cullen. He promised her that he would be there with her to celebrate her special day. They had been best friends since Edward and his family move to Forks eight years ago. They met in school; Edward was being bullied for being weak, for being always sick and Bella stood up for him. Neither of them would forget that day because it was when their friendship started.

If there was someone whom she wanted to see, there was also one that she was dreading to see and it was Jacob Black.

When Jacob expressed his true intentions to her, she tried to be nonchalant about it. They were close childhood friends, but not close as she was with Edward. He was becoming too much, he started visiting her three times a week with different presents in his hands. Honestly, he was so full of himself and he thought that he could have Bella with his pricey gifts. She refused all of them as humanely as she could.

Their living room had been transformed into a small party place. There were streamers and balloons all over it, a proof that it had been her mom's doings. Esme Cullen, Edward's mother had done all the cooking. All that would pass through her hands would surely be delicious, not like her mom who couldn't even fry decent eggs. Esme's dishes were gifts Bella could never refuse. They taste so freaking good to decline.

Bella was dressed in a navy blue frilly dress that reached just above her knees. It was something that his mother and of course Alice had chosen.

The moment she finished her breakfast that morning, Alice and Rosalie kidnapped and trapped her in her room.

They prepped her up. Waxed unwanted hair from her body, had her take a bath in a nice smelling soap, smelled like her favorite fresh strawberries. During lunch, they allowed her to take a break same as them. After that, the prepping continued. They painted her nails in a pale pink shade, did her hair and makeup and dressed her up.

Bella's hair was long; it almost reached past her waist. Rose was thankful for that because she could style it more beautifully and less complicated.

The real reason why Bella had grown her hair that long was because of Edward. When he told her how much he loved her hair, and how soft it was when he ran his fingers through it, she barely went to a salon to have it cut.

Both Alice and Rosalie were contented with their work. They were Bella's professional team. They made a good pair when it comes to things like that. The party would be starting in about twelve minutes. They thought they would never make it in time. Most of their time was spent on talking about nonsense things and gossips about celebrities.

A full length mirror was brought to Bella and she couldn't believe what she was seeing. She looked completely different. She didn't know that she could really be beautiful. She could stand beside Rosalie without being secretly ashamed of herself. She couldn't wait for Edward to see her and she wondered if he'd think she was pretty.

Her hair was in large curls, cascading softly like down her back. She had a white ribbon headband, a simple diamond necklace and her Gran Marie's engagement ring. It was something that her loving grandmother gave her before she passed away.

Instead of seeing Edward waiting for her downstairs, she saw a sea of people she didn't know, but familiar enough. Her distant relatives. Her mother was happily interacting with them so it must be her doing. It couldn't be Charlie because he hated strangers in his house as much as Bella did.

"Bella's here!" Renee announced.

Gasps and low chatters filled the room. Bella blushed from the attention she was getting.

Where were the few people that her parents promised her? She thought.

Charlie helped her go down the stairs without tripping.

As soon as her feet left the stairs, she was in the arms of a woman she barely knew. Was her name Claire? Charlotte? Carmen? She forgot. She stopped attending family reunions after her parents' divorce. She didn't like mingling with a lot of people anyway.

The woman was telling her how beautifully she'd grown and asked her if a lucky man had already captured her heart. Bella thanked and answered her politely and then she pulled away from her.

When Bella thought that she was finally free, more arms caught her. She was passed from one to another. She hadn't even caught a glimpse of any of her friends. She wished she could just go back to her room and hide.

She was only able to breathe when Alice came out of nowhere, telling that it was time for her to blow her candle.

Bella's two layered cake was made by her favorite pastry chef, Kate. Kate's bakeshop started when Bella was nine. Charlie was a friend of Kate's husband, Garrett so the father and daughter were often there. Bella had a sweet tooth so she always got excited when her father tells her that they would have their breakfast at the shop. When she started high school, her visits became regular and Edward was always included with it.

