Happy Birthday!
I was ninety-nine point nine percent sure that I was dreaming.
The reason was because; I was first standing in a bright shaft of sunlight-the kind that would never be seen in Folks. Secondly, I was looking up at my grandma who had been dead for sixty years now. Gran hadn't changed much; she looked the same as I remembered her. Her skin soft, wrinkled, bent into a million creases. When I moved, so did she.
"Bella?"
It wasn't Gran who had called my name, it was Edward. My love. My life. He was standing beside Gran now in the sunlight. He was sparkling. Now how was I going to explain this one?
Well, Gran you might have noticed my boyfriend sparkles. It's just something that he does in the sun. Don't worry about it…
What was he doing? The whole reason he lived in Folks was to try to be more human. And now, he's coming outside in the sun right in front of my grandmother. He started strolling towards me. He looked at me with his crooked smile. He was right beside me now. I held his stone face in my hands and kissed him.
I waited for Gran's criticism and her horrified expression. Her expression surprised me. She surprised me. When I took a good long look at her, I saw that she was wrapped around something or someone. Uncomprehending. I raised my hand. Gran did the same. I reached out to touch her and where our hands could have met, they didn't. I touched cold glass: a mirror. With a dizzy jolt this dream became a nightmare.
There was no Gran.
That was me as an old lady.
Edward stood beside me still seventeen. He pressed his icy lips against mine. Then in his most alluring voice he said "Happy Birthday Bella!"
I woke up startled and confused. It was just a dream... and my worst nightmare. I skipped breakfast and hurried out of the house. I was trying to avoid my dad. I struggled to get a grip of myself as I drove to school. I was trying to keep focused. Edward and Alice were waiting for me by the Volvo.
"Happy Birthday Bella!" Alice chirped as she danced toward me.
"Shh…" I hissed and glanced around to make sure no one heard.
She ignored me. "Do you want to open your present now or later?"
"No presents," I protested walking toward where Edward was standing. She pouted but she knew I was going to give in soon, I could see it on her eyes. Finally, I was standing next to Edward. He reached out to grab my hand. Although his cold hands almost burned every time we touched there was always a spark every time too. The only word that I could use to describe it was magical.
The first time his icy cold hand touched mine there was a jolt of electricity through our hands. Although he thought I was disgusted by the temperature, he was wrong.
He kissed me lightly on top of my forehead. That kiss almost made me forget why I was angry. Almost. He was always good at distractions. I made it through the day without anyone finding out it was my birthday. Now all I had to do was go to the Cullen's tonight, put on a show where I fell down a lot and then it would all be over. The day would be over.
I walked toward my beat up old truck and opened the driver's door. I drove home in peace and quiet. When I got home I was trying to decide what to wear because surely there would be pictures taken. An hour later Edward knocked on the door to pick me up. I took my camera because Renne would need to see my birthday pictures. On the ride there I took pictures of Edward and me.
"Edward, will you show up on the film if I take a picture of you?"
"Ha ha," he said sarcastically.
"Ya, I bet you get that all the time." I giggled and then took another picture. Once we got there, Alice took the camera and led me into the pink room.
"Bella you are very lucky we reigned in Alice a bit. She was going to get a band, spotlight and a dancing floor, "Edward whispered so no one else could hear.
"Oh," was my genius response.
I ate a tiny piece of the pink floral cake. Every ten seconds Alice asked if it tasted okay. Every time she asked me I would lie and say it tasted better with every bite. In reality the cake tasted like cardboard. I knew Edward wasn't fooled and suggested we opened the presents.
"Present time!" Alice said excitedly.
"Okay?"
"Open mine first Bella." I picked up the box that said it was from Alice and while I was trying to unwrap it I cut myself. "Shoot."
Before, I could respond Edward was on top of me, protecting me from Jasper. I heard loud biting sounds on the other side of him. He was probably inches from Edward's face. That image sent a shiver down my spine. When Edward and I landed on the floor I heard a loud smash of glass. Ow!