It was when everyone started to sing that she finally saw her friends. They were all there, about four feet away from her, singing the birthday song merrily along with the others.

But she was disappointed. She could almost feel tears building up in her eyes. Edward was absent and Jacob was there. Good thing somebody distracted her, telling that she needed to make a wish and blow her candle.

She briefly made her wish in her mind. It was something she'd been wishing since her fifteenth birthday. She leaned down and blew the blue single candle. Everyone applauded and the 'real' party began.

At first loud blaring music filled the place, but her 'relatives' started complaining that it was hurting their ears. It was replaced by old boring music and then everyone started dancing except from her. The night flew by ever so slowly. It was her worst birthday ever. It was either she was dragged by a stranger to ask her about anything and everything, or Jacob would ask her to dance and as expected she would decline. She wouldn't want to dance with anyone except from Edward.

She really thought that it would be the most wonderful night of her life. She was clearly mistaken. Edward broke his promise and it was a first time. If she didn't expect too much from him, then she wouldn't be disappointed like this.

At eleven, exhausting was getting the best of her. She barely had a seat the entire night. Some of the visitors were already heading home so she thought it wouldn't be bad for her to go to her room. Charlie and Renee could handle the 'party'.

Staying as low profile as possible, Bella ascended to upstairs to her room. She remembered to lock it when she was inside and the lights remained off so nobody would know she was inside. She wouldn't want Jacob to sneak inside, the thought creeped her out.

It was really dark and only streaks of moonlight passing through her window, which was open was lighting the room. Even though she could barely see anything, she knew her room very well. With her wobbly feet from wearing high heels, she walked toward her bed.

All of a sudden, the light flickered open. Bella almost screamed in fear that it was a ghost who did that.

When she turned around to see who or what turned on the light, all she saw was her handsome best friend.

"Oh God, you almost gave me a heart attack," she gasped.

Without even thinking twice, she ran into Edward's waiting arms. She wrapped her feeble arms around his waist and she felt his around her.

Bella didn't know that she was crying until she let out shaky breaths.

Edward never expected this kind of reaction coming from Bella. He hated seeing his best friend cry and most of all, he hated making her cry.

"I thought you weren't coming," she said, her voice muffled by Edward's jacket.

"How can't I?" Edward asked. "I promised you, right? I'm sorry, I'm late. I had to finish some things."

He was really busy with his girlfriend. Bella thought.

He had been out too much lately. Rumors spread around like wildfire. They said that Edward was dating someone from a nearby town. She was really hot from what she heard. But she thought, that if it was true, Edward would tell her. He tells her everything, right? That was what she thought.

Most people from school knew that Bella and Edward were tight. They kept asking her if the news that Edward Cullen, the hottest guy in school already had a girlfriend. But she never answered them. She avoided them. Even her, she didn't know the answer to their question. She felt kinda betrayed. She didn't want to ask, she wanted him to be the one to tell her. That day never came.

Maybe there wasn't really a girlfriend… Then what could explain his repeated absence. He was leaving the school as soon as the final bell rang and he wasn't hanging out with them during the weekends anymore.

Emmett and Jasper were often teasing him about the girl, but she was always telling them that they should just mind their own business and well, girlfriends. It only made Bella think that the rumors were real.

"I made you something," Edward said, pulling away from the embrace.

Bella stopped crying that moment. She realized that she might as well enjoy this moment and stop sulking because tomorrow, he'd be gone again with that girl.

"Wha—"

Before she could even ask what it was, Edward dragged her out of her room, through the window.

Bella used to climb out whenever she needed to sneak out of the house during their late night parties or even when she and Edward would hand out in his house, secretly of course. She was almost caught by Charlie once and she explained that there was a cockroach she wanted to kill and it got out of the window before she could lay a hand or a shoe on it.

She'd been careful all throughout the process. If Edward hadn't guided her, she'd be in pieces now. She was cluelss in what Edward was up to, but she had a feeling that it was something pleasant.

Hand in hand, they went to Edward's Volvo. He opened the door for her and she gave him a small thankful smile which he returned with and made her blush. He chuckled as he went to his own seat.

Bella never thought that he would bring her to the meadow since it was already dark. He let her wear his jacket because it was chilly outside. She was so nervous as they walked their way there. What could be there that Edward wanted her to see. They'd been there a thousand times and she almost memorized how the place looked like. She couldn't think of anything but those wild flowers in different colors and how they always captivated her.

They were halfway there when Edward placed a blindfold in her eyes.

Bella instantly panicked, "What's this?"

"Just trust me, okay? I want my present to be a surprise," Edward answered. He took her hand and her body relaxed.

One thing was concluded. Bella would be a bad blind person and she'd end up killing herself. She became even clumsier if that was even possible. It was taking them so long and it was almost midnight, the end of Bella's birthday. Edward decided to just carry her. She didn't protest because to be honest, she was so tired.

Finally, she was allowed to remove the blinds. What an astonishing sight she saw when she did.

There was what looked like hundreds of battery operated candles on the ground. They were formed to letters, to words. Bella was left speechless.

"Ah... Uhm… Happy birthday, Bells. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out," Edward stuttered.

Bella read it mentally again, "I LOVE YOU, BELLA SWAN".

Edward was thinking on how he had destroyed their friendship by doing this. He should have known that someone like Bella wouldn't like him. She deserved to be with someone better. What she felt for him was pure platonic love, nothing more, nothing less.

"Is it real?" Bella asked softly, looking up at Edward.

He could feel his heart beating fast as Bella looked at her with those mesmerizing doe eyes. She looked unbelievably beautiful tonight.

"Yes," he almost whispered.

"Oh," Bella smiled sweetly.

Edward couldn't help to give her one too.

"Thank you," she said.

Disappointment flooded over Edward's face. With the way she responded to him, he thought she felt the same too. He was over thinking things and was embarrassed by it.

"You're welcome," he said and his voice sounded so down.

It's fine, very expected. He thought.

He handed her his second and last present.

Bella noticed the dramatic change in his mood, but she didn't do anything about it. She took the small box that Edward gave her. Inside was a circle locket. She popped the locket open and for the third time that night, she was surprised.

On the right side was a picture of him and her which was taken last year during his birthday. It was a stolen shot by Alice. Edward's face was a bit too close to hers and their eyes were at each other. While on the left side of it, there were engraved words.

Forever my love, my best friend.

It looked really beautiful and precious. Bella was really touched and she was afraid she would cry. She dared to go closer to him and asked, "Can you put it on me?"

He thought that she would reject it. Did that mean…

She rested her head on his shoulder as he fastened the necklace. She thanked him when he was done, but she didn't move away even an inch.

"I love you," she whispered, now looking up at him, directly in his eyes. She never thought that she would ever have the courage to say those words. Her cheeks were in its darkest shade of red and she looked a bit anxious.

"For real?" He still couldn't believe it.

"For real," Bella confirmed.

"I can't believe it," Edward said to himself.

"Well you better do. I won't say it again." Bella blushed more if that was even possible.

She felt Edward's hand on her chin as he tilted her face up and then their eyes met. The small box on her hand was forgotten, fallen on the ground.

"Can I…can I kiss you?"

She nodded shyly. Edward smiled in victory.

As he was inching closer, her eyes were slowly closing. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest like it wanted to escape. She could barely breathe and all she wanted was to feel his lips sealed with hers.

He closed the distance between them.

Passion, love, longing and frustration. All of them exploded at that very moment. It was the second where you realize what were really missing in your life and what or who could complete them. They found something they weren't even looking for.

It found them before they did. The strong connection between them wasn't just friendship, it was stronger than that. It was love, real and true love.

What do you think? The plot was just something that came to my mind when I thought of the song which was, Fall to Pieces by Avril Lavigne.

Thank you for reading!

-ishi :)

P.S. If you also like Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, you can check out my story: I Don't Want To Be a Bride.